Would someone PLEASE help me with this stitch?

#1

My Mom knitted this sample for me 15 years ago and I wrote down her instructions. Every time I try to make it it WON"T come out. She called it a “BUBBLE stitch” NOT to be confused with a BOBBLE stitch which it is NOT. In between the columns of the bubbles are 2 purled stitches. I started with 30 stitches and ended up with 47. I can no longer ask my Mom for help for she has Alzheimer’s and no one else but me in my family knits. I would really like to figure this stitch out so I can make her a sweater with it and surprise her. She gave me the follinwing instructions in makeing this stitch:

  1. row one, Knit 2 purl 2 & repeat all the way across

  2. row two, Purl 2 knit 2 & repeat all the way across

  3. row three, KNIT 2 PURL 1 y/O PURL 1 & repeat all the way across

  4. row four, KNIT 3 PURL 2 & repeat all the way across

  5. row five, PURL 3 KNIT 2 and cross on 3rd & repeat all the way across

    Here is a pic of the sample she knit. Notice that there are 2 purled stitches between the columns of bubbles. It looks like a fancy ribbing. On the right side there are columns of bubbles as the ribbing while on the wrong side there is plain ribbing. If anyone out there knows how to do this stitch. ESPECIALLY the crossover. Please help!! I’d be Forever in your debt.Thank-you.
    Always a friend,
    Nancy aka sunshine98

#2

I’m not sure I can help with your question, but I can tell you that your yarn overs are creating the extra stitches- you need some kind of decrease to pair with the yo’s. It’s hard for me to tell from the pictures, but those look to me like they might be some kind of cable stitch? I wonder if those aren’t meant to be yo’s and/or wraps, but instead are crossed stitches?

#3

One of the stitches is crossed over the others in the following row, so that would dec the stitch number. I thought someone posted a version of it here in the last month, but I can’t find it. I’ll keep looking and see what I come up with.

#4

According to my Barbara Abbey book, the bubble or popcorn stitch is worked in one stitch.
Into 1 stitch, K 1 st and pull up loosely, yo, K another st in the same st and pull up, yo, K another st in the same st and pull up. Turn the work around completely. Purl each of these 5 st. Turn the work around again. Sl 1 st, K 4. Turn the work again and P 2 tog, P 1, P 2 tog. Turn work again and sl 1, K 2 tog, psso-(SK2togP), bubble made.
All I have is a drawing of the finished stitch, but it looks very similar. This book was published in 1971.
Hope this helps.

#5

I think you need to have a mult of 4 stitches. Instead of 30, try 28 or 32. I cast on just 12 and up to step 5 everything works, I’m just confused about the cross/wrap instruction.

#6

I never expected to get such fast response so soon…LOL!Thank-you!!! Ok I figured that the increase of stitches was due to the y/o. Just didn’t know WHEN to decreas. Thank-you !! Also, the last line where it says purl3 knit 3 and cross, it should read “cross the 3rd one.” I tried to go back and edit it but found I cannot do that. Also, every row should read at the end “ALL THE WAY ACROSS” as all the stitches are made at the same time NOT individually. I will try all of your suggestions one at a time to see if any of these work to bring out the stitch. Thank-you!!! I’m REALLY running out of hair to pull…LOL!!!

#7

Re: changing your post… At the bottom of the original post, there’s buttons and the first one is Edit, so you can click on that, make the changes then save.

Happy you were able to find some help here, that’s why we’re here.

#8

Hi, Nancy! :waving:

I can empathize with your dilemma. I once tried to duplicate a pattern for a crochet motif that my mom was making (for a tablecloth) before she passed away. I spent DAYS and DAYS on it, and finally got it. Of course I later found it in about six books!!! :slight_smile: Evidently it was hiding until I’d done all the work!

From what I can tell from the picture you posted, it looks very much like a Yarn Over Cable stitch. You can find it in several stitch dictionaries, but it just looks so similar. Hope this helps.

Multiple of 5 stitches + 2

Row 1 (Right side)
P2 *slip 1 as if to knit, K2, PSSO, P2 Repeat from * across

Row 2 - K2 * P1, YO, P1, K2 Repeat from * across

Row 3 - P2, (K3, P2) across

Row 4 - K2, (P3, K2) across

Repeat rows 1-4 for pattern

Let us know how it works out. The sweater you want to make for your mom sounds lovely! And regardless of her current condition, she’ll know.

