Sequence knitting: the number of stitches

It may not be obvious but, in sequence knitting, the total number of stitches in a row is as important to the final pattern that results from knitting a specific sequence as the sequence itself. Change it and the results will vary dramatically. This is nothing new, every knitter knows that the simplest of sequences, k1, p1, results in either a 1x1 rib or seed stitch depending if one works in an odd or even number of stitches. With a 2 stitch sequence these are the only two possibilities, but, of course, more complex sequences allow for many more options and therefore creative freedom.

The picture above (click on it to enlarge it), taken from Campochiaro's book, shows two (out of the 4) different possibilities obtained by changing the number of stitches, using the simple 1-row sequence k3, p1.

Talking about Campochiaro's book, in my previous post, I mentioned that I have not been able to read the book and that my reflections on this subject were my own. Unsurprisingly, in a way, my reflections are not very far from Campochiaro's after all. What I have called straight knitting in that post, she calls serpentine knitting. She also differentiates it from 1-row sequence knitting (which she gives the same name as I do. Remember we have both taken the name from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, as mentioned in my 1st post on this subject). I do not think she considers two (or more)-rows sequence knitting and I agree that is a bit of a stretch. Using two simple sequences on alternate rows may still be considered a form of sequence knitting, but push the concept any further and it loses sense. Another reason not to complicate the concept further is that there is already an endless number of possibilities to explore when playing with single sequences and different numbers of stitches. And this is the main conclusion of this short post.