'Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...'

This old saying came to mind when I visited a friend a few weeks ago. A few years ago this friend asked me to show her how I make my chevron (ripple stitch) throws. She was a great pupil and she soon got the idea of the 'increasing and decreasing stitches' to make the zigzag design. As I walked down the hallway of her house on my recent visit, I couldn't help but notice the throw over the end of a bed in one of the bedrooms. Yep! It was my friend's finished throw...I just had to take a photo... it is so beautiful!

My friend and her husband have just come back from a 3 month caravanning holiday to South and Central Australia. While they were away, my friend 'skyped' me one evening as she wanted to show me the knitting project she was working on while they were away. She said that a project that I had  worked on last year while both couples stayed in Brunswick Heads had been her inspiration! It was about 45 cm long at that stage but I was to see the finished project on this recent visit, also draped on one of the beds...

This was my throw... just garter stitch with lots of interesting yarns...

So on this recent visit, my friend wanted to show me this finished throw that she had knitted while travelling...

Doesn't it look effective? I love it!

And a close-up; it's finer than mine being knitted on smaller needles and mainly 8 ply.

And here is the chevron pattern which is made up of just 2 rows. (My banner has a knitted chevron )

Narrow chevron stripes

This is a good way to use up oddments

of yarn,

working one garter-stitch ridge in

each colour. lf you want to use that colour

again within about 6-8 rows, carry it up

the side of the work; otherwise break it off

and weave in the ends. The WS of the

fabric is an attractive mass of broken

stripes. (as you know I do thick stripes and thin stripes not just  2 rows all the time)

Using any colour, cast on a

multiple of 14 sts plus 3 extra

1st row (RS) K1 , K2 tog, *K5, yfwd, K1 ,

yfwd, K5, sl 1 , K2 tog, psso, reP f rom

-to last 14 sts, K5, yfwd, K1, yfwd,

K5, sl 1, K1, psso, K1 .

2nd row. K1, Pl, -K5, K1 tbl, K1, K1 tbl

K5, P1 , rep from  * to last st, Kl .

These 2 rows form the patt. Always

change colours at the end of a 2nd patt

row.