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stitch pattern – staggered eyelet stitch

Staggered eyelet stitch - by La Visch Designs

The staggered eyelet stitch consists of alternating eyelets on a stockinette background. It’s a quite simple stitch pattern, with a gorgeous effect when used all-over in a design. Especially if you don’t want to take away too much attention from the yarn. This stitch pattern is worked as a multiple of 4 stitches plus 2 stitches, and in an eight-row repeat. Please note that I’ve added 3 edge stitches in garter stitch on both sides of the swatch. These are not included in the stitch pattern description.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, in the color Marine Blue.

Needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
k2tog – knit 2 stitches together
p – purl
RS / WS – right side / wrong side
rep – repeat
st(s) – stitch(es)
yo – yarn over

Staggered eyelet stitch

Row 1 (RS): Knit.
Row 2 and all following WS rows: Purl.
Row 3: K1, yo, k2tog, *k2, yo, k2tog; rep from * to 3 sts before end, k3.
Row 5: Knit.
Row 7: K3, *yo, k2tog, k2; rep from * to 3 sts before end, yo, k2tog, k1.

Repeat rows 1-8 for pattern until desired length.

In the below pictures, you see the patterning first from the right, and then also from the wrong side of the fabric:

The staggered eyelet stitch from the RS — The stitch as seen from the RS.

The staggered eyelet stitch from the WS — The stitch as seen from the WS.

Thanks to my Patreon supporters for bringing you this freebie! Creating quality patterns and tutorials is a lot of work and resource-intensive. However, I find it important to give you free content like this tutorial. Thanks to the generous support of my Patreon supporters, I can make it happen. Thank you, patrons! Click here to join, or click here to read more about La Visch Designs on Patreon.

stitch pattern – staggered eyelet stitch Read More »

tutorial – working a (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1) increase

Recently, it was pointed out to me, that in the Scalloped edge tutorial, I don’t show step by step how to work the increases needed. So, time for a new tutorial! With the (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1) increase, 1 stitch is increased to 5 by working [k1, yo] twice in the same loop, followed by another k1. That said, if you’d like to increase 7 or even 9 stitches instead of 5, just work more repeats of [k1, yo] into the original stitch.

Let’s get our materials and get started!

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color 142 Tea Rose.

Knitting needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Working the (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1) increase step by step

To start, work as instructed by your pattern until the point where you want to make the increase.
First, insert your right-hand needle into the first stitch on the left-hand needle as if to knit.
Next, wrap the yarn around the needle …
… and pull it through to work a k1. Do not slip the loop off the needle yet!
Now, wrap the yarn around the needle again.
This is one of the yo’s in the increase.
To work the next set of (k1, yo), I find it helps to put my finger on the last yo loop already on the needle. This will keep it from sliding off.
Again, insert your right-hand needle into the first stitch on the left-hand needle as if to knit.
Next, wrap the yarn around the needle …
… and pull it through to work a k1. Do not slip the loop off the needle yet!
Repeat steps 5 to 9 once more to create all the extra stitches needed.
After this, you can slide the original stitch off the left-hand needle to conclude the increase.
Below, you can see the result of the (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1) increase.

tutorial – working a (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1) increase Read More »

stitch pattern – spiral stitch

The spiral stitch is a stitch pattern, that uses cleverly placed knits and purls, to make the impression of a spiral of texture winding around columns of stockinette stitch. This stitch pattern is worked in a multiple of 7 stitches. Please note that in the above picture, I’ve added 2 edge stitches in garter stitch on both sides of the swatch.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color Tea Rose

Knitting needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
p – purl
rep – repeat

Spiral stitch instructions

Row 1 (right side): P2, k2, *k2, p3, k2; rep from * to 3 sts before end, k2, p1. (14 sts)
Row 2 (wrong side): K1, p2, *p1, k4, p2; rep from * to 4 sts before end, p1, k3.
Row 3: P1, k1, p2, *k2, p2, k1, p2; rep from * to 3 sts before end, k2, p1.
Row 4: K1, p1, k1, *k1, p2, k2, p1, k1; rep from * to 4 sts before end, k1, p2, k1.
Row 5: P1, k3, *p4, k3; rep from * to 3 sts before end, p3.
Row 6: K2, p1, *p3, k3, p1; rep from * to 4 sts before end, p3, k1.
Row 7: P1, k3, *k2, p2, k3; rep from * to 3 sts before end, k2, p1.
Row 8: K1, p2, * p3, k2, p2; rep from * to 4 sts before end, p3, k1.

