Shaping on the purl side
This is a post on increases and decreases, and in particular on the correspondence between those worked on the purl and knit sides. In this post I talked a little about it, and I was sure I'd written another post on this subject before, but I cannot find it. So I must write it, even if I risk repeating myself.
This subject is particularly important for Portuguese knitters, because when we read a pattern that is knit in the round, for example, we must translate it before knitting, since normal patterns are written for working on the knit side, but when knitting Portuguese one works on the purl side. Even patterns that are knit flat are often easier to execute when translated, simply because all varieties of purl stitches (ex: p2tog instead of k2tog, pfb instead of kfb) are easier to execute.
To be begin with, here is a simple translation table of the main stitches:
This may seem very simple, but there is a further complication. When you knit on the purl side, you're knitting in the opposite direction. So in addition to translating the stitches, you need to reverse the order of the stitches!
When you have paired decreases, for example "ssk, k2, k2tog", this translates to "p2tog, k2, ssp". Most often you can use this simple translation, but be careful if patterns are not symmetric. What do I mean by that? Well most patterns, like sweaters, shawls, and socks have symmetric shaping, because our bodies are symmetric, the left side has identical dimensions to the right side. To be more concrete, when knitting a raglan sweater, for example, one knits n stitches for one shoulder, one set of pair decreases (or increases), N stitches for the chest, another pair of decreases, n stitches for the other shoulder. See how, if you reverse the order, you get exactly the same! So most patterns you'll find the translation is straightforward, but not always.
Lace: Lace is when a less experienced Portuguese knitter gets into trouble, if he/she forgets to reverse the order of the stitches.
I'll give a very simple example of a pattern (actually three) to illustrate this:
The three stitch patterns, all belonging to the Faggoting family, are very similar, but do have surprisingly different appearances. In particular, the purse stitch is not the wrong side of the Turkish stitch, as you might expect, but a different stitch.
To conclude, I'd like to remind that there are two ways to work a ssp stitch : (1) slip 1 knitwise twice, return 2 stitches back to left needle and purl them through the back loop; (2) purl one, slip one knitwise, return 2 stitches back to left needle, pass slip stitch over purl one. Both are annoying, but try them on and choose your favourite.
This subject is particularly important for Portuguese knitters, because when we read a pattern that is knit in the round, for example, we must translate it before knitting, since normal patterns are written for working on the knit side, but when knitting Portuguese one works on the purl side. Even patterns that are knit flat are often easier to execute when translated, simply because all varieties of purl stitches (ex: p2tog instead of k2tog, pfb instead of kfb) are easier to execute.
To be begin with, here is a simple translation table of the main stitches:
| knit | purl |
| k2tog | p2tog |
| ssk | ssp |
| kfb | pfb |
When you have paired decreases, for example "ssk, k2, k2tog", this translates to "p2tog, k2, ssp". Most often you can use this simple translation, but be careful if patterns are not symmetric. What do I mean by that? Well most patterns, like sweaters, shawls, and socks have symmetric shaping, because our bodies are symmetric, the left side has identical dimensions to the right side. To be more concrete, when knitting a raglan sweater, for example, one knits n stitches for one shoulder, one set of pair decreases (or increases), N stitches for the chest, another pair of decreases, n stitches for the other shoulder. See how, if you reverse the order, you get exactly the same! So most patterns you'll find the translation is straightforward, but not always.
Know your knitting: When knitting eyelets, lace and similar stitch patterns, one uses yarn-overs paired with decreases. This pairing is not arbitrary, there is an ideal order for it (although this order can be reversed for specific purposes, see for example the difference between the Faggoting and Turkish stitches bellow). Ideally, the decrease should slant in the direction of the yarn-over. So, an eyelet, for example, can be either knit "yo, k2tog" or "ssk, yo". Both look fine, but the reverse order would look wonky. Often lace stitches reverse this order intentionally for effect.
Eyelets: Usually an eyelet is done this way "yo, k2tog", this translates to "p2tog, yo".Lace: Lace is when a less experienced Portuguese knitter gets into trouble, if he/she forgets to reverse the order of the stitches.
I'll give a very simple example of a pattern (actually three) to illustrate this:
| Faggoting stitch (even number of stitches) | Turkish stitch (even number of stitches) | Purse stitch (even number of stitches) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| knit | purl | knit | purl | ||
| k1, * yo, ssk, repeat from *, k1 | p1, * ssp, yo, repeat from *, p1 | k1, * yo, k2tog, repeat from *, k1 | p1, * p2tog, yo, repeat from *, p1 | k1, * yo, p2tog, repeat from *, k1 | p1, * k2tog, yo, repeat from *, p1 |
The three stitch patterns, all belonging to the Faggoting family, are very similar, but do have surprisingly different appearances. In particular, the purse stitch is not the wrong side of the Turkish stitch, as you might expect, but a different stitch.
To conclude, I'd like to remind that there are two ways to work a ssp stitch : (1) slip 1 knitwise twice, return 2 stitches back to left needle and purl them through the back loop; (2) purl one, slip one knitwise, return 2 stitches back to left needle, pass slip stitch over purl one. Both are annoying, but try them on and choose your favourite.
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