Monday, February 13, 2023

Infinity loops in color: Celtic Valentine's hearts

  

With Infinity Loops, it's easy to make contrasting color motifs, like these hearts. So here these cuties are, from me to you. Happy Valentine's day 2023! 

  

(If this is your first time finding out about Infinity Loops, maybe go back and read the intro post, and also the post on same-color hearts.) 

 Each arm of a contrasting-color Celtic motif is knit from its own length of yarn, as with knitted Intarsia. There is no stranding behind, as is common with color knitting.  

Prepare by cutting a 90"length of contrast-color yarn, then fold it in half. This length will be knit from the middle to the two ends. In other words, each 45" end serves as the yarn for one of the two arms of the heart. This also means that at no time is the yarn stranded across the back. Each arm has its own strand with which it is knit, and the strands stay with their arm through the cable twists by which the arms travel across the background fabric.

Below is the beginning of the work: a yellow heart is started to be knit on a blue background. This shows the back of the work. In other words, row 1 has been knit, and row 2 is about to be knit from the chart which appears at the bottom of this post. The yellow contrasting color strands are pinned down in this photo, the two foundation loops of each arm have each been knit from their respective side of the folded cc strand. The purple yarn is the placeholder into which the yellow cc sts have been knit. 


  

At the end of this post you'll find the chart and written instructions for the heart . This is simply copy-pasted from the Celtic heart post, However, the parts to knit in color are now in RED

The trick is to knit the RED-PRINTED stitches in the contrasting color (cc). In order to lock the contrasting color onto the background, make a rule for yourself to always lift the new yarn you are about to knit (whether background or contrast color) up from under the yarn of the previous color stitch.

Again, this is NOT like regular color knitting where each yarn strands across the back, this is intarsia. Here, each arm is knit from its own strand, and, as with all intarsia, this trick of lifting the new yarn out from under the old serves to twist the contrasting color and the background yarns together, locking them together with no holes on the fabric surface.

There's one little catch, a side-effect of lifting the yarns out from under one another. Twisting not only twists and locks the yarns onto the fabric surface (a good thing) but also twists together the yarns you're knitting with (a bad thing). In other words, by the end of each row, the "up from under "rule has tangled your running yarns together. This is annoying, but fortunately, easy to fix. Simply grasp each cc strand near its base and tug until the loose end comes free. That will untangle the entire nest of yarn. (In fact, I now do all intarsia knitting this way, not bothering with mini-skeins or butterflies or bobbins or anything like that--just using long loose cc pieces hanging freely, which are pulled out of the yarn bird-nest at the end of every row, much easier to untangle than any other method.)

As you recall from the beginning parts of this series, the stitches of the Celtic figure are "transformed" by re-latching them upside-down with a crochet- or latch-hook. 

  

The yellow square with the green heart above has been knit, then transformed, but has not yet been dupli-grafted together at the inner or outer point. (Again, the intro post, and the post on same-color hearts explain the entire process.) 

Here is a photo of the back. On this square, the strand-ends have not yet been worked in. As you see, there are only strands at the top of the heart-lobes, not at the inner or outer point. This is because at those points where the arms depart, the cc yarn has been folded into to two separate strands. In this way, the foundation-stitches of the outer and inner points are both knitted from the same continuous cc stand, (each arm from its respective side of the fold) so there are no strands to work in at the bottom of either point. (It might be a little hard to see this because the purple placeholders are in the way, but you can see there are no green strands poking out of the bottom of either point, only out of the top of the lobes.)

  

One last thing before we get to the chart. 



As at left, all Infinity Loops can be knitted in contrasting color. This is because the way arms of the figure start on a placeholder makes them essentially independent of the background fabric. Therefore, nothing in the construction prevents you from using a separate strand of yarn (or many strands of yarn) in a contrasting color. 

Note: on the bullseye pattern above (a color adaptation of the original Celtic ring post), the outer rings would be more like diamonds if the sample had not been heavily blocked. However, this kind of distortion is not a problem with the other shapes so far in the series--Bowen cross knots, complex Bowen cross knots and hearts

Chart

The transformation map is identical in contrast-color hearts as it would be for a single color heart. In other words, working in a cc yarn does not change the transformations required for Infinity Loops. So here is a simple cut-and-paste of the original map from the original heart post.


  



Next we have the chart. As mentioned earlier, this is also a cut-and-paste from original heart post. The only difference is, the cc stitches are now shaded red. 



And finally, the written instructions. Once again a cut-and-paste from original heart post and again, the only difference is, the cc stitches are now written in red


row

Instructions for plain heart in contrast color (CC) 

(Contrast color stitches indicated in RED)

stitch

count

bottom

co 23 in main color (plus whatever side border stitches you choose). Work in garter stitch to make a bottom border to desired height. Switch to reverse st st and work a few rows.

