mr. centipede’s crossed stitch

“My friends, this is the Centipede, and let me make it known
He is so sweet and gentle that (although he’s overgrown)
The Queen of Spain, again and again, has summoned him by phone
To baby-sit and sing and knit and be a chaperone
When nurse if off and all the royal children are all alone.”
– Roald Dahl, James and the Giant Peach

 

THE LO-DOWN
this two row repeat is easy to remember and just as fun to stitch.  it makes a fun crossed stitch pattern that reminds us of its distant cousin, the wicker stitch in its relaxed form.  when stretched out horizontally, crossed-stitch is almost lacey, it kind of looks like a thick 1 cm cable connected by lacey ladders in between.  or if you really squint, a bit like a thick centipede with two thin little legs sticking out at each cross stitched segment.
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we’ve been playing around with the swatch to see what it might inspire, and somehow, we cuffs in its future.
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(and yes, it was really really bright out when we took the photo!)
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THE LO-LO-DOWN

YARN J&V Baby Camel (worsted weight)
COLOUR Natural
NEEDLE US6 / 4mm
SIZE (WxH) 5 x 5”  lightly steamed
STS 26 sts x 27 rows
LEVEL Intermediate
TYPE Slipped Stitches
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SWATCH CONSTRUCTION

CO 26 stitches (multiples of 2+1 edge stitch on each side repeat)

R1 (RS): K1 (edge), *Sl1 (purlwise wyib), K1, YO, PSSO (pass yarn over the K1 and the YO), repeat from * to last st, K1 (edge)
R2: K1 (edge), P24, K1 (edge)

Repeat R1 – R2 until desired length.  The swatch above was knit over 27 rows.

RELATED PATTERNS

we’re working as fast as we can.  check back soon!

4 thoughts on “mr. centipede’s crossed stitch”

  1. I LOVE IT!! I came across a project on Ravelry that was based on this swatch and it was beautiful!!
    I do have one question. Your notes says that you cast on 26 stitches, but that it has to be a multiple of 2+1. Which one is the correct number to cast on. I’m dying to make something with this stitch.
    Thanks for sharing!!

    1. It’s not 2 + 1. It’s actually any even number, since she’s adding 1 stitch *on each side* (ie 2 stitches.) So 26 is 24 stitches plus 1 for each side.

      1. yes that is correct. it is indeed a multiple of 2 (another way of saying even stitches). and for the swatch, we had added 1 “edge stitch on each side”.

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