Allo allo allo, look what we have here! Two dozen lovely natural fibre hats for babies have arrived from near and far (one from Barb in Adelaide). Thank you to all the generous creative knitters who have given them. Please don’t stop. The first batch will be given to the midwives at the end of August and I’m greedily hoping for more. Don’t forget that it’s good way of using scraps, trying out a new stitch pattern, and a way to keep your hands busy while you mull the possibilities for your next fabulous project. All natural fibre donations are welcome. Garments, too. Keep ‘em coming………….

 

–Mel 

 

note: if you would like to make a hat and don’t have a pattern, look on the menu at right for “Lucia’s Organic Beanie”. 

 

 

 

 

I love knitting for my house as much as I love knitting for family and friends. It started back during my Christchurch childhood, when I busied myself making tiny curtains, pillows, bed covers and clothing for the fairies who lived in the shoebox house I made for them and placed down the end of the garden beside the chook house. Those were grateful fairies. They left me notes written in a tiny, delicate hand and pencils engraved with my name. Strange that I never met them. Years after they’d vacated their sodden and sad cardboard version of my ideal suburban paradise, my sister confessed that she had written the letters, but stopped when our parents decided that my fairy fantasy had developed into an obsession (shades of things to come). So they put an abrupt but discreet end to it. 

All right, I confess, I’ve always been a homemaker and proud of it.

When David and I moved into our new Auckland home last year, we resolved, after years of living with two Labradors and a decomposed granite garden path, to adopt a no-shoe policy. Although attractive in a Tuscan garden sort of way, DG is destructive because it clings to your shoes and the dog’s paws and finds its way inside to be ground into your precious floors. After more than a year of living shoeless, I now have a love affair with Havaianas, and have to report that it makes a world of difference to the floors. We’re diligent about it, too, taking our shoes off even for a quick return trip to retrieve our forgotten grocery bags. We’ve found that once you start, it’s hard to go back. Friends, family, plumbers and knitters have been surprisingly accommodating, and don’t seem to mind pausing at the door to flick off their footwear. So far shoes have been left outside, or on rainy days, on an unsightly old towel just inside the door. One of these days I’ll find just the right little wooden rack to hold them. For now, this knitted mat will do just fine and adds a touch of humour to the front hall. It’s cotton and washable and could also double as a bath mat. I used a heavy cotton to line it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’d not tried Domino Knitting until recently. Vivian Hoxbro’s little book is an excellent tutorial which makes the possibilities seem endless.

Knits From a Painter’s Palette, by Maie Landra of Koigu Wool Designs is also full of inspiration and ideas for variations on this technique and others. 

For this mat I’ve alternated garter stitch with mitred squares, although you could make them all mitred. One of the best things about domino knitting is that there is a minimum of sewing involved, as stitches are picked up for each new square.

 

Three-Green Shoe Mat

 

Yarn

Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Organic Cotton; 137m/150yds, 100gm; 1 hank ea, 633-Pickle (A), 607-Lemongrass (B), 604-Aloe(C).

 

Needles:

Size 5mm [US8] circular needle

 

Notions

2 stitch markers

1/2 meter of lining fabric.

Cotton thread to match lining.

 

Finished Measurements

34cmx75cm [13.5 x29.5]”

 

Gauge

In garter stitch, 15 sts and 25 rows per 10cm[4”]

 

Stripe Pattern

Cast on with B. Knit 1 row.

Work 2 rows garter with A, C, B, A, C, & B.

With A, work 1 row knit, 1 row purl.

Work 2 rows garter st with: B, C, and A, B

With C, work 1 row knit, 1 row purl.

Work 2 rows garter with: A, C, B, and A, C.

With B, work 1 row knit, 1 row purl

Work 2 rows garter with:A,C,B.

With A, work 1 row knit, 1 row purl.

Work 2 rows garter st with C, B, and A.

With C, work 1 row garter. Bind off.

 

Mitred Square:

Working in Stripe Pattern, cast on 57 sts.

Note: To make a larger square, cast on any odd number of stitches, placing makers each side of centre stitch. You will need to adjust the number of stitches picked up along straight edges for garter stitch squares.

Knit a row, placing markers as follows:

K28, pm, k1, pm, k to end.

Decrease row: K to 2 sts before marker, ssk, sm, k1, sm, k2tog, k to end.

