Cosmos: a needlework chart for any craft

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The random number generator picked Cosmos from the suggestions for this post, suggested by Enting, one of my Patreon supporters.

I developed a lace stitch pattern for Cosmos, but I also like to provide a basic chart for any craft that’s worked on a grid: beads, cross stitch, whatever. I 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 want to give a sense of it in use.

Illustration showing how Cosmos needlework might look as an allover pattern, in pink and white.
This illustration matches the dark and light of the chart, and uses colors like the flowers called cosmos.
See the end of this post for one like a starry sky.
chart showing how to work Cosmos needlework by means of dark and light squares. Written instructions in blog post.
click chart to enlarge
  • Cosmos has a repeat of 10 + 1 columns and 10 + 1 rows.
  • This design is suitable for stranded knitting, though I didn’t illustrate it that way. (My software wasn’t working correctly.)
  • I think this one would be especially good for knit/purl designs if rotated by a quarter turn.
  • In the written instructions, color A is the light squares above, and color B is the dark.
  • 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; 1B, *1A, 1B, 5A, 1B, 1A, 1B; work from *. (11 sts)

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

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

Round 4: work knit as follows; 1B, *1A, 1B, 5A, 1B, 1A, 1B; work from *.

Round 5: work knit as follows; 1B, *3A, 1B, 1A, 1B, 3A, 1B; work from *.

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

Round 7: work knit as follows; 1B, *3A, 1B, 1A, 1B, 3A, 1B; work from *.

Round 8: work knit as follows; 1B, *1A, 1B, 5A, 1B, 1A, 1B; work from *.

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

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

Repeat rounds 1-10 as desired; end with round 11.

Round 11: work knit as follows; 1B, *1A, 1B, 5A, 1B, 1A, 1B; work from *.

I like this one because it looks kind of like a starry sky, but it reverses dark and light from the chart, which I know can be confusing.