23

1

k11, place first two loops of placeholder onto L needle. Prepare a 90” strand of Contrast Color (CC) yarn and fold it into a left arm and a right arm. Using the base of the right arm of the folded CC yarn, work 1 CC K st into each loop of the placeholder, p1, place last two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 CC K st from other arm into each remaining loop of placeholder, p11.

23+4 =27

2

in this and every even row, K the k’s and P the p’s.  In this particular row, k 11, p2, k1, p2, k11

27

3

P10, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p10. 

For these and every R-p-T, and every L-p-T, keep the traveling stitches in CC yarn, while the third, underlying stitch is worked in the background color. When switching colors, make sure to bring the new yarn (whether cc yarn or background yarn) up from under the previous stitch, in order to lock the cc yarn and the background sts together with a twist. At the end of this and every following row, de-tangle the running yarns by grasping each CC strand in turn, its base, and pulling it straight out of the tangle. This will release the tangled up twists in the running yarn. 

27

4

k10, p2, k3, p2, k10

27

5

p9, R-p-T, p3, L-p-T, p9 

R-p-T and L-p-T as per CC instructions on row 5

27

6

k9, p2, k5, p2, k9

27

7

p8, R-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p8

R-p-T and L-p-T as per CC instructions on row 5

27

8

k8, p2, k7, p2, k8

27

9

p7, R-p-T, p7, L-p-T, p7

R-p-T and L-p-T as per CC instructions on row 5

27

10

k7, p2, k9, p2, k7

27

11

p6, R-p-T, p9, L-p-T, p6

R-p-T and L-p-T as per CC instructions on row 5

27

12

k6, p2, k11, p2, k6

27

13

p5, R-p-T, p5, place first two loops of placeholder onto L needle Prepare a 45” strand of Contrast Color (CC) yarn and fold it into a left arm and a right arm. Using the base of the right arm of the folded CC yarn, work 1 CC K st into each loop of the placeholder, p1, place last two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 CC K st from other arm into each loop. p5, L-p-T, p5

R-p-T and L-p-T as per CC instructions on row 5

27+4

= 31

14

k5, p2, k6, p2, k1, p2, k6, p2, k5

31

15

p4, R-p-T, p5, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p4

R-p-T and L-p-T as per CC instructions on row 5

31

16

k4, p2, k6, p2, k3, p2, k6, p2, k4, 

31

17

p3, R-p-T, p5, R-p-T, p3, L-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p3

R-p-T and L-p-T as per CC instructions on row 5

31

18

k3, p2, k6, p2, k5, p2, k6, p2, k3 

31

19

p3, k2, p5, R-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p5, k2, p3

R-p-T and L-p-T as per CC instructions on row 5

31

20

k3, p2, k5, p2, k7, p2, k5, p2, k3, 

31

21

p3, L-p-T, p3, R-p-T, p7, L-p-T, p3, R-p-T, p3

R-p-T and L-p-T as per CC instructions on row 5

31

22

k4, p2, k3, p2, k9, p2, k3, p2, k4

31

23

p4, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p9, L-p-t, p1, R-p-t, p4,

R-p-T and L-p-T as per CC instructions on row 5

31

24

k5, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k11, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k5

31- 8 

=23

top

p23, then continue for an additional few rows in reverse st st, then add any top border you choose.

23


After working the heart, transform the stitches and dupli-graft the arms shut at the points, as set out in the original Celtic heart post.

--TK


Questions? Feedback? Talk to me about this post on TECHknitting Ravelry forum

PS: A personal note to the lovely readers who have written, worried because I post so erratically. As of this writing, I am in good health: many thanks for your concern. However, a family member is ill AND a new addition has arrived. (How DO little kids take up so much time and space?) Hopefully, I will be able to continue to post, just not as often as I would like. And again, Happy Valentine's day 2023 from me to you. 

Saturday, November 12, 2022

Celtic hearts and teardrops. Infinity Loops, part 4

Here are two little Celtic hearts.  The left is knitted by standard Celtic knot technique.  The right has been transformed by the Infinity Loop method. What do you think when you compare at top and bottom? 


     ↑ Ordinary heart     vs.     ↑ Infinity Loop heart


If this difference impresses you enough to get really picky with your knitting, then welcome to part 4 of the Infinity Loop method for Celtic-style knitting. The first installment was simple rings; the second, the Bowen cross; third, Double Bowen (complex shapes) and today, we are at hearts. Hearts are one of the easiest forms to knit, so if some of the Bowen cross posts have seemed complicated, today's are easier--almost as easy as the simple rings. 

