Justify - Winter 2007

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by Lynne Vogel

This is the ultimate after-the-fact rationalization for your fiber habit! Turn your stash of 2-4 ounce batches of fiber in different colorways -- different fibers, even -- into something that looks like you meant to make it just like this from the start!

Start by knitting a stockinette panel from different combinations of color samples (see color combining 101). Once you decide on your final yarn, knit the remainder of the stockinette panel and the surrounding mobius edging from that yarn. Add some small areas of contrasting yarns from your stash to spice up the overall twinkle of the wrap.

Tip: To get the most out of your sample yarns, especially if you have lots of small balls, deal with ends by using a Russian Join. Fold ends from adjoining yarns over each other and work each end back through its own yarn with aid of a tapestry needle and running stitch, trimming ends after a couple inches. This allows you to knit with a continuous yarn.

Alternately, weave in ends using duplicate stitch. Both methods do a really good job of disguising ends so you can have a reversible fabric.

model: Elizabeth Masters photos: Lynne Vogel

SIZE

One. Size may be adjusted by lengthening or shortening stockinette st panel.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Circumference: 42 inches
Width: 18 inches

MATERIALS

2 ply chunky weight handspun yarn, wpi 9; approx. 600yd/549m

Recommended needle size:
1 set US #10/6mm straight needles
1 US #10/6mm circular needle, 40 inches or longer (you may wish to use more than one circular needle)
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]

Waste yarn
2 stitch markers of different types
Tapestry needle

GAUGE

14 sts/24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty’s list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here]

Instructions for a Provisional Cast On can be found here.

Instructions for grafting can be found here.

PATTERN

Using Provisional Cast On, CO 26 sts.

Row 1 [RS]: Sl 1 knitwise, k to end.

Row 2 [WS]: Sl 1 purlwise, p to end.

Repeat these 2 rows until work measures 42 inches or desired length.

Remove waste yarn from CO edge and place resulting live sts on needle.

Twist one end of piece 180 degrees, so that one end shows stockinette st face, and other end shows reverse stockinette st face.

Graft ends together.

EDGING
Note: When placing markers in the next step, one marker will be designated Marker A, and the other Marker B. For this reason, it is helpful to use two markers which are different from each other.

Position the work so that the grafted "seam" is facing you, with the reverse stockinette st portion of the wrap is to your left and the stockinette st portion to your right.

Beginning at "seam" and using long circular needle, working along upper edge of reverse stockinette st portion, pick up and k 1 st in each slipped st, working under both strands of the slipped sts, until you have worked all the way around the wrap to the other end of the grafted "seam". Place Marker A.

Continuing from this point, pick up and p 1 st in each slipped st along the remaining edge of the piece, with the stockinette st face of the work facing, until you reach the point where you had begun. Place Marker B.

From this point, the first part of each round (to Marker A) is worked with the reverse stockinette st face of the work facing, and the second half (to Marker B) is worked with the stockinette st face of the work facing.

Note: Picking up sts as described forms a decorative chain along the edges of the stockinette st face of the piece.

In the next round, you will be increasing 1 st every 7 sts. You may not have an exact multiple of 7 sts; don’t worry if there are a few sts left over at the end of the round. When you reach Marker A, if you have not worked 7 sts since the previous increase, continue counting after the marker until you have. (For example, if you purled 3 sts before the marker, knit 4 sts after the marker before working the next increase.)

Round 1: [P7, m1p] to Marker A; [k7, m1] to Marker B.
Rounds 2-4: P all sts to Marker A; k all sts to Marker B.
Rounds 5-11: K all sts to Marker A; p all sts to Marker B.
Rounds 12-15: P all sts to Marker A; k all sts to Marker B.
Rounds 16-21: K all sts to Marker A; p all sts to Marker B.
Count the sts on your needle. In the next round, increase or decrease up to 2 sts to obtain a multiple of 5 sts.

Round 22: P all sts to Marker A; k all sts to Marker B.
Round 23: K all sts to Marker A; p all sts to Marker B.
Repeat these 2 rounds once more.

Triangle Bind Off
[K2, turn work] twice.
[K3, turn work] twice.
[K4, turn work] twice.
[K5, turn work] twice.
BO 5 sts.

*K1; there are 2 sts on right needle after last bound-off st. Turn work.
K2, turn work.
[K3, turn work] twice.
[K4, turn work] twice.
[K5, turn work] twice.
BO 5 sts.*
Repeat from * to * until all sts have been bound off.

FINISHING

Weave in ends and block if desired.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

If you don't find Lynne dyeing, spinning, knitting, or crocheting, or writing about said activities, you might try looking for her on the many woodland trails around Sewanee, TN, with husband, James, and dogs Monk and Pearl. If she isn't there, she could easily be traveling to teach workshops nationwide.

The recent release, Twisted Sisters Knit Sweaters, is her second book.