Neume: a lace knitting stitch pattern

The word I drew from the words suggested on Patreon for this post is Neume, suggested by Catnach, a Patreon supporter. This is a word in less common usage today: it’s the name for an older kind of music notation. One of the styles of music it’s used for is Gregorian chant, but neumes apparently go back to an Aramaic notation.

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 neume 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 for Neume lace; the shapes are lace outlines around solid centers, making something like a hexagonal grid.
click chart to enlarge

Notes:

  • 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.
  • Neume is a multiple of 12 + 13 stitches and 24 + 12 rows. (End after either row 12 or 24: rows 13-24 are the same as 1-12, just shifted sideways by half a repeat.)
  • I’ve made a stitch map for Neume.
  • 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:

  • 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.

Row 1 (RS): k4, k2tog, yo, k1, *yo, ssk, k7, k2tog, yo, k1; work from *, yo, ssk, k4. (25 sts)

Row 2 (WS): purl.

Row 3: k3, k2tog, yo × 2, cdd, *yo × 2, ssk, k5, k2tog, yo × 2, cdd; work from *, yo × 2, ssk, k3.

Row 4: p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, *p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p7, (k1, p1) in double yo; work from *, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4.

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

Row 6: purl.

Row 7: (k2tog, yo) × 2, k3, *k2, yo, ssk, yo, cdd, yo, k2tog, yo, k3; work from *, k2, (yo, ssk) × 2.

Row 8: purl.

Row 9: ssk, yo × 2, ssk, k3, *k2, k2tog, yo × 2, cdd, yo × 2, ssk, k3; work from *, k2, k2tog, yo × 2, k2tog.

Row 10: p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, *p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3; work from *, p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1.

Row 11: k2, yo, k2tog, k3, *k2, ssk, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, k3; work from *, k2, ssk, yo, k2.

Row 12: purl.

Row 13: k1, yo, ssk, k4, *k3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k4; work from *, k3, k2tog, yo, k1.

Row 14: purl.

Row 15: ssk, yo × 2, ssk, k3, *k2, k2tog, yo × 2, cdd, yo × 2, ssk, k3; work from *, k2, k2tog, yo × 2, k2tog.

Row 16: p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, *p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3; work from *, p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p1.

Row 17: k1, yo, k2, yo, sssk, k1, *k3tog, yo, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, yo, sssk, k1; work from *, k3tog, yo, k2, yo, k1.

Row 18: purl.

Row 19: k3, yo, ssk, yo, cdd, *yo, k2tog, yo, k5, yo, ssk, yo, cdd; work from *, yo, k2tog, yo, k3.

Row 20: purl.

Row 21: k3, k2tog, yo × 2, cdd, *yo × 2, ssk, k5, k2tog, yo × 2, cdd; work from *, yo × 2, ssk, k3.

Row 22: p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, *p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p7, (k1, p1) in double yo; work from *, p1, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4.

Row 23: k3, ssk, yo, k2, *k1, yo, k2tog, k5, ssk, yo, k2; work from *, k1, yo, k2tog, k3.

Row 24: purl.

Knit rows 1-24 as desired, ending after either row 12 or 24.