Repeat rows 1-8 for pattern.

The spiral stitch as shown from the front:

The spiral stitch as shown from the back:

stitch pattern – spiral stitch Read More »

tutorial – working a Russian picot bind-off

Recently, I showed you how to work a variation of a regular picot bind-off. However, sometimes you just want the stretch of a Russian bind-off, and combine it with the added pizzazz of some picots. That was exactly the scenario I encountered when I was working on my Framboos shawl. So, I tried out a way to combine the two in a Russian picot bind-off. In this tutorial, I’ll show you what I did.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color Tea Rose.

Needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Working the Russian picot bind-off step by step

To start, knit 1 stitch.
In this example, I’m using a swatch from a stitch pattern that will be on this website soon.
Knit another stitch.
Slip both stitches from the right-hand needle back to the left-hand needle.
If you insert the left-hand needle as pictured, everything is already positioned correctly for the next step.
Knit the stitches together through the back loop.
Repeat steps 2-4 another 5 times.
This is basically the regular Russian bind-off. You can adjust the number of times to make the distance between the picots larger or smaller. End this step by slipping the remaining stitch from the right-hand needle back to the left-hand needle.
Cast-on 3 stitches using the knitted on cast-on.
Knit 1 stitch.
Next, knit another stitch…
…and pass the stitch already on the right-hand needle over the one just worked.
Repeat steps 8 and 9 twice more. This is what makes the picot.
Repeat steps 2-10 until all stitches have been bound off.

The result of the Russian picot bind-off looks like this:

tutorial – working a Russian picot bind-off Read More »

stitch pattern – pebble stitch

The pebble stitch combines strategically placed increases and decreases with regular knit and purl stitches. This makes it both very easy and fast to work, and gives lovely texture to your project. Please note, that due to the decreases in one of the pattern rows, the stitch count changes. They are brought back to the cast-on number of stitches on the following row, though.

This stitch pattern is worked as a multiple of 2 stitches, and in a four-row repeat. When worked with edge stitches as shown here (2 edge stitches in garter stitch on both sides of the swatch), you could consider to only work the stitches inside the repeat as shown below.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, in the color 128 Lime Green.

Knitting needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
k2tog – knit 2 stitches together
m1r – increase by lifting the thread between the stitch just knit and the next one from the back with your left needle, then knit into the front of the loop
p – purl
st(s) – stitch(es)

Pebble stitch

Row 1 (right side): Knit.

Row 2 (wrong side): Purl.

Row 3: K1, *k2tog; rep from * to last st before end, k1.

Row 4: K1,*m1r, k1; rep from * to last st before end, k1.

Repeat rows 1-4 for pattern until desired length.

In the below pictures, you see the patterning first from the right, and then also from the wrong side of the fabric:

Pwbblw atitch on the RS — Pebble stitch as seen from the right side

Pebble stitch from the WS — Pebble stitch as seen from the wrong side

stitch pattern – pebble stitch Read More »

tutorial – working a picot bind-off

There are quite a few different ways to work a picot bind-off. That’s not even counting the variations coming from different distances between picots, and the sizing of the picots. In this tutorial, I’ll show you a variation of the picot bind-off that consists of binding of stitches the traditional way, combined with strategically cast-on stitches. Also, it can, of course, be used to bind-off a project. But the picot bind-off can also be worked on picked-up stitches or on the stitches from a provisional cast-on. The sky is the limit!

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color 133 Marine Blue.

Needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Working the picot bind-off step by step

Take your project when you’re ready to start your bind-off. You can start as soon as the last row of your work has been knit, and after your work has been turned when working flat back and forth.
In this example, I’m using a swatch from a previous tutorial.
To start, knit 2 stitches.
Insert the left-hand needle into the stitch first worked…
… and lift it over the second stitch.
You have now bound-off 1 stitch.
Knit 1 stitch and repeat steps 3 and 4 to bind-off another stitch.
Next, cast-on 2 stitches using the knitted-on cast-on.
To do so, insert your needle into the stitch, wrap the yarn around it and pull it through the stitch. Then, instead of slipping the original stitch off the needle as you’d do when working a knit stitch, slip the new loop onto the left-hand needle to create a new stitch. Repeat once to get 2 new stitches.
To finish the first picot, work step 5 a total of 4 times.
Continue working steps 6 and 7 until your work has been completely bound-off.

