Week 25....of the Super Stitches Knitting Project.

(Has anyone else noticed how lax I am getting with this?)

This week's stitch patterns were:
1) Ridged Slip Pattern
2) Tucked Stockinette Stitch
3) Gathered Stitch

Week 25 Swatches

 SWATCH 1:  Ridged Slip Stitch
This slip stitch retains a nice stretch, and is easy to produce. The reverse side is unattractive, but the front is reminiscent of a pretty trellis pattern with much less effort involved.

Ridged Slip Stitch Swatch

This 8 row repeat is worked over a multiple of 4 stitches. I imagine this stitch would do well in a hat, and that addition of one or more colors would only increase the visual interest.

SWATCH 2: Tucked Stockinette Stitch
Feel free to laugh at this swatch. This is probably my favorite swatch ever. It is so... UGLY! But you can see how much I improved, from the first attempt at the bottom to the last one at the top. I love when I work a swatch and it teaches me that 1) I am not an expert knitter (at all) and that 2) I can improve my skills. Of course, that is why I embarked on this little project.

Tucked Stockinette Swatch

So yes, this swatch was made by knitting in stockinette for a few rows, then adding in a purl row, and knitting in stockinette again. Then, you fold at the purl row and pick up stitches from the reverse side and knit them together with the working stitches. At first I had difficulty (obviously) with picking up stitches along the same row. This was a very good lesson for me, and one I wish I had taken before I added the hems to my Ski Sweater. (Which aren't as imperfect as that first row, thank goodness, but still not exactly beautiful.) I can't imagine actually using this stitch pattern in a garment (unless it's a skirt, but even then the tucked edges add a lot of weight) but I do like using it to practice for things like picot edges, etc.

SWATCH 3: Gathered Stitch
This is one of those stitch patterns that I've always looked at and thought, "I know how to do that." And it's true, of course, but when you actually DO it, it lends a new perspective.

Gathered Stitch Swatch

I like this stitch pattern in person a lot more than I had thought I would. Again, I can't see much use for it though. I mean, we've all seen the Gathered Scarf on Ravelry that I assume employs something similar, but the reverse side of this stitch pattern is quite ugly so I can't imagine using it for that. Using it for a purse would be acceptable, although would it perhaps be awkward to have some parts of your purse stretch more than others? A beanie? Well, for now it is a swatch and an experience.

Next week (which may or may not actually be next week) swatches are:
1) Risotto Stitch (reversible)
2) Waffle Stitch
3) Clam Stitch

(For those of you who have just started following my blog, the Super Stitches Knitting Project is something I have been doing since June 2011: Every week I knit 3 swatches from this stitch dictionary to try to increase my competence and experience as a knitter. Eventually the swatches will be sewn into a blanket, but for now they take up room in a closet. At this juncture I am almost a quarter of the way done.)

That's it for today~
Happy Knitting!