Sway: a needlework chart for any craft

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

I developed a lace stitch pattern for Sway, 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. If used for stranded knitting, this chart would have really long strands in it; they can be managed, but I decided to illustrate it more generically. Perhaps this is a tile pattern in a floor? A cross stitch design?

How the Sway needlework chart might look in a finished project. It’s abstract in this case, but could maybe be a tile floor.
chart showing how to work the Sway needlework chart by means of dark and light squares. Written instructions in blog post.
click chart to enlarge
  • Sway has a repeat of 12 + 13 columns and 10 + 1 rows.
  • 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 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; 2A, 1B, 1A, *2A, 1B, 3A, (1B, 1A) × 2, 1B, 3A, 1B, 1A; work from *, 2A, 1B, 2A.

Round 2: work knit as follows; 4A, *6A, 1B, 3A, 1B, 5A; work from *, 5A.

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

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

Round 5: work knit as follows; 2A, 1B, 1A, *2A, 1B, 11A, 1B, 1A; work from *, 2A, 1B, 2A.

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

Round 7: work knit as follows; 2A, 1B, 1A, *2A, 1B, 11A, 1B, 1A; work from *, 2A, 1B, 2A.

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

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

Round 10: work knit as follows; 4A, *6A, 1B, 3A, 1B, 5A; work from *, 5A.

Work rounds 1-10 as desired; end with round 11:

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