Second pattern structure

This pattern structure is not really representative of those to come, because it looks like stocking stitch whereas the others have a textured appearance quite different to stocking stitch. It is however based on the same technique as the others, and it clearly is not stocking stitch, because it looks like stocking stitch on both sides. Sounds somewhat like a paradox.

Knitting it in various colour sequences shows quite clearly their effects. That’s why I have chosen this one as the second pattern structure here.

It was also one of the early structures I discovered, by chance. I had started to experiment with the technique after I had knitted two patterns from Barbara Walker’s Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns. They were Carrousel Check and American Beauty Tweed. First I always used the 2 rows A/2 rows B colour sequence and knitted combinations of the four elements K, P, O and X, which I had written down on paper by chance. I also asked other people to fill in 4x4 or 4x6 squares with the symbols for these elements. One of these early trials resulted in the pattern, which one gets from colour sequence 1 in the chart below. A while later I started using different colour sequences with different structures, and in time I developed a more systematic approach to my experiments, which are still going on.

The different colour sequences in this case give the same result on both sides. That’s why there is only one picture per colour sequence. The structure makes a thick, soft, elastic fabric that is suitable to be used instead of ribbing.

It is indeed similar to Beverly Royce’s Double Faced Stockinette Pattern in Vertical Stripes, which she describes in her Notes on Double Knitting, but is not the same and needs not to be knitted on double pointed needles like hers.

This fabric is really easy to knit. Here is the chart (click to enlarge):

And here are the pictures showing the results of the different colour sequences:


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