More Seed Stitch talk as I need to get out of my studio early today. If I were a better person I would have written this last week, but I didn’t, so I am dashing this off now!
This is going to be about charting Seed Stitch. But let’s start with my first memories of Seed stitch, just for fun, and because it involves my mother discovering Seed stitch. As a further aside, Jane is in the hospital awaiting surgery on a recently broken leg. She appreciates any thoughts or prayers you can send out.
A Seed Stitch Discovery
By the time I was in eighth grade I was 5’7″ tall and my older sister, my mom, and I were all about the same size. Jane knit a cardigan sweater every year and we shared them. If it was your year, you got to choose the color. It was always the same sweater–you could have the length you wanted, but it was the same sweater: 1×1 rib, stockinette, with a sewn-on button band, backed by gros grain ribbon. That was it; Jane could knit the sweater as she got her only moments of peace on any day, sitting in the living room with only her reading light on, her feet on the ottoman, reading the New Yorker on her lap, and her needles clicking along.
Somehow Jane discovered Seed stitch, and it then meant we had the luxury of choosing color, length, and whether we had rib or seed stitch trim. While Jane knit the sweater I was likely upstairs watching TV with my dad, crocheting or doing hand sewing. If not that, then sewing some new outfit. It was a different time!
Is It Really Double Seed Stitch?
Be sure to check here if you didn’t read last Tuesday’s blog, or if you didn’t read the corrections I posted late in the week. Anyone else thinking that Seed stitch is aptly named, but if the next stitch is called Moss, then the third should be Double Moss, not Double Seed? Whatever you call them, you have to know the alternative name too because no one uses them consistently.
Here’s a nice way to remember them:
Seed stitch = (1 stitch + 1 stitch) 1 row
Moss Stitch = (1 stitch + 1 stitch) 2 rows
Double Seed/Moss = (2 stitches + 2 stitches) 2 rows
Action Charts for Seed Stitch
I had a query this week from a student taking my Craftsy class (see what is on sale! 4/21 through 4/23)* about how to make an Action Chart like those I use in the class. I’ll do a quick tutorial here using Seed stitch. I did four rows and four or five stitches for illustrative purposes. Action charts are charts where the symbol is always the same–right or wrong side–a knit is always shown as a box and a purl as a dot.
Jill Wolcott Knits Seed stitch (even number of stitches):
Row 1: *K1, p1; rep from *
Row 2: *P1, k1; rep from *
Repeat Rows 1 and 2.
So your Action chart will look like rib when you are working flat. Remember our tip from Ms. Bloom that you start the next row as you end your current row with.
Jill Wolcott Knits Seed stitch (odd number of stitches):
Row 1: *K1, p1; rep from * to last stitch, end k1
Repeat Row 1.
This chart looks exactly the same, but it has the balancing stitch at the left, so you are really charting 4 sts + 1. Technically Row 2 is: K1, *p1, k1; rep from * to last stitch to keep that extra stitch in the same position.
Jill Wolcott Knits Seed stitch (ITR, even number of stitches):
Rnd 1: *K1, p1; rep from *
Rnd 2: *P1, k1; rep from *
Repeat Rnds 1 and 2.
The written instructions seem the same as flat, but remember we start each round on the right of our chart, so it is the opposite. You can still use the Bloom Rule!
Jill Wolcott Knits Seed stitch (ITR, odd number of stitches):
Rnd 1: *K1, p1; rep from * to last st, end k1
Rnd 2: *P1, k1; rep from *, to last st, end p1
Repeat Rnds 1 and 2.
Although not as likely to be seen, the next round would always start with the opposite stitch as you ended the previous round with.
Make Your Own Moss and Double Seed/Moss Charts
I used graph paper that I downloaded from Printable Paper. I buy pads of graph paper but the lines are too light for photos. I usually do my hand charts in pencil because I am incredibly prone to mistakes! I lightened the color of the lines on the downloadable chart. Put your questions into the comments below.
*–I get a small fee if you use my links to purchase a class. The FTC wants you to know!
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