Welcome to the Loom Knitting Advent Day 7…
Designed by Bethany Dailey
Nothing says winter is upon us like the sight and smell of evergreens. How appropriate to celebrate the season with a stitch square that echoes those majestic, green forests. This stitch has some simple twists and 2 over 1 cables, along with a few shaping stitches to help create the illusion of evergreen boughs.
In this monthly column we’re going to be working on some exciting new stitch patterns, as well as a few new techniques thrown in for good measure. My intention for our yarn play is to provide all the know-how for you to be able to work the new stitch; any charts, photos, or videos you may need; as well as a pattern to create an 8” x 8” square. As we go along in our looming journey, we should be able to create lovely pieced afghans with our squares, as I like to know that we’re going somewhere while swatching, don’t you? You can think of it as our Stitch Sample Afghan—a stitch dictionary right at your fingertips, keeping your legs warm, lol. 😉 To find all the previous stitches in this column, simply click here.
The Evergreen Square
Items Needed
Loom: Authentic Knitting Board Adjustable Hat Loom: 2 rounded pieces + 3 peg connectors, with pegs in all holes for a 3/8” gauge. The Sock Loom 2 or the All-n-One Loom could also be used.
Yarn: approx. 75 yards Worsted Weight (Sample uses Berroco Vintage in clary)
Notions: Loom tool, cable needle, yarn needle, scissors. (Also helpful: peg markers, row counter, and blocking pins)
Pattern Notes:
To work this pattern in the round, such as for a hat, use the Repeating Pattern Rows chart, and make sure to read it from right to left for each row, rather than alternating sides each time. Also, cast onto your loom in a clockwise direction, using a number of pegs that is divisible by 14—the number of stitches required for each pattern repeat.
For flat pieces of a greater size, simply increase the number of Repeating Pattern Rows inside the garter stitch edges for the length and width required, then complete with the Finishing Rows. The border edges may need to also be increased to coordinate with the number of increased Repeating Pattern Rows.
When the pattern uses the term “knit” or “k”, please use the true knit stitch or the u-stitch, not the e-wrap.
*All yarn overs (yo) for this stitch are completed by e-wrapping the peg.
There are two ways of creating decreases for this pattern: the Knit 2 Together (k2tog) for a right leaning decrease, and the Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk) for a left leaning decrease. For this pattern, they are each combined with a Yarn Over (yo), as seen in Row 9. The following dictates how to work these stitches as you will find them in the stitch pattern:
[yo, k2tog]: From left to right, worked over 2 pegs: Move the loop from the yo peg to the k2tog peg. Using the working yarn, e-wrap the empty yo peg. Knit the k2tog peg, working the 2 loops as one.
[k2tog, yo]: From right to left, worked over 2 pegs: Before working the k2tog peg, move the loop from the yo peg to the k2tog peg. Knit the k2tog peg, working the 2 loops as one. E-wrap the empty yo peg.
[ssk, yo]: From left to right, worked over 2 pegs: Before working the ssk peg, move the loop from the yo peg to the ssk peg. Knit the ssk peg, working the 2 loops as one. E-wrap the empty yo peg.
[yo, ssk]: From right to left, worked over 2 pegs: Move the loop from the yo peg to the ssk peg. Using the working yarn, e-wrap the empty yo peg. Knit the ssk peg, working the 2 loops as one.
The cables in this pattern include both 2 peg twists and 3 peg cross overs.
The twists involve simply trading the loops of 2 pegs in the correct order. They consist of a Right Twist [rt2] (a twist with the sts running to the right), and a Left Twist [lt2] (a twist with the sts running to the left). They are worked as follows:
*Note: It helps to knit the row before the cable row just a tad looser than normal to aid the cable stitches in stretching to their new places.
[rt2]: Worked over 2 pegs: Lift the loop from the peg on the right and either hold in your fingers, or place on a cable needle. Lift the loop on the left and move it to the peg on the right. Place the held loop onto the peg on the left. With the working yarn, knit the 2 pegs.
[lt2]: Worked over 2 pegs: Lift the loop from the peg on the left and either hold in your fingers, or place on a cable needle. Lift the loop on the right and move it to the peg on the left. Place the held loop onto the peg on the right. With the working yarn, knit the 2 pegs.
*An easy way to remember which direction to go is to remember to hold the stitch on the side of the slant. So…for a right twist, hold the loop on the right. For a left twist, hold the loop on the left.
The cables involve trading the loops of 3 pegs in the correct order. They consist of a 3 stitch right cable [2/1RC] (a cable with the sts running to the right), and a 3 stitch left cable [2/1LC] (a cable with the sts running to the left). They are worked as follows:
[2/1RC]: Worked over 3 pegs:
• Lift the loop from the right peg of the designated cable pegs and place it on the cable needle. (*note: this is easy to remember— RC= right peg first)
• Move the two stitches on the left of the designated cable pegs over one peg to the right.
If working from the R-L: Knit the two stitches you’ve just moved. Place the stitch from the cable needle onto the now empty left peg and knit it. Pull out any slack from all three sts before moving on.
