2018: a free mosaic knitting stitch pattern

I have a tradition (four years is a tradition, right?) of using the four digits of the upcoming year as a basis for designing a stitch pattern to celebrate the New Year. May this year be a good one for all of us.

The first three years were all lace. This year, I realized that one of the possible code grids for 2018 was suitable for a mosaic knitting chart. This is the first time I’ve seen that possibility in my code grids, so of course I had to go with it.

The thing about mosaic knitting is that it just looks difficult. It’s really easy to do! Basically, you’re knitting two row stripes, and slipping stitches from the row below to make the contrasting pattern. If you can knit stripes, you can knit mosaic patterns.

Here’s an article from Twist Collective about how it works.

2018 swatch
2018: a free chart for any craft by Naomi Parkhurst
click to enlarge

Here is the code grid in question. It’s suitable for any craft: needlepoint, cross stitch, knitting (try working the black squares in purl stitch), crochet (this could be a filet crochet chart), and so on.

2018 slip stitch chart
click to enlarge

For my mosaic knitting chart, I started by using just the top half of the code grid shown above to make a slip stitch chart. I took away the extra column at the axis of symmetry in the middle. Then I used the principle of turning each black square into a chart symbol to change them into slip stitches. I also repeated the chart a second time vertically so the colors would work out correctly.

2018: a free mosaic knitting chart by Naomi Parkhurst
click to enlarge

Next I doubled each row according to the rules of mosaic knitting and colored each square to match the color that the yarn would produce with the slipped stitches. That’s why the resulting knitting doesn’t look like the original code grid.

The second row of each color in the chart above is shown as purl stitches where the stitches aren’t slipped. Those stitches can also be knit, which is how I worked the swatch for this stitch.

2018: a free mosaic knitting chart by Naomi Parkhurst
click to enlarge

This is a Barbara Walker-style mosaic chart for 2018. Each row of squares in it represents two rows of knitting (which is why there’s a row number at each end). The square in the column to the right of the row numbers indicates the color of yarn being worked in that line. So in rows 1 & 2, all black squares are knit or purled, and all white squares are slipped with the yarn being held on the wrong side of the work. In rows 3 & 4, all white squares are knit or purled and all black squares are slipped.

Notes:

  • This is a stitch pattern such as might be found in a stitch dictionary. This is not a pattern for a finished object. You will need to add selvedges or some other form of knitted stitches to either side.
  • 2018 is a multiple of 8+1 stitches and 12 rows.
  • Before starting any of these instructions, knit two plain rows in Color A, represented by the white squares on the charts.
  • Designers, please feel free to use it 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:

  • k: knit.
  • sl: slip. For this stitch pattern, slip all stitches purlwise.
  • wyif: with yarn in front. This means you should hold the yarn on the side of the knitting that’s facing you while slipping stitches.

setup rows: knit two rows in color A (shown in white squares on the chart)

Switch to color B.

Row 1 (RS): *k1, sl 2, k3, sl 2; work from *, k1.

Row 2: k1, *sl 2 wyif, k3, sl 2 wyif, k1; work from *.

Switch to color A.

Row 3: *k4, sl 1, k3; work from *, k1.

Row 4: k1, *k3, sl 1 wyif, k4; work from *.

Switch to color B.

Row 5: *sl 1, k7; work from *, sl 1.

Row 6: sl 1 wyif, *k7, sl 1 wyif; work from *.

Switch to color A.

Row 7: *k1, sl 2, k3, sl 2; work from *, k1.

Row 8: k1, *sl 2 wyif, k3, sl 2 wyif, k1; work from *.

Switch to color B.

Row 9: *k4, sl 1, k3; work from *, k1.

Row 10: k1, *k3, sl 1 wyif, k4; work from *.

Switch to color A.

Row 11: *sl 1, k7; work from *, sl 1.

Row 12: sl 1 wyif, *k7, sl 1 wyif; work from *.

Repeat rows 1-12 as desired.


Actually designing mosaic knitting charts is harder than knitting them, because of the constraints involved. This is a useful tool for designing your own. And this chart generator will make you a random chart according to the guidelines you provide it. (Some of them are really good looking.)