Dusk: a needlework chart for any craft

The random number generator picked Dusk from the suggestions for this post, suggested by Catnach and Smart Mouth’d, two of my Patreon supporters. I’m very pleased by how this one looks as if it could be a traditional colorwork design, and indeed, has some elements that turn up in traditional patterns.

I also developed a lace stitch pattern for Dusk, but I like to provide a basic chart for any craft that’s worked on a grid: beads, cross stitch, whatever. I try to provide at least some digital art of the pattern repeated all over not as a chart. It doesn’t necessarily look like a finished object for any particular craft, but I want to give a sense of it in use. (I try to make it look like knitting when it’s got floats short enough for easy stranded knitting.)

illustration showing how Dusk needlework might look as stranded knitting
chart showing how to work Dusk needlework by means of dark and light squares
click chart to enlarge
  • Dusk has a repeat of 14 + 1 columns and 10 or 10 + 5 rows (end after row 5 or row 10).
  • In the written instructions, color A is the light squares above, and color B is the dark.
  • The written instructions below are formatted for stranded knitting, but it is my hope that they could be translated into instructions for other crafts. For instance, if working filet crochet, 1 A could be one open square and 2 B could be two filled-in squares.
  • Designers, please feel free to use this in your patterns (no need to ask). 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!

Round 1: work knit as follows; 1A, *1B, 2A, 2B, 1A, 1B, 1A, 2B, 2A, 1B, 1A; work from *. (15 sts)

Round 2: work knit as follows; 1A, *(2B, 2A, 2B, 1A) × 2; work from *.

Round 3: work knit as follows; 1B, *2A, (1B, 1A) × 4, 1B, 2A, 1B; work from *.

Round 4: work knit as follows; 1A, *(2B, 2A, 2B, 1A) × 2; work from *.

Round 5: work knit as follows; 1A, *1B, 2A, 2B, 1A, 1B, 1A, 2B, 2A, 1B, 1A; work from *.

Round 6: work knit as follows; 1B, *1A, 2B, 2A, 1B, 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 1A, 1B; work from *.

Round 7: work knit as follows; 1A, *(2B, 2A, 2B, 1A) × 2; work from *.

Round 8: work knit as follows; 1B, *(1A, 1B) × 2, (2A, 1B) × 2, (1A, 1B) × 2; work from *.

Round 9: work knit as follows; 1A, *(2B, 2A, 2B, 1A) × 2; work from *.

Round 10: work knit as follows; 1B, *1A, 2B, 2A, 1B, 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 1A, 1B; work from *.