New Knitting

Not in the sense I have started a new project, but that the blanket project (small square knitting)is getting a little dull.

So I decided to try out some textured knitting.
I've done small squares of alternate stocking stitch and reverse stocking stitch (5 stitches for each small square) on a square - lovely. I've done a couple of those so far.
Then I did seed (moss) stitch - it required that I drop the cast on to 18 stitches, but it turned out fine. I've done a couple of those as well.

I then tried doing seed stitch rib (I don't have the pattern as the book is downstairs) - that was nice, as the pattern is reverseable. Only one of those so far, but I'll be doing more.

I have tried doing a "easy" cable pattern (indented diamonds), but it occasionally required twisted cabling and regular cabling on the same row, and with frustration and dropped stitches, that got frogged. I will try it again later in the month, even if only to conquer it.

I also did a alternate to the diagonal half colour intarsia square and for that, I cast on 20 stitches, and purled the first row. (square was done using st. stitch)
(note - colours are single skeins of embroidery floss doubled in half, casting on with the loose ends - the loop will be used in case of the floss running short)

On the next (knit) row, I knitted the first stitch using the alternate colour (AC) and knit the rest of the row using the first colour (FC).
The next row (purl), after slipping the first stitch, I purled with the FC until one stitch before the AC, then purled the remaining stitches.
The rows after that, I slipped the first stitch, and knitted or purled the row increasing the AC until I was left with one remaining stitch of the FC (this would be the 20th row).
On the last row, instead of slipping the first stitch, I purled the whole row in the AC, and then cast off knitwise with it.

There occasionally were problems with the FC being short on the very last stitch, but that was solved by wrapping the end of the floss loop (doubled skein) around the inserted needle and then purling that into the last stitch, I then knit into the loop with the first stitch of the next row with the AC, thereby locking it into place. It does look a little odd, but it works.


Bye for now.