Abbreviated pi: a free lace knitting stitch pattern.

It’s Pi Day, at least when dates are considered from the US point of view: it’s 3/14 today. My husband is using this as an excuse to bake pie. I’m using it as an excuse to make another stitch pattern using the first five digits of pi: 3.1415.

I particularly like the unexpected way that if the knitting ends after row 2 or 8, there’s picots to be pinned out.

Happy Pi Day!

Abbreviated pi: a free lace knitting stitch pattern

Abbreviated pi: a free lace knitting stitch pattern
(click to enlarge)

Notes:

  • This is a stitch pattern such as might be found in a stitch dictionary. It is not a pattern for a finished object. You will need to add selvedges or some other form of knitted stitches to either side.
  • Abbreviated Pi is a multiple of 18+18 stitches and 12 rows.
  • The cable crossings are optional, but I like it better with them.
  • I’ve made a stitch map for it.
  • Designers, please feel free to use this stitch in your patterns. I’d like credit but won’t be offended if people don’t give it.
  • If you like my posts like this, please consider supporting me on Patreon or donating with my Paypal tip jar in the sidebar. Thanks!

Abbreviations:

  • 1/1 LC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place at front of work, knit 1, then knit 1 from cable needle.
  • 1/1 RC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place at back of work, knit 1, then knit 1 from cable needle.
  • k: knit.
  • k2tog: knit 2 stitches together as if they were 1. (Right-leaning decrease)
  • p: purl.
  • ssk: slip each of the next 2 stitches as if to knit, then knit them together through the back loop. (Left-leaning decrease)
  • yo: yarnover.

Row 1 (RS): Yo, ssk, k1, 1/1 RC, k4, *k4, 1/1 LC, k1, k2tog, yo x 2, ssk, k1, 1/1 RC, k4 ; work from *, k4, 1/1 LC, k1, k2tog, yo.
Row 2 and all WS rows: Purl, working (k1, p1) in each double yarnover.
Row 3: 1/1 RC x 2, k1, (k2tog, yo) x 2, *(yo, ssk) x 2, k1, 1/1 LC x 2, 1/1 RC x 2, k1, (k2tog, yo) x 2 ; work from *, (yo, ssk) x 2, k1, 1/1 LC x 2.
Row 5: K4, (k2tog, yo) x 2, k1, *k1, (yo, ssk) x 2, k3, 1/1 RC, k3, (k2tog, yo) x 2, k1 ; work from *, k1, (yo, ssk) x 2, k4.
Row 7: K4, 1/1 LC, k1, k2tog, yo, *yo, ssk, k1, 1/1 RC, k8, 1/1 LC, k1, k2tog, yo ; work from *, yo, ssk, k1, 1/1 RC, k4.
Row 9: (Yo, ssk) x 2, k1, 1/1 LC x 2, *1/1 RC x 2, k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo x 2, ssk, yo, ssk, k1, 1/1 LC x 2 ; work from *, 1/1 RC x 2, k1, (k2tog, yo) x 2.
Row 11: K1, (yo, ssk) x 2, k3, 1/1 RC, *k3, (k2tog, yo) x 2, k2, (yo, ssk) x 2, k3, 1/1 RC ; work from *, k3, (k2tog, yo) x 2, k1.

Designers, please feel free to use this stitch in your patterns. I’d like credit but won’t be offended if people don’t give it. Thanks! – Naomi

If you like my posts like this, please consider supporting me on Patreon or donating with my Paypal tip jar on the right. Thanks!

Code process:

Here’s how I made this particular chart. I made a variety using all my layout methods, and this was the one I liked best.

encoding 31415 as a knitting stitch pattern

Triangles can make good tiles to repeat across a flat surface. I started at the bottom, counting squares from right to left, as if knitting.  Each digit of 31415 was counted separately. I counted 3 squares and then placed a marker; since there wasn’t a space on the first row, I put it in the first square of the second row; 1 square, then another marker; 4 squares, and so on. There are a bunch of blank squares left over, but they aren’t counted since another marker hasn’t been placed in that space.

Then I mirrored this triangle, and tiled it. I replaced the black squares with yarnovers and figured out where to place the decreases. As sometimes happens, the most obvious decrease locations looked best, making a motif that looks good in alternation.