pattern repeats and corners

Working out how to include corner increases.

As well as knowing how corners work, you also need to be able to incorporate corner increases into the stitch count of your base round, so that your pattern repeat will work. It’s easier than it sounds.

First of all, you need to decide where you want to position your edging pattern’s shapes in relation to the corners – do you want the shapes to sit on either side of the corner or on the corner? Every edging pattern is different but we’ll show you some examples so you can apply the techniques to any edging pattern.

It’s usually slightly easier to position the shapes to sit on either side of the corner – you can end one pattern repeat shape at the end of one side and then start the next shape at the start of the next side, therefore treating each side independently.

For example, with our shell pattern, work the dc stitch that ends the shell into the corner stitch. Turn the fabric and start the edging pattern again at the corner stitch to start the next side – you shouldn’t need to work any other increases at the corner stitch (see Diagram 1). This makes the base round maths simple – just count the stitches down one side, including the two marked corner stitches at each end, and make sure this fits with the pattern repeat of 4 plus 1. You’ll need to start the first pattern repeat at a corner stitch.

If you’d prefer the shape to sit right on the corner, you usually need to plan how to make the shape work with the corner increases (if the pattern doesn’t explain how). For example, with our shell pattern, you could form a shell arc around the corner by positioning the centre of the shell to fall at the corner stitch and then working more stitches to take the shell shape around the corner (see Diagram 2). The base round maths for this is a little different – you’ll need to drop the ‘plus 1’ from the pattern repeat because you’re working the pattern continuously instead of stopping and starting again. Then just make sure the stitch count down each side (including the two marked

corner stitches at each end) is a multiple of 4. You’ll need to start the first pattern repeat 2 stitches away from the corner stitch.

Here’s another example. With our picot edging, the pattern is mostly plain dc stitches so you’ll have to work the usual 3dc at the corner stitch. Luckily the pattern repeat is 3, which makes things simpler. On your base round, you need to count the stitches down one side, this time excluding the marked corner stitches, and make sure this is a multiple of 3.

To position a picot right at the corner, start the pattern repeat in the corner stitch – work 2dc into the corner, then work the picot, then work the final dc into the corner and then continue with the pattern repeat (see Diagram 3). To keep the corner plain and position the picots evenly on each side of the corner, start the pattern repeat in the corner stitch – work the 3dc into the corner, then work the picot, then continue with the pattern repeat (see Diagram 4).