Designed by Bethany Dailey
Now that the holidays have passed and all the rush and hurry is behind us, it’s time to work up a stitch on our looms that doesn’t take too much thinking or tricky finger-work to accomplish. This stitch pattern is just the ticket! It is a simple 8 row repeat and once you get the hang of them, they can be worked entirely from memory. The long alternating dashes resemble a nice rustic weave, and results in a fairly thick and sturdy panel. It would be a perfect stitch for a cowl or scarf, or even an entire blanket!
In this monthly column we’re going to be working on some exciting new stitch patterns, as well as a few new techniques thrown in for good measure. My intention for our yarn play is to provide all the know-how for you to be able to work the new stitch; any charts, photos, or videos you may need; as well as a pattern to create an 8” x 8” square. As we go along in our looming journey, we should be able to create lovely pieced afghans with our squares, as I like to know that we’re going somewhere while swatching, don’t you? You can think of it as our Stitch Sample Afghan—a stitch dictionary right at your fingertips, keeping your legs warm, lol. 😉 To find all the previous stitches in this column, simply click here.
Triple Slip Rib Square
Items Needed
Loom: Authentic Knitting Board Adjustable Hat Loom: 2 rounded pieces + 3 peg connectors, with pegs in all holes for a 3/8” gauge. The Sock Loom 2 or the All-n-One Loom could also be used.
Yarn: approx. 75 yards Worsted Weight (Sample uses Berroco Vintage in mochi)
Notions: Loom tool, yarn needle, scissors. (Also helpful: peg markers, row counter, and blocking pins)
Pattern Notes:
To work this pattern in the round, such as for a hat, use the Repeating Pattern Rows chart, and make sure to read it from right to left for each row, rather than alternating sides each time. Also, cast onto your loom in a clockwise direction, using a number of pegs that is divisible by 6—the number of stitches required for each pattern repeat.
For flat pieces of a greater size, simply increase the number of Repeating Pattern Rows inside the garter stitch edges for the length and width required, then complete with the Finishing Rows. The border edges may need to also be increased to coordinate with the number of increased Repeating Pattern Rows.
When the pattern uses the term “knit” or “k”, please use the true knit stitch or the u-stitch, not the e-wrap.
A SWYF in the pattern denotes that this peg will not be worked, but will have the working yarn (WY) carried to the front of the work. To do this, simply remove the loop already on the peg, slip the WY in front of the work and behind the peg, then replace the held loop back onto the peg. This stitch pattern will do this in groups of three stitches at a time.
*Note: another easy way to work a SWYF is to begin to work a purl stitch, but instead of lifting the original loop off the peg and placing the new loop on the peg as you do when purling, simply KO the new loop, leaving the original one in place. Pull gently to free the WY, which will now be between the peg and the front of the work.
Repeating Pattern Rows
Here are the Repeating Pattern Rows for the stitch itself, based on the chart above:
Rows 1 & 2: p1, k1, p2, k1, p1.
Row 3: SWYF-3, p1, k1, p1.
Row 4: p1, k1, p1, WYIF-3.
Rows 5 & 6: repeat Row 1.
Row 7: repeat Row 4.
Row 8: repeat Row 3.
Here is the entire pattern chart for the 8” x 8” square:
Everything you need to know about knitting your square is included in the above chart. Believe it or not, you can actually create your square without looking at another thing! For help with reading charts, please see the Stitchology I post for a detailed explanation, and you’ll be ready to go!
But, don’t worry…I am also providing you with the step by step instructions below. 😉
Step by Step Instructions:
Cast onto your loom from left to right, using a total of 39 pegs. (Sample uses Chain Cast On)
Set Up Rows
Row 1: p39.
Row 2: k39.
Row 3: p39.
Row 4: k39.
Row 5: p2, *p2, k1, repeat form * to last 4 sts, p4.
Row 6: k2, *p2, k1, repeat from * to last st, k1.
Row 7: p3, *SWYF-3, p1, k1, p1, repeat from * to last 6 sts, SWYF-3, p3.
Row 8: k2, p1, *SWYF-3, p1, k1, p1, repeat from * to last 6 sts, SWYF-3, p1, k2.
