Can’t you just feel the sea breezes, hear the surf, and feel the sand in your toes just from looking at this month’s Scalloped Shells stitch? It may look complicated, but is fairly simple to do, especially using the stitch breakdown and the tutorial video you’ll find below. Happy summer looming! Something to note: even though this stitch works up in natural waves, it can still be used as a square for blankets, if you so desire. This square would be a terrific one to place at the top and bottom edges with the scallop sides out, or you could simply block it so that the bottom is in a straight line for easier seaming together with other afghan blocks. 😉
We have changed the format just a little bit for our Stitchology Column. Each of the featured stitches will be explained row by row via both written and video instructions. We will be focusing on highlighting the repeating stitch pattern itself, so that you can enjoy the freedom of putting these new stitch patterns to use in your own projects as creativity strikes. We hope you will enjoy this new way of learning new stitches with us! 🙂
Find all the previous Stitchology Columns at this link here.
Special Stitch Instructions
This stitch uses a multiple of 11 pegs (stitch itself expands to 15 loops per repeat, see the instructions on how to accomplish this on only 11 pegs.)
All knit stitches use the true knit stitch or “reverse purl”.
Double YO: E-wrap yarn around peg twice, KO, leaving the 2 wraps on peg.
KO: knit off (lift bottom loop over top loop and completely over the top of the peg)
Sl: slip (skip peg, do not work)
WY: working yarn
Wyib: working yarn carried to the back of the peg
YO: lay working yarn across the front of the peg.
K5tog: Lay WY on top of all loops on peg and KO one at a time.
Chart for Repeating Pattern Rows
Repeating Pattern Rows for working as a flat panel (Cast on from left to right/counter clockwise a number divisible by 11. Begin 1st Row from right to left/clockwise):
Rows 1-3: knit
Row 4: purl
Row 5: *[k1, yo] twice, k1, [double yo] 5 times, [k1, yo] twice, k1; rep from * to end.
Peg by Peg Breakdown:
*Peg 1: knit, then wrap back around to front of peg in a clockwise direction. (There will now be 2 loops on peg 1.)
Peg 2: knit, then wrap back around to front of peg in a clockwise direction. (There will now be 2 loops on peg 2.)
Peg 3: knit
Pegs 4-8: EW peg twice, KO bottom loop over 2 wrapped loops.
Peg 9: knit, then wrap back around to front of peg in a clockwise direction. (There will now be 2 loops on peg 9.)
Peg 10: knit, then wrap back around to front of peg in a clockwise direction. (There will now be 2 loops on peg 10.)
Peg 11: knit.
Repeat from * to end of row.
Row 6: *p5, wyib sl 5, p5; rep from * to end.
Peg by Peg Breakdown:
*Peg 11: purl.
Peg 10: purl the top loop and move to peg 11. Purl the bottom loop.
Peg 9: purl the top loop and move to peg 10. Purl the bottom loop.
Pegs 8-4: beginning with peg 4 and working to peg 8, unwrap each double EW and place on a stitch holder/cable needle.
Move loop from peg 9 to peg 7. Move the top loop from peg 10 to peg 8. Move the bottom loop from peg 10 to peg 9. Move the top loop from peg 11 to peg 10. Pull out any extra slack in stitches just moved.
Peg 6: Place the held loops one at a time, beginning with the loop on the far left onto peg 6 (make sure they are not twisted). Carry WY behind all the sts on peg 6.
Peg 5: Purl the stitch on peg 3 and move to peg 5.
Peg 4: Purl the top loop on peg 2 and move to peg 4.
Peg 3: Purl the bottom loop on peg 2 and move to peg 3.
Peg 2: Purl the top loop on peg 1 and move to peg 2.
Peg 1: purl. Remove any extra slack from stitches 1-5.
Repeat from * to end of row.
Row 7: *k5, wyib sl 5, k5; rep from * to end.
Row 8: *k5, k5tog, k5; rep from * to end.
Peg by Peg Breakdown:
*Pegs 11-7: knit.
Peg 6: Lay WY on top of all loops on peg 6 and KO one at a time.
Pegs 5-1: knit.
Repeat from * to end of row.
Rep rows 1-8 for desired length.
Repeating Pattern for working in the round (Begin from right to left/clockwise, cast on a number divisible by 11):
Rounds 1-3: knit
Round 4: purl
Round 5: *[k1, yo] twice, k1, [double yo] 5 times, [k1, yo] twice, k1; rep from * to end.
Peg by Peg Breakdown:
*Peg 1: knit, then wrap back around to front of peg in a clockwise direction. (There will now be 2 loops on peg 1.)
Peg 2: knit, then wrap back around to front of peg in a clockwise direction. (There will now be 2 loops on peg 2.)
Peg 3: knit
Pegs 4-8: EW peg twice, KO bottom loop over 2 wrapped loops.
Peg 9: knit, then wrap back around to front of peg in a clockwise direction. (There will now be 2 loops on peg 9.)
Peg 10: knit, then wrap back around to front of peg in a clockwise direction. (There will now be 2 loops on peg 10.)
Peg 11: knit.
Repeat from * to end of round.
Round 6: *p5, wyib sl 5, p5; rep from * to end.
Peg by Peg Breakdown:
*Peg 1: move the loop on the top temporarily to peg 2. Purl the bottom loop.
Peg 2: purl the top loop and move back to peg 1. Move the next loop temporarily to peg 3. Purl the bottom loop.
Peg 3: purl the top loop and move back to peg 2. Purl the bottom loop.
Pegs 4-8: beginning with peg 4 and working to peg 8, unwrap each double EW and place on a stitch holder/cable needle.
Move loop from peg 9 to peg 7. Move the top loop from peg 10 to peg 8. Move the bottom loop from peg 10 to peg 9. Move the top loop from peg 11 to peg 10. Pull out any extra slack in stitches just moved.
Peg 9: Place the held loops one at a time, beginning with the loop on the far left onto peg 6 (make sure they are not twisted). Carry WY behind all the sts on peg 6.
Pegs 7-11: purl
Repeat from * to end of round.
Round 7: *k5, wyib sl 5, k5; rep from * to end.
Round 8: *k5, k5tog, k5; rep from * to end.
Peg by Peg Breakdown:
*Pegs 1-5: knit.
Peg 6: Lay WY on top of all loops on peg 6 and KO one at a time.
Pegs 7-11: knit.
Repeat from * to end of round.
Rep rows 1-8 for desired length.
Have questions or comments? Please feel free to leave a message for Bethany in the comments below.
Need a book on what stitches mean and how to do them
There are a ton of sources for learning all the stitches out there. 🙂 Here is a link to the How-To section of KnittingBoard.com: http://www.knittingboard.com/loom-knitting-how-tos/ There is also a tab at this same site that contains video instructions as well. Another excellent source for beginning loom knitting is the book by Isela Phelps, Loom Knitting Primer, which can be found in some craft stores, as well as Amazon.