When viewed from the back, it looks like this:

The result of the picot bind-off, viewed from the back

tutorial – working a picot bind-off Read More »

stitch pattern – berry stitch

The Berry stitch consists of patterning that creates little alternating clusters. They are pretty reminiscent of berries, hence the name. However, you can also encounter similar patterning as raspberry stitch, trinity stitch, cluster stitch, or bramble stitch. As with all types of bobbles, this stitch pattern creates the little clusters by a combination of increasing and decreasing. In this particular example, I used needles that were somewhat large for the weight of the yarn, this made the effect more lacy than would otherwise be the case.

This stitch pattern is worked as a multiple of 4 stitches, and in a four-row repeat. However, if you want it to fill a whole panel symmetrically, it’s a multiple of 4 stitches + the first 3 stitches of the next four-stitch repeat. Please note that I’ve added 2 edge stitches in garter stitch on both sides of the swatch. These are not included in the stitch pattern description.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, in the color Marine Blue.

Needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
k3tog – knit 3 stitches together
p – purl
RS / WS – right side / wrong side
rep – repeat
st(s) – stitch(es)

Berry stitch

Row 1 (RS): *K3tog, (p1, k1, p1) into the same st; rep from * to end.
Row 2 (WS): Knit.
Row 3: *(P1, k1, p1) into the same st, k3tog; rep from * to end.
Row 4: Knit.

Repeat rows 1-4 for pattern until desired length.

In the below pictures, you see the patterning first from the right, and then also from the wrong side of the fabric:

Berry stitch from the RS — The stitch as seen from the RS.

Berry stitch from the WS — The stitch as seen from the WS.

stitch pattern – berry stitch Read More »

tutorial – in between tinking and frogging

In between tinking and frogging - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

In a shawl project, I encountered a hiccup that I had to fix. When finishing the diamond patterning after a full repeat, and then working a garter stitch ridge to mirror the beginning of this section, this is what I noticed:

Do you see those plain rows of stockinette just above the needle and garter stitch ridge on the right? This did not mirror the start of the section at all… So, I undid some rows to start the garter stitch ridge earlier. With a rather “sticky” yarn, I would just remove the knitting needle, rip it out and place the stitches back on the needle at the right point. However, the yarn used in this project contains 50% tencel, making it rather slippery. I certainly didn’t want to drop any stitches in this patterning. But tinking (knitting spelled and done backwards) back 3 rows wasn’t a good option as well, with over 350 sts on the needle.

The solution: a technique that is something in between tinking and frogging! Below, I’ll show you how I went about it step by step.

Materials

Yarn: Hearthside Fibers Crystal in the colors “Vermont”, and “Lake”.

Needles: A pair of Addi circular needles in the size 4 mm (US 6)

In between tinking and frogging step by step

I positioned my project in such a way, that I had a good view of the row I wanted to put back on the needle from the right side of the fabric.
In this case, that meant holding the work as shown.
Do you see the little “V” just above the knitting needle, positioned in between the loops on that needle? Insert the needle into the left leg of the first “V”
You could, of course, insert the needle under the other leg, but that would mean that the loops are placed on the needle with a twisted orientation. Not a big issue, but it would mean working a first row of the project through the back loops to get them oriented correctly again.
I do hope I haven’t mixed up my stitch legs here, though…
Repeat step 2 until you have a decent number of stitches on your needle.
When working with circulars, that’s about 15 to 20 stitches for me.
Next, slide the knitting needle that holds all non-tinked back stitches out of the stitches below which you’ve just picked up stitches with the other needle.
Now gently pull out the working yarn out of these stitches.
Make sure to watch out for any missed stitches, now it’s easy to fix it without any runners in your fabric. This will be less so when you’ve already moved on to a new section of stitches.
And there you have it: a whole set of stitches safely on the needle, without either tinking or frogging.

This way really is between tinking and frogging; a lovely compromise! And my project? I got the offending rows out and did the garter stitch ridge earlier. This is how I intended it to look!

tutorial – in between tinking and frogging Read More »

stitch pattern – tiny bobble stitch

This tiny bobble stitch is a nicely textured stitch pattern, suitable for allover application. In my swatch, I’ve shown how it looks both in a single color all-over, and with the bobble part of the pattern in a contrasting color. I rather like the effect of both. I think the one with the contrast color would also work very well as a single accent near the hem and wrists of garments, for example. How would you use this lovely textured stitch pattern?

