A Color Slip Stitch Pattern: Waffle Check

The cardigan for my GS was done using three-colors in a very easy slip stitch pattern, which I discovered is the “Waffle Check” pattern in Barbara G. Walker”s A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. It’s the Waffle Check Variation, which only has 4 rows. It creates a lovely nubby color pattern and is based on garter stitch – so it does not curl on the edges.

Waffle Check Slip Stitch Pattern

The pattern is done over an odd number of stitches – it is a 2 stitch, plus 1 pattern. Instructions are for knitting flat. This is the basic 4 row pattern:

With color A—
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: Knit

With color B –
Row 3: K1, *sl 1 wyib, K1; rep from * .
Row 4: K1, * sl 1 wyif, K1; rep from *

To make the three-color pattern used in my GS’s cardigan – you alternate knitting rows 3 & 4 in two different colors. And the color changes could go on to many different colors if you wished – a good way to use up some leftover yarn, perhaps?

Now, I am currently working on knitting a hat to go with GS’s sweater using the Waffle Check pattern and the same colors. Because I am knitting this in the round, instead of flat, I have modified the above pattern as follows:

With color A—
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: Purl

With color B –
Row 3: *K1, sl 1 wyib; rep from * .
Row 4: *P1, sl1 wyif; rep from *.

And because I don’t want two knit stitches together at the join, this is done over an even number of stitches. I’ll post the end result when I’m finished.

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Stitch Pattern: Zig Zag Eyelet LaceStitch Pattern: Zig Zag Eyelet Lace

The Zig Zag Eyelet pattern was used in Dishcloth #8. This is an easy eyelet pattern made by using yarn overs in combination with left-slanting and right-slanting decreases to create the “zig zag”.

Zig Zag Eyelet Lace Pattern

This pattern is a multiple of 11 stitches plus 2 done over 12 rows.

Row 1: (Wrong Side) and all wrong side rows – Purl.
Row 2: K6, *YO, SSK, K9. Repeat from *, end last repeat K5.
Row 4: K7, *YO, SSK, K9. Repeat from *, end last repeat K4.
Row 6: K3, *K2Tog, YO, K3, YO, SSK, K4. Repeat from *, end last repeat K3.
Row 8: *K2, K2Tog, YO, K5, YO, SSK. Repeat from *, end K2.
Row 10: K1, *K2Tog, YO, K9. Repeat from *, end K1.
Row 12: *K2Tog, YO, K9. Repeat from *, end K2.

Reference: Barbara G. Walker, A Treasury of Knitting Patterns

Book Review: Perfectly PlusBook Review: Perfectly Plus

I have decided to do some book reviews on my blog during 2012. I am going to start with my review of Perfectly Plus by Mary Arnold, Colleen East and Kristin Hansen.

This is a “How to” book — as it says on the cover, it features the “Knit-to-Fit Workbook For the Full-Figured Woman”. If you have read my blog about knitting sweaters without a pattern, you know that I am a proponent of taking measurements and adjusting your patterns to get a better fit. This book follows that philosophy and focuses specifically on what plus-size women need to do to get better fitting sweaters. The first chapter covers all the basics: the importance of gauge, making adjustments using your own measurements, using schematics and calculating yardage. If you read just this chapter, you will learn a great deal about knitted garment construction.

The book includes a basic pattern for a knitted shell and another for a knitted cardigan. It is designed as a workbook, so these patterns have places for you to fill in your measurements and do the necessary calculations to adjust the pattern so that it fits you. For those plus-size ladies who need help with the math — this book really walks you through all of it.

The remainder of the book contains sweater patterns showing variations from the basic patterns. These are nice patterns, but I think I am more likely to go with the basic patterns and do my own thing in terms of stitch patterns and details. This is a good reference book for those of you who are looking for information on how to knit better fitting plus size sweaters.

If you are interested in this book, just click on the image of the book to go to Amazon.com.

WIP: The EZ Green SweaterWIP: The EZ Green Sweater

I have been knitting recreated Green Sweater from the pattern recreated by Sunday Holm from the original sweater knitted by Elizabeth Zimmerman. (Schoolhouse Press Pattern #13, Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Green Sweater). This sweater pattern has a charming history and you can read the story here: Channelling Elizabeth.

Now, I am a “sometimes knitter” when it comes to sweaters. I start them and I knit on them “sometimes” — for some reason, I tend to knit on my sweater projects in between other projects. This means that I take a long time to finish a sweater project once it’s started. So, I started this project over a year ago — and I knitted a portion of the lower body and then I set this project aside.

A couple of months ago, I took this project up again and knit on it quite a bit. It’s a very intriguing pattern. The sweater is knit in the round using steeks. Yes, I said steeks. Steeks are that technique that many of us knitters avoid — but one Elizabeth Z embraced and used extensively. I decided to do this sweater specifically because of the steeks — I figured it was time for me to master the use of steeks. In this pattern, there are four steeks. The first one is up the center front (the sweater is a cardigan), then there is a steek for each armhole/sleeve and the fourth one is the neckline. You basically cast-on extra stitches, in this case I cast on five for each steek, and knit them up with the sweater. Then you cut them apart in the middle. Yep — I said you cut them apart. That’s what’s scary about steeks.

Here are some pictures of this sweater in progress:
EZ Green Sweater, Center Front
This is the center front, showing the center 5 steek stitches and the beginning of the armholes for the sleeves.

EZ Green Sweater, Steeks before Cutting
This shows the sweater with all the steeks knitted, before they have been cut.

EZ Green Sweater, Steeks crocheted
I used the crocheted method for fastening the steek stitches on each side.

EZ Green Sweater, Center Steek CutEZ Green Sweater, All Steeks Cut
In these two pictures, you can see the steeks, all cut and awaiting further work.

I am now working on the first sleeve. I am about two-thirds done with it. The sleeve has a unique design, and I really like how it is knitting up. I’ll post more pictures of this sweater once I have the sleeves and the neckline knitted.

Some details: I am using Frog Tree 100% Merino Yarn in Colorway 909 Teal and using circular needles, size US 8 (5.0 mm).