Stitches & shape
Caroline Bawn explores new patterns and techniques as she works on her Ziggurat
ONE OF the reasons I have enjoyed knitting Åsa Tricosa’s ‘Ziggurat’ pattern is that although I have been knitting for all my adult life, the patterns still offer a challenge to me. The carefully described technique boxes with each pattern, the glossary of stitches and terms, and the photo tutorials, mean that the patterns are knittable by adventurous beginners upwards.
While knitting my ‘Coucou’ Ziggurat, whose journey I have been sharing with you over the past two months, I have learnt several new stitches and techniques which give the garment its shape, detail and style.
The first ‘new’ thing to me was the linear cast-on for the top-down construction. Most other top-down sweaters I have knitted have been started with a circular cast-on for the neck. However, ‘Coucou’ and other Ziggurat variations have a straight cast-on. This is worked in sections at each end to give the neck edge shape, then worked over the top of the shoulders before a length is cast on for the front of the neck. Then it is joined in the round. This gives the Ziggurat’s shoulder and neck section a fitted shape, rather than just being a wide funnel shape down over the shoulders. It also makes Ziggurats fit well.
On the back of the ‘Coucou’ is a pleat and arrowhead detail. I must confess I had to do this three times before I got it right! It was clearly explained, but I’m not great at thinking in 3D and couldn’t work out the orientation of the sections of stitches. In the end I made a little paper pleat which helped me work out what went where, and then I was able to knit it easy peasy!
New techniques
There are many ways of short-row shaping, the most common probably being ‘wrap and turn’ and German short rows. This project used Japanese short rows for the bust dart shaping, which was a new technique for me. It has given a lovely smooth finish, without any gaps or holes, and it really does look like a bust dart of a fabric blouse or jacket. In fact, you only notice it when you look closely and see the slight change in orientation of the stitches.
The technique is explained very clearly in the pattern, and quickly became memorised and easy to place in the knitting. I like the way the patterns are written to enable shaping around the bust so that the garment fits how you want it to on your body. If you prefer a looser fit, it’s easy to adjust the pattern to suit you.
All in the details
I knitted a tiny pocket with the cable edge detail, just for fun. It was easy to follow the instructions, and now I know how to do it, I would consider adding pockets to another Ziggurat (perhaps larger, too, as this one is only tissue sized!). The cable edge adds an attractive detail, something all the Ziggurats have, and this is continued onto the sleeve hems and around the neck line.
The sleeve and neck cable details are knitted sideways, but don’t panic: once you start, it all makes sense! You work on the cable stitches and attach it to the garment edge on every other (WS) row by knitting two together. I did knit the neck cable differently than suggested because my cable joins are not very neat. The pattern suggests neck joins at front and back, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get a nice enough join at the front for it to look right. So I started at the centre back, by counting stitches, and worked from there, being careful to pick up and work the same number of stitches of both sides of the front and back neck. I also worked out the total number of stitches I would pick up, and worked out the cable repeats to ensure that I had a cable central front for a neat and symmetrical look.
All in all, I have learned several new techniques and been challenged with this Ziggurat. I’ve really enjoyed it! Hope you enjoy knitting yours too.
NEXT MONTH: Caroline prepares to finish and block her Ziggurat project