If working from the L-R: Place the stitch from the cable needle onto the now empty left peg and knit it. Knit the two stitches on the right. Pull out any slack from all three sts before moving on.
[2/1LC]: Worked over 3 pegs:
• Lift the loop from the left peg of the designated cable pegs and place it on the cable needle. (*note: this is easy to remember— LC= left peg first)
• Move the two stitches on the right of the designated cable pegs over one peg to the left.
If working from the R-L: Place the stitch from the cable needle onto the now empty right peg and knit it. Knit the two stitches on the left. Pull out any slack from all three sts before moving on.
If working from the L-R: Knit the two stitches you’ve just moved. Place the stitch from the cable needle onto the now empty right peg and knit it. Pull out any slack from all three sts before moving on.
Repeating Pattern Rows
Here are the Repeating Pattern Rows for the stitch itself, based on the chart above:
(*Note: Don’t let the abbreviations intimidate you! It really is easy once you understand how to work each of the cables as described above. I promise! 🙂 )
Row 1: p2, k2, p10.
Row 2: p3, k2, p5, k2, p2.
Row 3: k6, p3, k2, p3.
Row 4: p3, k2, p3, yo, k2tog, k2, ssk, yo.
Row 5: k6, p1, k6, p1.
Row 6: p1, yo, k2tog, k2, ssk, yo, p1, k6.
Row 7: k6, p1, k6, p1.
Row 8: p1, k6, p1, 2/1RC, 2/1LC.
Row 9: k6, p1, k6, p1.
Row 10: p1, 2/1RC, 2/1LC, p1, yo, k2tog, k2, ssk, yo.
Row 11: p1, k4, p2, k6, p1.
Row 12: p1, k6, p2, rt2, lt2, p1.
Row 13: p1, k4, p2, k6, p1.
Row 14: p1, 2/1RC, 2/1LC, p2, yo, k2tog, ssk, yo, p1.
Row 15: p2, k2, p4, k4, p2.
Row 16: k2, yo, k2tog, ssk, yo, p4, k2, p2.
Row 17: p9, k2, p3.
Row 18: p3, k2, p9.
Here is the entire pattern chart for the 8” x 8” square:
Everything you need to know about knitting your square is included in the above chart. Believe it or not, you can actually create your square without looking at another thing! For help with reading charts, please see the Stitchology I post for a detailed explanation, and you’ll be ready to go!
But, don’t worry…I am also providing you with the step by step instructions below. 😉
Step by Step Instructions:
Cast onto your loom from left to right, using a total of 40 pegs. (Sample uses Chain Cast On)
Set Up Rows
Row 1: p40.
Row 2: k40.
Row 3: p40.
Main Pattern Rows
Row 4: k2, p3, *k2, p12, repeat from * once, k2, p3, k2.
Row 5: p5, *k2, p5, repeat from * to end.
Row 6: k2, p1, k6, *p3, k2, p3, k6, repeat from * to last 3 sts, p1, k2.
Row 7: p3, *yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, p3, k2, p3, repeat from * once, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, p3.
Row 8: k2, p1, *k6, p1, repeat from * to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 9: p3, k6, p1, *yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, p1, k6, repeat from * to last 3 sts, p3.
Row 10: k2, p1, *k6, p1, repeat to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 11: p3, *2/1LC, 2/1RC, p1, k6, p1, repeat from * once, 2/1LC, 2/1RC, p3.
Row 12: repeat row 10.
Row 13: p3, *yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, p1, 2/1LC, 2/1RC, p1, repeat from * once, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, p3.
Row 14: k2, *p2, k4, p2, k6, repeat from * once, p2, k4, p2, k2.
Row 15: p4, *lt2, rt2, p2, k6, p2, repeat from * once, lt2, rt2, p4.
Row 16: k2, p2, *k4, p2, k6, p2, repeat from * once, k4, p2, k2.
Row 17: p4, *yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, p2, 2/1LC, 2/1RC, p2, repeat from * once, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, p4.
Row 18: k2, p3, *k2, p4, k4, p4, repeat from * once, k2, p3, k2.
Row 19: p5, *k2, p4, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, p4, repeat from * once, k2, p5.
Row 20: k2, p10, k2, p12, k2, p10, k2.
Row 21: p12, k2, p12, k2, p12.
Rows 22-57: repeat rows 4-21.
Finishing Rows
Row 58: k12, p2, k12, p2, k12.
Row 59: p40.
Row 60: k40.
Row 61: p40.
Bind off all stitches loosely. (Sample uses the Basic Bind Off) Weave in ends and trim close to work.
Block well to an 8” x 8” measurement.
Afghan Notes:
If you are intending this square to be part of an afghan, you may wish to make up to 3 or 4 additional squares. We will be sharing at least 24 of these patterns for you to use in your blanket. Use the following general measurements to decide how many of each of the 8″ x 8″ squares you will need, rounding up as
necessary:
• Baby Blanket: 30″ x 36″
• Children: 42″ x 48″
• Lapghan: 36″ x 48″
• Twin Bed Afghan: 60″ x 85″
• Queen Bed Afghan: 90″ x 95″
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave a note for Bethany Dailey below in the comments! 🙂
That’s pretty sweet!