Knit 1 row.

Repeat these 2 rows until 3 sts remain. Remove markers.

Slip1, k2tog, psso. Leave remaining stitch on a holder. It will be the “centre” stitch on another mitred square.

 

To make Mat, begin with a Mitred Square, then add to it as illustrated below. 

 

Note: For photo below, a smaller version of the mitred square is shown. 

 

 

 

 

To make garter stitch square, pick up and knit 28 sts along a straight edge of mitred square. Note: for purposes of photo(below), fewer sts are cast on and squares are smaller. 

Work stripe pattern.

 

 

 

Pick up and knit 28 sts along another edge. Work stripe pattern.

 

To make another mitred square, pick up and knit 28 sts along side edge of one garter stitch square, pm, knit stitch from holder, pm, pu and knit 28 sts along side edge of second garter square. Follow pattern for Mitred Square.

 

Continue in this way, adding garter stitch squares and mitred squares until piece is desired length.

 

 

 

 

Weave in ends. To line, lay mat on fabric and cut fabric, leaving a 2cm overlap for hem. Turn edges and sew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Further to my rant on Natural Fibres for Babies, look what arrived today……

 

 

 

 

this group of happy little Warm-A-Baby wool hats from Maree Buscke of Ahuriri, Napier.  Maree has two babies of her own to knit for, which makes it all the more wonderful that she took the time to make these. She has also volunteered to share the pattern, her own and you can find it on her blog here. Once we gather a crowd we’ll send them of to the midwives to be distributed to babies in need. I have high hopes for our upcoming Knitting Salon, since I warned everyone last time that a hat will be the price of admission this Saturday!

–Mel 

                       
This is my little niece, Lucia, wearing an organic wool hat I made for her. She’s a lucky baby to have a wardrobe of clothing made from natural fibres. This is not the case for many. Listening to a recent interview on Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report, I was shocked to hear that midwives are concerned about babies suffering from cold. Infants have to work harder than adults to maintain their body heat and acrylic clothing, which is often the less expensive and more fashionable alternative to natural fibres such as wool or cotton, does not keep them warm. Some babies are failing to thrive. Anyone who has felt a gnawing cold in bed knows what that feels like; how your legs ache and its hard to sleep. It’s disturbing to know that babies might be suffering, especially here in wool country. Now for my rant about acrylics. I’ve never understood the trend for synthetic baby clothing. For some, I know that machine washability is a factor, but it doesn’t take long to dip a small garment in some warm water and liquid soap, wring it out and leave it to dry on a towel rail. Besides, cotton can be machine washed and it provides more warmth than acrylics. My washing machine even has a hand wash cycle which I mistrusted at first, until I took the plunge with a couple of past-their-prime wool sweaters that had been in storage for too long. They emerged minus the smell of mildew, fresh and soft, with not a trace of shrinkage. But even without the machine, I’m still happy to hand wash my knits. End rant.

Now here’s a suggestion for all you New Zealand knitters who like to have an easy project to work on when you’re watching tv. Dip into your leftover wool or cotton and make a hat to warm a baby. I’ll forward all donations to the midwives, for distribution to babies in need. Below is the pattern for Lucia’s hat which was whipped up from leftover yarn. I plan to use yarn from my scrap basket to make more for the cause. You could make this hat plain, or add your own decorative touch. Let’s not have our babies suffer from cold! All donations will be gratefully received.

 

Please send donations to:

Warm a Baby

South Seas Knitting

20 Livingstone Street

Westmere

Auckland 1022 

 

Thank you! –Mel

 

 

Lucia’s Organic Beanie

 

Yarn

Forever Green Élan, 104meters/114yds; 50g; 1 ball Myro Fawn (A) and scraps of other colours for stripes B, C, D, & E

 

Needles

Size 3.25mm[US3] and 3.75mm[US5] double pointed needles

 

Gauge

22sts and 28 rows per 10cm on larger needles

 

Size

To Fit Newborn-3mths (3mths-1year)

 

Finished measurements

Hat circumference 33(42) cm; 13(16.5)”

 

With smaller needles, cast on 72(90) sts. Join in round, taking care not to twist.

Knit 5 rounds.

Change to larger needles. Knit 6 rounds.

Change to B, knit 1 rnd,  purl 1 rnd.

