Happy Tau Day!

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Just for the fun of it, I’m going to post occasional stitch patterns in honor of geeky days on the calendar.

So what is Tau Day? Tau is a constant twice as big as pi.. Here is the Tau Manifesto for your mathematical pleasure. The main thing for my purposes is that 6/28 is a date that approximates Tau.

Therefore, I have encoded 628 as charts for lace knitting, knitted cables, and a grid for use in any craft that can use a grid as instructions. (This is not, of course, all of Tau; it just seemed like a useful stopping point.

Tau Day lace - 628 encoded as a knitting chart
Tau Day lace - 628 encoded as a knitting chart

(click to enlarge)

Notes:

  • I’ve written this lace pattern to be lace every row (though it’s on the easier end – none of the decreases are worked directly over any of the yarnovers). Alternating plain rows could be added easily – go for it!
  • 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.
  • Tau lace is a multiple of 8 stitches and 10 rows. (If converted to work in the round, it’s a repeat of 5 rows)
  • Designers, please feel free to use this stitch in your patterns. I’d like credit but won’t be offended if people don’t give it.
  • If you like my posts like this, please consider supporting me on Patreon or donating with my Paypal tip jar in the sidebar. Thanks!

Abbreviations:

  • 1/1 LC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place at front of work, knit 1, then knit 1 from cable needle. (Purl these stitches on wrong side rows)
  • 1/1 RC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place at back of work, knit 1, then knit 1 from cable needle. (Purl these stitches on wrong side rows)
  • k: knit.
  • k2tog: knit 2 stitches together as if they were 1. (Right-leaning decrease)
  • p: purl.
  • ssk: slip each of the next 2 stitches as if to knit, then knit them together through the back loop. (Left-leaning decrease)
  • yo: yarn over.

Row 1 (RS): k1, yo, k1, k2tog, ssk, k1, yo, k1. [8 sts]
Row 2 (WS): p2, 1/1 LC, 1/1 RC, p2.
Row 3: k1, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk, k1.
Row 4: ssk, yo, p4, yo, p2tog.
Row 5: knit.
Row 6: p1, yo, p1, ssp, p2tog, p1, yo, p1.
Row 7: k2, 1/1 RC, 1/1 LC, k2.
Row 8: p1, ssp, yo, p2, yo, p2tog, p1.
Row 9: k2tog, yo, k4, yo, ssk.
Row 10: purl.

image
Tau Day Cable - 628 encoded as a knitting chart

(click 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.
  • Tau cable is a repeat of 26 stitches and 8 + 2 rows.
  • Designers, please feel free to use this stitch in your patterns. I’d like credit but won’t be offended if people don’t give it.
  • If you like my posts like this, please consider supporting me on Patreon or donating with my Paypal tip jar in the sidebar. Thanks!

Abbreviations:

  • 1/1 LC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place at front of work, knit 1, then knit 1 from cable needle.
  • 1/1 LPC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place  at front of work, purl 1, then knit 1 from cable needle.
  • 1/3 LPC (wrong side row instructions only): Slip next 2 stitches to cable needle and place at front of work, purl 1, then knit 2 from cable needle.
  • 1/1 RC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place at back of work, knit 1, then knit 1 from cable needle.
  • 1/1 RPC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place at back of work, knit 1, then purl 1 from cable needle.
  • 1/3 RPC (wrong side row instructions only): Slip next  stitch to cable needle and place at back of work, knit 2, then purl 1 from cable needle.
  • k: knit.
  • p: purl.

Row 1: P4, k1, p3, 1/1 RC, p6, 1/1 RC, p3, k1, p4.
Row 2: K4, p1, 1/3 LPC, 1/1 RPC, k4, 1/1 LPC, 1/3 RPC, p1, k4.
Row 3: P4, 1/1 LC, p4, 1/1 LPC, p2, 1/1 RPC, p4, 1/1 LC, p4.
Row 4: K4, p2, k5, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, k5, p2, k4.
Row 5: P4, k2, p6, 1/1 LC, p6, k2, p4.
Row 6: K4, p2, k5, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, k5, p2, k4.
Row 7: P4, 1/1 LC, p4, 1/1 RPC, p2, 1/1 LPC, p4, 1/1 LC, p4.
Row 8: K4, p1, 1/3 RPC, 1/1 LPC, k4, 1/1 RPC, 1/3 LPC, p1, k4.
Repeat rows 1-8 as desired, ending with
Row 9: Repeat row 1.
Row 10: K4, p1, k3, p2, k6, p2, k3, p1, k4.

Grid to use for any craft that works from graph paper charts:

Tau Day chart for any craft