Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve posted, my apologies!!
I am trying to put together a pulli koram pattern for a brim on a hat - I had a chart that I was going to use but it’s way too angular and doesn’t really feel right to me but I have the brim portion knit and ready for duplicate stitches so I need to rework my chart in those parameters.
I do a double stockinette brim (provisional cast on, sts for 30~ rounds, join with third needle - currently 108 stitches around on US5 circ needles) so the back of the work is hidden - I feel like I could even have this pattern chart worked over all 30 stitches … but I’ve had trouble finding any charts and the ones that I’ve tried to create with sites/apps just haven’t really worked out. I normally hand draw my charts on graph paper …. Below is the chart I was originally going to use and below that is an example of what I’m trying to accomplish… I know anything round in a chart can be a pain haha. Any suggestions or help… I’ve been crunching stitch count numbers so much that my brain wants to give up now.
These are beautiful, graceful designs. A 9stitch repeat will work out nicely in 108sts (9x12). Would you consider doubling the chart rows as mirror images across a horizontal line?
Knitting is going to be angular even at a high stitch and row gauge. What about embroidering the design? You would have more flexibility and more rounded sections.
Yes, exactly! I think I may have worked it out!! I used a more basic corner but I think it will work out - It will be folded in the middle so the “teardrops” will be on both sides… But I think my math is right… this is 23 high, so I just need to make sure to center it perfectlybut I think it will end up really pretty - I could even expand the center square a few rows for that folded part to make up some of the difference. Thoughts? haha… Shoot… I’m one stitch off on my width with a 2 stitch margin… going to have to make the center one stitch wider which is going to drive me crazy
You lost me at the word hat. The designs are lovely.
I don’t understand how the brim goes or how the stitch count works so I can’t offer any suggestions I’m afraid. But I’ll cheer you on from the side lines.
I just thought of something… if you’re comfortable going a little beyond knitting, I think this could be a job for embroidery? You could embroider a chain stitch, which would fit the V shapes of the knit and you’d have more freedom for the curved lines, and you can still use the stockinette as a matrix to make sure you thread through at regular intervals. You could even just lay out the design with pins to see if you like it there before embroidering.
Here’s how the embroidered chain stitch works with a needle, although for doing it on knitwear I’m sure you can do it with a crochet instead. It’s different from cross stitch but since knitted fabric has holes at regular intervals it’s like an exotic aida canvas? I think structurally it’s pretty much like a crocheted chain of stitches except the fabric is caught between the two upper legs on one side and the back leg on the other
Heres a link to surface crochet which i posted some time back, it’s a nice example of curves. The same effect can be acheived with chain stitch which @Remi posted. Both methods can create elongated stitches too which can look very nice.
You can also embroider flowers, leaves, swirls, little knots or dots and so on. Methods of producing flower petals and little french knots could perhaps be modified away from the flower look and more like the pulli kolam designs.
There’s a picture and text tutorial here for dots, french knots, in case you want some for the design
Creations - that is sooooo amazingly helpful – thank you!!! I want to practice with it before I try to attempt it on a gift so I’m excited for some random swatches haha
Glad you found the embroidery examples helpful. There are lots and lots online which means lots of browsing and admiration of the various methods and stunning results.
If you google something like ‘embroidery on knitted sweater’ you can get great images. There are a number of books and tutorials too but i imagine you’ll have your own ideas of designs once you get in the groove of the idea. I have also seen beautiful results with using the same colour as the main fabric which is perhaps not done so often but very effective.
Enjoy your swatches.
I think structurally it’s pretty much like a crocheted chain of stitches except the fabric is caught between the two upper legs on one side and the back leg on the other
