Semiramis: a free lace knitting stitch

Semiramis was an ancient Assyrian queen; there’s fantastic legends about her, but she was also a real person. I originally was going to name this stitch pattern semirandom because of the way I designed it, but that seemed boring. The name Semiramis sounds similar, so it popped into my head.

This is the final result of the draft chart I included last week in my design process post. I’ve made some changes in the decreases and added some cables. I also changed where the chart stops and starts; since it’s not based on a word encoding, it doesn’t matter.

This stitch pattern led to a bunch of other ideas that you’ll see in the coming weeks. I am very pleased with how this worked out in the end!

Notes:

• This is a stitch pattern such as might be found in a stitch dictionary. This is not a pattern for a finished object. You will need to add selvedges or some other form of knitted stitches to either side.
• Semiramis is a multiple of 12+12 stitches and 24 rows.
• I have made a stitch map for it.
• The cables in the chart are a correction of the cables in the swatch, though the difference is pretty subtle.
• Designers, please feel free to use it 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 RC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place at back of work, knit 1, then knit 1 from cable needle.
• CDD: centered double decrease: slip the next 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit the next stitch, then pass the 2 slipped stitches over the third.
• 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: yarnover.

Row 1 (RS): yo, k1, k2tog, k3, *k3, ssk, k1, yo x 2, k1, k2tog, k3; work from *, k3, ssk, k1, yo.
Row 2 (WS): p6, *p5, (k1, p1) in double yo, p5; work from *, p6.
Row 3: k1, yo x 2, CDD, k2, *k2, CDD, yo x 2, k2, yo x 2, CDD, k2; work from *, k2, CDD, yo x 2, k1.
Row 4: p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, *(p3, k1) x 2, p4; work from *, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1.
Row 5: k3, yo, ssk, k1, *k1, k2tog, yo, k6, yo, ssk, k1; work from *, k1, k2tog, yo, k3.
Row 6: purl.
Row 7: yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, *k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog, yo x 2, ssk, k2, yo, ssk; work from *, k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog, yo.
Row 8: p6, *p5, (k1, p1) in double yo, p5; work from *, p6.
Row 9: k1, yo, ssk, k2, 1/1 RC, *k2, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk, k2, 1/1 RC; work from *, k2, k2tog, yo, k1.
Row 10: purl.
Row 11: (yo, ssk) x 2, k2, *k2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo x 2, ssk, yo, ssk, k2; work from *, k2, (k2tog, yo) x 2.
Row 12: p6, *p5, (k1, p1) in double yo, p5; work from *, p6.
Row 13: k3, ssk, k1, *yo x 2, k1, k2tog, k6, ssk, k1, yo x 2, rep from *, k1, k2tog, k3.
Row 14: p5, *(k1, p1) in double yo, p10; work from *, (k1, p1) in double yo, p5.
Row 15: k2, CDD, yo x 2, k1, *k1, yo x 2, CDD, k4, CDD, yo x 2, k1; work from *, k1, yo x 2, CDD, k2.
Row 16: p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, *p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p6, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1; work from *, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3.
Row 17: k1, k2tog, yo, k3, *k3, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k3; work from *, k3, yo, ssk, k1.
Row 18: purl.
Row 19: k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog, yo x 2, *ssk, k2, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog, yo x 2, rep from *, ssk, k2, yo, ssk.
Row 20: p5, *(k1, p1) in double yo, p10; work from *, (k1, p1) in double yo, p5.
Row 21: k3, k2tog, yo, k1, *k1, yo, ssk, k2, 1/1 LC, k2, k2tog, yo, k1; work from *, k1, yo, ssk, k3.
Row 22: purl.
Row 23: k2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo x 2, *ssk, yo, ssk, k4, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo x 2, rep from *, ssk, yo, ssk, k2.
Row 24: p5, *(k1, p1) in double yo, p10; work from *, (k1, p1) in double yo, p5.