The tiny bobble stitch pattern is worked as a multiple of 2 + 1 stitches, and in a six-row repeat. In other words: any odd number of stitches will work. Please note that I’ve added 2 edge stitches in garter stitch on both sides of the swatch. These are not included in the stitch pattern description.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, in the colors Vintage Pink and Lime.

Needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
k3tog tbl – knit 3 stitches together through the back loop
p – purl
RS / WS – right side / wrong side
yo – yarn over
rep – repeat
sl1 wyib – slip 1 stitch purl-wise with the yarn held in the back
st(s) – stitch(es)

Tiny bobble stitch

Row 1 (RS): Knit.
Row 2 (WS): Purl.
Rows 3-4: Rep rows 1-2.
Row 5: K1, *sl1 wyib, (k1, yo, k1) into the next st; rep from * to last 2 sts, sl1 wyib, k1.
Row 6: P1, *sl1 wyib, k3tog tbl; rep from * to last 2 sts, sl 1wyib, p1.

Repeat rows 1-6 for pattern until desired length.

Please note that for the first part of the example, I’ve worked all 6 rows of the patterning in the same color twice. In the last repeat, though, rows 5 and 6 were worked in the green contrast color.

In the below pictures, you see the patterning first from the right, and then also from the wrong side of the fabric:

Tiny bobble stitch - view from the front — The stitch as seen from the RS.

Tiny bobble stitch - view from the back — The stitch as seen from the WS.

stitch pattern – tiny bobble stitch Read More »

tutorial – knitwear examined: a Missoni tee

A closeup of the top of a mannequin, it's wearing a Missoni tee in yellows.

When talking about knitwear, at a certain point Missoni is bound to be named. Missoni is an Italian brand and fashion house, famous for its colorful zigzag patterns and vibrant floral prints. Due to this, many of their pieces have a very exuberant seventies aesthetic. According to Wikipedia, the company was founded in 1953, when Ottavio and Rosita Missoni set up a small knitwear workshop in Gallarate, Italy. They presented their first collection under the Missoni label in Milan in 1958. According to this website, Missoni revolutionized knitwear by introducing slinky sweaters and crochet tracksuits. Originally using lines, the Missoni family discovered a way to make the emblematic chevron pattern by using Raschel knitting machines. The new technique allowed the fashion house to use knits to create any shape of garment, allowing them to cut and sew material without loosening the threads.

As luck would have it, I have a Missoni knitwear tee. It’s a vintage one that my mother used to have, and at a certain point gifted to me. I have been wearing it a lot the last couple of years. So let’s take a look at it!

In the below pictures, I have put the tee on my mannequin. It has a simple round neck as well as the famous chevron pattern in multiple colors of yellow, green and lilac. A design aspect that jumps out to me, is that the fabric of the sleeves is positioned in such a way that the larger chevron is centered on the top of both sleeves.

A closer look

This tee is an Italian size 48, this is similar to an EU 40-42 and US 12.

The neckband looks like a folded hem, covering the edge where the fabric appears to be cut. On the inside of the garment, the fabric of the side seams is serged. So, it’s reasonable to assume that underneath the folded hem, there is also a serged edge to prevent the fabric from unraveling.

Again, the patterning is centered relative to the neck opening and body of the tee.

The yarn used in this garment is very thin. As a hand knitter, I would classify this as lace weight. That said, commercial knitwear is often in much thinner yarn than hand knit ones. The yarn composition consists of 65% linen, 20% rayon, and 15% nylon.

The color runs in the yarn are of medium length, and change abruptly from one color to the next.

The sleeves are set-in, again with serged edges on the inside. In this picture, you can see very well how the centering of the pattern on the top of the sleeve results in a larger “point”.

And last, but not least: the patterning itself. I have not charted it out, but the repeat seems to consist of something like:

K7, CDD, k7, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, k1, yo, k2tog, skp, yo, k1, skp, yo, k1, yo.

The WS rows are alternating in knit and purl. So, I think we’re looking at a 4-row repeat.

If you test this out, I’m looking forward to hearing whether the above indeed matches the patterning in my tee.

tutorial – knitwear examined: a Missoni tee Read More »