Note: When working stripes in the round, to avoid a “step” at the end of the round, work into the stitch below the first stitch on the needle on the second and subsequent rounds of contrasting colour.

Change to A and knit 7 rnds.

Change to C, knit 1 rnd and purl 1 rnd.

Change to A and knit 7 rnds.

Change to D, knit 1 rnd, purl 1 rnd.

Change to A and knit 7 rnds.

Change to E, knit 1 rnd and purl 1 rnd.

Change to A. Knit 1 rnd.

Begin decreases: 

Rnd 1: *K4, k2tog; rep from * to end–60(75) sts

Rnd 2: Knit

Rnd 3: *K3, k2tog; rep from * to end–48(60) sts

Rnd 4: Knit

Rnd 5: *K2, k2tog; rep from * to end–36(45) sts

Rnd 6: Knit

Rnd 7: *K1, k2tog; rep from * to end–24(30) sts

Rnd 8: Knit

Rnd 9: *K2tog; rep from * to end–12(15) sts

Rnd 10:

First size: *k2tog; rep from * to end–6sts

Second size: *K2tog; rep from * to last st, k1–8sts

Rnd 11: 

First size: [K2tog, k1] twice–4sts

Second size: *K2tog; rep from * to end–4sts

 

Change to smaller needles. Work 3 cm I-cord on remaining 4 sts. Break yarn and thread through sts. Pull tight and weave through inside of hat. Weave in ends.

Note: for instructions on how to make I-cord, see tutorial.

 

 

                                       

 

 

Forgive me for digressing, but when this spectacular sky appeared the other evening it inspired me to put down my knitting needles (I knew I’d work it into the conversation somehow) and think about all the things I’m grateful for, and all the things I love about living here in New Zealand. Because I’ve tried this returning home caper once before, unsuccessfully (I fled after a year) I’m now more mindful of what makes me happy. Making lists works for me. Before we left Los Angeles I wrote down all the things I would miss about the place so that nostalgia wouldn’t confuse me as it did last time. Fortunately I have David with whom to reminisce, and to appreciate our new surroundings. Seeing this place through his eyes has helped me settle in. Occasionally he points out something that seems weird to him, but it’s usually followed by, “in a good way”. 

 

so here’s the beginning of my list:

 

• skies like this, promising a fine day tomorrow, and enough rain to keep the garden and the farmers happy

• everyone saying “thank you, driver” when they get off the bus

• Maori TV

• cafes serving tea in a teapot, and fantastically good coffee

• radio NZ and Kiwi FM (who can’t love a commercial radio station with a regular spot for a poet?)

• friendly neighbours who invited us over for kumara soup when we arrived back from an icy, stormy weekend on the West Coast and leave bags of feijoas on our doorstep

• all the knitters I have met so far

• sheep grazing in a city park

• phone cards that make it affordable to call London and NY (where my son and daughter live) 

• friends in Los Angeles who stay in touch

 At the risk of sounding like the Southern Californian I used to be, I must say it’s been cold here lately. Not South Island cold, or New York cold, but this winter has been colder than last, which is my only benchmark because I missed so many. The opportunity to wear all my wool sweaters must be celebrated! Nights have been especially chilly and since we don’t keep our house overly heated in the interests of being responsible electricity consumers, extra clothing has crept into my bed. I’ve drawn the line at wearing a hat, but my Novella Socks/leg warmers have been keeping my legs cozy. This brought me to thinking about the old fashioned bed socks popular in many of my vintage knitting books, and how useful a pair might be. I made these for my Mum, Daphne (hence the heart-shaped bobble motif), but I’ve now started on a pair for myself. I plan to wear them inside my clogs once spring approaches.

 

I wonder if anyone loves Koigu Kersti as much as I do? Because it’s a crepe yarn I’m guessing it will never pill, which makes it perfect for these sockettes which will be much worn, rubbed and loved. It combines indestructibility with beauty and softness, thanks to the merino wool and the fantastic colour sense of the dyers at Koigu. It might even be my Desert Island yarn, although it would have to compete with its sister KPM for that honour. I had to restrain myself from adding pompoms to the ties since the heart motif was already sounding my cuteness alarm, but you could pile it on, or leave out the bobbles and add the poms or tassles, like ladies in the old knitting books who, in my opinion, new a thing or two about glamour, in bed. 

