Syzygy: a lace knitting stitch pattern
The second word I drew from the words suggested on Patreon last month is Syzygy, suggested by an anonymous Patreon supporter. Syzygy is a glorious word, three syllables and only using a Y for a vowel in its written form. (The phonological situation is different, of course.) A syzygy is an astronomical phenomenon: three or more astronomical bodies in a straight line in a particular gravitational system. Solar and lunar eclipses are examples of syzygy.
Oh, interesting, I just looked up syzygy on Wikipedia. I was only familiar with the astronomical term, but apparently it’s used to mean a variety of things in math, biology, philosophy, and poetry as well.
Each month, my Patreon backers have the chance to suggest words for me to encode as knitting stitches. I make three of these into knitting stitches each month: the second and third (posted on the first day of the next month) are drawn from the collection of new words; the first is drawn from the collection of unused words. A random number generator helps me choose these, and then I get to work, first turning the letters into numbers, then charting the numbers onto grids in various ways. Finally, when I make the chart into lace, I turn the marked squares into yarnovers and work out where to place the corresponding decreases. (I usually make lace; occasionally I make cables instead.) I also make a chart for any craft that uses a square grid for designing; this goes in a separate post.
The stitch patterns are not meant in any way to look like the original words; the words are the seeds of my creativity.


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.
- This lace has no double yarnovers in it, unlike much of my code lace.
- Syzygy is a multiple of 14 + 1 stitches and 14 rows.
- I’ve made a stitch map for it.
- Designers, please feel free to use this in your patterns. I’d like credit but won’t be offended if people don’t give it.
- My blog posts and free stitch patterns are supported by subscriptions on Patreon or donations to my Paypal tip jar in the sidebar. If you appreciate my work, please consider helping out. Thanks!
Abbreviations:
- 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): *p1, yo, k2tog, yo, ssk, k2, p1, k2, k2tog, yo, ssk, yo; work from *, p1. [15 sts]
Row 2 (WS): k1, *(p6, k1) × 2; work from *.
Row 3: *p1, k1, yo, ssk, k3, p1, k3, k2tog, yo, k1; work from *, p1.
Row 4: k1, *(p6, k1) × 2; work from *.
Row 5: *p1, yo, ssk × 2, k2, yo, p1, yo, k2, k2tog × 2, yo; work from *, p1.
Row 6: k1, *(p6, k1) × 2; work from *.
Row 7: *p1, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, k2, p1, k2, yo, k1, ssk, k1; work from *, p1.
Row 8: k1, *(p6, k1) × 2; work from *.
Row 9: *p1, yo, cdd, yo, k1, yo, ssk, p1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, cdd, yo; work from *, p1.
Row 10: k1, *(p6, k1) × 2; work from *.
Row 11: *p1, k3, ssk, yo, k1, p1, k1, yo, k2tog, k3; work from *, p1.
Row 12: k1, *(p6, k1) × 2; work from *.
Row 13: *p1, k2, (k2tog, yo) × 2, p1, (yo, ssk) × 2, k2; work from *, p1.
Row 14: k1, *(p6, k1) × 2; work from *.
As words go, this is my all time favorite! Not only does it speak to alignment, but, when written in cursive, all letters except the first hang below the line. Plus, there are so many “Ys” in the word. Thank you!
Those are excellent reasons to like it, too! Thank you
I just found your blog and am blown away. I’ve been thinking for years how to meld my poetry with my knitting and “voila!” you’ve done what I’ve been tossing about forever!
Being a poet, I love words like “syzygy”. I even have a poem entitled “Perigee Syzygy”. I might have to use your methods to chart out “perigee” and design a scarf or shawl. It’s a mournful piece written days after the 2016 election.
(Also love your “Resist” pattern – that’s how I found you.)
Thank you so very much!