Patchwork Knitting (eBook)

Fiona Morris (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2022 | 1. Auflage
112 Seiten
The Crowood Press (Verlag)
978-1-78500-980-8 (ISBN)

Infos

Whether you want to combine yarns of different colours and textures in one piece or simply use up some of your stash, patchwork knitting provides a great way to play with assorted elements. This accessible book guides you through the essential techniques of creating individual units of knitting and joining-as-you-go so that there is minimal sewing up to do once the work is completed. This latest addition to the Knitting Techniques series covers the individual unit shapes of squares (including half, single, double, triple and quadruple squares), shells and strips and goes on to explore myriad ways of working within these units, including combining different stitch patterns such as lace, slip stitch, bias and short row knitting. It explores how the use of colour within an individual unit can change the way it is seen within a larger piece. There are four full knitting patterns and forty-five individual unit stitch patterns, with accompanying images, give plenty of opportunity for practice and inspiration.

Fiona Morris is an experienced knitting teacher and designer. She has been knitting all her life and has been teaching a wide range of knitting techniques, both hand and machine knitting since the mid-1990s, in the UK, Europe and Australia. She has had her work exhibited internationally, and has demonstrated knitting techniques at the V&A Museum and at a number of textile exhibitions including The Knitting and Stitching Show and Unravel. Her designs and technical articles have been published in a number of UK magazines including Knitting, The Knitter, Simply Knitting, Let's Knit and Yarn Forward/Yarnwise. She has also written Knitter with Beads (Crowood, 2018).

Textauszug

CHAPTER 1

Squares

The square is the most commonly used unit in patchwork/domino knitting, particularly the single mitred square. The technique can also be used to make double, triple and even quadruple squares, and there are a number of ways of making even the basic single square.

For the piece of knitting to be square it needs to be worked in a stitch pattern that has a ratio of two rows to one stitch – that is, two rows measures the same as one stitch. Mitred squares are generally worked in garter stitch. They can be worked in any pattern, but if worked in a stitch pattern that does not include garter stitch – that is, stocking stitch or a ribbed stitch pattern – the finished piece will not be a square shape.

Garter-stitch squares, garter ridges squares, stocking-stitch squares, knit 1 purl 1 ribbed squares and knit 2 purl 2 ribbed square.

THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF A MITRED SQUARE AND PATCHWORK KNITTING

• The cast-on forms two sides of the square so needs to be a stretchy variety.

• Decreases are worked at the centre of the fabric repeatedly at the same point.

• Double decreases may be worked every other row, or a single decrease worked every row.

• Stitches are reduced from the cast-on number of stitches to one stitch/loop to finish.

• The side edges of the knitting form the other two sides of the square.

• New squares are knitted on from existing squares to build a larger piece of fabric.

CAST-ON

A good cast-on for patchwork knitting is the knit cast-on since it has a lot of flexibility. Many knitters do not like this cast-on as typically it gives a loopy edge; however, in patchwork knitting this is very useful as the loops make it very easy to pick up stitches if you want to knit another square working away from the cast-on edge.

The knit cast-on is a two-needle cast-on and is worked as follows:

Step 1: Place a slip knot on the left needle.

Step 2: *Put the right needle into the stitch on the left needle, take the yarn round the needle point to make a new stitch, pull the new loop through and twist it on to the left needle point.*

Step 3: Repeat from * to * for the required number of stitches.

DECREASES

In order to produce a square, the stitches cast on need to be reduced at a rate of either one stitch per row, or two stitches every two rows. Working a double decrease creates a more pronounced mitre. There are a number of methods of working a double decrease: k3tog (a right-leaning double decrease), sk2po (a left-leaning double decrease), or s2kpo/CDD (a centre double decrease).

An alternative to working double decreases is to work two single decreases at the centre on every other row, or to work one single decrease at the centre of the piece every row.

Later in this chapter there will be examples and detailed instructions of how to make squares with all these different decreases.

SELVEDGES

The squares can be knitted without working a selvedge. However, with patchwork knitting a new square is often knitted on to an existing square by knitting-up stitches from the edge of the existing square, so knitting squares with a chain selvedge makes it easier to knit-up the correct number of stitches from the edge for the next square.

One stitch equals two rows of knitting. If you work a chain selvedge, one chain stretches over two rows, so when knitting-up stitches you can knit-up one stitch for every chain for the new square. There are a number of ways to work a chain selvedge.

Whichever method you use to make a chain selvedge, it is important to have clearly visible chain stitches at the edges of your knitting. Most of the samples in this book have been worked with the method used in the Schulz books.

MAKING A CHAIN SELVEDGE

Schulz method

At the beginning of every row, k1tbl, work to the last stitch of the row, with the yarn at the front, sl1 purlwise.

Høxbro method

On the first row knit to the last stitch, p1.

On all subsequent rows, sl1 knitwise, work to the last stitch, p1.

This method does give a twisted chain stitch at the edges.

Other methods

RS rows: k1tbl, work to the last stitch and sl1 knitwise.

WS rows: p1, work to the last stitch and sl1 knitwise.

RS rows: sl1 knitwise, work to the last stitch, sl1 knitwise.