-Mel 

 

 

                                                                              

 

 

 

Here’s the pattern.

July 13 note: there’s a correction to Rnd 14 & Rnd 22 of Slipper Upper. See below. 

 

note: if you’re not sure how to make I-cord on double pointed needles, there’s a tutorial on the Waste Not, Want Not post.

 

Raspberry Bed Socks

 

YARN

Koigu Kersti 100% merino wool; 50g/100m/114yds; 2 hanks K1184

Extra fingering weight yarn or ribbon for ties. [I used Koigu KPM 1184]

 

NEEDLES

Set of 5 Size 3.25mm (US3) and 3.5mm (US4) 18cm[7”] double pointed needles 

 

NOTIONS

2 removable markers

3 stitch markers, 1 in contrasting colour

 

SIZES

To fit foot length 18(20.5,23) cm/7(8,9) inches

 

GAUGE

22 sts & 36 rows = 10cm/4” in garter stitch on larger needles

24 sts & 32rows = 10cm in stst on larger needles

 

SPECIAL TECHNIQUE

Make bobble (mb)

Beginning with next stitch on Left Needle, cast on 4 sts by knit cast on method. Knit these 4 sts, dropping original stitch off needle. On Right Needle, pass the 3^rd stitch over the 4th st and off the needle, repeat for 2nd and 1st stitches. There is one stitch left.

 

SOLE 

With larger needles, cast on 7 sts, work in garter stitch, increasing at each end of alternate rows 5 times–17sts Work 22(26,30) rows straight, placing removable marker at each end of 15^th row.

Decrease each end of next and following 4^th row twice –11sts

Work 36(40,44) rows garter stitch.

Decrease each end of next row and following 2 alternate rows–5sts

Work one row. Bind off. 

 

SLIPPER UPPER

With RS of sole facing, beginning at last bind off stitch (at heel), and working toward toe or wider end of sole, pick up and knit 33(39,45) sts to first removable marker (discard removable marker), place stitch marker, 35 sts to next removable marker (including 7 sts from cast on sts of sole), pm, 38(44,50) to end (including 5 sts from bind off sts of sole), pm for beg of round–106(118,130) sts.

 

Rnds 1-4:Knit

Begin toe decreases.

Rnd 5: K to 1st marker, [ssk, k2] three times, ssk, k3, mb, k3, [k2tog, k2] three times, k2tog, k to end–98(110,122) sts

Rnd 6:Knit

Rnd 7:K to marker, k11, mb, k3, mb, k to end.

Rnd 8:Knit

Rnd 9:K to marker, [k1, ssk] three times, mb, k7, mb, [k2tog, k1] three times, k to 5 sts before end of rnd, ssk, k1, k2tog–90(102,114) sts

Rnds 10 & 11: Knit

Rnd 12:K to marker, k6, [mb, k3] twice, mb, k to end.

Rnd 13:K to marker, k3, ssk, k11, k2tog, k to end–88(100, 112) sts

Rnds 14: K to marker, k7, mb, k3, mb, k to end.

Rnds 15&16: Knit

Begin short rows:

Row 17:K to marker, k14, wrap, turn,

Row 18:P10, wrap, turn,

Row 19: K9, wrap, turn,

Row 20:P8, wrap, turn,

Row 21: Knit to end.

Rnd 22: K to marker, k5, [ssk] twice, k1, [k2tog] twice, k to end–84(96,108) sts

Change to smaller needles.

Rnd 23: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 24: *K1, p1, yo, p2tog; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 25: as Rnd 23

Bind off.

With smaller needles, cast on 3 sts, make I –cord 56cm[22”] long. Thread through eyelets and tie a knot in each end. 

 

As the icy winter winds brought hail to our doorstep this week, I was feeling a lack of inspiration which always makes me a little dejected and probably not much fun to live with. Whenever I’m in this mood, a simple new project is often the antidote. In this case it involved a bowl of Koigu remnants left over from a blanket I made for my daughter a couple of years ago. A bag of these jewels has been sitting around my house for some time now, pleading “we’re so beautiful, why don’t you make us into something useful?” 

