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Category: Knitting

Knitting Charts for the New Year

Today marks the first knitting freebie for 2019! This year every Friday I intend to post a new knitting freebie for you, either charts, tutorials or patterns.

Today’s freebie is a whole booklet of patterns from New Zealand dated around the 1940’s (by the hair styles and clothing styles).

Paragon Fair Isle charts 1 cover

Paragon Fair-Isle charts is available both as a pdf for hand knitters, and as a set of charts for DesignaKnit software.

Sarah

Wheat Pattern Bedspread Back after 110 years!

Knitted wheat ear quilt square

The first 23 rows of today’s knitting pattern graced the pages of a newspaper way back in 1908, followed by a description of the remaining 200-ish rows and the instruction to send in to the newspaper for the remainder of the pattern.

I fell in love with the wheat stitch in the photo so I decided to see if I could work out the rest. It’s not exactly the same as original as my decrease row didn’t fall on the same number row as the newspaper stated, but I’d say it’s super close. So after 110 years, you can knit the Wheat Pattern Quilt from 1908 again.

Sarah

I’m Glad it’s not a Real Spider

For some reason, in the 1890’s many small repeat knitting patterns that were used to knit the centre of shawls were called spider stitches. Stitches a bit like this:

A knit swatch of arachne stitch

Of course, if one had a classical education, one could be all fancy and call them arachne stitch instead, which is the knitted stitch pattern I’m sharing with you today.

The original version had yarn overs at the beginning of each row, to create the chain selvage sometimes needed when adding a border. I’ve included both this, and the more modern way of doing it with a slipped stitch. As always, I’ve updated the language used and added a chart for each.

Sarah

Together Again At Last

Don’t worry, I’ve finished nagging you about Christmas crafts! Today I’m bringing together updated versions of two patterns that were originally published almost exactly 115 years ago.

Six years ago I posted the pattern for the rather stunning knitted edging, Wave, Rose and Strawberry Lace, with the intention of following up the next week with the matching insertion pattern. Which I promptly forgot. Oops.

But!

I have finally done it.

Wave, Rose and Strawberry Insertion

Wave, Rose and Strawberry Insertion repeats the “wave” section of the lace in a 25 stitch wide insertion. I’ve updated the language used, charted it and tested it for accuracy. I guess after 109 years, another 6 wasn’t going to make too much of a difference 😉

Sarah