Happy Autumn!  This is my absolute favorite time of year.  I simply can’t get enough of it!  I am thrilled by simple things like hay mazes, big orange pumpkins in a field, chilly mornings, and candy corn.  It’s a season that is full of reasons to celebrate…of course it makes it all the better that my birthday is also in October, lol. 😉

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. 😉

This month we’re going to celebrate the Fall Season by introducing the Puff Stitch, which greatly resembles pumpkins in a field, all connected by trailing vines.  Of course, this stitch will be terrific during all other times of the year, as well. It employs a really marvelous way to create elongated knit stitches on our looms, which result in all those lovely little puffs.

Puff Stitch 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 Lion Wool in Pumpkin)

Notions: Loom tool, yarn needle, scissors.  (Also helpful: peg markers, row counter)

Pattern Notes:

This stitch pattern would apply itself very nicely to a cozy hat, or a baby blanket.  To work this pattern in the round 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 10—the number of stitches required for each pattern repeat.

For flat pieces of a greater size, begin with the Set Up Rows, then simply increase the number of Repeating Pattern Rows for the length and width required, then complete with the Finishing Rows.

When the pattern uses the term “knit” or “k”, please use the true knit stitch or the u-stitch, not the e-wrap.

The elongated knit stitch, notated in the pattern as k², is created using the following method (the row numbers are as you would find the steps in the Puff Stitch Square pattern further below):

*to see a photo enlarged, just click to open, then click to open again.

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. 😉

Repeating Pattern Rows

Row 1:  p6, k²3, p1

Rows 2:  k²5, p5

Row 3:  p5, k²5

Row 4:  k²5, p5

Rows 5:  p5, k²5

Row 6:  k²5, p5

Rows 7 & 8:  p6, k²3, p1

Row 9:  k²5, p5

Row 10:  p5, k²5

Row 11:  k²5, p5

Row 12:  p5, k²5

Row 13:  k²5, p5

Row 14:  p6, k²3, p1

Step by Step Instructions:

Cast onto your loom from left to right, using a total of 32 pegs. (Sample uses Chain Cast On)

Set Up Rows

Repeat the following 2 row pattern 3 times, for a total of 6 rows:

Row a: k32

Row b: p32

Main Pattern Rows

Repeat the following 14 row pattern 3 times, for a total of 42 rows:

Row 1:  p1, work Row 1 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Row 2:  p1, work Row 2 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Row 3:  p1, work Row 3 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Row 4:  p1, work Row 4 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Row 5:  p1, work Row 5 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Row 6:  p1, work Row 6 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Rows 7 & 8:  p1, work Row 7 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Row 9:  p1, work Row 9 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Row 10:  p1, work Row 10 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Row 11:  p1, work Row 11 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Row 12:  p1, work Row 12 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Row 13:  p1, work Row 13 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Row 14:  p1, work Row 14 of repeating pattern to last stitch, p1.

Finishing Rows

Repeat the following 2 row pattern 3 times, for a total of 6 rows:

Row a: p32

Row b: k32

Bind off all stitches loosely. (Sample uses the Basic Bind Off)  Weave in ends and trim close to work.

Block to an 8” x 8” measurement.  If you’d like to give your puffs more of a 3D affect, you can carefully place small balls of plastic wrap under each little puff during the pinning process of the blocking. I found that Glad Cling Wrap worked really well for this as it has a bit of stick to it, which helped the balls stay in place.

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 12 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″