GARTER SNAKE BUTTERFLY RUG Designed by Beth Khan
This is a fun, whimsical project that relies on an odd number of rows for the pattern repeat (to make the serpents tessellate and make the rug reversible) as well as garter stitch to keep the pattern flat and the snakes scaly'. The snake heads are formed at the beginning of every even row, and the tails are formed at the beginning of odd rows. The heads and tails are produced by short rows. The color changes (the rug must have at least two different colors to see the snakes) give this pattern interest and a sense of progress while on the needles. I used the knit one, slip one pattern to break up the necessary lines created at the color changes (since this is an odd numbered row stitch pattern, there is no ‘public’ or \*private′ side to hide the color changes.).There are a lot of color changes and ends that must be sewn in afterwards, so take advantage of the ability to knitted and weave in the ones you can.. The flat button ‘eyes' are truly the most tedious part-19 pairs of buttons are sewn on after finishing the knitting part of the rug. Tools Required: Needles: $10\,\,\%$ knitting needles (preferably a $32^{\circ}$ circular) Yarn: At least two colors of bulky weight rug yarn Buttons: 38 small sewing buttons or sturdy beads Yarn needle, sewing needle, sewing thread, scissors Skills Required: Long tail cast on (LTCO) · Twisted German cast on (TGCO) Place marker (PM) Knit (K) Slip (S) slip-wrap-turn short row (SWT) · Knit in the Front and Back (Closed increase) (KFB) · Knit 2 Together (decrease) (K2TOG) · Slip, Slip, Knit (decrease)(SSK) ·Cast off Special Project Notes: The numbers of waves in the snakes? bodies are multiples of 18 stitches. If you want a snake blanket rather than a doormat sized snake rug, simply add more multiples of $18-$ but you will have long, skinny-looking snakes with what appear to be shorter heads and tails. If you want to constrain the proportions to keep the snakes about the same length to width ratio as the pattern calls for, I suggest that you repeat rows 5 and 6 one time extra for every extra multiple of 18 you add (within reason and following your own taste and judgment). Additional Notes: This pattern is written out twice: once in full word, expository language and the second time in pithy shorthand. The reason for this is because it helps to have a detailed, full disclosure explanation to begin with, and then have the working abbreviations to allow for speed once the pattern is understood. A chart on this pattern is possible, but is not included here due to the simplicity and ubiquity of much of the pattern (a feather and fan variation).
Garter Snake Butterfly Pattern: Casting On: Use the long tail cast on method, cast on 60 stitches. Place markers in the following manner during the cast on: Cast on 3, PM, (cast on 18, PM) $3\mathbf{x}$ , cast on 3 - 60 stitches total One Time Set Up (Row “1"): The “real" Row 1 has you $^{*}\!\mathrm{K}1,\!S1^{*}$ across - since you have just cast on and are not adding a new color like you will be doing from now on, this row just lets you $*_{\mathrm{K}}54^{*}$ across. Do not repeat this One Time Set Up (Row “1") again. Use the real Row 1. One Time Set Up (Row “1") $:$ Twisted German Cast On 6 stitches, Knit back across those 6 just cast on and then knit the 3 remaining before the first marker (in other words, Knit 9) , knit 54, k3, turn, TGCO 7 stitches. Total stitch count is now 73 stitches $(6+60+7)$ . Go on to Row 2 from here and do not repeat this One Time Set Up (Row (“1"). Row 1 (odd rows begin with the head) Join New Yarn. Twisted German Cast On 6 stitches, Knit back across those 6 just cast on and then knit the 3 remaining before the first marker (in other words, Knit 9) , (knit 1, slip 1 with yarn in front) $\mathbf{1}27\mathbf{x}$ (this makes a nice color join transition), $\boldsymbol{\mathrm{k}3}$ , turn, TGCO 7 stitches. Total stitch count is now 73 stitches $(10+54+9)$ Row 2 (even rows begin with the tail) Knit to last marker ( $10\substack{+54=64}$ stitches), knit 7, SWT, knit 4, SWT,(here we are adding short rows to the head) k6, turn, TGCO 2 stitches $11\!+\!54\!+\!10\!=\!75$ stitches). Row 3 Knit 11, (feather and fan pattern body: ) $^{*}[(\mathrm{K}2\mathrm{tog})3\mathrm{x}$ (KFB)6x, (SSK)3x]\*3x, k3, SWT (the tail tip is a short row and the last 7 stitches are not worked) Row 4 Knit 68 (total number of all the stitches on the needles is 75) Row 5 Knit 65 (to last marker) then knit 7 of tail, SWT (leaving 3 stitches unworked) -75 stitches total Row 6 Knit 72 stitches (75 stitches total) Row 7 Cast Off 2, Knit 8 (9 live stitches),(feather and fan pattern body: ) $^{*}[(\mathrm{K}2\mathrm{tog})3\mathrm{x},$ (KFB)6x, $(\mathrm{SSK})3\mathrm{x}]^{*}3\mathrm{x},\mathrm{k}3$ 3, SWT (the tail tip is a short row and the last 7 stitches are not worked) Total of $(9{+}54{+}3{+}7{=})73$ stitches. Row 8 Knit 57 (to last marker),then knit 7, SWT, Knit 4, SWT, knit 6 (total of $7{+}3{+}54{+}9{=}73)$ Row 9: Cast Off 6, knit 2 (3 live stitches on needle), Knit 54, knit 4, Cast Off 6 (3 stitches - yes:3) Break Yarn. (total stitches $(3{+}54{+}3){=}60$
