Seed Pods: a lace knitting stitch pattern

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When I was designing my Drizzle lace for last week, I had to try three different layouts before I found one that worked. (This happens sometimes. It’s just part of the process.) While I didn’t like the first one as a stitch pattern, it had a motif I liked a lot, and so here we are with a stitch pattern that reminds me of a seed pod I’ve seen. I don’t remember the plant name. Do you recognize it?

knitted sample of Seed Pods lace
chart that shows how to knit Seed Pods lace with symbols
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.
  • Seed Pods is a multiple of 12 + 7 stitches and 8 rows. I ended with row 1, but I’m not sure I like the effect.
  • I’ve made a stitch map for Seed Pod.
  • 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:

  • 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.
  • 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): *k1, ssk, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, k2, BEY, k1; work from *, k1, ssk, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, k1.

Row 2 (WS): p7, *p2, p1b, p9; work from *.

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

Row 4: purl.

Row 5: *k2, BEY, k2, ssk, yo, k1, yo, k2tog; work from *, k2, BEY, k2.

Row 6: p3, p1b, p3, *p8, p1b, p3; work from *.

Row 7: *k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1, ssk, yo, k1, yo, k2tog; work from *, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1.

Row 8: purl.