Mirth: a lace knitting stitch pattern

The word I drew from the words suggested on Patreon for this post is Mirth, suggested by Rin, a Patreon supporter. I’m pleased by the feathery/scaly effect in this one; I hope you like it too!

Each month, my Patreon backers have the chance to suggest words for me to encode as knitting stitches. A random number generator helps me choose which word I will encode from 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 a Mirth 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 Mirth lace. The bottom half is chevrons made of kind of leafy arrows. The top looks kind of like scales with lacy outer parts and solid inner parts.

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.
  • While some of my stitch patterns with BEY and BEBYO have p1-below in the following row, Mirth does not. All the wrong-side row stitches are plain purl except for the ones above double yarnovers.
  • The beginning rows of version 1 and version 2 have different decreases in them, to account for version 2’s layout being different.
  • Mirth is a multiple of 10 + 11 stitches. Version 1 is a multiple of 10 rows and version 2 is a multiple of 20 + 10 rows. (End after either row 10 or row 20.)
  • I’ve made stitch maps for version 1 and 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:

  • BEBYO (bunny ears back yarnover): This turns three stitches into three stitches with a yarnover in the middle. Slip 1, knit 1 without removing it from the needle, pass slipped stitch over the new stitch; yarn over; then knit the second and third stitches together. The middle stitch of the original three has been knit together with each of its neighbors. Blog post about bunny ears yarnover.
  • BEY (bunny ears yarnover): This turns three stitches into three stitches with a yarnover in the middle. 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: 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.)
  • k: knit.
  • k2tog: knit 2 stitches together as if they were 1. (Right-leaning decrease)
  • k3tog: knit 3 stitches together as if they were 1. (Right-leaning double decrease)
  • p: purl.
  • 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)
  • sssk: slip each of the next 3 stitches as if to knit, then knit them together through the back loop. (Left-leaning double decrease; substitute sk2p if desired.)
  • 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.

Mirth, version 1

Chart showing how to knit Mirth lace, version 1, by means of special symbols. Written instructions in blog post.

Row 1 (RS): k1, k2tog, yo, k1, *BEBYO, k1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; work from *, BEBYO, k1, yo, ssk, k1. (21 sts)

Row 2 (WS): purl.

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

Row 4: purl.

Row 5: k1, k3tog, yo × 2, k1, *k2, yo × 2, sssk, k1, k3tog, yo × 2, k1; work from *, k2, yo × 2, sssk, k1.

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

Row 7: k2tog, yo, k2, *BEY, k2, yo, cdd, yo, k2; work from *, BEY, k2, yo, ssk.

Row 8: purl.

Row 9: ssk, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, *k1, ssk, yo, k1, yo, cdd, yo, k1, yo, k2tog; work from *, k1, ssk, yo, k1, yo, k2tog.

Row 10: purl.

Mirth, version 2

Chart showing how to knit Mirth lace, version 2, by means of special symbols. Written instructions in blog post.

Row 1 (RS): yo, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, *k1, k2tog, yo, k1, BEY, k1, yo, ssk; work from *, (k1, k2tog, yo) × 2. (21 sts)

Row 2 (WS): purl.

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

Row 4: purl.

Row 5: k2, yo × 2, sssk, *k1, k3tog, yo × 2, k3, yo × 2, sssk; work from *, k1, k3tog, yo × 2, k2.

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

Row 7: yo, ssk, k2, yo, *cdd, yo, k2, BEY, k2, yo; work from *, cdd, yo, k2, k2tog, yo.

Row 8: purl.

Row 9: k1, ssk, yo, k1, yo, *cdd, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, k1, ssk, yo, k1, yo; work from *, cdd, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, k1.

Row 10: purl.

Row 11: k1, ssk, yo, k1, *BEY, k1, yo, k2tog, k1, ssk, yo, k1; work from *, BEY, k1, yo, k2tog, k1.

Row 12: purl.

Row 13: k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, yo, *k1, yo, ssk, k1, yo, cdd, yo, k1, k2tog, yo; work from *, (k1, yo, ssk) × 2.

Row 14: purl.

Row 15: k1, k3tog, yo × 2, k1, *k2, yo × 2, sssk, k1, k3tog, yo × 2, k1; work from *, k2, yo × 2, sssk, k1.

Row 16: p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, *p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2; work from *, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2.

Row 17: k2tog, yo, k2, *BEY, k2, yo, cdd, yo, k2; work from *, BEY, k2, yo, ssk.

Row 18: purl.

Row 19: ssk, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, *k1, ssk, yo, k1, yo, cdd, yo, k1, yo, k2tog; work from *, k1, ssk, yo, k1, yo, k2tog.

Row 20: purl.