Dreich: a needlework chart for any craft

The random number generator picked the Scots word Dreich, meaning something like dreary, from the suggestions for this post, as suggested by Antoinette, one of my Patreon supporters.

I developed a lace knitting stitch pattern for Dreich, 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.

How Dreich needlework might look in a finished object
chart showing how to work Dreich needlework with dark and light squares. Written instructions in blog post.
click chart to enlarge
  • Dreich has a repeat of 14 + 1 columns and 10 + 1 rows.
  • It would have awfully long floats in stranded knitting, but could be done. I’d recommend the ladderback technique for handling the strands. (This is just a search engine search, but it finds both text instructions and video, depending on your preference.)
  • 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, 1A could be one open square and 2B 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!

Row 1 (RS): work knit as follows; 1A, *6A, 1B, 7A; work from *.

Row 2 (WS): work purl as follows; *3A, 1B, (1A, 2B) × 2, 1A, 1B, 2A; work from *, 1A.

Row 3: work knit as follows; 1A, *1A, 3B, 5A, 3B, 2A; work from *.

Row 4: work purl as follows; *(1A, 1B, 1A, 3B) × 2, 1A, 1B; work from *, 1A.

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

Row 6: work purl as follows; *2B, 4A, 3B, 4A, 1B; work from *, 1B.

Row 7: work knit as follows; 1B, *3A, 1B, 5A, 1B, 3A, 1B; work from *.

Row 8: work purl as follows; *(1A, 1B, 1A, 3B) × 2, 1A, 1B; work from *, 1A.

Row 9: work knit as follows; 1A, *1A, 3B, 5A, 3B, 2A; work from *.

Row 10: work purl as follows; *3A, 1B, (1A, 2B) × 2, 1A, 1B, 2A; work from *, 1A.

Work rows 1-10 as desired, ending with row 11:

Row 11: work knit as follows; 1A, *6A, 1B, 7A; work from *.