 

                                                        

 

 

But what? The thought of a stripy scarf wasn’t getting me excited and I have enough tea cozies. Recently when I asked a man if he has ever knitted, he replied yes, he did some French knitting as a kid, but never made anything with it. This seems to be a common cry. What to do with that long knitted tube? Now that I’m on that train of thought, I can think of loads of uses for it, but this time I decided to make my own chunky yarn. With a pair of 6.5mm double-pointed needles, I cast on 5 stitches and got to work.Three DVDs and as many evenings later I had quite a substantial length of colourful I-cord, as it is known these days, made from my lovely Koigu. The convenient thing about I- cord is that you don’t have to weave in the ends; you just tuck them inside the tube. Mostly I chose the colours as I went, and switched every 20cm or so, but sometimes I blindly dipped into the bowl and left it to chance. It was fun to play.

Note: for a  tutorial on how to make I-cord with dpns, scroll down…….

 

                                                         

 

 

 

Once my ball of yarn had grown big enough, I cast on 5 stitches with 15mm needles, and started working in veil stitch, a simple, elongated and twisted garter stitch to be found on page 165 of Barbara Walker’s Treasury of Knitting Patterns. In no time I had a cheerful little 1-meter scarf that is long enough to tie around my neck cravat-style. It may seem like a lot of effort to go to for a small scarf, but I love because not only is it pretty, it used some of my sizeable stash. I plan to continue for a few more movies/evenings and make it twice as long.

Note: the yarns I used, Koigu KPPPM and KPM, are fingering weight. You could use any yarns, but I would recommend using a larger needle than normal for the yarn you choose, and if it’s a thicker yarn, cast on fewer stitches, so that the resulting cord is airy and not too dense. I made 19 meters of I-cord for my scarf. 

Now I must get back to my needles–Mel 

 

                                                          

        

Here’s how to make the I-cord.

You’ll need a small number of stitches, from 2-6. 

Cast on your stitches. Knit them. When you finish the row, slide them back to the other end of the dpn. Do not turn the knitting.

Bring the yarn from the left side of the knitting, to the beginning of the row, pulling it taut, and begin knitting again. Do this on every row.  

                                                        

                                                        

                                                          

 

                                                      

                                                           

 

Remember the days of fluffy, sparkly, hairy yarns and huge knitting needles? Take a peek at the Rodarte Fall 2008 collection. Two sisters from Pasadena, California, are bringing it back. Their show was oozing the same look that we overdosed on about three years ago in the hand knitting world: fluffy, multi-coloured yarns on huge needles. In the 00’s it was a revival of an 80’s look, and now it seems to have come back yet again. It was a revolutionary style of knitting when it first appeared and soon became wildy popular. Looking at these photos I remember why. I find myself seduced by these garments, especially the dresses which are more beautiful than anything I saw back in the olden days of 2005 or 1988. I confess, I was always strangely attracted to what I used to call Vegas yarns. This might explain why I have a box of them hidden deep in my garage. Time to start fossicking. And how about those stockings!

 

Other than perusing the fashion pages, I am excited about a new seamless, in-the-round cable sweater I finished recently using my new splicing skills. It will be in the South Seas Knitting pattern section as soon as I find someone to model it for a photo. Next, I’m starting on a Husband Appreciation Cardigan. It was promised some time ago, and he has been very patient and thus, deserving. He wants something to wear all seasons to replace his denim jacket, so I’m going to make it in the tweedy and divine Habu Tsumugi Silk. 

In order for this project to progress, the following sign will need to be placed strategically.

Happy knitting!

–Mel

 

                                                      

                                   

note: This image is subject to copyright slipslipknit 2008. If you wish to use it please contact me first.

I know I’m a little late to the party on this, but I’ve decided I should listen to my mother’s advice. Daphne is 93, and finally gave up her long knitting career a couple of years ago. We have never really discussed knitting, perhaps because I was living so far away and when we did get together there was too much else to talk about. Recently it occurred to me that I should start asking her questions about how she did things back when she knitted feverishly the way I do now. I always take my knitting when I visit her, and she always asks me what I’m working on. I love that she’s interested, and it’s a precious moment for me, knowing that we can still share this craft that she introduced me to, even though she once famously told my daughter that she wished she’d never taught me to knit because it’s turned into an obsession. Hmmm. My revelation came recently, when the following popped out of her mouth: “I always used a smaller needle on the purl rows”. I didn’t think much about it until last week when I was deep into a sweater in the round and noticed that my knitting is much tidier and even when I’m not working a purl row. Could it be? Sure enough, when the time came for me to work back and forth on two needles to turn a saddle shoulder, I tried going down 2 metric sizes on the purl rows, and voila! I am my mother’s daughter. From now on, it’ll be mis-matched needles for me, which might come in handy since I sometimes can’t find a matching pair anyway in my untidy needle holder. 

