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.
Thank you so much for this information! I’d like to try knit a sweater on the “wrong” side for the first time, and really struggled to find out how until your article. Much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteThis is going to sound dumb but would you say that for a sock pattern that I would purl in the round (so “inside out”) all I have to do is “translating” the pattern so all decreases and increases are done with purling?
ReplyDeleteSorry, I'm not sure if I understand your question. It depends what you mean by translating. Definitely, all decreases or increases will be done with purling, but beware that when knitting on the wrong side, you are working in the opposite direction. So, whatever stitches you work have to be worked in reverse order (whether these are increases, decreases or any other type of stitches). In other words, reversing the order of the stitches must be included in the "translation". That was what I was trying to explain in this post, but I think I may have made it more confusing than necessary. Another way to think, if you're used to read charts, is the following: you read all RS rows of the chart from right to left, and all WS from left to right. Then, working in the round, you work either all rounds as a RS row (in other styles) or as a WS row (in Portuguese style). I hope I'm not making this even more confusing.
DeleteThank you for your response!! I hear you when you say the reverse order, but I am thinking it won't matter as much in a "mirror" project like sock knitting -- meaning all the decreases/increases happen in tandem (if I am explaining myself correctly!!)
DeleteI'm trying to arrive at a 'foolproof' purl-only, no frills sock pattern i can make for gifting!! I'm finding that some of the old portuguese sock knitting ways don't even make the distinction between stitches leaning right or left, and also did not bother too much with the toe!!
Yes, you're right. I wasn't sure what pattern you were thinking of. If it's a simple sock pattern and, say, you're thinking about shaping the toe region or, possibly, the gussets, then the orientation of the stitches does not make a huge difference. On the other hand, in my experience, it does make a difference (I mean the sock will look a little better if you use the correct orientation) and it is very trivial to account for it. In this case, you're always using paired increases or decreases. For example, in the case of paired decreases, you do the following: replace k2tog with ssp and ssk with p2tog. And similarly for the paired increases (replace k stitches with p stitches and right- with left- leaning and vice-versa). That's all. I hope that helps.
Delete