While this week we revisit good yarn, friends, and look at new textures in knitting, I would be remiss in not including the Deluxe Superwash line. More than a couple of years ago (this yarn does hold up as a classic), I designed with the Deluxe Worsted Tweed line. Much more recently I designed a modular blanket and a sweater with the Deluxe Stripes line. And only a couple of years ago, Cynthia MacDougall highlighted many of the features of Deluxe DK and Worsted solids. Today, I want to share a nifty work-around for creating nupps, even though a purist would say “not even close!” Some might call these leaning bud stitches bobbles, but they’re not quite raised enough for that. Come along and let’s explore!
If you like raised textures, these leaning bud stitches are fun to make.
Teal is my all-time favorite color. I’m so lucky I was able to knit this swatch with the Azure Heather color of Deluxe DK Superwash. Without further ado, let’s get right to the Leaning Bud Stitch itself, and then we’ll incorporate it into the whole swatch, blanket, sweater…whatever you wish to do. The Leaning Bud stitch is worked over 3 rows and 3 stitches. The first row sets up some elongated stitches, the 2nd row creates the bud, and the 3rd row cinches it off and stabilizes it in the surrounding stitches and rows.
Lb-st (Leaning Bud stitch): Slip next 3 sts of LH dropping extra wraps and return to LH needle, insert RH needle under horizontal bar between 3rd and 4th sts on LH needle and knit up a loop, drawing it across all three stitches on LH needle and about a cm further, wrap yarn around RH needle clockwise, *Insert RH needle between 3rd and 4th sts (not below horizontal bar again) on LH needle and knit up a loop, drawing it across all three stitches*, wrap yarn around RH needle clockwise, rep btwn * * (5 loops on RH needle), k3tog through back loops, (6 sts made from 3).
Maybe you would prefer to watch how to do this from a video.
Abbreviations
K: Knit
K4tog-tbl: Knit 4 stitches together through their back loops
LH: Left hand
P: Purl
Pdbl (purl with double wrap): Insert RH needle purlwise in next st, wrap needle twice and purl drawing both loops through.
Rep: Repeat(s/ed/ing)
RH: Right hand
St(s): Stitch(es)
[ ]: Repeat instructions between square brackets as indicated
The Leaning Bud stitches look different from every angle.
Leaning Bud Stitch
Cast on a multiple of 4 stitches, plus 3.
Work 2 rows stockinette stitch.
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: P3, [pdbl3, p1] across to last 4 sts, p4.
Row 3: K5, [lb-st, k1] across to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 4: P3, [p first 2 sts from lb-st, k4tog-tbl, p1] across to last 4 sts, p4.
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: P5, [pdbl3, p1] across to last 2 sts, p2.
Row 7: K3, [lb-st, k1] across to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 8: P5, [p first 2 sts from lb-st, k4tog-tbl, p1] across to last 2 sts, p2.
Rep Rows 1 – 8 for pattern.
The Leaning Bud stitch from the side
I hope you try this stitch in your designs! Please share any pictures with us in the comments.
This is part 3 of 5 in this series
Go back to part 2: Oodles of noodles with crisscrossed ribbing in Bella Chenille yarn
Go to part 4: Taking Bamboo Pop yarn for a “bumpy” ride