Building in Color: Panel #8 Complete

Building in Color: Panel #8

Butterfly Stitch

 

I am trying really hard to remain focused on my Building in Color Afghan project.  You probably have not noticed, but #7 and #8 are done but I skipped over #6. I need to do #6 next. I have the first several rows of #6 done. I worked the pattern just enough to bring it to class for instruction but have not worked on it since. 

The panel I am featuring today incorporates the Butterfly Stitch.  In this stitch, you slip stitches three in a row, at regular intervals across the work, and you hold the yarn to the front (right side) of the work when you slip the stitches.  Below you can see a taupe horizontal strand of yarn, and above that there is a blue strand and a pink strand. 

To make the Butterfly Stitch, you take your right hand needle and you go under the horizontal strands from the bottom to the top (like a tunnel) and then you knit the prescribed stitch on the needle.  Then you take the tip of your right hand need back through the tunnel.  It's difficult to describe, but HERE is a link to a video if you'd like to see how it's done.

Above, you can see where I've just worked the Butterfly Stitch on the right and, on the left, you can see where the next Butterfly Stitch will be completed. Pretty cool, right? I thought so too!

I must tell you, I have some helpers working with me on this project.  Sandy lays her head on my yarn to ensure my yarn tension is not too loose.  Brutus brings me his ball (so I can throw it).  Brutus believes that dog drool on my knitting will come in handy when it comes time to block the panels.  The dog drool does have a rather sticky consistency after all.

One more thing I'd like to say about the very cool Butterfly Stitch is this.  Michelle Hunter points this out in here video as well.  The Butterfly Stitch looks dramatically different when you work it in a solid color.  Below is a Butterfly Hat photo; the pattern link is HERE.

In this hat pattern, the Butterfly Stitch is worked over five stitches (in the photos above, it was worked only over three stitches).  Also, in the Butterfly hat, the Butterfly Stitch gathers up a total of five horizontal strands (in the photos above, the Butterfly Stitch only gathered up three horizontal strands).  But the technique is the same. You can really see why this is called a Butterfly Stitch when you see it worked up on a solid color.  Almost makes me want to cast on a hat, but I really need to work on Panel #6!

Happy Knitting. I have a number of other projects to share. I'll do that soon.