Quirky: a charted design for any craft

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The random number generator picked Quirky from the suggestions for this post, suggested by Rin & Catnach, two of my Patreon supporters. (Rin actually suggested quirk a while back, but since Catnach was inspired by that, I’m going with both names.)

There were lots of possible choices for the charted design for this word, but I ended up picking the one that will fit in a square when stacked up a bit, and that allows for some other variations that I’ll be posting later.

I like the way this makes alternating vertical columns of three related designs. I’m making separate posts for each of these:

Links to set:

I developed a lace stitch pattern for Quirky, 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. (I try to make it look like knitting when it’s got floats short enough for easy stranded knitting.)

How the Quirky charted design might look as stranded knitting. Vertical columns of separate squares alternate with more complex vertical patterns columns with kind of wavy lines in them as well as squares the same size with prongs sticking out the sides.
Chart showing how to work the Quirky charted design by means of dark and light squares. Written instructions in blog post.
click chart to enlarge
  • Quirky has a repeat of 18 + 1 columns and 6 + 1 rows.
  • In the written instructions, color A is the light squares above, and color B is the dark.
  • This pattern is written in rounds, but because each row has mirror symmetry, the colors can be read in flat rows without changes. If knitting, just work purl stitches on alternating rows instead of knit.
  • 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; 1 B, *1A, 1 B, 2A, 1 B, 1A, 1 B, 3A, 1 B, 1A, 1 B, 2A, 1 B, 1A, 1 B; work from *.

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

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

Round 4: work knit as follows; 1A, *2 B, (1A, 1 B) × 6, 1A, 2 B, 1A; work from *.

Round 5: work knit as follows; 1 B, *1 B, 2A, (1 B, 1A) × 2, 3 B, (1A, 1 B) × 2, 2A, 2 B; work from *.

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

Work Rounds 1-6 as desired, ending with Round 7

Round 7: work knit as follows; 1 B, *1A, 1 B, 2A, 1 B, 1A, 1 B, 3A, 1 B, 1A, 1 B, 2A, 1 B, 1A, 1 B; work from *.