A little more meaningful

Posted 8 Dec 2015 by JC

Having a computer spew an error message at you is bad enough. Having it spew an unintelligible error message is even worse. And that’s why I’ve made a couple of the error messages at Stitch-Maps.com a little more meaningful. Consider this sample:

Row 1 (WS): Knit.
Row 2: *Knit, purl, repeat from *.

Previously, that would result in:

How “*knit, purl, repeat from *” ought to be repeated is ambiguous.

Now Stitch-Maps.com will respond with:

“*knit, purl, repeat from *” contains too many sections of adjustable width. On each row, use just one section of adjustable width (“knit,” “purl,” “BO,” or “*..., repeat from *”). To knit, purl, or bind off a single stitch, use “k1,” “p1,” or “BO 1 st.”

A little long-winded, sure. But it describes the problem more fully, and hints at a solution. (Want more info on this topic? See the Horizontal repeats section of the knitspeak guide.)

Here’s another example:

Row 1 (RS): Sl1 wyib, k1, *p1, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, repeat from * to last 3 sts, p1, k2.
Rows 2 and 4: Sl1 wyif, p1, *k1, p3, repeat from * to last 3 sts, k1, p2.
Row 3: Sl1 wyib, k1, *p1, k3, repeat from * to last 3 sts, p1, k3.

Previously, this dreaded error message would result:

We’re unable to determine a suitable cast-on stitch count. Are you sure the pattern is legit?

Now Stitch-Maps.com is a little more helpful:

Row 3 can’t be worked on top of the preceding rows. The number of non-repeated stitches isn’t quite right.

Row 3 is problematic because it ends in p1, k3 when it ought to end in p1, k2. (For more info on this topic, see the the FAQ.)

Questions? Comments? Just let me know!

Stitch counts redux

Posted 28 Nov 2015 by JC

Keeping tabs on stitch counts just got easier yet again. Beyond requesting them on stitch map images, you can now find them within a stitch pattern’s written instructions. Check out Tracery Pattern:

The stitch count changes on rows 4 and 6. So within the written instructions, those new stitch counts are shown at the ends of rows 4 and 6, within parens:

• Rows 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 (WS): Purl.
• Row 2: [K1, yo] twice, sl1-k2tog-psso, k3, k3tog, [yo, k1] twice.
• Row 4: K1, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k1 (15 sts).
• Row 6: K1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1 (13 sts).
• Rows 8 and 10: K1, [yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1] twice.

Note that Tracery Pattern doesn’t repeat horizontally, so row 4 will always result in 15 stitches. But many stitch patterns do repeat. Their stitch counts will depend on the number of repeats on display. Consider Swiss Fan:

With two horizontal repeats on display, row 3 results in 18 stitches. Yet the written instructions note that row 3 results in a “multiple of 9 sts.” That could be 9 stitches, or 18, or 27, or 36, or... you get the idea.

• Row 1 (RS): *P1, ssk, [yo, k1] 3 times, yo, k2tog, p1, repeat from * (multiple of 11 sts).
• Row 2: *K1, p9, k1, repeat from *.
• Row 3: *P1, ssk, k5, k2tog, p1, repeat from * (multiple of 9 sts).
• Row 4: *K1, p7, k1, repeat from *.

In general, when noting a change in stitch count, Stitch-Maps.com will use phrasing like “15 sts” if that row will always result in 15 stitches. Otherwise, it’ll use phrasing like “multiple of 9 sts,” “multiple of 10 sts, plus 1,” or “3 more sts.” These stitch counts indicate the number of stitches created by working a given row. When short rows are involved, that’s not necessarily the same as the total number of stitches on the needles, as it doesn’t take “dormant,” unworked stitches into account. Makes sense, yes?

Do you need to include these stitch counts when entering knitspeak? Of course not! At Stitch-Maps.com, the goal is to make it easier for you to visualize, analyze, and understand your stitch patterns. Enjoy!

