Frond: a free lace knitting stitch pattern

The word I drew from my word hoard for this stitch pattern is Frond, suggested by Lara on Patreon. Spring is on the way where I am, and it’s nice to think about sprouting fronds.

Each month, my Patreon backers have the chance to suggest words for me to encode as knitting stitches. I make two of these into knitting stitches each month: the first is drawn from the collection of new words; the second is drawn from the collection of unused words. A random number generator helps me choose these, and then I get to work, first turning the letters into numbers, then charting the numbers onto grids in various ways. Finally, when I make the chart into lace, I turn the marked squares into yarnovers and work out where to place the corresponding decreases. (I usually make lace; occasionally I make cables instead.) I also make a chart for any craft that uses a square grid for designing; this goes in a separate post.

The stitch patterns are not meant in any way to look like the original words; the words are the seeds of my creativity.

Frond: a free lace knitting stitch pattern, by Naomi Parkhurst
Frond: a free lace knitting stitch chart, by Naomi Parkhurst
click on chart to enlarge it

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.
  • The repeats in the charts and the text aren’t in the same places. (The double YOs complicate writing the repeats logically in the text.)
  • Frond is a multiple of 14+1 stitches and either 28 or 28 + 14 rows. (In other words, you can end after row 14.)
  • I’ve made a stitch map for it.
  • Designers, please feel free to use this in your patterns. I’d like credit but won’t be offended if people don’t give it.
  • My blog posts and free stitch patterns are supported by subscriptions on Patreon or donations to my Paypal tip jar in the sidebar. If you appreciate my work, please consider helping out. Thanks!

Abbreviations:

  • CDD: centered double decrease: slip the next 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit the next stitch, then pass the 2 slipped stitches over the third.
  • 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): *p1, k4, k2tog, yo, p1, yo, ssk, k4; work from *, p1. [15 sts]
Row 2 (WS): k1, *(p6, k1) x 2; work from *.
Row 3: *(p1, k1, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k1) x 2; work from *, p1.
Row 4: k1, *(p6, k1) x 2; work from *.
Row 5: *p1, k2, yo, cdd, yo, k1, p1, k1, yo, cdd, yo, k2; work from *, p1.
Row 6: k1, *(p6, k1) x 2; work from *.
Row 7: *p1, yo, k3, ssk, k1, p1, k1, k2tog, k3, yo; work from *, p1.
Row 8: k1, *(p6, k1) x 2; work from *.
Row 9: *p1, k4, yo, ssk, p1, k2tog, yo, k4; work from *, p1.
Row 10: k1, *(p6, k1) x 2; work from *.
Row 11: *p1, cdd, k1, yo x 2, k2, p1, k2, yo x 2, k1, cdd; work from *, p1.
Row 12: k1, *(p2, [k1, p1] in double yo, p2, k1) x 2; work from *.
Row 13: *p1, ssk, k2, yo, k2, p1, k2, yo, k2, k2tog; work from *, p1.
Row 14: k1, *(p6, k1) x 2; work from *.