Spiraling Swatch Cuffs
I created this pattern in order to test some yarns for two color knitting in the round. Like many people, I don't much enjoy swatching. But, I do enjoy making small, useful things. So, I took a suggestion of Elizabeth Zimmermann's, to create a Swatch Cap with 80 to 100 stitches (with the idea that it will fit somebody) and cast on 44 stitches for a swatch cuff.
Skills required
- Knit & purl, cast on & bind off - Working in the round on circular or double point needles. or - Working small circumferences in the round on DPNs/with magic loop/with two circulars - Stranded colorwork
Yarn
Any yarn that knits at approximately 4.5 to 5 stitches per inch. Pattern can be completed with 2 colors. Sample used: Cascade Yarns Cascade 220? (100% wool; 220 yards/100 gram skein) MC 2418 khaki; small quantity, less than 15 grams CC1 2431 Chocolate Heather; small quantity, less than 15 grams CC2 color 2414 Ginger; small quantity, less than 15 grams
Needles
3.5mm/US 4 needles for ribbing, if desired. DPNs or circulars for working in the round. 4 mm/US 6 needles for working in the round: DPNs, 1 long circular or 2 short circulars
Gauge
5 sts/# rows = 1 inch square after blocking in stranded stockinette stitch using 4 mm/US 6needles
Sizes
One size Helen Darmara, 2015
Finished Measurements
Circumference: 8.5 inches Length: 4.5 inches, easily customizable Abbreviations, special techniques, resources - K: knit - P: purl - Inc: increase. I prefer the backwards loop increase, shown at www.knittinghelp.com as Make1 away. - K2tog - knit 2 together. This is a right leaning decrease.You may substitute a left leaning decrease if you prefer. The slant is not significant for this pattern. - Cast on: Latvian/Estonian Open Closed cast on. Tutorial at Helen Griffin's website. It is listed under Cast ons worked in Ribbing. - Bind off: Joyce Williams' sewn Latvian Cast off, from Latvian Dreams. Tutorial at Helen Griffin's website.
Resources
Increases: http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/increases Cast on: https://sites.google.com/site/oftroysgoldenapples/home/tutorials/cast Ons#Double Bind off: https://sites.google.com/site/oftroysgoldenapples/home/tutorials/cast-ons/basicbind-off-s#sewn Color dominance: Beth Brown-Reinsel's blog, Knitting Traditions, http:// www.knittingtraditions.com/uncategorized/2010/03/yarn-dominance/ Two handed stranded knitting: https://www.philosopherswool.com/Pages/ Twohandedvideo.htm I don't trap every stitch as demonstrated here.
Tips for adjusting size
These cuffs are designed to be a quick swatch in the round. The pattern stitch is a multiple of 4 plus or minus 1 stitch. (If plus 1 stitch, they spiral to the right, minus 1 stitch, they spiral to the left.
Color dominance
In two color knitting, one strand will appear on the back to be below the other strand. The strand that lies below will appear slightly more dominant on the face of the fabric. Usually, the strand that is held furthest to the left will be dominant. See Beth Brown-Reinsel's blog, Knitting Traditions, http://www.knittingtraditions.com/uncategorized/2010/03/yarndominancel, for more discussion of this issue. For the most part, hold the backgrouhd yarh to the rlght, the patterh yarh to the left. Rememberwhichyouhaveheldwhere.
Pattern stitches
Two color box pattern: Requires a multiple of 4. Rounds 1 and 2: (K2 MC, K2 CC) repeat. Round 3 and 4: (K2 CC, K2 MC) repeat. Two color spiral pattern: Requires a multiple of 4 plus or minus 1. Multiple of 4 plus 1 will spiral to the right, multiple of 4 minus 1 will spiral to the left. (K2 MC, K2 CC) repeat. Ignore the beginning of round marker, continuing the alternating color pattern.
Instructions
Cast on: using smaller needles and CC yarn, CO 44 stitches. Ribbing: knit in K2, P2 ribbing for 1/2 inch. Body: Change to larger needles. Begin 2 color box pattern, with MC and CC yarns. Knit 2 rounds in this pattern. Switch order of MC and CC (K2 CC, K2 MC). Knit 2 rounds in this pattern. Cut CC1, begin using CC2. (If using 2 colors only, continue with MC and CC.) Begin 2 color spiral pattern, K2 MC, K2 CC. At the end of the first round, increase 1 stitch. This will be in MC. Knit in two color spiral until piece measures 4 inches from cast on, or desired length. Break CC2 and MC. Switch to CC1. K2 tog. Knit remainder of round. This prevents the blip of color you would otherwise get from purling into a diferent color. Ribbing: Continue with CC1. Work K2, P2 ribbing for 1/2 inch. Bind off.
Finishing
· Soak in water. I generally wash my knits in wool wash. · Block. Put your two hands inside the hat and snap your hands apart a couple of times. This doesn't have to be gentle. You want to help the strands even out and settle into place. · Pat into shape on a towel and leave to dry. ·Weave in ends.
Tips on Chart Reading
· Charts show what your work looks like from the right (public) side · Read charts for knitting in the round from bottom right on all rounds Mask out the rows above your current row with a sticky note or magn · No stitch in the legend (usually shown as grey in the chart) means just that. There is no stitch in your knitting, so there is no symbol or color in the chart. It's a placeholder showing where stitches were decreased or will be added. · Look at the repeating pattern across the row. Often this will be something like 3,1,3,1. 3 MC, 1 CC. Or 3 CC, 1 MC. In one of the patterns for the headband, it's 3 CC, 2 MC, 1 CC, 2 MC. Alternating 3 and 1 groups, separated by 2 stitches of the background color. · Technitter has a very interesting technique to help analyze chart patterns. She calls it "charting the chart". Read about it here: http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/06/ charting-charts-new-way-to-keep-track.html
Legend:
Sources
Mostly Mittens: Ethnic Knitting Designs from Russia, Charlene Schurch, 2009. Martingale. This is a republication of Mostly Mittens: Traditional Knitting Patterns from Russia's Komi People, 1998. y3opHoe BA3aHne koMn Uzonie Viazanie Komi (Komi Patterned Knitting), Galina Nikolaevna Klimova. 1978. I viewed images only. TeKCTHSbHblv opHaMeHT KoMN, Textili Ornament Komi (Komi Textile Ornament, Galina Nikokaevna Klimova. 1984. Images. Contact Information Designer name: Helen Darmara http://www.ravelry.com/designers/helen-darmara hcdarmara @roadrunner.com Version 1, 01/2015 Basic Pattern Template Kate Atherley, 2014
