Knitting: design your own stitch pattern by Leanne Dyck

Have you ever tried to "uninvent" (I say "uninvented" because as Elizabeth Zimmerman pointed out, the craft is so old that it is very hard to invent something new in knitting.) your own stitch pattern? It's fun and easy. Start with a basic stitch pattern--for example, seed stitch.

seed stitch (over an even number of stitches)

Row 1: knit 1, purl 1--continue to end of row

Row 2: purl 1, knit 1--continue to end of row

Repeat rows 1 and 2 for pattern

The seed stitch is a fun stitch pattern to alter. Here are some of the stitch patterns that I have "uninvented" while playing with the seed stitch.

Here are some ideas you can use to "uninvent" your own stitch pattern.

Combine two stitch patterns.

I combined purl and seed stitch.

Here's what I came up with...

Row 1: purl one, knit one--continue to end of row

Row 2: purl

Repeat rows 1 and 2 for pattern

Or

Experiment with the number of stitches in the stitch pattern.

Here's what I came up with...

Row 1: knit two, purl two--continue to end of row

Row 2: purl two, knit two--continue to end of row

Repeat rows 1 and 2 for pattern

Or

Experiment with the number of rows in the stitch pattern.

Here's what I came up with...

Rows 1 and 2: knit one, purl one--continue to end of rows

Rows 3 and 4: purl one, knit one--continue to end of rows

Repeat rows 1 to 4 for pattern

Or...

Happy uninventing