Ravish: a lace knitting stitch pattern

The second word I drew from the words suggested on Patreon last month is Ravish, suggested by Seane, a Patreon supporter. This is ravish as in “overcome with joy or delight” or as in “you look ravishing, darling”.

I did an experiment with the washing and blocking on this one, and I like this result in particular. Details at end of blog post.

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 Ravish 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.

knitted sample of Ravish lace, gently ironed with a steam iron after washing and being laid to dry
chart showing how to work Ravish 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.)
  • Ravish is a multiple of 16 + 16 stitches and 16 or 16 + 8 rows. (End after either row 8 or 16)
  • I’ve made a stitch map for Ravish.
  • 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: slip the next 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit the next stitch, then pass the 2 slipped stitches over the third. (Stands for centered double decrease.)
  • k: knit.
  • k2tog: knit 2 stitches together as if they were 1. (Right-leaning decrease)
  • k3tog: knit 3 stitches together as if they were 1. (Right-leaning double decrease)
  • p: purl.
  • 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)
  • sssk: slip each of the next 3 stitches as if to knit, then knit them together through the back loop. (Left-leaning double decrease; substitute sk2p if desired.)
  • 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): k4, ssk, yo, ssk, *yo × 2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k8, ssk, yo, ssk; work from *, yo × 2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k4. (32 sts)

Row 2 (WS): p7, (k1, p1) in double yo, *p14, (k1, p1) in double yo; work from *, p7.

Row 3: yo, k2tog, k3tog, yo × 2, k1, ssk, *yo × 2, k2tog, k1, yo × 2, sssk, ssk, yo × 2, k2tog, k3tog, yo × 2, k1, ssk; work from *, yo × 2, k2tog, k1, yo × 2, sssk, ssk, yo.

Row 4: p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, *(p2, (k1, p1) in double yo) × 4; work from *, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3.

Row 5: k1, cdd, yo × 2, k3tog, yo × 2, k1, *k1, yo × 2, sssk, yo × 2, cdd, k2, cdd, yo × 2, k3tog, yo × 2, k1; work from *, k1, yo × 2, sssk, yo × 2, cdd, k1.

Row 6: p2, ((k1, p1) in double yo, p1) × 2, *(p1, (k1, p1) in double yo) × 2, p4, ((k1, p1) in double yo, p1) × 2; work from *, (p1, (k1, p1) in double yo) × 2, p2.

Row 7: (k1, ssk) × 2, yo, k2, *yo × 2, k2, yo, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k2, ssk, k1, ssk, yo, k2; work from *, yo × 2, k2, yo, (k2tog, k1) × 2.

Row 8: p7, (k1, p1) in double yo, *p14, (k1, p1) in double yo; work from *, p7.

Row 9: (yo, k2tog) × 2, k4, *k4, ssk, yo, ssk, yo × 2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k4; work from *, k4, (ssk, yo) × 2.

Row 10: p8, *p7, (k1, p1) in double yo, p7; work from *, p8.

Row 11: yo, k2tog, k1, yo × 2, sssk, ssk, *yo × 2, k2tog, k3tog, yo × 2, k1, ssk, yo × 2, k2tog, k1, yo × 2, sssk, ssk; work from *, yo × 2, k2tog, k3tog, yo × 2, k1, ssk, yo.

Row 12: p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, *(p2, (k1, p1) in double yo) × 4; work from *, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3.

Row 13: k1, yo × 2, sssk, yo × 2, cdd, k1, *k1, cdd, yo × 2, k3tog, yo × 2, k2, yo × 2, sssk, yo × 2, cdd, k1; work from *, k1, cdd, yo × 2, k3tog, yo × 2, k1.

Row 14: (p1, (k1, p1) in double yo) × 2, p2, *(p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo) × 2, p2; work from *, p2, ((k1, p1) in double yo, p1) × 2.

Row 15: yo, k2, yo, (k2tog, k1) × 2, *(k1, ssk) × 2, yo, k2, yo × 2, k2, yo, (k2tog, k1) × 2; work from *, (k1, ssk) × 2, yo, k2, yo.

Row 16: p8, *p7, (k1, p1) in double yo, p7; work from *, p8.

Usually I pin out my lace samples after washing to open them up and make them look as crisp as possible. But I liked the gentle curves at the top and bottom of this sample and didn’t want them to be sharp points, which is what happens with pinning. I also thought back to a time when I carefully got the wrinkles out of a lace shawl in a hotel room with a steam iron.

So here’s the experiment.

knitted sample of Ravish lace, washed and laid flat to dry

First I washed the sample and laid it out flat to dry with no pins. I nudged it into the shape I wanted with my fingers and stretched it as much as it would without pins. I like the softness of the result, and the laciness is still visible.

knitted sample of Ravish lace, gently ironed with a steam iron after washing and being laid to dry

Next I turned it over, turned on my steam iron, and gently ironed the swatch with the steam on full blast, nudging the lace to open it a bit more, but being careful to never rest the full weight of the iron on the sample. I didn’t want it too flat. This ended up being my favorite result in the experiment, but I’m not sure how well a shawl blocked this way would hold the block in the long term. I think it could work, though.

Finally, I pinned it out in my more usual manner. This opened up the lace and made the edges crisp, but I feel it lost some character in the process. I will have to ponder what I do going forward.