Pair: a lace knitting stitch pattern

The second word I drew from the words suggested on Patreon last month is Pair, suggested by Pia, a Patreon supporter. I’m fond of how this one came out, not least because it doesn’t have any double yarnovers in it. (I like double yarnovers, but not everyone does.)

Each month, my Patreon backers have the chance to suggest words for me to encode as knitting stitches. I make three of these into knitting stitches each month: the second and third (posted on the first day of the next month) are drawn from the collection of new words; the first 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.

photo of sample lace for Pair: a lace knitting stitch pattern, by Naomi Parkhurst

Notes:

  • The bottom half of the swatch is three repeats of version 1; the top is one and a half repeats of version 2.
  • These are stitch patterns such as might be found in a stitch dictionary. They are not patterns for a finished object. You will need to add selvedges or some other form of knitted stitches to either side.
  • Pair is a multiple of 16 + 1 stitches. Version 1 is a multiple of 8 rows; version 2 is a multiple of either 16 or 16 + 8 rows (end after either row 8 or 16).
  • I’ve made stitch maps for version 1 and version 2.
  • Designers, please feel free to use these 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

Pair, version 1

chart for Pair, version 1: a lace knitting stitch pattern, by Naomi Parkhurst
Click chart to enlarge

Row 1 (RS): *p1, k4, k2tog, yo, k1, p1, k1, yo, ssk, k4; work from *, p1. [17 sts]

Row 2 (WS): k1, *(p7, k1) × 2; work from *.

Row 3: *p1, k3, cdd, yo, k1, yo, p1, yo, k1, yo, cdd, k3; work from *, p1.

Row 4: k1, *(p7, k1) × 2; work from *.

Row 5: *p1, k2, k2tog, k1, yo, k2, p1, k2, yo, k1, ssk, k2; work from *, p1.

Row 6: k1, *(p7, k1) × 2; work from *.

Row 7: *p1, k1, k2tog, (yo, k1) × 2, ssk, p1, k2tog, (k1, yo) × 2, ssk, k1; work from *, p1.

Row 8: k1, *(p7, k1) × 2; work from *.

Pair, Version 2

chart for Pair, version 2: a lace knitting stitch pattern, by Naomi Parkhurst
click chart to enlarge

Row 1 (RS): *p1, k4, k2tog, yo, k1, p1, k1, yo, ssk, k4; work from *, p1. [17 sts]

Row 2 (WS): k1, *(p7, k1) × 2; work from *.

Row 3: *p1, k3, cdd, yo, k1, yo, p1, yo, k1, yo, cdd, k3; work from *, p1.

Row 4: k1, *(p7, k1) × 2; work from *.

Row 5: *p1, k2, k2tog, k1, yo, k2, p1, k2, yo, k1, ssk, k2; work from *, p1.

Row 6: k1, *(p7, k1) × 2; work from *.

Row 7: *p1, k1, k2tog, (yo, k1) × 2, ssk, p1, k2tog, (k1, yo) × 2, ssk, k1; work from *, p1.

Row 8: k1, *(p7, k1) × 2; work from *.

Row 9: *p1, k1, yo, ssk, k4, p1, k4, k2tog, yo, k1; work from *, p1.

Row 10: k1, *(p7, k1) × 2; work from *.

Row 11: *p1, yo, k1, yo, cdd, k3, p1, k3, cdd, yo, k1, yo; work from *, p1.

Row 12: k1, *(p7, k1) × 2; work from *.

Row 13: *p1, k2, yo, k1, ssk, k2, p1, k2, k2tog, k1, yo, k2; work from *, p1.

Row 14: k1, *(p7, k1) × 2; work from *.

Row 15: *p1, k2tog, (k1, yo) × 2, ssk, k1, p1, k1, k2tog, (yo, k1) × 2, ssk; work from *, p1.

Row 16: k1, *(p7, k1) × 2; work from *.

End after either row 8 or row 16.