Yarn on Thursday: Stitch Edition - Week 18

The project: Knitting all the stitches in KnittingOnTheNet.com's Stitch Directory.
The yarn: Anything you want. I'm using a Phentex "Monster Ball of Yarn" (32 oz. 100% acrylic), which won't block, but will give good stitch definition.
The needles: Again, whatever you want that goes with your yarn. I'm using my beloved Lantern Moon size 7s, because they're pretty.
Why this is happening: Because lots of people want to learn new stitches this year!

This week's stitches: #61 Garter Eyelet , #62 Garter Lace, #63 Lace Ribbing, #64 Lacy Lattice, #65 Ladder Rib and #66 Little Shell

Since I remembered to take all the photos I was supposed to for last week's post, we can jump right in this week! Since I ended the Garland Stitch on the RS of the strip, I did 5 rows of seed stitch to get me *back* on the RS to begin Garter Eyelet. This is worked over any odd number of stitches, and since I'm already at 21 pattern stitches (with five seed stitches before and four seed stitches after on each RS row), I'll stay there. As it's a very simple six-row repeat, but it really does scrunch down on itself. I'll do five repeats for a total of 30 rows, just to make it kinda match the adjoining squares.


Garter Eyelet Front
What I noticed about this pattern: I actually took a picture of the back of the swatch (below) before figuring out that no, that wasn't the front. So hey - it's reversible! Because of the garter-stitch base, it takes a LOT of yarn - about the same as garter stitch, actually, so take that into account when you're planning to use it.


Garter Eyelet Back
Six rows of seed stitch, and Garter Lace begins. This stitch is a (multiple of 2)+2, and since some pattern areas coming up will be much narrower than what I've been doing, I'll kick it down to 18+2, or 20 pattern stitches, with five seed stitches before and after for the borders. This is a 10-row pattern, so two repeats will be 20 rows. However, it's heavy on the "garter" - so I ended up doing 30 rows and three repeats, just to make it look like a normal-sized swatch. (Followed by another six rows of seed stitch, of course.)

What I noticed about this pattern: The back side actually looks pretty cool on this one - here, I took the back photo on purpose. Looks like the Roman Stripe from two weeks ago, actually... hmm. Both this and the Garter Eyelet above are nice alternatives to yards and yards of plain garter stitch, if you get bored with that easily (as I tend to do).
Lace Ribbing Is a (multiple of 7), so the pattern area will be 21 stitches, with five seed stitches before and four seed stitches after on each RS row. It's a simple four-row repeat, so five repeats will give me 20 rows.(Followed by six rows of garter stitch. Again.)
What I noticed about this pattern: Very pretty - it looks like little leaves! It's easy, too - not quite mindless-stockinette easy, but close enough. Would make up as a very nice sweater, I think. It also pulls in quite a bit (not scads, but noticably), so it could be cute for something along the lines of Tempting or Tempting II, just to change 'em up a bit. (Why, yes, I am planning to knit a variation on Tempting II using this patttern. Why do you ask?)

Lacy Lattice is a (multiple of 6)+1, so I'll go down to 19 stitches for the pattern area, with six seed stitches before and five seed stitches after on each RS row. The pattern is over eight rows, so three repeats will give me 24 rows. (Gee. Ends on the WS. Guess how many rows of seed stitch before the next swatch? Six? That's right!!)
What I noticed about this pattern: Um. It's not terribly attractive. Why the purl stitches on the right side? While yes, it goes well with the rest of my blanket strip, I don't think I'd use it anywhere else. Some stitches just aren't my cup of tea!

Ladder Rib says it requires "two selvedge stitches, one on each side, to be worked in stockinette or garter stitch", and that it's a (multiple of 4)+ 2+ 2 as a result. Well, I don't have to worry about the selvedge, since I've already got my seed stitch border going, so for me, it's a (multiple of 4)+2. Since the previous pattern was at 19 stitches, and the next pattern will be at 16, I'll use (4x4)+2 to make the pattern 18 stitches wide, with six seed stitches before and after. (And six more rows of seed stitch after that.) It's a six-row pattern, so four repeats will give me 24 rows.


What I noticed about this pattern: It is advertised as "not a true ribbing that will pull in." It actually does pull in a bit, but not that much. I ended up doing the "selvedge stitches" just because (mostly since it makes a 20-stitch pattern area). It tends to kick to the right, because of the columns of k2tog, so it needs blocking. Other than that - not bad. Interesting on the vertical - but I think I prefer the Lace Ribbing. All a matter of personal choice, luckily - if you love it, go for it!

Little Shell is a (multiple of 7)+2. I don't want to kick up to 23 stitches wide, since I haven't had a narrow area for a really long time, so I'll make this pattern 16 stitches wide, with seven seed stitches before and after. It's a four-row repeat, but kinda pretty, so I'll do five repeats for a total of 20 rows. Since I'm still ending on the WS, there will be six rows of seed stitch before the next swatch.


What I noticed about this pattern: Like the Lacy Lattice above, there's a lot of purling-on-the-front here. Here, however, it actually makes little cockleshells, which are quite pretty! Um. Really. I should've paid more attention to the light on this shot, sorry - but really, you get little scoops with purl ruffles at the bottom, and in real life, they really do look like little shells!

Side note for the week: this is my fifth day off caffiene, so really, it's a miracle I got everything knitted in the first place for this week - you almost didn't get Little Shells at all, but I hung in there last night, and managed to stay awake all the way until 8:30 p.m. (Yes, I used to crash at about 1am - this "lots of sleep" thing is new to me. Probably healthier, too, but it does cut into my knitting time!)

A note on the whole project: Since there are 139 131 stitch patterns (some are listed under multiple headings), plus 7 different edgings in KnittingOnTheNet.com's Stitch Directory, I'll be trying to do two to three stitches a week, minimum. This should get everyone a goodly number of new stitches by the end of the year, and hopefully get me a blanket. No worries if you "fall behind" or "start late" - this is for fun & education, there isn't *really* a time limit of any sort on it. If you're just discovering this project, this link will take you to the beginning, and this link will pull up all the related entries. Just knit on, and have fun!