 

I suppose it’s better late than never, but I have no excuse for the fact that I’ve finally got around to splicing my yarn. Daphne has always spliced and maybe she tried to teach me years ago but I wasn’t listening. See what I mean? Well, thanks to Ruth, a lovely lady who was in my class at Knitters Weekend (but who taught me a thing or two) I can now join two ends of yarn seamlessly and get through an entire sweater with no bumpy joins in awkward places. This is what I love about knitting: there is always something new to learn. For those who have always spiced, forgive me for my late arrival. I don’t know why I’ve avoided it for so long!  

 

I have tried  it here with some plied  Blue Sky Worsted wool/alpaca blend. Splicing is definitely easier with wool, and a plied yarn rather than non-wool or single strand yarns. However It’s not impossible with those either as I have discovered.

 

The captions refer to the picture below.

 

1. Unravel the plies of both ends approx  8cm and separate into two roughly even strands. Cut one half of each end slightly shorter for overlap.

 

                                          

                        

 

 

2. Wind the longer ends around each other. Now comes the fun part. Spit into your hand, and roll the two ends in your palm until they mesh or almost felt together.

 

  

                        

 

 

3. Now involve the shorter ends and roll them together with the spliced yarn. 

 

                      

                              

 

When you come to knit the spliced section, go easy on it and don’t pull it too tight since it can come apart. Once it’s safely knitted and tucked away into your stitches, it will hold together well.

 

–Mel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s our birthday! Today we have been open for business for one whole month. I’d like to say a big thank you to all our new customers. Some of you I know from knitting events and from my years in California. Those I don’t know, I wish I could meet you all in person. From the email exchanges I’ve had, you sound like a friendly bunch of yarn lovers. 

There seems to be a lot of buzz about lace knitting these days but I’ve observed that some knitters are afraid to dive in and try it. You don’t have to start with a fine lace shawl, although that’s possible for the intrepid beginner. I have never made a fine lace shawl myself, although it’s in my holding pattern (list of projects circling my head, waiting to drop in and land). Some of my most enjoyable knitting moments have been with simple lace patterns. They’re easy to memorize and just complex enough to keep my interest without deterring movie watching or knitting on the bus. I thought I’d share one that I’ve made several times in various yarns, this time for my friend Ingrid’s birthday. It’s a four row repeat and two of these are purled, so it’s easy peasy.(Note that when there is no pattern on the alternate rows it is technically not lace, but lacey knitting) I guarantee you will have memorized it after 6 repeats. Check the measurements. It’s quite wide, and just long enough to wrap twice around my neck and tie in a knot in front.  Hint for deciding if a scarf will be long enough: wrap the tape measure around your neck. If you want to make it longer using the same quantity of yarn, leave out one repeat, which would mean you would cast on 31 stitches instead of 41. For this version I used Jade Sapphire 6 ply Cashmere, but it would also be gorgeous in Manos Silk Blend or Blue Sky Suri Merino. Happy knitting! –Mel

 

 

                                  

 

 

Ingrid’s Birthday Scarf

 

Yarn:

Jade Sapphire Exotic Fibers Mongolian Cashmere, 100% cashmere, 6 ply; 138m/150yds; 55g; 2 hanks

 

Needles: Size 5.5mm[US9]

 

Finished measurements: 120×23cm[47×9]”

 

Abbreviations

K2tog  Knit 2 stitches together

Skp     Slip1, knit1, pass the slip stitch over

Sk2p   Slip one, knit 2 together, pass the slip stitch over.

Yo      Take yarn between the needles to front of work

 

Cast on 41 sts. Knit 1 row.

 

Row 1(RS): K1, *(yo, skp) twice, k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k1; repeat from * to end.

Row 2: Purl

Row 3: K2, *yo, skp, yo, sk2p, yo, k2tog, yo, k3; repeat from * to end, ending last repeat k2.

Row 4: Purl.

Repeat these 4 rows to desired length, ending Row 2 or 4.

Knit 1 row.  Bind off.