Lion Brand Notebook ®
Each week, we feature a “stitch of the week” in our e-newsletter. So far we’ve featured basic knit stitches, knit cable stitches, crochet blocks, and crochet stitches. You can find all of these featured stitches and more in the StitchFinder.
Note: Each of these patterns can be used with any yarn that you like. The photos just show an example of what it might turn out to look like, but any yarn and any hook or needles that you’d like to use with that yarn (try the recommended hook or needle size, and go up or down depending on how it feels to you) will be fine.
So you looked through the StitchFinder and you’ve found a stitch that you like. Now what?
Try it out! You could make a few samples of different stitches to put on your inspiration board. You could even use them as coasters. You could take four cotton samples and seam them together to create a washcloth. Sew a few samples together in a row and create a scarf.
If you’re feeling a little braver, use them to create scarves or afghans in one continuous piece. First determine the width you’d like your project to be. Then determine your gauge, using your selected yarn and hook/needle size. Stitches per inch x desired width=number of chains/number to cast on. Just remember to begin with the correct stitch multiple (which may cause you to have to readjust your desired width slightly).
If you’re more advanced, incorporate the stitch patterns into a project. Take that stitch you like to embellish a plain afghan or to make a border on a jacket. You could also use the stitch pattern in a pattern for a scarf or an afghan you already have that uses, for example, plain single crochet or straight garter stitch.
Consider this new stitch pattern to be a great addition to your store of knitting or crocheting skills. There’s no limit to what you could do with these patterns.
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JeaninMaine
I like your StitchFinder feature, but the patterns all seem to be for back and forth straight needle knitting. I make a lot of chemo hats on circular needles and would like to try to incorporate some new stitch patterns in them. Is there an easy way to modify these patterns for circular knitting? If not, maybe you could add a section in your StitchFinder for stitch patterns for circular knitting. Thanks.
Zontee says: Hi Jean, Since when you’re working in the round, the RS is always facing you, all you need to do is reverse the WS rows (k becomes p, p becomes k, etc.) and you can still use the stitches. So Rnd 1 is still row 1 of the stitch, and Rnd 2 is the reverse of row 2 of the stitch. Hope that helps!
JeaninMaine
Oh, yeah, that makes sense. That’s why on the WS of straight knitting you usually purl but in circular knitting, you knit – you are actually reversing the stitches on that row (or round). I never really thought about that before. I will have to try some swatches. Thanks, Zontee.
Joan Apthorp
I find the best way to follow any stitch pattern is to graph/chart it, with a system like that in Barbara Walker’s “Charted Knitting Designs”. That way you can use the stitch in either flat (back-&-forth) knitting or circular knitting. Many modern stitch dictionaries give charts as well as written-out instructions. They also give you an idea of how your stitch pattern will look – very practical.
– Joan A. –
Linda
Another way to use samples is to knit or crochet snugglies for your favorite pet rescue. I make snugglies (little blankets that go home w/an adopted animal that they can call their own)for Siamese Rescue (www.siameserescue.org), but you could contact any small animal rescue organization and see if they can use them. Or you could work through the original snuggles project (http://www.snugglesproject.org).
Carolyn
Are there sweater patterns to go with these stitches?
aina dannels
I am looking for a pattern for fans and feather. If anyone has one please pass it on to me. The one I am looking for it knitted.
Zontee says: Hi Aina, if you go to LionBrand.com and type “feather and fan” in the search box, you will see our patterns that use that stitch. Or go to the StitchFinder described above to get directions for “feather and fan” by itself.
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