• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • SHOP
    • Featured Patterns
    • J-Squared Knitwear Design Intensive
      • Knitwear Design Intensive Schedule
    • Knitter’s Math Webinar
    • Special Offers on New Releases!
    • Patterns
    • Why Jill Wolcott Knits Patterns are Expensive
  • BLOG
  • LEARNING
    • J-Squared Knitwear Design Intensive
      • Knitwear Design Intensive Schedule
    • Knitter’s Math Webinar
    • What Is An Action Chart?
    • Menu of Techniques
    • Techniques Library : What’s In There?
    • Abbreviations
    • Sizing Tables / Charts / Guidelines & Croquis
    • Pattern Difficulty Levels / Type of Knitting
    • Why Jill Wolcott Knits Patterns are Expensive
    • Inside a Jill Wolcott Knits Pattern
    • How-To Videos: Taming Techniques from Jill
      • Why I Love . . . Techniques
    • Jill Wolcott Knits: A Fit Background
    • 2019-2020 Workshops With Jill Wolcott Knits
    • Overview of ASOG – A System of Grading
  • ABOUT
    • J-Squared Knitwear Design Intensive
    • Designer’s Story
    • Calendar Events Schedule
    • Newsletter Archives
    • Fundraising Projects
    • Jill Wolcott Knits
      • Jill Wolcott curriculum vitae
    • Techniques Library : What’s In There?
    • Abbreviations
    • Errata
    • Privacy Notice for Jill Wolcott Knits
  • CONTACT
  • My Account
  • Press

Jill Wolcott Knits logo

July 29, 2020

Action Chart

I don’t believe I am the first to use Action charts, but if you have ever struggled to use charts, you might want to try my system.  Like a lot of things, I developed it to accommodate my own brain.  It turns out that many people who do not like charts just have the same difficulty working the wrong side from a standard chart.

Most of my stitch pattern text can be applied directly (or with minor edits) into Stitch Maps, so you can do that if you need to see what the pattern looks like from the right side.  I generally put a standard (I call them Appearance) chart into a pattern if it is important to see how the pattern looks on the right side.

What is an action chart?

Action chart for Rib, Flat

This is rib, done flat, in an Action chart.

Action chart for Seed, Flat

This is an Action chart for seed, worked flat

An Action chart is a What You See Is What You Do (WYSIWYD) chart.

Why use one?

If you have ever been confused by what stitch you are supposed to execute on the wrong side, this might be a charting system that works for you. Additionally, I use blocks with instruction when there are more than three of the same stitch consecutively so you don’t have to count boxes.

How to read an action chart?

The charts do not show what the right side of the knitting looks like when working flat, just what action you should take. The right side is always being worked when working in the round. (Note the way Seed and Stockinette differ in the round and flat.)

Whenever there are 3 or more of the same type of stitch in a row I use the colored, labeled boxes and specify how many stitches to work (k3, p3, etc.). This is to make it quick and easy to take in the information.

Action chart for in-the-round, which has the chart stair-step instead of using no stitch

Action chart for in-the-round, which has the chart stair-step instead of using no stitch

 

In my Action chart system, I also make sure that all stitches are stacked in the chart as they are in your knitting.  Often stitch patterns are written to use the fewest characters; I write them to be stacked and easy to follow.

Action Chart as originally written and changed to have a stacked repeat to exactly match your knitting

Action Chart as originally written and changed to have a stacked repeat to exactly match your knitting


Pattern Specific Variations

Sometimes, I include technique variations that are for specific patterns. I always include directions for specific techniques in the pattern itself, so be sure to also read any patterns you’re working on closely.

No Stitch for Action Charts:  Seed Bath Set Trio

This is used in charts and looks like the square on the left.
No stitch represents a stitch that is either eliminated by decreasing, or not yet made by increasing. It allows a chart to continue to the align stitches as they appear in your knitting.

Unworked Stitch in Action Charts:  German short rows

Action chart symbol for unworked stitchI use this to help visualize that only a portion of the stitches are worked on a particular row.

Share this:

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Primary Sidebar

Jill’s Story

Teacher, Designer, with expertise to lead you where you want to go as a knitter/designer. Read More…

Don’t Miss these Techniques!

Pull Sufficient yarn for BO over dropped stitch

Pull sufficient yarn into the stitch on right needle

Afghan Join in North Country

Afghan Join

difference the gauge makes: swatch ready for counting--in burly

Measuring, Measure

Action Chart as originally written and changed to have a stacked repeat to exactly match your knitting

Action Chart

Popular in the Shop

  • Lyon Cowl Jill waiting for her first dinner with others after her vaccine Lyon Cowl & Lyon Traboules Cowl $8.00 $2.00
  • French Quarter Tank on Jill French Quarter Tank $18.00
  • Rise Up Cover Rise Up Designer Collection Week 5-B $28.00
  • Positano & Steps to Positano: Spencer with Pin Positano & Steps to Positano $10.00
  • Yarn, pattern, swatch, and reading glasses that are named Cheap Therapy First 2021 Studio Chat (free) with Jill Wolcott Knits $5.00

Stay Updated

Footer

About Jill

Teacher, Designer, with expertise to lead you where you want to go as a knitter/designer.

Pattern Availability

If you live outside of the US and Canada you can now purchase Jill Wolcott Knits PDF patterns directly through Payhip.

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Ravelry

© 2021 Jill Wolcott Knits