Pattern Correction: Three Flowers Tiger Lilly Scarf

Thanks to the laceknitting list on Yahoo, I have become aware of an error on row 19 of the chart for Tiger Lilly.

There is an extra double decrease in row 19. The first part of the chart should read k2tog, yo, k3 (rather than k2tog, yo, k1, double dec, k1).

I will post this to my errata on my website as well.

This is an excellent opportunity to do a little teaching on how I trouble shoot things that are not working out myself.

When looking at this chart, one thing that stands out is that there are not any black squares. This means the stitch count remains the same for every row.

Since the stitch count remains the same for every row, there should be an increase (a yo) for every decreased stitch. When looking at the rows on the chart, this is true for every row but row 19.

How can you tell which part of the row is in error? First look at the decreases themselves, and the yarn overs. Over the whole chart, the yarn overs and the decreases form a pattern. So, something that doesn’t fall into that pattern would be where the error is. This is a symmetrical and geometrical pattern, so that makes it even easier to be able to see where the error is when troubleshooting something that isn’t working out right.

This lace pattern, like many others, forms a diamond like pattern. This means that there will be a row, worked just like row 19, only it will start and stop at a different point because of how a diamond pattern staggers.  If you look at the chart, and look for a row that has yo, double dec, yo, k3, the only other row of the pattern where you see that is row 9. Which makes sense, as both row 9 and 19 form the “top” of the tiger lilly buds (which are elongated diamonds).

Putting all that together, you can tell with certainty that the double dec in question is not supposed to be there, as it takes away two stitches and does not replace them, and it may line up with the double dec in row 9, but it does not fit the pattern.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene Treace

My New Best Friends: Adventures in Lace Knitting

As some of you know, I have been DESPERATE in my attempts to find a 00 (1.75mm) lace needle. Only someone who knits lace at a fine gauge would understand this. I have searched high and low and just about worn out google on my desktop.

 I had a moment of serendipity when I joined the Lace Knitting list on Yahoo. By the way, to those of you on this list who are stopping by to look at my blog, a friendly hello. I knew as this is a large list with designers and experienced Lace Knitters, that if anyone would know it would be them.

Also as many of you know, Skacel is working on extending their needle range in the new lace knitting needles in the Addi Turbo line. They had better move quick, as there are a lot of us out there anxious for the desired needle size. I look at it like the search for the golden fleece, or the Holy Grail (the chalice that Christ was supposed to have sipped from at the Last Supper). HiyaHiya is company from China that produces Stainless Steel, Bamboo, Rosewood, and Ebony needles. Their distributor in the US is the Knitting Zone.

One of my new list sisters sent me an email that was posted to the group last week regarding circular needles and this company. I have heard (and I called the Knitting Zone to confirm) that there will be a 00 (1.75mm) circular in the offing within the next two months. Reportedly all the way down to a 6-0 (I don’t have a clue what a 000000 is in a mm).  Stainless Steel, so it should be fairly hardy.

I am very excited, and I have my name added to the list that the Knitting Zone is compiling for those who want email notification when they are in.  Thank you, thank you, HiyaHiya, The Knitting Zone, and the Lace Knitting Yahoo group. When they come in, I will keep you posted. Cheers to HiyaHiya, and a friendly nudge to Skacel to keep up. They may take long enough to get the smaller sizes out that folks will have gone elsewhere first and discovered a real gem.

In the meantime I am keeping my fingers crossed (mentally of course, wouldn’t want to prevent any serious knitting).

Peace and Knitting, JoLene Treace

Knitting Skills: Attaching An Edging While Knitting

I love knitting lace. My youngest stepdaughter, is also a knitter who loves to knit lace. So far she has done lace scarves with a simple garter stitch border, such as Elizabeth I (this picture is actually in fingering weight, here is one in a lace weight). I sometimes want a simple garter stitch edge, and it is one that I will choose deliberately depending on what I want. There are times, though, where I want a dressier edge treatment.

Knitting an edging and attaching it while knitting can be a daunting prospect, but in reality it is not difficult to do.

Edgings that are knit as they are being attached generally fall into two categories. You are either working horizontally, or vertically. A horizontally worked edging is one that is cast on for width (length) and worked from either the bottom up or the top down to the finished depth. One that is knit vertically is one that is cast on for depth, and the width (length) is achieved by working additional rows.

