Slipstitches...

I wrote about slipstitch patterns in a post here last October. As I now attend a number of Knit and Natter sessions throughout each month, other knitters have been asking me about the designs that I use in the items I knit for the various charities. I always stress that I 'don't do difficult' lol! I've had some requests recently for the design that I featured in the October post. Within our group at K4BN, the design has been renamed 'Wavy'. I've rewritten the pattern for my knitting friends at the knit and Natters,to make it very simple to follow (I hope). So I thought that I would share it here on the blog as well.

My latest 'wavy' mohair throw

Wavy Slipstitch Pattern


Note: slip stitches purlwise
This pattern repeats over a multiple of 6 stitches plus 2 extra
1st row: Using Colour A, knit
2nd row: Using A purl
*3rd row: Using colour B k2 * sl 4,k2: repeat from * to end
4th row: Using B p3, sl 2, *p4, sl 2; rep from * to last 3 sts, p3
5th row: using B, knit
6th row: using B, purl
7th row: Using colour C, k1, sl 2, k2, * sl 4, k2: rep from * to last 3 sts, sl 2, k1.
8th row: Using C p1,sl 1,p4, * sl 2, p 4: rep from * to last 2 sts, sl 1, p 1.
Continuing in colour C,
9th row: As row 1
10th row: As row 2
These 10 rows will give you two wavy stripes of knitting. Note that when you go on to repeat this pattern, do not repeat Rows 1 and 2.
To continue on, go to row 3...introduce new colours on Rows 3 and 7. Each 'stripe' will be over 4 rows, with 2 rows of patterning with slipstitches and 2 rows of stocking stitch.

Now I'll explain how I incorporate this pattern into items that I knit by using a beanie as an example. I knit a fair few beanies for charities and I love to 'tart' them up a bit with some slipstitch designs. I have a basic 8ply beanie pattern that I use. The original pattern features a rollback ribbing and then a basic stocking stitch with some stripes. I do a lot of children's beanies and the pattern casts on 122 stitches.

The beanie in the front has the 'wavy' design

The 'wavy' slipstitch (ss) design works over a multiple of 6 plus 2 stitches. I don't have to do any adjustments on this pattern as 120 is a multiple of 6 (6x20=120) and if you add 2, its 122! If the number of stitches required in a pattern were not that requirement, I would increase ( or decrease in some circumstances) evenly in the first row of the ss design. If my beanie pattern had started with 126 stitches, for example, I would do 2 increases in the first knit row to get the requisite multiple of 6 plus 2.
Hopefully I haven't confused anyone completely :-)
Why not 'dress up' any plain stockingstitch garment with a few wavy stripes? It looks great on a toddler jumper or cardigan, a few stripes around some fingerless gloves; vests are another idea and then there are throws which can use up all manner of odds and ends of yarns.