Yearn: a lace knitting stitch pattern

The word I drew from my word hoard for this stitch pattern is Yearn, suggested by Bonnie C, a Patreon supporter.

Much as I like my stitch work, I’ve been feeling as if I’d like to stretch my abilities, and this pushed me in a couple of ways. Six years ago, I tried working with vertical symmetry, and found it difficult. When I looked at the possible charts for yearn, this yarnover layout caught my eye; I also realized I didn’t necessarily need to aim for perfect vertical symmetry, though this isn’t too far off. I also felt that since this was turning into a stitch pattern with a lot of cables that it might be good to add a little reverse stockinette as a contrast background. I’m really pleased with the result. (The reverse stockinette is optional; anywhere there’s a purl dot on the chart can be replaced with a knit square, except for the [k1, p1] symbols above the double yarnovers.)

I did have to invent three different cable/decrease combinations to cope with the layout, however, so this is definitely for those of you who like a bit of a challenge! This does mean I didn’t get a chance to check my work in Stitch Maps, so there’s an increased chance of mistakes, though I double-checked everything a couple extra times.

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 made a Yearn needlework chart for any craft that uses a square grid for designing.

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

chart showing how to knit Yearn lace by means of special symbols. Written instructions in blog post.
click chart 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.
  • 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.)
  • Yearn is a multiple of 16 + 16 stitches and 32 or 32 + 16 rows. (end after either row 16 or 32)
  • I have not made a stitch map for Yearn; I have unusual maneuvers in this stitch pattern that aren’t available in Stitch-Maps.
  • 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:

  • 1/1 LPC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place at front of work, purl 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.
  • 1/1 RC with added decreases: slip 1 purlwise, slip 1 purlwise onto cable needle and place at back of work, slip the first st back to left needle, k2tog, slip st from cable needle back to left needle, ssk. (The 1st & 3rd sts are worked as a k2tog, crossing in front of the 2nd & 4th sts, which are worked as an ssk. Decreases 2 sts.)
  • 1/1 RPC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place at back of work, knit 1, then knit 1 from cable needle.
  • 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.
  • DSD: double slip decrease: ssk, slip the resulting stitch back to the left needle, pass the next stitch over, then slip the result. Substitute knit 3 together if desired; they are similar but don’t look quite the same. (Right-leaning double decrease.)
  • DSD/1 RC: slip next stitch to cable needle and place at back of work, DSD, then purl 1 from cable needle. Decreases 2 sts and makes a cable cross.
  • k: knit.
  • k2tog: knit 2 stitches together as if they were 1. (Right-leaning decrease)
  • p: purl.
  • sk2p: slip 1 knitwise, k2tog, pass slipped stitch over. (Left-leaning double decrease.)
  • sk2p/1 LC: slip next 3 sts to cable needle and place at front of work, knit 1, then work sk2p from cable needle. Decreases 2 sts and makes a cable cross.
  • ssk: slip each of the next 2 stitches as if to knit, then knit them together through the back loop. (Or substitute your favorite left-leaning decrease)
  • yo: yarnover. Bring the yarn forward between the needles so that it will make a loop over the needle when the next stitch is worked. When there are two in a row, bring the yarn forward, wrap it once around the needle, and leave the yarn in front so it makes a second loop.

Row 1 (RS): k1, p1, k1, p2, k2tog, yo, *1/1 RC, yo, ssk, p2, k1, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k1, p2, k2tog, yo; work from *, 1/1 RC, yo, ssk, p2, k1, p1, k1. (32 sts)

Row 2 (WS): p1, k1, p1, k2, p4, *p2, k2, p1, k1, p2, k1, p1, k2, p4; work from *, p2, k2, p1, k1, p1.

Row 3: k1, k2tog, yo, p1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, *yo × 2, ssk, yo, ssk, p1, yo, ssk, 1/1 RC, k2tog, yo, p1, k2tog, yo, k2tog; work from *, yo × 2, ssk, yo, ssk, p1, yo, ssk, k1.

Row 4: p7, (k1, p1) in double yo, *p14, (k1, p1) in double yo; work from *, p7.

Row 5: k1, 1/1 LPC, k2tog, yo × 2, cdd, *yo × 2, cdd, yo × 2, ssk, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 RC, 1/1 LPC, k2tog, yo × 2, cdd; work from *, yo × 2, cdd, yo × 2, ssk, 1/1 RPC, k1.

Row 6: p1, k1, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, *p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, (p2, k1) × 2, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo; work from *, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, k1, p1.

Row 7: k1, p1, k2tog, yo, k tbl, yo × 2, cdd, *cdd, yo × 2, k tbl, yo, ssk, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, k2tog, yo, k tbl, yo × 2, cdd; work from *, cdd, yo × 2, k tbl, yo, ssk, p1, k1.

Row 8: p1, k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, *p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, k1, p2, k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1; work from *, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, k1, p1.

