rows 1, 5, 9 or 15

There are things involved with developing and writing a knitting pattern which you rarely get to see. This is one of those things.

Yorlin is knitted top down. This means you can work your cardigan to exactly the length that you’d like, so that it suits your body.

The design features two lace panels, using a chart that is worked over 16 rows.

On the sample that I’m wearing, we decided to end the chart on a row 1. Finishing the chart here means the transition into the 1×1 twisted rib hem is very pleasing, as the two patterns seamlessly flow together.

At this gauge, 16 rows works out at a little under 2 inches: but what if your length requirements meant that you preferred to finish the chart earlier or later, to adjust the cardigan by an inch, or perhaps just half an inch?

This is where mine and Mel’s collaborative process of pattern development really comes into its own. While I’m wrestling with numbers and spreadsheets, Mel wrangles a few swatches. In this instance, while I was busy grading the cardigan’s raglan shaping, Mel occupied herself swatching the transition between the lace panel and the 1×1 rib over the chart’s odd rows.

And while some transitions proved very pleasing. . . .

Others were not so much.

In the end, we decided that rows 1, 5, 9 and 15 provided pleasing panel to rib transitions, while rows 3, 7 and 11 did not.

So when you knit your Yorlin, you’ll be able to adjust the garment to exactly the length you’d like, while retaining the beautiful panel to rib transition. Mel and I feel that these “knitterly” details really contribute to the experience of a pattern, both in the making and the wearing. And though you may never think about such details, for us they can play a crucial role in the development of a design.

This post is brought to you by the numbers 1, 5, 9 and 15, and by Mel’s indefatigable swatching.