I’m doing an intarsia leaf pattern on a portion of a hat which is otherwise fairly simple. I’m following a grid for the leaf pattern and, as usual, there’s a symbol legend at the bottom of the pattern instructions that corresponds to the appropriate stitch to make depending on the box you’re in. I’ve reached a point on the grid where of symbol in that box represents a “NS” or “No Stitch”. In fact, it’s the very 1st box of this row. What do I do with this?
At 1st I thought I’d just knit that box since the rest of the hat is in stockinette, but then the symbol for “knit” would be there if that were the case. My friend says to just “ignore” that box and proceed from the next box down the row, but my mind isn’t making sense of that – how will that affect the way the leaf turns out?
Your friend was right…just ignore the No Stitch box and start with the first stitch in that row. The No Stitch box is just to keep the grid from looking all wonky. If there’s an NS box further on in that row, do the same thing…just totally ignore it (them) and knit or purl the next stitch in the pattern.
I have a question about this, when the pattern says NS and there are five stitches between “ns” and the next stitch what happens next because there is a the trailer on the back. hope this is clear
Take each of the boxes in turn and do whatever st the chart is calling for in those boxes. If the boxes are empty, that’s often the designation for a knit st. Check the key at the bottom of the chart to know for sure.
If there’s 5 NS boxes, just ignore them and go to the next box that has a symbol, and do that st.
The NS boxes are the only way to keep a chart aligned and still accommodate decreases or different size directions in a rectangular chart.
There shouldn’t be any loops or trailing yarn due to an NS box. It’s not a gap in the knitting, just a gap in a chart.
Boxes represent actions more than they mean stitches. A no stitch box means “there’s no st on your needles here”, so you skip that box and go on to the next one that has an action in it.
Sorry, I’m still confused. Here’s the instructions (I’m using circular needles): Row 49: K,yo so I’m doubling the amount of stitches from 144 to 288. Row 50: Knit. Row 51: Follow pattern on chart until I get to 2 “no stitch.” Well, what am I supposed to do with the 2 next stitches on the needles before getting to the rest of the row?
Welcome to the forum!
Skip over the no stitch boxes and proceed to the next box. Work the next stitches as indicated by the box after the no stitch boxes. Follow the chart from there on.
It may help to think of the “no stitch” boxes as place holders or zeros. They’re there to maintain the chart spacing and shape but don’t indicate any type of stitch.
The thing I love best about charts is that they show you what it really looks like.
Even better, it shows you what the stitch below that you’re knitting into should be so that if you’ve lost track or made a mistake on the previous row, you can see it right away, and either correct it with a crochet hook or check your count, etc.
Showing that picture of what you’re doing on a flat surface is easy.
But one of those things I love best about knitting and crochet is that although most people think and therefore knit in two dimensions, you can knit or crochet in three dimensions. An example of that would be the top of a lot of hats. You have a certain number of stitches in the round, and then you start decrease rows with the decreases evenly around (usually).
To continue with that picture that makes sense when you’ve taken away some of the stitches would be easy if the paper (or computer screen) were the same shape as what you’re knitting, but it’s not. It’s flat.
To maintain the beauty of a “picture” of what you’re knitting, and keep the stitches over the stitch below that you’re actually knitting into, you have to put a place marker in for each stitch that isn’t there because you already decreased and deleted it.
The same goes for things that start smaller and have increases. For instance, I’m designing a couple of shawls with Celtic knotwork that start at the bottom and work up to the neck/front edge. When I get to the knot, it stands out from the knitting and takes up less horizontal space, so I have to do increases to compensate and make it lie flat instead of puckering up. Which means that I have to add a “no stitch” block below each increase to keep the knot from puckering up.
I hope this helps. If you’re a crocheter, I did mean crochet stitch, too, each place I sad a knit stitch. I just get tired of typing it.
BTW, I just joined the forum, and this is my first post.
Ok, Im new so Im going to try to inderstand the “no stitch” again…lol. ok so everytime Ive looked up how and what to do when you vome across a “no stitch” box. Everyone states “do nothing” can we clarify that please? I am starting the thumb gusset on a glove so the 1st row states" no stitch". Do I slip those sts onto the left needle? You stated dont drop the stitches. How can I " do nothing? The 2nd row states “no stitch” for 7 stitches then a YO, the no stiches to the end. Im so confused with the statement, Do Notbing…HELP!!
Welcome!
“No stitch” is a place holder in a pattern chart. It’s there because sts will later be increased to fill in the chart. The “no stitch” keeps the chart squared up.
Skip over the no stitch boxes and proceed to the next box with a symbol. If that’s a yarn over, then work the yarn over and go on to the next box in the chart.
If you could mentally fold over the chart to exclude the no stitch boxes that would be the way to think of them.
Six sts before you start the thumb gusset? I’m not sure where in those sts you should place the gusset but let’s say in the middle of the 6sts.
row 1: k6 (these sts aren’t shown on the chart)
row 2: K3, yo, k3
row 3: k3, ktbl grey, k3
row 4: k3, yo, k1 grey, yo, k3
row 5; k3, ktbl grey, k1 navy, ktbl grey, k3
row 6: k3, yo, k1 navy, k1 grey, k1 navy, yo, k3
This is the pattern Im trying to figure out for my thumb gusset.
I just dont know how to begin from 6 sts. What would you do? Ill take any advise. Thank you for answering my call for help.
I hope this helps. If you’re a crocheter, I did mean crochet stitch, too, each place I sad a knit stitch. I just get tired of typing it.