We are all more familiar with the first type of edging, as we normally work some form of this, such as ribbings or other edge treatments. There are times where we need to use the later approach, and despite the desire for some hard and fast quick rules regarding the rate of attachment, there just are not any. It is all based on the gauge of your own knitting.

You will need to work a sample of your edging and block it to determine the final gauge for your edging. While it might be simpler to adjust the number of stitches when working your set up row so that you have one stitch to consume for each row you are attaching, this is not always the best approach. When dealing with different gauges, if you decrease more than a small number of stitches when picking up and knitting, you are working a row that will constrict the edge of your knitting.

If the number of stitches at the edges your main piece are based on your gauge, and then consume those stitches while attaching the edging based on your gauge, your knitting will not be constricted nor will the edging flare out.

There are two types of ”edges” you pick up and knit from in your preparation round (even with triangular shawls). Ultimately through the preparation round you are either attaching to rows (a vertical edge) or stitches (a horizontal edge).

To determine how many stitches you will need to pick up and knit for the vertical edge or have at the horizontal edge after working the preparation round, you will need to refer to your washed and blocked swatch from the main part of the knitting. Whatever your stitch gauge is will determine the number of stitches per inch that you will need to end with at the end of this round.

The stitch gauge of your main swatch, as it is dressed, will tell you how many stitches per inch you need to have. For the vertical edge, determine the rows per inch from your dressed swatch of the main knitting, and compare this to the number of rows you have worked. Divide the total number of rows in your main piece by your row gauge and you will know how many inches you truely have to pick up stitches over. Multiply the number of inches you just determined by the stitch gauge and you will know the unadjusted number of stitches to pick up and knit along the vertical edge. You now know the unadjusted number of stitches for both horizontal (your live stitches from your cast-on or “bind-off” edge) and vertical edges.

You will then look at the gauge for your edging, and make any final adjustments in numbers prior to working your preparation round (or set-up round). A small number of stitches will not make a difference in your lace piece, and you can safely adjust a small number (2 or 3 for example) so that you have even repeats of your edging.

Look at the stitches per inch in your edging, and write it down. Look at your rows per inch in your edging and write it down. You will be working according to the number of the stitches you have to consume.

You will want to adjust up or down so that you have an even number of repeats.  Figure this out on your paper alongside your notes for your gauge and the stitches available. For example, let’s say your gauge is 6 sts per inch and 8 rows per inch on your dressed (washed and blocked) main swatch. In this example we have 36 stitches at our cast-on edge. The total sts (36) divided by the row gauge ( is 4.5 which would leave us with a partial repeat. We can have either 4 whole repeats (in which case we would need 8×4=32 sts, or we would need 8×5=4o sts). In this case the numbers up or down would be the same so it really would not matter much which way we went (although I tend to think more is better than less). Keep in mind when looking at going around the corners, some of these extra stitches can help you ease around the corner when working the edging (more about that later). For now, right down your two choices. The lower number (32) with the number of “extra” stitches you have (4, as 32+4=36), and your other choice which would be to increase from 36 stitches to 40 stitches. Note how many repeats you would work with each choice also so you know how many “points” you would work.

Now that you know how many stitches you need from corner to corner on each side, look at the width of the edging. Wide edgings will require you to work extra rows to get around the corner. If you are working an edging that doesn’t get too wide and you are at the narrowest part of the edging when you are at the corners, you may be able to simply continue around the corner without doing anything special. Edgings with points will allow you to do this.

If you find that you need a little extra “ease” around the corner, you can work an extra two rows without attaching in straight knitting (if you need more rows to ease around the corner you can plan more stitches towards the corners for attaching more rows or you can consume less stitches to add extra length to ease you around the corner).

Determine if you need to do any adjusting for the corners, add up the stitches you need for full repeats along each edge and then determine what number of stitches you need for your preparation round. Work your preparation round with a circular needle, picking up and knitting the number of stitches you determined you need for each edge of the main piece you are attaching to.

To attach edges while working, you need to consume the stitch gauge of the main piece over the row gauge of your edging for each edge. This means you will need to consume (main stitches per inch) sts for every (edging rows per inch) rows while working, attaching on (half the row gauge of edging) rows for each inch. Work the corner as you determined, adjusting as necessary if you find you need to work a couple extra rows to ease around the corner. Take care to work each corner the same.

