meta Knit: a lace knitting stitch pattern

The word I drew from my word hoard for this stitch pattern is Knit, suggested by Nim, a Patreon supporter. It’s funny to have a stitch pattern named knit, but also a little confusing. I’ve called the blog post meta knit because it’s a self-referential name. This isn’t the first time I’ve used the meta label; I’ve also got meta lace. Alas, while they both have a 10 stitch repeat, they don’t line up well. There might be a way to tweak that; perhaps I’ll see if I can figure it out.

I don’t usually use purl stitches on the right side, but they really helped outline a shape that I like a lot. Also, I promise I didn’t go out of my way to find a stitch layout that would work best with bunny ears yarnovers, but here we are regardless!

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.

knitted sample for the lace for the word 'knit'
chart with symbols that describe how to knit the lace named 'Knit'.

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.
  • Knit is a multiple of 10 + 11 stitches and 10 rows.
  • I’ve made a stitch map for it.
  • Designers, please feel free to use these 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:

  • BEY (bunny ears yarnover): This is a variant on the bunny ears decrease, with a yarnover added in the middle. It turns three stitches into three stitches. Knit 2 together, but only remove the first stitch from the needle; yarn over; then work ssk with the second and third stitches. The middle stitch of the original three has been knit together with each of its neighbors. Blog post about bunny ears yarnover.
  • 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.
  • p1b: purl one below. For this stitch pattern, it’s not quite the same as a regular p1b, because it’s actually purling the bar below a yarnover, but the action is much the same. From behind, pick up the bar below the yarnover with the right needle and place it on the left needle next to the yarnover; purl both those strands at the same time. This prevents the bar from making a horizontal line in front of the yarnover.
  • 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): k2, k2tog, yo, p1, *k1, p1, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, p1; work from *, k1, p1, yo, ssk, k2.

Row 2 (WS): p3, k2, p1, *k2, p5, k2, p1; work from *, k2, p3.

Row 3: k1, k2tog, yo, p1, *BEY, p1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, p1; work from *, BEY, p1, yo, ssk, k1.

Row 4: p3, k1, p1, p1b, *p1, k1, p5, k1, p1, p1b; work from *, p1, k1, p3.

Row 5: k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, *k1, ssk, yo, k1, yo, CDD, yo, k1, yo, k2tog; work from *, k1, ssk, yo, k1, yo, ssk.

Row 6: purl.

Row 7: k4, yo, *CDD, yo, k7, yo; work from *, CDD, yo, k4.

Row 8: purl.

Row 9: yo, ssk, k1, ssk, yo, *k1, yo, k2tog, k1, BEY, k1, ssk, yo; work from *, k1, yo, k2tog, k1, k2tog, yo.

Row 10: p4, k1, p1, *k1, p3, p1b, p3, k1, p1; work from *, k1, p4.