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January 04, 2006
Working Travelling Twisted Stitches
Beverly asked in comments to a previous post if someone could explain how to work the travelling stitches. I'll try to do that here, but please feel free to correct any errors I make in my explanations. I don't use a cable needle, and there is more than one way to work these stitches, this is just the way that works for me. ADDED LATER: At the bottom of this post are directions for travelling twisted stitches using a cable needle thanks to Julie. Try them both and see which works for you!
There are four basic symbols used in these patterns. In each of them the *flying fish* represents a twisted stitch on the right side travelling to the right or the left over a purl or a knit stitch. In two of the symbols for travelling stitches there is a small horizontal line underneath the *flying fish* indicating that the stitch that will "trade places" with the travelling twisted stitch is a purl (when looked at from the right side of the work). A symbol with a *flying fish* leaning to the right with a small horizontal line is worked as follows:
On the right side, work to one stitch before the knit stitch that will travel, with the yarn held in front slip the next stitch, knit the next stitch tbl (through the back loop), insert the left hand needle into the back of the second stitch (slipped stitch) on the right hand needle and move it to the left hand needle letting the first stitch slip off of the needle for a second and pick it up again with the right hand needle, purl the next stitch.
To work this same symbol from the wrong side work to the stitch that will be travelling, with the yarn held in front of the needle, slip the stitch, knit the next stitch, insert the left hand needle into the back of the second stitch (slipped stitch) on the right hand needle and move it to the left hand needle letting the first stitch drop off the needle for a second and pick it up with the right hand needle, purl the next stitch TBL (twisting it).
WHEW! Got that? Okay. Now to work a symbol with a *flying fish* leaning to the left with a horizontal line beneath it do this:
On the right side, Work to the stitch that will travel and with the yarn held in back slip the stitch to the right hand needle, purl the next stitch, insert the left hand needle into the front of the second stitch on the right hand needle moving it to the left needle and letting the first stitch drop off the needle for a second, pick it up with the right hand needle, knit the next stitch tbl.
On the wrong side work to one stitch before the stitch that is to travel, with the yarn held behind the needle slip the next stitch, purl the next stitch tbl, insert the left hand needle into the second stitch on the right hand needle from the front and move it to the left hand needle letting the first stitch drop off for a second and picking it up with the right hand needle, knit the next stitch.
There are also *flying fish* symbols without the small horizontal lines beneath them. They are worked the same way, but on the right side all stitches are knitted and on the wrong side all are purled, working the stitches crossing on the right side of the work as twisted stitches or through the back loop. Let me know if you want me to detail those, or I could try to get pictures of all of them as I work them and post them to my blog if needed. Hope this helps!
Julie's cable needle instructions for travelling twisted stitches:
I posted this deep within the comments of another post, but for the sake of having them together, here is how (I believe)to do the cables WITH a cable needle.
A fish flying up to the right with no line beneath is done as follows: take first stitch to back on cable needle. Knit next stitch through the back loop. Knit the stitch off the cable needle regularly. Flying fish up to the right with a line underneath: take first stitch to back on cable neelde. Knit next stitch through the back loop. PURL stitch off of cable needle.
Flying fish pointing up and to the left without a line underneath: put first stitch on cable needle and pull to front. Knit the next stitch normally, then knit the stitch off the cable needle through the back loop. For a flying fish pointing up and to the left WITH a line underneath: put first stitch on cable needle and pull to front. PURL next stitch, then knit the stitch off the cable needle through the back loop.
This is because without a line, you knit the stitch which will be in the back and with the line, you Purl the stitch that will be in the back. With both types of fish, you are knitting through the back loop of the front stitch.
Now, on the purl side, if I am not mistaken you make the cables as follows:
FLying fish up to right with no line: take first stitch to back on cable needle. PURL next stich (because you want it to look like a knit on the public side) without twisting, as this will be the BACK stitch from the public side. Next, purl the stitch off the cable needle through the back loop, as it will be the FRONT stitch from the public side. When there IS a line underneath, take the first stitch to the back, KNIT the next stitch, because you want it to look like a purl on the public side. Then, PURL the stitch off the cable needle through the back loop, since it is the front stitch on the public side.
