Time: a lace knitting stitch pattern

The word I drew from my word hoard for this stitch pattern is Time, suggested by Catnach and another backer, two Patreon supporters.

I did something this time that I don’t usually do: the top half of the full chart contains the same yarnovers as the bottom half, but flipped vertically. I didn’t try to make the lace look vertically symmetrical, as that’s very difficult in my style of lace design. Version 1 & 2 therefore act as coordinating stitch patterns.

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 Time lace
chart using symbols to show how to knit Time lace
Click chart to enlarge

Notes:

  • Version 1 of this stitch pattern is the bottom half of the chart; Version 2 is the whole chart.
  • From the bottom up, the swatch is two repeats of version 1, one repeat of version 2, and one repeat of version 1.
  • These are stitch patterns such as might be found in a stitch dictionary. They are not patterns for a finished object. You will need to add selvedges or some other form of knitted stitches to either side.
  • Time is a multiple of 8 + 9 stitches. Version 1 is a multiple of 12 rows; Version 2 is a multiple of 22 + 2 rows.
  • I’ve made stitch maps for Time, version 1 and Time, version 2.
  • If you’d like a third, simpler lace pattern to go with these, I think Scattered Tulips should work, though I would recommend adding a column of stockinette between the motifs to make the stitch repeat work out.
  • I’ve also added a coordinating stitch pattern: Time diamonds.
  • 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. (Or substitute your favorite left-leaning decrease)
  • yo: yarnover. Bring the yarn forward between the needles so that it will make a loop over the needle when the next stitch is worked. When there are two in a row, bring the yarn forward, wrap it once around the needle, and leave the yarn in front so it makes a second loop.

Knit Rows 1 – 12 for Version 1; knit rows 1 – 24 for Version 2.

Row 1 (RS): K1, yo, ssk, k1, *k2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1; work from * to last 5 sts, k2, k2tog, yo, k1.

Row 2: Purl.

Row 3: Yo, ssk, k2, *k3, BEY, k2; work from * to last 5 sts, k3, k2tog, yo.

Row 4: P5, *p3, p1b, p4; work from * to last 4 sts, p4.

Row 5: K3, *BEY, k5; work from * to last 6 sts, BEY, k3.

Row 6: P4, p1b, *p7, p1b; work from * to last 4 sts, p4.

Row 7: (K2tog, yo) × 2, *k1, yo, ssk, yo, CDD, yo, k2tog, yo; work from * to last 5 sts, k1, (K2tog, yo) × 2.

Row 8: Purl.

Row 9: K1, k2tog, yo, *BEY, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo; work from * to last 6 sts, BEY, yo, ssk, k1.

Row 10: P4, p1b, *p7, p1b; work from * to last 4 sts, p4.

Row 11: K1, ssk, yo, k1, *k2, yo, k2tog, k1, ssk, yo, k1; work from * to last 5 sts, k2, yo, k2tog, k1.

Row 12: Purl.

Knit Rows 1 – 12 for Version 1; knit rows 1 – 24 for Version 2.

Row 13: K1, ssk, yo, k1, *k2, yo, k2tog, k1, ssk, yo, k1; work from * to last 5 sts, k2, yo, k2tog, k1.

Row 14: Purl.

Row 15: K1, ssk, yo, *BEY, yo, k2tog, k1, ssk, yo; work from * to last 6 sts, BEY, yo, k2tog, k1.

Row 16: P4, p1b, *p7, p1b; work from * to last 4 sts, p4.

Row 17: (K2tog, yo) × 2, *k1, yo, ssk, yo, CDD, yo, k2tog, yo; work from * to last 5 sts, k1, (K2tog, yo) × 2.

Row 18: Purl.

Row 19: K3, *BEY, k5; work from * to last 6 sts, BEY, k3.

Row 20: P4, p1b, *p7, p1b; work from * to last 4 sts, p4.

Row 21: Yo, ssk, k2, *k3, BEY, k2; work from * to last 5 sts, k3, k2tog, yo.

Row 22: P5, *p3, p1b, p4; work from * to last 4 sts, p4.

For version 2, repeat rows 1 – 22, ending with rows 23 – 24.

Row 23: K1, yo, ssk, k1, *k2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1; work from * to last 5 sts, k2, k2tog, yo, k1.

Row 24: Purl.