STITCH ANATOMY SERIES work. Only one color is worked across the row at a time. In fa ct, that color is worked for two rows, a right side row and a wro ng Mosaic Knitting Lesson side row, before changing to the next color, which is then also worked fo r lwo rows. by Suzanne Bryan Every two rows the color will change to the o ne not being used. The yarn not being used is left hanging at the right edge of the About Mosaic Knitting she dedicates an entire chapter to Mosaic work. When changing from one color to the The mosaic stitch pattern is a subset of Patterns. This is the first time that she next, the just used color is allowed to hang slipped stitch patterns, the diffe rence being uses the term Mosaic to describe the stitch to the front and the unused color is picked that the yarn is always carried across the patterns. The instructions are still given up from behind. This allows the colors wrong side of the work when working line by line. Then her next volume was to twist around each other at the right mosaic patterns. Many slip sti tch patterns ti tled Charted Knitting Designs: A Third selvedge and to create a nice even edge. incorporate stranding the working yarn Treasury of Knitting Patterns fi rst published You will notice that these color changes across the right side as well as the wrong in 1972, and it is here that for the first create little stripes along the selvedge and side to create interesting color designs. time the now standard method of charting are very easy lo use to count the number of In mosaic knitting the strands are always Mosaic Patterns is seen in chapter 8, rows that have bee n worked- each stripe carried across the wrong side. Mosaic Patterns. She then goes on to add accounting for two rows o r one garter a chapter - Mosai c Samplers, chapter 2 in ridge. While knitti ng across a row, various The technique of Mosaic Knitting was her volume A Fourth Treasury of Knitting stitches from the previo us row are slipped invented and the term coined by Barbara Patterns published in 200 I, (originally purlwise according to the pattern, pulling Walker. In Barbara Walker's A Treasu ty of published as Sampler Knitting in 1973 ), the color from the row below up into the Kniuing Patterns first published in 1968, she a culminating volume dedicated entirely current row. This is what creates the two presents several Mosaic type stitch patterns to Mosaic patterns- Mosaic Knitting, color patterns. in the chapter on Color-Change Patterns. originall y copyrighted in 1976, published The directions were given as line by line by Schoolhouse Press in 1997. and not in chart form and the designs have not been labeled as Mosaic Patterns. In Mosaic Techniques her next volume - A Second Treasury of Mosaic knitting incorporates two (or Knitting Patterns first published in 1970, sometimes more) colors into the knitted continued on page 10 .•............•..•••.•..••.•••••••••••.•••••••.•...••••••.•.•......•••••.••.......•..............•..•........•••..........•................•••..... www.TKGA.com 9 that is very dense yet elastic. The row to Before starting the chart you will need to STITCH ANATOMY stitch ratio is 2 rows (or one garter ridge) work one row of the color you have chosen to 1 stitch which is very convenient and for the white squares- that will allow you to allows for very geometric designs. Each two have white stitches to slip in that first black rows account for one color change vertically row. Without that fi rst foundation row the and each stitch allows for one color change black row would just be all black because continued from page 9 horizontally - creating perfect little squares. there would be no white stitches to slip. (See Swatches 1 and 2) There are only two colors- black and It is very simple and even a very new knitter Mosaic patterns can also be worked in a white- for the squares. You can choose who has mastered only the knit and slip which colors you want to use for each. You stitch can create these beautiful designs. Stockinette fabric and in that case the row to stitch ratio does not produce perfect can use a darker color for the black squares squares, but vertical rectangles. The row to and a lighter color fo r the white squares Mosaic patterns that are worked only with (See Swatch 1)- or you can reverse that stitch ratio will not be the same as a true knit stitches create a garter stitch type fabric completely and use a light color yarn for the Stockinette, but will be tighter due to the dark squares and the dark color yarn for the drawing in effect of the slipped stitches. white squares fo r a completely different look Stockinette mosaic patterns are more dense (Sec Swatch 2). Swatch 1 than regular Stockinette and less pl iable and elastic-not as dense as double knitting, but Notice that there are vertical red lines on much more dense than regular Stockinette each side of the chart. These mark the fabric. (See Swatch 3) beginning and end of one multiple, which can be repeated as many times as you wish Mosaic patterns can also be worked with for your project. The squares on the outsides a combination of Stockinette and gatter of those Ji nes are the edge stitches and will stitch which creates very interesting effects only be worked once for each edge, no and depending on the ratio of garter stitch matter how many times the interior design to Stockinette stitch will give a fabric is repeated. Across the top of the chart it says somewhere between the garter stitch mosaic "Multiple of 14 plus 3". This means that the fabric and the Stockinette mosaic fabric. main design is 14 stitches across and that there are three edge stitches - one on the Charts and symbols right and two on the left. If you wanted to Swatch 2 Mosaic charts are very simple to read once repeat this multiple 5 times, you would cast you IJ nderstand the layout. I\otice that on 73 stitches: 5 x 14 + 3. each row on the chart represents two rows of knitting- one row going fr om right to The chart is read from the bottom up left and then another row going from left starting in the bottom right corner, reading to right. You can tell this by looking at the from right to left and then back from left numbers going from the bottom to the top to right on the same row, move up a row on each side of the chart. On the right side and repeat. The design can also be repeated the numbers start with 1 and are all odd, vertically. After finishing row 28, start back at while on the left the numbers start with 2 row 1 and repeat as many times as you wish. In our little gauge sampler we worked the and are all even. This makes the chart very design twice. easy to work, since you only have to read the first row of a set of two rows from the chart With yarn in front or with yam in back? as you are knitting, and then can fo llow the So how are these stitches worked? Following Swatch3 work on your needle to work the second the above chart as an example, using cream (or even) row. The first co1Lll11n ofsq uares color for the white squares and teal blue lets you know which color you will work fo r for the black squares we will knit a sample those two rows- for example in row 1, the that works the pattern twice vertically and first square is black. That lets you know that horizontally. Start by casting on 31 stitches you will only be working witl1 the yarn you with the cream, 14 x 2 for the pattern and 3 have chosen for the black squares; all the for the edge stitches and then knit one row. white squares in that row represent slipped This will be the fo undation for starting the stitches. Row 3 starts with a white square, pattern. Then starting with row 1 drop the so you know you will only be working with white yarn in the front and then starting the yarn represented by the white squares, with the teal yarn, k3, sll, k1, sll, k5, sll, and that all the black squares represent the etc. across the row. Remember to work the slipped stitches. slip stitches purlwise. Once you are at the 10 Cast On • August - October 2011 and you need to tighten it a bit. This can be in fi ner weight yarn, mosaic patterns can done by working more closely to the tip of be used in sweaters, hats, socks and other the right needle after slipping the stitch and lighter garments. Mosaic patterns also look before working into the next stitch. Continue very nice felted. working following the chart from bottom to top and repeat the pattern one more time Color up to row 26. Finish by knitting one row of Most patterns are worked with hvo colors, cream and then binding off in pattern with one fo r the dark and one for the light. But the cream. Your swatch should be square. there are no rules saying that you can use The height and width should be equal, aU only hvo colors. Changing colors can create sides being of equal length.