Quetzal: a needlework chart for any craft

Posted on by

The random number generator picked Quetzal from the suggestions for this post, suggested by Ange, one of my Patreon supporters. Quetzals are beautiful birds; I took the colors for the art for this post from the Eared quetzal

I usually develop a complicated knitting stitch pattern for each word, but I also like to provide a basic chart for any craft that’s worked on a grid: beads, cross stitch, whatever. I also try to provide at least some digital art of the pattern repeated all over not as a chart. It doesn’t necessarily look like a finished object for any particular craft, but I just want to give a sense of it in use. (I try to make it look like knitting when it’s got floats short enough for easy stranded knitting.)

chart showing the Quetzal design using black and white squares
click chart to enlarge
  • Quetzal has a repeat of 14 + 1 columns and 18 or 18 + 9 rows (end after either row 9 or 18).
  • The written instructions below are formatted for stranded knitting, but it is my hope that they could be translated into instructions for other crafts. For instance, if working filet crochet, 1 A could be one open square and 2 B could be two filled-in squares.
  • Designers, please feel free to use this in your patterns (no need to ask). 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!

Round 1: Work knit as follows; *2 B, 3 A, 2 B, 1 A, 2 B, 3 A, 1 B; work from *, 1 B.

Round 2: Work knit as follows; *1 A, 1 B, 2 A, 3 B, 1 A, 3 B, 2 A, 1 B; work from *, 1 A.

Round 3: Work knit as follows; *(1 A, 1 B, 1 A, 2 B, 1 A, 1 B) × 2; work from *, 1 A.

Round 4: Work knit as follows; *1 B, 1 A, 2 B, (1 A, 1 B) × 3, 1 A, 2 B, 1 A; work from *, 1 B.

Round 5: Work knit as follows; *1 A, 2 B, (1 A, 1 B) × 4, 1 A, 2 B; work from *, 1 A.

Round 6: Work knit as follows; *1 B, 1 A, 2 B, (1 A, 1 B) × 3, 1 A, 2 B, 1 A; work from *, 1 B.

Round 7: Work knit as follows; *(1 A, 1 B, 1 A, 2 B, 1 A, 1 B) × 2; work from *, 1 A.

Round 8: Work knit as follows; *1 A, 1 B, 2 A, 3 B, 1 A, 3 B, 2 A, 1 B; work from *, 1 A.

Round 9: Work knit as follows; *2 B, 3 A, 2 B, 1 A, 2 B, 3 A, 1 B; work from *, 1 B.

Round 10: Work knit as follows; *1 A, 2 B, 3 A, 3 B, 3 A, 2 B; work from *, 1 A.

Round 11: Work knit as follows; *1 A, 3 B, 2 A, 1 B, 1 A, 1 B, 2 A, 3 B; work from *, 1 A.

Round 12: Work knit as follows; *(1 A, 1 B, 1 A, 2 B, 1 A, 1 B) × 2; work from *, 1 A.

Round 13: Work knit as follows; *1 B, (1 A, 1 B, 1 A, 2 B) × 2, 1 A, 1 B, 1 A; work from *, 1 B.

Round 14: Work knit as follows; *(1 A, 1 B) × 2, (1 A, 2 B) × 2, (1 A, 1 B) × 2; work from *, 1 A.

Round 15: Work knit as follows; *1 B, (1 A, 1 B, 1 A, 2 B) × 2, 1 A, 1 B, 1 A; work from *, 1 B.

Round 16: Work knit as follows; *(1 A, 1 B, 1 A, 2 B, 1 A, 1 B) × 2; work from *, 1 A.

Round 17: Work knit as follows; *1 A, 3 B, 2 A, 1 B, 1 A, 1 B, 2 A, 3 B; work from *, 1 A.

Round 18: Work knit as follows; *1 A, 2 B, 3 A, 3 B, 3 A, 2 B; work from *, 1 A.

End after either row 9 or 18.