Best of luck,

Ruthie :hug:

#9

Suzeeq— Thank-you!! I’d been trying to change it but kept getting a message that i was not authorized to make some change. So I’m glad I persisted and finally got the post edited. Thank-you!!!

RuthieinMaryland— Will be trying your pattern tonight and will let you know how it went tomorrow. Thank-you!!!

#10

Well, I’ve tried all of your helpful suggestions and still no success. They HAVE however helped me with other mistakes and Although I still don’t have the stitch yet, it’s getting closer. Now if I can just stop making the wrong side look like the right side I’ll be fine…LOL!!! Here’s my Mom’s sample again. The sides should look like the following pics:
Pic #1-- Is the wrong side–notice the regular ribbing
pic#2–This is the right side–notice the columns of bubble stitches
pic#3-- Closeup of the bubble stitch. Sorry I couldn’t get it clearer.

Thank-you all. Because of all of you I am now richer in my knowledge of knitting…LOL!! Got some new stitches too!! Thank-you!!

#11

[B]Cast on multiple of 4 sts plus 2[/B]

  1. row one, Knit 2 purl 2 & repeat all the way across [B]End K2.[/B]
  2. row two, Purl 2 knit 2 & repeat all the way across [B]End P2.[/B]
  3. row three, KNIT 2 PURL 1 y/O PURL 1 & repeat all the way across [B]End K2.
    3.1 [U]row four[/U]: Purl 2, knit 3 all the way across, end P2
    3.2 [U]row five[/U]: K2, Purl 3, pass 1st P st over last 2 P sts, repeat across, end K2 [B](thought: could you maybe knit the 3rd P st - then knit the first and 2nd? Is that what “cross-over” means?)[/B]
    3.3 [U]row six[/U]: P2, K2 and repeat across, end P2[/B]
    [B]Omit this row[/B]4) row four, KNIT 3 PURL 2 & repeat all the way across
    [B]Omit this row[/B]5) row five, PURL 3 KNIT 2 and cross on 3rd & repeat all the way across "

This is how I knitted a swatch that perfectly matched your photo.
Hope this helps,
Dot

#12

I’d agree with DorothyDot on the “pass stitch over”.

I’m just not sure if there is a row 6 (which would be ribbed) or if the pattern reverses every other row of puffs. If there ARE only the five rows then your rib should reverse every five rows, and it doesn’t.

#13

I would look at the grecian plait stitch which is used on a sweater shown in the Spring 03 issue of Knitty. There is a good picture and a detailed explanation of how to do it. I made the sweater for my dd and she just loves it.

#14

Thank-you both SOOOOO much.!!! That IS the stitch. I’m half Mexican and have to talk in spanish with my Mom so trying to translate her instructions to something that Knitting folk could understand was a challenge…LOL!! By “crossover” I meant that a stitch crosses over the rest of the stiches in the bubble therefore forming a baseline between bubbles yet leaveing the 2 purled stitches by themselves in order to form a good ribbing. I’ve followed your directions to the letter and although the bubbles are forming, the crossover is on the wrong side…LOL!! Leave it only to me to make a mess of simple directions…LOL!! I’ll figure it out though…LOL!! So far, I’ve managed to keep my swatch at 30 stitches (no more extra stitches…YAY!!) and there’s regular ribbing on one side and the bubbles on the other…YAY!!! Thank-you all so much for the WONDERFUL help you’ve provided me. You’ll NEVER know how much this help means to me. Thank-you!!!
Sincerely and respectfully,
Always a friend,
nancy aka sunshine98

#15

You are most welcome, I’m sure. It’s a stitch I did years ago and liked - but haven’t seen it since.

Here’s a thought: since this lovely bubble is done over 2 knitted sts - why not work a second bubble on the opposite side?? You know, where the purls are knitted?

Just hope that you don’t get … [yes, she’s going to say it! Hold your ears, folks!!] Double Bubble Trouble! :roflhard:

Enjoy. Again, I’m glad to have helped.

Dot

PS - If taking the first stitch and passing it over the next 2 is the wrong direction, then maybe you could try for the crossover row: where you have 2 sts and the middle knitted yarn-over, knit all 3 of the stitches, then put those 3 right back on the left-hand needle and pass the THIRD stitch, the one on the left edge of the k3 group, over the other two. This is a bit more tedious, but then you would get the crossover/pass st. over going in the other direction.

But I am very happy to help.

Knitting really truly IS far more than just stitches and needles, isn’t it?