For flying fish pointing up to the left on the purl side without a line underneath: put first stitch on cable needle and bring towards you. PURL the next stitch through the back loop, as it will be the FRONT stitch on the public side. Then, purl the stitch off the cable needle normally, so it looks like a knit stitch on the public side. If there IS a line underneath, put first stitch on cable needle and bring towards you. PURL next stitch through the back loop, as it will be the FRONT stitch from the public side. Then, KNIT the stitch off the cable needle so that it looks like a purl stitch on the public side.
I hope that is right and I hope that it helps. I'm posting this when I'm half asleep, so forgive my mistakes if I'm wrong. I did it this way and it worked.
Posted by terry at January 4, 2006 12:25 AM
Comments
I posted this deep within the comments of another post, but for the sake of having them together, here is how (I believe)to do the cables WITH a cable needle.
A fish flying up to the right with no line beneath is done as follows: take first stitch to back on cable needle. Knit next stitch through the back loop. Knit the stitch off the cable needle regularly.
Flying fish up to the right with a line underneath: take first stitch to back on cable neelde. Knit next stitch through the back loop. PURL stitch off of cable needle.
Flying fish pointing up and to the left without a line underneath: put first stitch on cable needle and pull to front. Knit the next stitch normally, then knit the stitch off the cable needle through the back loop. For a flying fish pointing up and to the left WITH a line underneath: put first stitch on cable needle and pull to front. PURL next stitch, then knit the stitch off the cable needle through the back loop.
This is because without a line, you knit the stitch which will be in the back and with the line, you Purl the stitch that will be in the back. With both types of fish, you are knitting through the back loop of the front stitch.
Now, on the purl side, if I am not mistaken you make the cables as follows:
FLying fish up to right with no line: take first stitch to back on cable needle. PURL next stich (because you want it to look like a knit on the public side) without twisting, as this will be the BACK stitch from the public side. Next, purl the stitch off the cable needle through the back loop, as it will be the FRONT stitch from the public side. When there IS a line underneath, take the first stitch to the back, KNIT the next stitch, because you want it to look like a purl on the public side. Then, PURL the stitch off the cable needle through the back loop, since it is the front stitch on the public side.
For flying fish pointing up to the left on the purl side without a line underneath: put first stitch on cable needle and bring towards you. PURL the next stitch through the back loop, as it will be the FRONT stitch on the public side. Then, purl the stitch off the cable needle normally, so it looks like a knit stitch on the public side. If there IS a line underneath, put first stitch on cable needle and bring towards you. PURL next stitch through the back loop, as it will be the FRONT stitch from the public side. Then, KNIT the stitch off the cable needle so that it looks like a purl stitch on the public side.
I hope that is right and I hope that it helps. I'm posting this when I'm half asleep, so forgive my mistakes if I'm wrong. I did it this way and it worked.
Posted by: Julie at January 4, 2006 08:19 AM
Terry and Julie, A big thank you for explaining the symbols. Julie since I use a cable needle your explanation was very helpful to me. I have only been knitting a couple of years so I was able to picture how the stitches worked with the cable needle a little better.
I have knitted quite a few sweaters but I was worried I wouldn't be able to knit this project when I started swatching the "flying fish" (and doing it wrong :) ) Now I feel much better. Susan
Posted by: susan at January 4, 2006 08:58 AM
Thank you both! Especially to you Julie, as I found I couldn't do the cabling without the needle! I did mess up a bit on my first wrong side row, but I'll get it right the next time through. I'm up to row 4 :o) Just swatching with some Cascade 220 to get used to the pattern. I ordered a skein of each of three different yarns from Elann to see how they'll do.
Posted by: Jen at January 4, 2006 06:09 PM