KNITTING WITH COLOR

SLIP-STITCH KNITTING

You will need at least two colors for this swatch, but you may use more than one, the choice is up to you!  The colors should be fairly contrasting, so that you can see what your work is doing!

We will call one color – “Color A”, and the other -- “Color B”.

Just as before, you are going to work a swatch where the beginning four rows will be worked in garter stitch and the side 2 stitches on both ends of the swatch will be kept in garter stitch throughout!  The final four rows of your swatch will also be done in garter stitch to “frame” the piece.

The first swatch is a simple swatch, and when you are done with that, you may work the second swatch.  Note: On chart one, you work your right side rows from right to left on the chart – starting at the bottom right-hand corner – and the wrong side rows from left to right!

Now begin:

With either color, cast on 26 stitches.  Work in garter stitch for four rows. Now begin chart.

Rows 1 & 2:  Work Color A for 2 rows in stockinette stitch (remember to keep the first and last 2 stitches in garter stitch!  You will have the center 22 stitches to work your chart on!).

Row 3:  Change to color B. (You will work the next two rows in color B.  Throughout the entire swatch you will be working 2 rows of each color.) AFTER working your two ‘garter frame’ stitches, begin chart: SLIP 1 WYIB, (this means WITH YARN IN BACK.  You will always carry the unused color on the back side of the swatch.), K1,*SLIP 2 WYIB, K2,*: Repeat from * to * across chart ending with: SLIP 2, K 1, Sl 1. Don’t forget your two garter stitches after this! {Notice how the slipped stitches “bring up” the color from the previous row?}

Row 4:  (color B) {2 garter stitches, then chart:} Sl1, WYIF, (this means WITH YARN IN FRONT – this is the front as the work faces you but it is the BACK OF THE SWATCH!), P1, *SLIP 2 WYIF, P2*: Repeat from * to * across chart ending with: SLIP 2, P 1, Sl 1.{2 garters – always!}

Rows 5 & 6:  Work 2 rows in stockinette stitch with color A.

Rows 7 & 8:  Work 2 rows in stockinette stitch with color B.

Row 9:  With color A, *SLIP 2 WYIB, K 2*: Repeat from * to * across chart, ending with Sl 2.

Row 10:  With color A,*SLIP 2 WYIF, P 2 *: Repeat from * to * across chart, ending with Sl 2.
Rows 11 & 12:  Work 2 rows in stockinette stitch with color B.

Rows 13 – 24:  You may repeat rows 1 – 12.

As you follow the chart you may no longer need the words.
Just remember:

·        You work each row on the chart only once.

·        You only knit with one color at a time.

·        You use each color for two rows.

·        You slip the dark color if you are knitting with the light color.

·        You slip the light color if you are knitting with the dark color.

·        Always carry the unused yarn on the wrong side of the work.

·        Every wrong-side row is worked just like the preceding right-side row, with the same stitch being worked, and the same stitch being slipped.

 CHART FOR SLIP-STITCH KNITTING  -- SAMPLE 1

SLIP-STITCH SWATCH FRONT

SLIP-STITCH SWATCH BACK

Sometimes slip-stitch charts are made so that you work each row of the chart TWICE!

You work it exactly as you did in the previous sample, but the chart is more “compact” and you work each row of the chart twice, once from right to left, and once from left to right.

You still have the same rules as the previous example!

Here is a chart for you to try this method on!

CHART FOR SLIP-STITCH KNITTING – SAMPLE 2

For this swatch you will need to cast on 28 stitches, keeping the first and last two stiches in garter stitch.  (The chart is 24 sts. wide).  The column on the FAR RIGHT shows you what color of yarn you will be working with for TWO ROWS.

Each row will be worked TWICE. The first row shows that you will work 2 rows with your light color first.

Give it a try!

Extra credit:

Work the entire swatch in garter stitch!
Turn chart 2 on its side and work it that way!
Work the chart once, then reverse the yarn colors -- use your dark for the light squares and ‘viceversa’!
And and extra-extra credit: work one color in garter stitch and one color in stockinette stitch!