Release: a lace knitting stitch pattern

The word I drew from the words suggested on Patreon for this post is Release, suggested by Jeanette B., a Patreon supporter. Release of course has a range of meanings, but I like thinking of wildlife releases, where animals are released from captivity into their own habitats. I am also amused because this post in itself is a pattern release!

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 Release 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 Release lace. It has repeating arches of hoes in it, along with rounded diamonds with trefoil-shaped holes.
Chart showing how to work Release lace by means of special symbols. Written instructions in blog post.
click chart to enlarge

Notes:

  • The swatch is one and a half repeats of the stitch pattern. That is, it ends after row 20.
  • This is a stitch pattern such as might be found in a stitch dictionary. It is not a pattern 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.)
  • Release is a multiple of 10 + 10 stitches and 40 + 20 rows. (End after either row 40 or 20)
  • I’ve made a stitch map for Release.
  • Designers, please feel free to use this 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.

Row 1 (RS): k1, k2tog, yo, k2, *k2, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k2; work from *, k2, yo, ssk, k1. (20 sts)

Row 2 (WS): purl.

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

Row 4: p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, *(p2, (k1, p1) in double yo) × 2, p2; work from *, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1.

Row 5: yo, ssk, k3, *k3, k2tog, yo × 2, ssk, k3; work from *, k3, k2tog, yo.

Row 6: p5, *p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4; work from *, p5.

Row 7: k3, yo, ssk, *k2tog, yo, k6, yo, ssk; work from *, k2tog, yo, k3.

Row 8: purl.

Row 9: cdd, yo × 2, k1, *1/1 RC, k1, yo × 2, cdd × 2, yo × 2, k1; work from *, 1/1 RC, k1, yo × 2, cdd.

Row 10: p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, *(p2, (k1, p1) in double yo) × 2, p2; work from *, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1.

Row 11: yo, ssk, k2, *1/1 RC, k2, k2tog, yo × 2, ssk, k2; work from *, 1/1 RC, k2, k2tog, yo.

Row 12: p5, *p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4; work from *, p5.

Row 13: k1, ssk, yo, k2tog, *yo × 2, ssk, yo, k2tog, k2, ssk, yo, k2tog; work from *, yo × 2, ssk, yo, k2tog, k1.

Row 14: p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, *p8, (k1, p1) in double yo; work from *, p4.

Row 15: k3, ssk, *yo × 2, k2tog, k6, ssk; work from *, yo × 2, k2tog, k3.

Row 16: p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, *p8, (k1, p1) in double yo; work from *, p4.

Row 17: k1, DSD, yo × 2, k1, *k1, yo × 2, sk2p, k2, DSD, yo × 2, k1; work from *, k1, yo × 2, sk2p, k1.

Row 18: p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, *p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1; work from *, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2.

Row 19: k1, yo, ssk, k2, *k2, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk, k2; work from *, k2, k2tog, yo, k1.

Row 20: purl.

Row 21: k2, yo, ssk, k1, *k1, k2tog, yo, k4, yo, ssk, k1; work from *, k1, k2tog, yo, k2.

Row 22: purl.

Row 23: k1, ssk, yo × 2, ssk, *k2tog, yo × 2, k2tog, k2, ssk, yo × 2, ssk; work from *, k2tog, yo × 2, k2tog, k1.

Row 24: p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, *p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1; work from *, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2.

Row 25: k3, k2tog, *yo × 2, ssk, k6, k2tog; work from *, yo × 2, ssk, k3.

Row 26: p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, *p8, (k1, p1) in double yo; work from *, p4.

Row 27: k2tog, yo, k3, *k3, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k3; work from *, k3, yo, ssk.

Row 28: purl.

Row 29: k2, yo × 2, cdd, *cdd, yo × 2, k1, 1/1 RC, k1, yo × 2, cdd; work from *, cdd, yo × 2, k2.

Row 30: p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, *p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1; work from *, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2.

Row 31: k3, k2tog, *yo × 2, ssk, k2, 1/1 RC, k2, k2tog; work from *, yo × 2, ssk, k3.

Row 32: p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, *p8, (k1, p1) in double yo; work from *, p4.

Row 33: yo, ssk, yo, k2tog, k1, *k1, ssk, yo, k2tog, yo × 2, ssk, yo, k2tog, k1; work from *, k1, ssk, yo, k2tog, yo.

Row 34: p5, *p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4; work from *, p5.

Row 35: yo, k2tog, k3, *k3, ssk, yo × 2, k2tog, k3; work from *, k3, ssk, yo.

Row 36: p5, *p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4; work from *, p5.

Row 37: k1, yo × 2, sk2p, k1, *k1, DSD, yo × 2, k2, yo × 2, sk2p, k1; work from *, k1, DSD, yo × 2, k1.

Row 38: p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, *(p2, (k1, p1) in double yo) × 2, p2; work from *, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1.

Row 39: k2, k2tog, yo, k1, *k1, yo, ssk, k4, k2tog, yo, k1; work from *, k1, yo, ssk, k2.

Row 40: purl.