Row 9 & 10: repeat Rows 5 & 6.
Row 11: p4, k1, p1, *SWYF-3, p1, k1, p1, repeat from * to last 3 sts, p3.
Row 12: k2, p2, k1, p1, *SWYF-3, p1, k1, p1, repeat from * to last 3 sts, p1, k2.
Rows 13-60: repeat Rows 5-12 6 more times.
Row 61 & 62: repeat Rows 5 & 6.
Finishing Rows
Row 63: p39.
Row 64: k39.
Row 65: p39.
Bind off all stitches loosely. (Sample uses the Basic Bind Off) Weave in ends and trim close to work.
Block well to an 8” x 8” measurement.
Afghan Notes:
If you are intending this square to be part of an afghan, you may wish to make up to 3 or 4 additional squares. We will be sharing at least 24 of these patterns for you to use in your blanket. Use the following general measurements to decide how many of each of the 8″ x 8″ squares you will need, rounding up as
necessary:
• Baby Blanket: 30″ x 36″
• Children: 42″ x 48″
• Lapghan: 36″ x 48″
• Twin Bed Afghan: 60″ x 85″
• Queen Bed Afghan: 90″ x 95″
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave a note for Bethany Dailey below in the comments! 🙂
Please we want videos because im biggener
Hello Eman 🙂 I’m so glad you’ve joined the wonderful world of loom knitting! We are working on developing video tutorials on some of these stitches. A few of them have been completed and are located at the regular website here: https://knittingboard.com/
But, let’s see if we can’t get you going on this stitch in the meantime. It is really quite a simple square, I promise! When you are reading the pattern instructions for the square, what exactly is it that you don’t understand so I can help you better??
Thanks!
Bethany ~
Looks like you can also find the stitch videos on KB’S YouTube Channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/user/knittingboard/videos
Hi Bethany,
thank you for your great work every month, it’s really appreciated! One question please, would this stitch pattern curl if the border is not used? I would like to use it on an infinity scarf but I am not fond of the border.
Thanks
Brunella
Oh, thank you so much, Brunella! I appreciate the appreciation, lol! 😀
I believe that since this pattern combines knits and purls fairly evenly, it will lay pretty flat even without the border. It felt nice and sturdy while knitting it up, so I’m pretty sure you’ll be fine. The backside looks like a simple 2 x 1 ribbing, so it would be fine seeing it from both sides as well.
I’d love to see your scarf when it’s all done! 😀
Bethany~
thank you for your reply! I am planning to start shortly.. as soon as I finish at least one WIP!
Bethany, I thank you very much for all of the wonderful patterns you create and share with us. I am using the All-in-One Loom to make the Stitchology Squares ( I am so excited to try each and every one, just beautiful!!!). But, I am following the directions, use the cast on you suggest, true knit and purl stitches and a #4 worsted weight yarn. My squares are wider than yours but not 8 inches high so turn out more like a rectangle shape. What am I doing wrong? Sure would appreciate your ideas.
Thank you,
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn! 🙂 I’m so excited to hear you’ve been following along and making squares with us! The more the merrier, right?? 😀
As for the square not coming out even, blocking really helps with this. If you are using a wool, or a mostly wool blend, blocking should be a snap. The process helps train those fibers to reset into the shape you desire. I like to use a foam pad onto which I have marked an 8 x 8 inch square with a permanent marker…this makes it so easy to stretch the wet square to the proper size.
Now, if you are consistently on every square coming up short, you may just need to add a couple border garter rows on both the top and bottom. Or if you need to do another repeat of the pattern itself, that would be fine too. Everybody knits at varying gauges, so this may just be something you need to address with added rows. Or…you could add enough rows to make your squares actually squares, then block to a bigger measurement so that they will all be the same, just larger than the original 8 x 8. That’s totally acceptable either way! 🙂
I hope this helps you…Happy stitching!
Thank you! Those are wonderful suggestions as I plan to make an afghan using all of your different square patterns and I feel so much better knowing there is a way to “remedy” the size/shape of the way mine are turning out. I really appreciate your help Bethany.
Marilyn