A Year of Stitches week 11

Let's check out a pattern I like to call flock of parakeets.   It's colorful, quick, easy.  Color choice can run the gamut.  This particular stitch pattern is an excellent choice for variegated yarns, especially many variegated yarns.  It brings to mind a great multitude of colorful birds.

The main color is best to choose second.  Contrast colors can be all the bits and pieces left from other projects, solids, variegated, ombres, tonals, you name it.  Now what color family, if there is a predominant family, do you see.  Choose your main color at This point.  You can go across the color wheel to choose a complementary color.  You can choose an analogous color by going to the neighboring color on the color wheel.  

Are your contrast colors light, medium, or dark?  If they are primarily dark, I'd advise a tint of that main color choice.  If they are mostly light, choose a darker shade.  If the contrasting colors are medium or allover the place, pick whatever main color and hue strikes your fancy.

For the knit version we will again use the basic dishcloth pattern.  

In MC, Cast on 3

R1:  k1, kfbf, k1

R2:  k

R3:  k1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1.

Rep R2 and R3 until you have the needed number of stitches.  For this exercise, 15 will do.  Rep R2.  Break yarn.  Choose a CC and join with a slip knot.

R4:  k1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.

Rep R2.

Rep R4 and R2 down to 3 sts.  This last decrease row will be k1, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k1.  Change CC every second row.

Work at least 4 of these, enough to make a square, so 4 or 9 will work.  Line up the squares with the solid triangles all facing the same direction.  You determine the right side.  Sometimes I like the side with the solid stripes.  Sometimes I like the side with the "zipper" look.

For the crochet version, we will do something completely different from anything before.

In MC, ch 4.

R1:  2dc in first ch. Turn.

R2:  ch 3, 2 dc in first st, dc to the last st, in the top of the ch 3, 3 dc.

Rep R2 until you have 15 sts.  Fasten off.  Join a CC

R3:  Ch 2, 2dcdec over the next 2 sts, dc to last 3 sts, 3 dcdec.  Turn.

Rep R3 down to 1 st.  Change CC every row.  

You will need to work at least 4 of these also.  Line up the squares with the solid triangles all facing the same way.  The crochet version won't have a right or wrong side.  They look pretty much the same.