Wildfire: a free lace knitting stitch pattern

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Each month, my Patreon backers suggest words for me to encode as knitting stitch patterns using my secret code methods. I publish the results for free, along with a free chart for use in any craft that’s worked on a grid.

This month’s word is Wildfire, suggested by Lara and picked with a flip of the coin. This is the lace pattern; I posted the free chart earlier today.

I love the way this one came out. After a first attempt that didn’t work out so well, I tried again, and I think this one is one of my favorites. The encoding was done in base 7.

I worked the bind off with a very small picot (barely needed) over each double yarnover, and I cabled the stitches (as I bound them off) that would have been cabled on row 1, to keep the stitches from spreading at those points.

Wildfire: a free lace knitting stitch pattern
(If you’ve seen this before, I had the photo the other way up because I like it that way, but it doesn’t match the chart. This turned out to be confusing, so I rotated it to match the chart.)
Wildfire: a free lace knitting stitch pattern
click chart 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. You will need to add selvedges or some other form of knitted stitches to either side.
  • Wildfire is a multiple of 14 stitches and 16 rows.
  • I’ve made a stitch map for it (PDF).
  • 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 RC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place at back of work, knit 1, then knit 1 from cable needle.
  • 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): K2, k2tog, yo x 2, ssk, k1, *k1, k2tog, yo x 2, ssk, k1, 1/1 RC, k1, k2tog, yo x 2, ssk, k1 ; work from *, k1, k2tog, yo x 2, ssk, k2.
Row 2 and all even rows: purl, working (k1, p1) in each double yarnover.
Row 3: K1, k2tog, k2, yo x 2, ssk, *k2tog, yo x 2, k2, ssk, k2, k2tog, k2, yo x 2, ssk ; work from *, k2tog, yo x 2, k2, ssk, k1.
Row 5: K2tog, yo, ssk, k2, yo, *1/1 RC, yo, k2, (k2tog, yo, ssk) x 2, k2, yo ; work from *, 1/1 RC, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, ssk.
Row 7: K2, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, *yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, 1/1 RC, k1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo ; work from *, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k2.
Row 9: Yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1, yo, *yo, k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo x 2, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1, yo ; work from *, yo, k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo.
Row 11: K1, ssk, k2tog, k1, yo x 2, k1, *k1, yo x 2, k1, ssk, k2tog, k2, ssk, k2tog, k1, yo x 2, k1 ; work from *, k1, yo x 2, k1, ssk, k2tog, k1.
Row 13: K2tog, ssk, yo, k1, yo, k2, *k2, yo, k1, yo, (k2tog, ssk) x 2, yo, k1, yo, k2 ; work from *, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, ssk.
Row 15: K2tog, yo, k1, ssk, k2, yo, *yo, k2, k2tog, k1, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k1, ssk, k2, yo ; work from *, yo, k2, k2tog, k1, yo, ssk.

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. Thanks! – Naomi

If you like my posts like this, please consider supporting me on Patreon. Thanks!