Row 9: k1, p1, ssk, yo, ssk, yo × 2, *1/1 RC with added decreases, yo × 2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, ssk, yo, ssk, yo × 2; work from *, 1/1 RC with added decreases, yo × 2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, p1, k1.

Row 10: p1, k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, *p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, k1, p2, k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1; work from *, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, k1, p1.

Row 11: k1, p1, sk2p/1 LC, yo × 2, k2tog, *yo × 2, ssk, yo × 2, DSD/1 RC, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, sk2p/1 LC, yo × 2, k2tog; work from *, yo × 2, ssk, yo × 2, DSD/1 RC, p1, k1.

Row 12: p1, k1, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, *p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, (p2, k1) × 2, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo; work from *, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, k1, p1.

Row 13: k1, k2tog, yo, 1/1 LPC, yo, cdd, *yo × 2, cdd, yo, 1/1 RPC, yo, ssk, 1/1 RC, k2tog, yo, 1/1 LPC, yo, cdd; work from *, yo × 2, cdd, yo, 1/1 RPC, yo, ssk, k1.

Row 14: p3, k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, *p3, k1, p6, k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo; work from *, p3, k1, p3.

Row 15: k2, p2, 1/1 LPC, yo, ssk, *k2tog, yo, 1/1 RPC, p2, k1, 1/1 RC, k1, p2, 1/1 LPC, yo, ssk; work from *, k2tog, yo, 1/1 RPC, p2, k2.

Row 16: p2, k3, p1, k1, p1, *p1, k1, p1, k3, p4, k3, p3; work from *, p3, k3, p2.

Row 17: k1, yo, ssk, p2, k1, p1, *1/1 RC, p1, k1, p2, k2tog, yo, 1/1 RC, yo, ssk, p2, k1, p1; work from *, 1/1 RC, p1, k1, p2, k2tog, yo, k1.

Row 18: p3, k2, p1, k1, p1, *p1, k1, p1, k2, p6, k2, p1, k1, p2; work from *, k1, p1, k2, p3.

Row 19: (yo, ssk) × 2, p1, yo, ssk, *1/1 RC, k2tog, yo, p1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo × 2, ssk, yo, ssk, p1, yo, ssk; work from *, 1/1 RC, k2tog, yo, p1, (k2tog, yo) × 2.

Row 20: p4, k1, p3, *p3, k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, k1, p4; work from *, p2, k1, p4.

Row 21: yo, cdd, yo × 2, ssk, 1/1 RPC, *1/1 RC, 1/1 LPC, k2tog, (yo × 2, cdd) × 2, yo × 2, ssk, 1/1 RPC; work from *, 1/1 RC, 1/1 LPC, k2tog, yo × 2, cdd, yo.

Row 22: p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, k1, p2, *k1, p2, ((k1, p1) in double yo, p1) × 2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, k1, p2; work from *, k1, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2.

Row 23: cdd, yo × 2, k tbl, yo, ssk, p1, *1/1 RC, p1, k2tog, yo, k tbl, yo × 2, cdd × 2, yo × 2, k tbl, yo, ssk, p1; work from *, 1/1 RC, p1, k2tog, yo, k tbl, yo × 2, cdd.

Row 24: p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, k1, p2, *k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, k1, p2; work from *, k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1.

Row 25: ssk, yo × 2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, p1, *1/1 RC, p1, ssk, yo, ssk, yo × 2, 1/1 RC with added decreases, yo × 2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, p1; work from *, 1/1 RC, p1, ssk, yo, ssk, yo × 2, k2tog.

Row 26: p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, k1, p2, *k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, k1, p2; work from *, k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1.

Row 27: yo, ssk, yo × 2, DSD/1 RC, p1, *1/1 RC, p1, sk2p/1 LC, yo × 2, k2tog, yo × 2, ssk, yo × 2, DSD/1 RC, p1; work from *, 1/1 RC, p1, sk2p/1 LC, yo × 2, k2tog, yo.

Row 28: p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, k1, p2, *k1, p2, ((k1, p1) in double yo, p1) × 2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, k1, p2; work from *, k1, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2.

Row 29: yo, cdd, yo, 1/1 RPC, yo, ssk, *1/1 RC, k2tog, yo, 1/1 LPC, yo, cdd, yo × 2, cdd, yo, 1/1 RPC, yo, ssk; work from *, 1/1 RC, k2tog, yo, 1/1 LPC, yo, cdd, yo.

Row 30: p4, k1, p4, *p2, k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, k1, p4; work from *, p2, k1, p4.

Row 31: k2tog, yo, 1/1 RPC, p2, k1, *1/1 RC, k1, p2, 1/1 LPC, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, 1/1 RPC, p2, k1; work from *, 1/1 RC, k1, p2, 1/1 LPC, yo, ssk.

Row 32: p1, k1, p1, k3, p3, *p1, k3, p1, k1, p2, k1, p1, k3, p3; work from *, p1, k3, p1, k1, p1.