Knitted Paisley
By Melba Vincent
Materials: 3 colors of a Sport or DK weight yarn or thread. Use needles to match the weight of your yarn. I used size US 5 and used miscellaneous yarns in the above picture and Red Heart Bon-Bons for the second photo. You will also need a tapestry needle. NOTES: Do not cut yarns unless otherwise instructed. When I'm picking up stitches, I use a crochet hook. You can use any method you prefer.
Terminology:
Sl 1 purl wise. With yarn in front, slip the 1st st off the needle. This will be stated as Sl 1. CO: Cast on. BO: Bind off. K: knit st. P: purl st. K2tog: Knit 2 together. P2tog: Purl 2 together. Kf&b: Knit front and back in the same stitch for an increase. PSSO: pass slipped stitch over k2tog. W&t: wrap and turn.
Instructions:
CO 15 sts.
Knit 10, (kf&b) 4 times, K1. 19sts. Slip the 1st st, K 14, w&t, k back Sl 1, k 9, w&t, k back Sl 1, K4, w&t, k back Carry colors across the top as you go. Do not clip. With 2nd color, Sl 1, K across to last 2 sts, picking up the wrapped sts, k2tog. 18 sts. PM at the beginning of this row. Sl 1, P2tog, P across to last st, K 1. 17 sts. SI 1, K 12, w&t, P 12, K 1. SI 1, K 7, w&t, P 7, K 1. Sl 1, K3, w&t, P 3, K1. Right side should be facing. Go to the point of where you joined color 2. With the 3rd color, pick up and knit 7 sts at the top as follow: 2 sts in each of the 1st 3 sts, then 1 in the next st. If you haven't already, place these 7 sts on the working needle. Knit across to the last 2 sts, knitting in the ends of color 1 and 2, as well as picking up the wrapped sts as you go, k2tog. Clip color 2, but leave color one.
Knitted Paisley
By Melba Vincent
Next step.
Sl 1, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. Sl 1, k2tog, (kf&b) 3 times, k 7, w&t, k to last 2 sts and k2tog. Sl 1, k5, w&t, k across to last 2 sts, k2tog. Sl 1, k2tog, k across to last 2 sts, picking up the wraps, K2tog. Wrong side is facing. Clip about a 12 to 15 inch, 30 cm, piece of color 2 or 3 and thread through a tapestry needle. Set aside while you do the following: With color 1, sl 1, k2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. Turn, Sl 1, k2tog, PSSO, K to last to 2 sts, k2tog, then pick up 3 sts along the salvage edge. CO 9 sts. I used a crochet CO, but any CO will work. With the threaded tapestry needle, run the cut piece of yarn through all 9 stitches. Turn and Sl 1, kf&b on next 8 sts, k to last 2 sts of the row, k2tog. Turn and bind off to the last 2 sts before the cast on sts, k2tog, and pass the 1st stitch over the 2nd one. Kf&b on all but the last st, k 1. BO all sts. Tug on both ends of the threaded through yarn, drawing these sts together. Make sure the right side is showing. With a tapestry needle, bring those ends up and make a 5 wrap French knot with one end, then the other, taking the ends back to the backside. Tie off and weave in the ends. Notice that you have a little bit of a spiral with this mini circle. Weave in all remaining ends.
Suggested Options:
1. When casting on, consider doing a picot CO and when binding off, consider doing a picot BO. Or consider doing a crochet edging that includes picots or lace. The ideas are endless. 2. When making the little spiral, consider using 2 colors. Instead of clipping color two, use it to do a row of the increases. 3. The spiral can be enhanced by adding a crochet edging as seen in the photo on page 1.