Stitch counts

Posted 20 Nov 2015 by JC

You asked for them, you got them. Stitch-Maps.com can now display stitch counts, at the ends of rows where the stitch count has changed.

Note that each of these stitch counts indicates the number of loops created by working that row. So multiple repeats mean higher stitch counts.

For short rows, the stitch count indicates just the stitches worked as part of that short row, not all the live stitches on the needles.

What about stitch patterns where the stitch count remains constant throughout? For convenience, a stitch count is still shown at the end of the first row.

Questions? Comments? Check out this Ravelry thread, where we’re discussing options for also displaying stitch counts within a stitch pattern’s written instructions.

Exporting and editing per-stitch polygons

Posted 3 Aug 2015 by JC

Stitch maps shine brightest when used to depict stitch patterns with “flow,” where increases and decreases make the stitches lean. Usually, this means lace. But not always.

Some designers create stunning results by combining the flow of increases and decreases with colorwork. Examples include Lorilee Beltman’s vertically stranded colorwork; Lucy Neatby’s Zinna, Sunburst, and Blossom blankets; and Kieran Foley’s stranded designs. My favorite is Scandinavian, which Alasdair Post-Quinn has re-interpreted in double knitting.

Designers of this ambitious sort will likely appreciate a new feature at Stitch-Maps.com: when a premium subscriber exports a stitch map, the resulting PDF, EPS, or SVG file will include a small polygon behind each symbol. Initially white, these polygons will be invisible against a white background.

But when edited in vector graphics tool like Illustrator or Inkscape, the colors of these polygons can be set to reveal... well, whatever design you choose, I suppose.

I cooked up this quick sample as an homage to Scandinavian, using motifs from Terri Shea’s Selbuvotter.

It doesn’t compare to Kieran Foley’s exquisite work. But I think you get the idea: premium subscribers now can combine increases, decreases, and colorwork into coherant stitch maps.

Questions? Don’t hesitate to ask.

Sections as visualization tools

Posted 31 Jul 2015 by JC

Yes, yes, you can knit from stitch maps. They’re instructions, just like any other chart. But beyond that – and perhaps more importantly – they’re visualization tools, the means of seeing how the parts of a stitch pattern fit together. Which is why I’m so excited to announce Stitch-Maps.com’s newest feature.

See this? The “Sections” checkbox below “Column guides”? It now appears on every stitch pattern’s detail page.

Click the “Sections” checkbox and the stitch map on display will go technicolor.

Each of these colored bits highlights a “section” of the stitch map, a series of stitches connected together via decreases, cable crosses, clusters, or gathers. Stitch markers placed between sections would never get caught in a decrease; they’d never need to be shifted out of the way of a cable cross. Equivalent sections are colored the same, letting you see repetition within the pattern.

This isn’t quite the same as showing the stitch pattern’s horizontal repeat. But it can make the repeat easier to discern. Take Ostrich Plumes, for example. It’s fairly clear that the repeat consists of a lavender-colored section and three neighboring blue and green sections.

Granted, having sections on display isn’t all that exciting for some stitch patterns. For example, knit/purl patterns like seed stitch have simple sections, all one stitch wide.

At the other end of the spectrum, some lace or cable patterns form lattices. All of their stitches are interconnected into one giant section, as shown here with Lilac Leaf.

But I still think sections make fabulous visualization tools. Consider this: viewing a stitch pattern’s sections could help you see the design elements of the pattern that could be removed, replicated, or replaced. For example, with Dayflower, could the plain k2 columns shown in green be replaced by something more interesting?

With Loop Edging, might we want more or fewer of the eyelet columns shown in blue? Or something else entirely?

With Dewdrops, wouldn’t it be fun if the dewdrops shown in purple and green were wider?

I hope you enjoy this new tool as much as I do. And subscribers: you can enable section display by default in your preferences.

As always, if you notice anything funky with this new feature, or even if you just want to chat, please speak up!