WS rows: p1, work to the last stitch, p1.

Note

You need to check the instructions provided in the abbreviations as to how to slip the stitch – that is, knitwise or purlwise – as generally the abbreviation ‘sl1’ is used for either method.

THE SINGLE MITRED SQUARE: THE SCHULZ METHOD

The Schulz method casts on an even number of stitches. The cast-on or stitch knit-up is counted as Row 1. Row 2, a wrong-side row, is also the first decrease row, which is a single decrease, k2tog, to give an odd number of stitches for the remainder of the square. All the remaining decreases are k3tog (or p3tog) on wrong-side rows.

The chain selvedge starts with k1tbl, work to the last stitch, sl1 with the yarn at the front.

If you are working a knit row, before slipping the last stitch bring the yarn between the needles to the front, and then slip the stitch purlwise. If you are working a purl row, the yarn is already at the front so slip the last stitch purlwise.

Horst Schulz single-mitred square in garter stitch.

Basic Schulz single-square pattern

Row 1 (RS): Using the knit cast-on, cast on 22sts.

Row 2: k1tbl, k9, k2tog, k9, sl1.

Row 3 and all odd-number rows: k1tbl, knit to the last stitch, sl1.

Row 4: k1tbl, k8, k3tog, k8, sl1.

Row 6: k1tbl, k7, k3tog, k7, sl1.

Row 8: k1tbl, k6, k3tog, k6, sl1.

Row 10: k1tbl, k5, k3tog, k5, sl1.

Row 12: k1tbl, k4, k3tog, k4, sl1.

Row 14: k1tbl, k3, k3tog, k3, sl1.

Row 16: k1tbl, k2, k3tog, k2, sl1.

Row 18: k1tbl, k1, k3tog, k1, sl1.

Row 20: k1tbl, k3tog, sl1.

Row 22: k3togtbl.

Cut the yarn and pull the yarn end through this last loop.

WEAVING IN THE YARN ENDS

A very useful technique to master when working patchwork knitting is weaving in the yarn ends as you go. The yarn ends are woven in on the wrong side of the fabric. When working a knit row on the right side it is possible to weave in the yarn end as you go. When working a knit row on the wrong side of the fabric it is not possible to weave in the ends. However, when working a purl row on the wrong side of the fabric it is possible to weave in the yarn ends as you go.

It is generally recommended to weave in the yarn ends for about ten stitches. The technique is worked in two steps over two stitches, trapping the yarn end on the wrong side of the fabric with the knitting yarn every other stitch. The smoothest way to work the technique is to hold the yarn end to be woven in the left hand (assuming you are knitting throwing style with the working yarn in your right hand). It can also be used by moving the yarn end up and down over the right needle point with the right hand.

Step 1, with the yarn end in the left hand: Put the point of the right needle into the next stitch, take the yarn end over the point of the right needle, then knit the stitch with the working yarn but make sure not to take the yarn end through the stitch.

Step 1 of weaving in the yarn: taking the yarn end over the right needle before knitting the stitch.

Step 2, with the yarn end in the left hand: Hold the yarn end down at the back of the fabric and work the next stitch as normal.

Step 1, not holding the yarn end: Lift the yarn end over the top of the right needle so it hangs towards the front of the fabric, and then knit the next stitch.

Step 2, not holding the yarn end: Bring the yarn end back to the wrong side of the fabric and work the next stitch, making sure the working yarn passes over the yarn end.

Step 2 of weaving in the yarn: holding the yarn end down at the back of the fabric while working the next stitch normally.

Joining squares

The smoothest join is worked by knitting-up stitches from the edge of an existing square through the chain selvedge on either side of an existing square or through the cast-on loops of an existing square.

Patchwork squares have decreases at the centre, which creates a visible mitre to each square. When knitting-up stitches to join a new square to an existing square it is very important to consider the direction of the mitre. This will be covered in more detail later in this chapter.

KNIT-UP STITCHES

In this book the term ‘knit-up stitches’ is used throughout, rather than ‘pick up stitches’, when referring to creating new stitches by knitting through the fabric of an existing piece. Do not try to pick up the stitches on a needle first and then knit them. When working the knit-up stitch, put the point of the right needle through the fabric of the existing piece under both loops of the chain selvedge, or through the cast-on loop made by working a knit cast-on, and pull the working yarn through to make a new stitch on the right needle.

Right needle point placed correctly through the fabric of the existing piece ready to...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 24.1.2022
• Reihe/Serie: Knitting Techniques
• Reihe/Serie: Knitting Techniques
• Reihe/Serie: Knitting Techniques
• Verlagsort: London
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Freizeit / Hobby ► Handarbeit / Textiles
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Freizeit / Hobby ► Heimwerken / Do it yourself
• Schlagworte: domino knitting • eyelet lace • garter stitch • Høxbro • knit • Knitting • knitwear • knitwear design • mitred square • modular knitting • moss stitch • patchwork knitting • rib stitch • Schulz • selvedge • Shells • slip stitch • Squares • stocking stitch • Strips • welting stitch.
• ISBN-10: 1-78500-980-X / 178500980X
• ISBN-13: 978-1-78500-980-8 / 9781785009808