When you get to picking up and knitting into the chained edge on the vertical edges of the piece you may need to pick up more stitches than you have chains. The consistency in what you do is just as important as how you do it. You may go under both loops and then into the front loop, for example. Pick a method and stick with it so that it looks the same and forms a pattern.

You now have your set up round worked. You have live stitches around the entire circumference of the main piece on hold on a circular needle. Turn your work over so the wrong side is facing you, in readiness for the first row the work is attached on. This first row is actually the last row of your edging pattern (or if you have had to adjust where in the pattern the rows start and end, it would be the new ending row).

Your first attaching row is always followed by the first right side row of your edging, where you will work away from the attaching edge and out to the shaped edge (most edgings have a pointed or shaped edge and instructions for shawls and other lace items will refer to “points” along an edge). When you get to the end of your edging and all stitches from the circular needle have been consumed, you will be ending with the last right side row of the pattern and sewing or grafting the edge together.

If you wish, you may end with the second to last wrong side row, and graft in pattern for the row where you would be working the last right side row. In fine lace yarns, this is really not a noticeable issue. With heavier yarns you may notice that extra row and need to choose the last option, where you are not essentially adding an extra row in your joining.

Cast-on for your edging using a double pointed needle of the same size as your main piece with a knitted or provisional cast-on (if you are working on a lace piece, or the size needle you used for your swatch). Knit across the cast-on stitches, and when you reach the last stitch, knit it together with the stitches of your main piece that are to be consumed (you will work either a k2tog with an edging stitch and a stitch from the circular needle, or a k3tog with an edging stitch and two stitches from the circular needle). Turn your work and slip the first stitch on the double pointed needle, and work row 1 of your edging.

The work progresses in this manner: slip the first stitch of the double pointed needle, work toward the main piece stitches on the circular needle and attach at the end of the row on even/wrong side rows. Turning your work, slip the first stitch on the double pointed needle and work across away from the attached edge on odd/right side rows. Work all rows of edging pattern, attaching at the rate you determined for your gauge, repeating edging pattern rows for the number of “points” or repeats needed.

Many find that attaching at the rate of 3 stitches to 4 rows works well. This amounts to picking up 3 stitches for every 2 attaching rows when the first stitch of each row is slipped. Stockinette sts are about 2/3 as high as they are wide, generally, but as in most generalizations this is not true in every situation. The only way to know for certain is to knit a sample of your edging and obtain a gauge from that.

This truely is more simple than it sounds. Take it step by step, write everything down, and give it a try. Remember, it takes a fair amount of words to describe things sometimes so don’t let the length of the description put you off. Above all have fun with it.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene Treace

Design Discussion: Charlotte

This stole was knit out of 2/8 Organic Fingering Weight from Black Water Abbey. The name of the pattern is Charlotte. The stitch patterns are traditional Shetland Lace patterns, and it is worked on a garter stitch ground with a garter stitch border.

The impetus for this design was to introduce knitters who have not done a lot of lace to more traditional types of lace. There is a scarf and a stole in this pattern, and one can start with the scarf and become familiar with working in pattern on both odd and even rows in a more simple version of the stole, and then move on to the stole.

When designing this stole, one of the traditional stitch patterns used had the word spider in the title. So I of course thought of Charlotte’s Web, a delightful children’s book. There have been many analogies between knitting lace and spider webs, so it seemed fitting to name it Charlotte.

This design to me pushes the boundaries as far as what is expected. What is expected is an edging, rather than a simple garter stitch border. In this situation I did not want an edging as I wanted to keep it simple. You, however, may add one if you wish. Sometimes less is more, to me. And I have said before, that form follows function. This is knit out of a weight of yarn that would have been a hap shawl (an everyday shawl). I would perhaps put an edging on it if I was knitting it out of a fine lace weight. But the fingering weight works well with the simple clean lines the garter stitch border gives it. I simply don’t think it needs an edging.

There is a point in any piece of art, where the design has achieved what is called organic unity. It is at that point that nothing can be taken away, design wise, without adversely affecting the composition. It is also at the point where anything that is added is superfluous. This is the point of balance that I strive for.

When making these choices for yourself, only you can decide whether what you are knitting needs “more”. Don’t be afraid to add simple edgings to pieces like this, if you want one. They are simple to learn.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene

The Design Process: Fox Island

This lace knitting pattern is for ladies finished chest width 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 inches. It has average ease, and is 22, 22.5, 23, 23.5, 24 inches inches long. The sample garment was knit with Black Water Abbey 2/8 organic Fingering Weight yarn.

