Week 24... of the Super Stitches Knitting Project

This week's swatches were:
1) Plaited Basket Stitch
2) Trellis Stitch
3) Pebble Stitch

I expected to have quite a bit of difficulty this time around, but that was not the case.

Week 24 Swatches

SWATCH 1: Plaited Basket Stitch
 This two row repeat was quite easy. The woven appearance is unique for a knitted fabric and it really does look like a woven basket. I tried to look up a video of this stitch for you guys, but only found this one from Jimmy Beans Wool. Though my book says to cast on an even number of stitches, the video instructs you to cast on an odd number. There are a few other differences as well, but the result is the same.

Plaited Basket Swatch

The swatch has a little lengthwise stretch, and width-wise hardly any at all. The swatch you see here is barely 2.5" x 2.5" because I did not realize how much the stitch pulls in. (I cast on 22 stitches)
I am working on a larger swatch for use in the blanket and have cast on 34 stitches (which is turning out a bit large.)

I guess it's sort of difficult to guess how many stitches to cast on, and if one were using it in any design work there would have to be lots of swatching going on.
One thing I had problems with- you can see I left the mistake in on the row third from top- was forgetting the first Purl stitch on the 2nd row. Once you do make a mistake it is a bit difficult to put the stitches back where they go, because every row involves Cr2Bs or Cr2F's.
Still, I think it is a very pretty stitch, which has the benefit of being surprisingly sturdy.

SWATCH 2: Trellis Stitch
 This swatch really surprised me. The only type of trellis I have ever done is the one worked in the Nancy and Judy shawl (which I frogged due to it's complex nature and my.... simple one.) so I was expecting a very hard time. However, the stitch was very easy to work, and in fact most of it is a basic k2, p4 rib.

Trellis Stitch Swatch

The cables employed are T3L (slip 1 st onto CN and hold at front. P2, K1 from CN) and T2R (slip 2 sts onto CN and hold at back of work, K1, P2 from CAN) and they were quite easy to perform, even without a cable needle.
An attractive stitch pattern I imagine at the bib of a sweater.

SWATCH 3: Pebble Stitch
Yesterday I was pretty sure I had done this stitch wrong. Though for the life of me I can't see if and where I made a mistake- I followed the patterns directly, of course- it just did NOT look like the picture in the book.

Pebble Stitch FROM THE BOOK

Then this morning, I found this video which shows that I was doing it right. Perhaps the Fisherman's Wool is just a bad choice of yarn for certain stitch patterns. And mine doesn't look like the one in the video either. It must be the yarn.

Pebble Stitch Swatch

My swatch is quite holey, and it leans on the bias and isn't altogther attractive. I can't really see a purpose for this pattern. I thought about using it as a cuff for a fingerless glove, but remembered that the edge curls. I thought about a brim of a hat, but it's so airy it wouldn't provide warmth. It is not reversible so scarves and blankets are out. I don't know, but the swatch in the book is a lot prettier than mine, and that is kind of really disappointing.

Anyways, that's all for this week.

Next time:
1) Ridged Slip Stitch
2) Tucked Stockinette Stitch
3) Gathered Stitch

Wanna see how many swatches I have?

Oh yeah. I am dreading the finishing on this puppy.
Happy Knitting!