Acre: a lace knitting stitch pattern

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The word I drew from my word hoard for this stitch pattern is Acre, suggested by Lara, a Patreon supporter.

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 made an Acre needlework chart for any craft that uses a square grid for designing.

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 of Acre lace

Notes:

  • The bottom half of the swatch is three repeats of version 1; the top is one repeat of version 2.
  • 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.
  • The repeats in the charts and the text aren’t in the same places. (The double YOs complicate writing the repeats logically in the text.)
  • Acre, version 1 is a multiple of 12 stitches and 8 rows.
    Acre, version 1 is a multiple of 12 + 12 stitches and 16 or 16 + 8 rows. (End after either row 8 or 16.)
  • The cables are optional; I just like them better. (I forgot one in the lower left corner, in case you’d like to see what looks different.
  • I’ve made stitch maps for Acre, version 1 and Acre, version 2.
  • 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:

  • 1/1 RC: Slip next stitch to cable needle and place at back of work, knit 1, then knit 1 from cable needle.
  • CDD: slip the next 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit the next stitch, then pass the 2 slipped stitches over the third. (Stands for centered double decrease.)
  • DSD: ssk, slip the resulting stitch back to the left needle, pass the next stitch over, then slip the result. Substitute knit 3 together if desired; they are similar but don’t look quite the same. (Right-leaning double decrease.) More information about DSD.
  • k: knit.
  • k2tog: knit 2 stitches together as if they were 1. (Right-leaning decrease)
  • p: purl.
  • sk2p: slip 1, k2tog, pass slipped stitch over. (Left-leaning double decrease.)
  • 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.

Acre, version 1

chart showing how to work Acre lace version 1 by means of special symbols. Written instructions in blog post.
Click chart to enlarge

Row 1 (RS): *k1, cdd, yo × 2, k2tog, yo × 2, ssk, yo × 2, cdd, k1; work from *. (12 sts)

Row 2 (WS): *p2, ([k1, p1] in double yo, p1) × 2, [k1, p1] in double yo, p2; work from *.

Row 3: *k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk, k1, yo, ssk; work from *.

Row 4: purl.

Row 5: *k2, k2tog, yo × 2, k2tog, ssk, yo × 2, ssk, k2; work from *.

Row 6: *p3, [k1, p1] in double yo, p2, [k1, p1] in double yo, p3; work from *.

Row 7: *k2, ssk, yo, k1, 1/1 RC, k1, yo, k2tog, k2; work from *.

Row 8: purl.

Acre, version 1

chart showing how to work Acre lace version 2 by means of special symbols. Written instructions in blog post.
click chart to enlarge

Row 1 (RS): yo, ssk, yo × 2, sk2p, k1, *k1, DSD, yo × 2, k2tog, yo × 2, ssk, yo × 2, sk2p, k1; work from *, k1, DSD, yo × 2, k2tog, yo. (24 sts)

Row 2 (WS): p2, [k1, p1] in double yo, p2, *p2, ([k1, p1] in double yo, p1) × 2, [k1, p1] in double yo, p2; work from *, p2, [k1, p1] in double yo, p2.

Row 3: (k1, yo, ssk) × 2, *k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk, k1, yo, ssk; work from *, (k2tog, yo, k1) × 2.

Row 4: purl.

Row 5: ssk, yo × 2, ssk, k2, *k2, k2tog, yo × 2, k2tog, ssk, yo × 2, ssk, k2; work from *, k2, k2tog, yo × 2, k2tog.

Row 6: p1, [k1, p1] in double yo, p3, *p3, [k1, p1] in double yo, p2, [k1, p1] in double yo, p3; work from *, p3, [k1, p1] in double yo, p1.

Row 7: k2, yo, k2tog, k2, *k2, ssk, yo, k1, 1/1 RC, k1, yo, k2tog, k2; work from *, k2, ssk, yo, k2.

Row 8: purl.

Row 9: k1, DSD, yo × 2, k2tog, *yo × 2, ssk, yo × 2, sk2p, k2, DSD, yo × 2, k2tog; work from *, yo × 2, ssk, yo × 2, sk2p, k1.

Row 10: p2, [k1, p1] in double yo, p1, [k1, p1] in double yo, *p1, [k1, p1] in double yo, p4, [k1, p1] in double yo, p1, [k1, p1] in double yo; work from *, p1, [k1, p1] in double yo, p2.

Row 11: (k2tog, yo, k1) × 2, *(k1, yo, ssk) × 2, (k2tog, yo, k1) × 2; work from *, (k1, yo, ssk) × 2.

Row 12: purl.

Row 13: k2, k2tog, yo × 2, k2tog, *ssk, yo × 2, ssk, k4, k2tog, yo × 2, k2tog; work from *, ssk, yo × 2, ssk, k2.

Row 14: p3, [k1, p1] in double yo, p1, *p1, [k1, p1] in double yo, p6, [k1, p1] in double yo, p1; work from *, p1, [k1, p1] in double yo, p3.

Row 15: k2, ssk, yo, k1, *1/1 RC, k1, yo, k2tog, k4, ssk, yo, k1; work from *, 1/1 RC, k1, yo, k2tog, k2.

Row 16: purl.