Generating Charts for Knitting Patterns Part 2 Types of Designs

Knitting design requires the designer to take many things into consideration.  One of those things is they type of stitch pattern or patterns to be used.

There are many good design books and articles giving the wheres and hows to integrate the stitch pattern into the design shape and how to calculate the various sections as to stitch and row counts, increases, decreases, bind offs and cast ons.

When charting you need to think more about the motif or stitch patterns you've selected. When I am designing it is easier for me to think about how the motif of the pattern moves.  There are four ways: vertically, horizontally, both vertically and horizontally, or not at all. Color, texture, cable, and lace patterns all fit into four categories.

Thinking about motifs in context of movement helps me better see the motif composition and helps me better balance the pattern. This makes charting easier.

Other designers have their own ways of approaching this. This is my own method for working design.  It also helps me better explain how the motifs work.

Balance in knitting design is important. Balance gives viewers the feeling that all parts of the work are in equilibrium. In knitting, this sometimes means the stitch elements are symmetrical, vertically and horizontally.  I use the term symmetrical but there are many asymmetrical designs, they are also balanced by other means.


Types of Charted Patterns: 

• Vertical-design moves vertically with spacer stitches in between. 
• Horizontal--design moves horizontally for a set number of rows and needs to be centered.
• Tessellated-design moves both horizontally and vertically. Also called all over pattern.
• Free form--design has limited or no multiples and repeats.

Lace, Color and Cable patterns can be all of the above. 

The following are examples:

The charts show more than one multiple and repeat to illustrate the type of design. 

Notice the motif moves vertically. I must have more motifs on top of the original for the design to make sense.

Here the design moves horizontally. I could place the same design above or a different design and this basic motif won't change. Moving horizontally produces the patterning.

Her the design moves both horizontally as well as vertically.

Notice there is no multiple or repeat. This picture stands on it's own without the need of another motif.