MASK 9" (23 CM) AFGHAN OR DISHCLOTH BLOCK c. 2015 Margaret Maclnni
PART OF THE COMEDY MYSTERY SERIES IlI, BLOCK II
Easy block: written in American terms with metric equivalents Needle: This one knits up a little 'snug'—you might want to go up a needle size from your usual. I used a Us 8 (5.0 mm) where I usually use a Us 7 (4.5 mm). You also need a hook if edging in crochet, same size or one size smaller (Us G or 4.5 mm) Yarn: around 45 g or 1.5 oz of aran-weight acrylic or cotton Vanna's Choice for afghans, and Bernat Handicrafter for dishcloth
Stitches and Abbreviations
PM: place marker pknitwise, slipknitwise, return together to left needle, ktogether through back loop: k2tog: knit two stitches together yo: yarn over, leaves a decorative hole 'inc: increase by knitting into lifted stitch from row below, knit the stitch itself as we Cast on 33 sts
Rows 1-3: Knit
Row 4: prep row WS: k3, PM; k1, (Vinc, k7) 3 times, Vinc, k1; PM, k3 (37 sts) Row 5: NOTE: semi-colon should always be where the markers are. RS k3; k6, (p1, k5) 4 times, k1; k3 Row 6: WS: k3; k1, (p5, k1) 5 times; k3 Row 7: RS: k3; k1, (yo, ssk, p1, k2tog, yo, k1) 5 times; k3 Row 8: Ws: k3; k1, p2, (k1, p5) 4 times, k1, p2, k1; k3 Row 9: RS: k3; k3, (p1, k5) 4 times, p1, k3; k3 Row 10: WS: k3; k1, p2, (k1, p5) 4 times, k1, p2, k1; k3 Row 11: RS: k3; k1, (k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, p1) 5 times working a k1 at end of last rep instead of a p1; k3 Row 12: WS: k3; k1, (p5, k1) 5 times; k3 Rows 13-20, 21-28, 29-36, 37-44, 45-51: repeat (Rows 5 to 12) 4 times, then (repeat Rows 5-11) one time, or until block measures approximately 7.5-7.75"(19 cm), ending with a Row 11 if possible. Row 52 decrease: Ws: k across, decreasing 4 times as k2tog as follows: k3; k1, (k2tog, k7) 3 times, k2tog, k1; k3 Rows 53-55: knit, binding off as you knit last row or work crochet edging after last row. CROCHET BORDER FOR 9" KNIT BLOCKS: Aran-weight instructions-goal 27-28 sl stitches per side, including corner st Using crochet hook, pull a loop through between first and second knit rows, on the right. I like to take the hook out and re-orient that stitch, too..(if you are on the left edge, work from there—it doesn't matter. Work from \*\* and come back around. You will have to move your stitches to another straight if you are working with straights, in order to access the other end when you come around.) Slip first st onto hook, yo, slip through both stitches LOOSELY (corner st made), slip next st onto hook, yo, slip through. \*Slip next 2 sts onto hook, yo, slip through LOOSELY. (Slip next st onto hook, yo, slip through LOOSELY) 5 times.\* Repeat \* to \* to last 6 sts. Continue slipping until 28 sts are reached (including corner st at beg of row), dec again if necessary. \*\*Slip last st from needle onto hook. Insert hook into between last two rows on the left (just under the edge thread there), pull up a loop and slip through all loops on hook (corner st made). When hooking between the rows on the sides, just hook under the first thread, don't go too deeply. Rotate. Working between garter ridges or between seed st edge rows, slip into each in turn. About every 5 or 6 or even 7 stitches, also slip into the row itself using the first 'bump'. If you think about it, this stitch count and the number of increases will depend on how many rows in your complete project. I worked 54 rows—so I will have 27 spaces, necessitating once increase along the sides, and a decrease four times along the top and bottom-—on the bottom, I just skip stitches instead of working two together (with 33 stitches coming down to 28, leaving one stitch for the other side corner). The goal is to make the count the same on all four sides. On the top and bottom, decrease (or skip on cast-on edge) as necessary. My personal goal is 27 or 28 stitches per side (including corner st) for the aran-weight blocks. Count ahead and determine how many you have to decrease or increase to achieve that, and work the decreases or increases as evenly spaced as you can. Working LoosELY is mandatory for working the sc or hdc edge after; you'll thank me. Working the sc edge: slip st into first sc, ch 1. This is a corner st, so work 3 sc into same st, sc in each stitch to next corner, 3 sc in corners. Join end with invisible join. (116/120 total)
