PWYC Border Graph

I had already mapped this border graph off once, but after casting on all 443 stitches for the body and then counting them off from the center back toward the front edges I found that the pattern repeat didn't fall quite where I had originally placed it. I kind of expected that, but you know, a gal can always hope. Anyway, this turned out to be a good thing (if you overlook the fact that I had to remap it) because, the second time around, the repeats ended up falling in a BETTER position than origially mapped. This graph of only 59 stitches represents all 438 body stitches (5 of the 443 cast on are used for the steek). It shows how the center back will be reversed (marked by the green block) and how the design changes direction at the lower front corners.



It worked out perfectly for a simple, yet attractive, direction change arrangement in those front corners! Yay!

On this graph the purl stitches are marked by the ' - ' symbol. It is a "Purl When You Can" border which is supposed to prevent the edge curling that occures when a garment is done completely in stockinette stitch. With this technique you (of course) "purl when you can". That means anytime you are working a stitch that is the same color as the one below it, you purl the stitch rather than knit it. Using this technique allows a color work pattern to be used right up to the edge of the garment with no hem and no garter stitch border. I must give Meg Swansen full credit for this innovation. I read about it in her pattern "Giant Latvian-Mitten Cardigan". (Wool Gathering #67) My border graph is based on the border she uses in that cardigan, with my own adaptions for stitch count resulting in a different front corner treatment.