Fox Island was actually inspired by a nature reserve near my home in Fort Wayne. The stitch pattern was chosen because it looks like little fox heads lined up, peaking out at you. You don’t see them right away but they’re there, watching and waiting.

This is an example where the stitch pattern itself led to the inspiration of the design. It works that way sometimes, where I am trying a stitch pattern in a swatch and I look at it and one thought or feeling leads to another. Thoughts and feelings about things, as well as our own imagination, are powerful inspirations and a good starting point for a design.

As it has a very natural inspiration, the qualities of the yarn it was knit with were perfect in representing the inspiration. That is not to say that you could not use any other fingering weight yarn you wish…it would be wonderful in a fingering weight cashmere too. For my interpretation, my repeating the story back to you, it set the mood for how I wanted to express it.

As always, if you like it and would prefer a different finish (different yarn) by all means choose something you love to knit it with.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene

Wine and Roses Mitts, Interweave Knits Winter 2006

I had mentioned before the fingerless mitts going into Interweave Knits(at the time I could not remember if it was the fall or winter issue). They will be in the winter issue due out in November. You’ll have to scroll down towards the bottom to see it on the page. I have been very excited about this, as this is my first appearance in an American knitting magazine…let along my favorite. I had a design and three articles on choosing colorways in Britian’s Knitting last year, and that was exciting too.

To make the mitts as pictured you will need Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 2-ply (100% cashmere; 400 yd [366 m]/55 g): #039 slate, 1 skein.

What I really had in mind with this design initially was something romantic and feminine, and something to keep my hands warm when the weather turns chilly. We keep the thermostat a little lower. Okay, I know for many of you that 68 or 70 hardly qualifies. But we live in a 100 year old farmhouse, and it is just a wee bit drafty. I will freely admit I get cold easily. I like the temperature to be around 72 year round.

These mitts fit the bill perfectly for keeping hands warm indoors in a lavish bit of self indulgence. They are feminine, fun, and functional. They combine a variety of techniques, too, which make for interesting knitting.

The cuff at the sleeve end has an edging gleaned from Latvian Mittens, there is a variation of a simple eyelet pattern that utilizes purled decreases rather than knit decreases to change the texture, an Estonian lace pattern, and a variation of a picot hem which is done using pebble stitch at the fold line.

Pebble stitch is worked as follows: on RS row, k2tog across taking care not to work tightly. On following WS row *k1, M1 by knitting into running thread between sts. Rep across from *. This is best done with a stitch worked plain on at least one end of your knitting, but as you would do this between selvage stitches you would not need to worry about adjusting for an odd or even number and having a running thread at the end to work into - just don’t use your selvage stitch to complete this pattern and you are good to go.

Thanks to Tara Swiger, of BlondeChickenBoutique for sending me the link to Interweave’s winter issue. Tara has a business with handpainted yarns and her site is both ecologically conscious and entertaining.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene

Isn’t it time for bed?

Yeah, well, I  suppose it is. Hey, I thought I would get a head-start on the day and post a note before going to bed, so that I have something else for folks to look at when they pop in to see the place.

On the design front, I have a design coming out in the fall or winter issue of Interweave Knits. Last I heard, anyway. I would think if it got bumped I would hear about it. Come to think of it, it is almost October so I should go take a look in the bookstore, as this means I will get paid soon. WooHoo! The design is called Wine and Roses (or at least that is what it was called when submitted, it might be something else in the magazine).

This little number came about as a desire to have something equally fun in boudoir or nature hike to keep hands warm in the winter. With the first thought being in bed, as my hands get really, truely cold.

The yarn is a fingering weight Cashmere from Jade Sapphire Exotic Fibers.

There are a number of fun little things in this, including an edging from Latvian mittens, a lace stitch pattern from (I think, although I don’t remember for certain) Estonia, some lace texture stitches, and a take-off on a picot hem.

It was a lot of fun to knit, and I am thinking I may need to knit another pair…but I am not terribly good at getting projects done, which is why I have test knitters. This is the first design I have going into an American magazine. I have been in the British mag, Knitting…but that is another story for another day.

 Peace and Knitting, JoLene