Sawtooth edgings, anyone?

Posted 29 Jul 2014 by JC

This addition to Stitch-Maps.com is a doozy: within the knitspeak for a stitch pattern, you can now increase by casting on, or decrease by binding off. That’s right, you can now create stitch maps for sawtooth edgings like Nasturtium Edging:

I’m also smitten by Pointy Edging:

And Laura Brown’s Rose-Leaf Lace:

Whoo hoo! I tell ya, there’s a stack of stitch dictionaries sitting on my desk. I can’t wait to enter a few more sawtooth edgings and see them as stitch maps.

The fine print

The knitspeak guide has been updated to reflect these changes, so you can refer to it for details. But here are the highlights:

• CO 3 sts is a type of increase, like yo 3 times. Stated another way: You still do not need to specify a cast-on count at the start of a stitch pattern. Stitch-Maps.com is still happy to figure the cast-on count for you.
• BO 3 sts is a type of decrease. Note that binding off 3 stitches actually uses up 4 stitches off your left needle. The “extra” stitch – the one on your right needle at the completion of the bind-off – is shown in stitch maps with a symbol.
• If it’s not followed by a stitch count, BO is taken to mean “bind off as many stitches as possible.” It”s like knit, which means “knit as many stitches as possible.” Want an example? See row 8 of Garter Stitch Edging, which reads BO to last 3 sts, k3.

But wait! There’s more!

Did you notice the to last 3 sts bit in the Garter Stitch Edging example? For your convenience, Stitch-Maps.com now tells you how many stitches you should have on your left needle when you’re done with a repeat from * section, or a “knit/purl/BO as many stitches as possible” section. So you’ll see written instructions like these for Stained Glass Windows:

• Row 1 (RS): K2, k2tog, k1, yo, k1, *k5, k2tog, k1, yo, k1, repeat from * to last 4 sts, ssk, k2.
• Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12: Purl.
• Row 3: K1, k2tog, [k1, yo] twice, k1, *ssk, k2, k2tog, [k1, yo] twice, k1, repeat from * to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.
• Row 5: K2tog, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, *ssk, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, repeat from * to last 2 sts, ssk.
• Row 7: Yo, k6, k2tog, *k1, yo, k6, k2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1, yo.
• Row 9: K1, yo, k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, *[k1, yo] twice, k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, repeat from * to last 2 sts, k1, yo, k1.
• Row 11: K2, yo, k1, ssk, k2tog, *k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, ssk, k2tog, repeat from * to last 3 sts, k1, yo, k2.

This ought to make following the written instructions a tad easier, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Note that you don’t need to bother including this to last whatever sts verbiage when entering a stitch pattern. Stitch-Maps.com will figure it out and insert it into the written instructions for you, just as it figures out the cast-on count for each stitch pattern.

Got it?

Questions, anyone? Feel free to email me, or to contribute to the conversation in the Stitch Maps group on Ravelry.