The Essential Stitch KAL; the very beginning
July 20, 2010
Last night I started the most epic knitting project I’ve attempted to date. Last weekend, I finally got a book I’ve really been wanting. I decided I needed a stitch dictionary of some sort so I could make more of my own patterns. I got “Reader’s Digest’s The Essential Stitch Collection: A Creative Guide to the 300 Stitches Every Knitter Really Needs to Know,” mostly because it was in stock at Borders and I had a coupon. I’ve also drooled on my keyboard looking at several others on Amazon.
I’ve knit the first 4 stitches in the book using a 20 by 20 stitches to make the swatch. So far I’ve only used unlabeled acrylic from my stash. Photographing the subtle patterns of the swatches turns out to be a bit of a challenge. I’m going to block them to get better photographs. In the mean time, here’s a picture of the first 4 stitches in the book:
The blue one is garter stitch, the brown is four-row welting, the orange/brown is garter stitch welting, and the dark pink is stockinette stitch. Stitch 5 is reverse stockinette, and I’m not looking forward to it. I just did stockinette and they’re basically the same thing, but I want both to show up in the finished project. I’m already looking forward to a few of the more advanced chapters. The entire first chapter in this book is on knit and purl based patterns.
I hope you all are feeling inspired to join in and make this the most epic destashing KAL in the history of KALs. I don’t think we all need to use the same stitch books either. The idea is to just learn and try as many new techniques as you can. So pull out your favorite stitch dictionary and get knitting!
July 21, 2010 at 8:19 am
I have three or four of the “A Treasury of Knitting Patterns” by Barbara G. Walker books, and I spent a good portion of my christmas vacation last year trying to figure them out, just so I could make my brother a scarf. Instead of just making swatches that aren’t good for anything, why don’t you make a scarf, where every 20 rows are a pattern? That will also help you work on your gauge and tension, trying to make everything stay even.
July 21, 2010 at 3:56 pm
I’ve always thought that books counting reverse stockinette stitch as a separate stitch pattern is really silly. It’s the same thing, you just call the other side the “right side”. *eye roll*
Good luck with your afghan, I can’t wait to see more.
July 21, 2010 at 8:12 pm
Hi there…I never heard of reverse stockinette- am curious to see it! Looking forward to your next 296 swatches
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