17 March 2019

Glorious Garter Stitch

Ugly Blanket by Anna Ravenscroft, Anna Alway Designs
A question for you: what is the first stitch every knitter learns? Well that's a bit of a trick question since there are only two possible answers, a knit or a purl, but if I was to answer that I suppose I'd say most people learn the knit stitch first.

And now a 2nd question: can you name two stitch patterns using only knit stitches? This time there would be a few options to choose from, but here are two: if you were working in the round, you would probably be working in Stocking Stitch (or as they call it over here, Stockinette Stitch).

However, if you were working back-and-forth on straight needles, then that would most likely be Garter Stitch. Every Row: Knit to end. Simple, easy, yet so versatile.
Patchwork Cushion by Anna Ravenscroft, Anna Alway Designs
Garter Stitch is a dense, compact stitch which produces deep areas of colour with a wonderful stitch definition and texture. It can be worked all in one colour, but I think it really comes into its own when sections of Garter Stitch in different yarns are worked side-by-side. For example, in Anna's Patchwork Cushion, blocks of Garter Stitch in different colours co-ordinate to give a dynamic, modern result.
Winsford Stroller Blanket by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Garter Stitch is also absolutely gorgeous when worked in stripes. For example, in the Winsford Stroller Blanket above, the pattern features bands in solid and two-colour stripes.

This is a variation of Garter Stitch called Wide Garter Columns from our book, Reversible Knitting Stitchesand it gives a wonderful blending of the two colours used in the pattern.
Ugly Blanket by Anna Ravenscroft, Anna Alway Designs
However, you don't need to work any variation of Garter Stitch for a striped pattern. At the top of this blogpost and in the photo above, you can see how well stripes work in the basic stitch. This is Anna's Ugly Blanket which has been worked in a variety of colours.

I love that name! It stems from an initial impression of some left-over yarns as they looked so unpromising when all mixed together in their basket. However, Garter Stitch came to the rescue and blended them perfectly in the finished blanket!
Quilted Hot Pad by Anna Ravenscroft, Anna Alway Designs
Garter Stitch has several other qualities too. Firstly, it is a reversible pattern, meaning that both sides look good so you don't have to choose which side is the "Right Side". In fact, it is one of those rare species: a truly reversible stitch, so both faces are identical.

One result of this reversibility is that Garter Stitch lies flat. I have written about this here and here, but to recap: knitwear has a tendency to curl when one side has more purl "bumps" than the other. The purl stitches push outwards and the result is a curl in the finished item. Sometimes this is desirable, such as when you want to make an easy roll-necked sweater. However, this is not usually a good feature.
Quilted Hot Pad by Anna Ravenscroft, Anna Alway Designs
Garter Stitch is perfectly balanced with exactly the same number of purl "bumps" on both sides, so lays absolutely flat. This quality can be used for items that need to be level, such as rugs and hot pads. For example, in Anna's Quilted Hot Pads above, a T-shirting yarn has been used to make a pad with raised stitches over a Garter Stitch base giving a perfectly flat, insulated layer for your saucepans.

Another quality of Garter Stitch is that it tends to push out widthwise so can hold other designs open. In the Quilted Hot Pads, this is important so that the insulating ribs of the stitch are held securely in place.

In other patterns, small sections of Garter Stitch can be used to give warmth and texture to a design. I will come back to that next time and see how panels of Garter Stitch can be used in a baby blanket.
Glorious Garter Stitch E-book by Anna Ravenscroft, Anna Alway Designs
Meanwhile, if you have enjoyed seeing some of Anna's wonderful explorations of Garter Stitch, then please visit her website and read more about her new E-Book, Glorious Garter Stitch.

If you would also like to read more about our Reversible Knitting Stitches book, then please click here.

Until next time - Happy Knitting!

Moira
Keywords: Patterns/Cushions, Patterns/Blankets, Patterns/Home Extras,
Garter Stitch, reversible stitch, reversible knitting, reversible blanket, Anna Ravenscroft, Anna Alway,

05 March 2019

A return to winter and a new scarf

Sunshine and snow, Massachusetts, Photo by Tim Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
It’s been an odd year for weather. Last week people were sitting in the parks surrounded by daffodils and basking in the warm Spring sunshine. Then this week, fierce storms have blown that wonderful sunshine away with freezing temperatures returning alongside the strong winds and snow.
Snow by the pool, Photo by Tim Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
And not just a dusting of snow… Yesterday, 2‐4 inches of snow were falling every hour until there was over a foot of it. A real return to winter.
Ice on the pond, Photo by Tim Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Mind you, we shouldn’t be surprised as we had just the same last year. We left Florida in gorgeous sunshine and arrived back in Boston just in time for the start of four snowstorms, one coming right after the next until there were walls of snow on all the roads and driveways.

As one of the commentators on CBS said,
   “Call it what you want but suddenly March is becoming the new February.”
Karlskrona Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
He may well be right there. Well, I for one am not going to stop my winter knitting just yet! So I have just finished up another winter scarf and I can see this is going to be needed straight away.
Karlskrona Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
This is the Karlskrona Scarf, a strongly textured man’s scarf with a really interesting reversible stitch pattern from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. This features a dynamic zig‐zag design on the front and a well‐defined vertical stripe on the reverse.

Both sides show a classic symmetry that is both pleasing to knit and to wear. The stitch is also easily memorised so is a great fire‐side pattern to work. What could be better after a morning spent shovelling snow than to sit in front of the fire, a cup of tea to hand and a new project on your needles. Sounds like a perfect combination to me!
Karlskrona Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
For more details about the Karlskrona Scarf please click here. The pattern includes three different sizes and is available for instant download.

For more information about the Reversible Knitting Stitches E-book, please click here.

Until next time ‐ keep warm!

Moira
Reversible Knitting Stitches by Moira Ravenscroft & Anna Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Last Blogpost: Love this time of year
Next Up: Glorious Garter Stitch

Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches
My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com

Thanks once again to my husband to Tim for his great photos! If you would like to see more of his work, please visit his Flickr page.
Keywords: Patterns/Mens Patterns,
scarf, scarves, mens scarf, reversible scarf, reversible pattern, knitting stitch, reversible stitch, reversible knitting, blue,

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