We start with the simple heart shown below under "resources," but scroll for many variations.
___________________________

RESOURCES
Here are the "action only" parts of Infinity Loops (keeps you from having to hunt around through previous posts). 
Hearts are simple forms, but if you do choose to use shortcuts, here are printable PDF's 
___________________________

PLAIN HEART
If you've been following along with this series, you'll see that a heart doesn't look very complicated to transform, and it isn't. 

plain Infinity Loop heart

It's a simple form with all the arms exposed, and transformation will be be as it was in simple rings, meaning half the figure, per below map.

Transformation map:



Chart: With a three-stitch margin on both sides of the heart, the number to cast on is 23. This does not include any decorative borders you may choose to add outside of the margins. The figure is 24 rows high. 

To enlarge chart in a printable window, click here.

Written directions:
This is a traveling cable knit heart on a reverse stocking stitch (purl fabric face) background. The traveling cables are two stitches wide. 


row

Infinity Loop plain heart

st ct

bottom

co 23 (plus whatever side border stitches you choose). Work in garter stitch to make a bottom border to desired height. Switch to stockinette st and work a few rows, ending on a knit row. Turn work.

23

1

p11, place first two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p1, place last two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p11.

23+4 =27

2

in this and every even row, K the k’s and P the p’s.  In this particular row, k 11, p2, k1, p 2, k11

27

3

P10, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p10

27

4

k10, p2, k3, p2, k10

27

5

p9, R-p-T, p3, L-p-T, p9

27

6

k9, p2, k5, p2, k9

27

7

p8, R-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p8

27

8

k8, p2, k7, p2, k8

27

9

p7, R-p-T, p7, L-p-T, p7

27

10

k7, p2, k9, p2, k7

27

11

p6, R-p-T, p9, L-p-T, p6

27

12

k6, p2, k11, p2, k6

27

13

p5, R-p-T, p5, place first two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p1, place last two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p5, L-p-T, p5

27+4

= 31

14

k5, p2, k6, p2, k1, p2, k6, p2, k5

31

15

p4, R-p-T, p5, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p4

31

16

k4, p2, k6, p2, k3, p2, k6, p2, k4, 

31

17

p3, R-p-T, p5, R-p-T, p3, L-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p3

31

18

k3, p2, k6, p2, k5, p2, k6, p2, k3 

31

19

p3, k2, p5, R-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p5, k2, p3

31

20

k3, p2, k5, p2, k7, p2, k5, p2, k3, 

31

21

p3, L-p-T, p3, R-p-T, p7, L-p-T, p3, R-p-T, p3

31

22

k4, p2, k3, p2, k9, p2, k3, p2, k4

31

23

p4, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p9, L-p-t, p1, R-p-t, p4, 

31

24

k5, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k11, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k5

31- 8 

=23

top

p23, then continue for an additional few rows in reverse st st, then add any top border you choose.

23



For finishing, the arms must be transformed and dupli-grafted, where indicated on the map. 

BO TEARDROP HEART
Teardrops are a embellishment to add to any pointed figure. Here's one I call the "Bo heart" with teardrops below and inside. It is named for my friend Bo, currently fighting the good fight against her obscure and difficult disease. 😢


Infinity Loop Bo heart

Compared to the simple heart, the teardrops create sharp points at the bottom, as well as where the lobes meet.

The teardrops (loops) bring to mind shortcuts, as in the complex forms of the previous two posts. I have mapped out the transformation for the Bo heart the long way as well as the shortcut way. As shown on the map, both alternatives have an "over" transformation, but that is not nearly as fiddly as an under. With this heart, it really comes down to whether you would rather transform an under, or use the shortcut tricks to avoid that. Also, I have shown a right arm dominant transformation, but nothing stops you from doing a left cable dominant transformation: left and right both have the same number of overs and unders (one of each). 

Transformation maps:


Bo heart charted instructions:
With a three-stitch margin on both sides of the heart, the number to cast on is 23. This does not include any decorative borders you may choose to add outside of the margins. The figure is 32 rows high. 

To enlarge chart in a printable window, click here.

Bo heart written instructions:

row

Infinity Loop Bo teardrop heart

st ct

bottom

co 23 (plus whatever side border stitches you choose). Work in garter stitch to make a bottom border to desired height. Switch to reverse st st and work a few rows.

23

1

(base of lower teardrop)

k11, place first two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p1, place last two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p11. 

23+4 =27

2

in this and every even row, K the k’s and P the p’s.  In this particular row, k 11, p2, k1, p 2, k11

27

3

p10, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p10

27

4

k10, p2, k3, p2, k10

27

5

p10, k2, p3, k2, p10

27

6

k10, p2, k3, p2, k10

27

7

p10, L-p-T, p1, R-p-t, p10

27

8

k11, p2, k1, p2, k11

27

9

 p11, LFC-5 on next 5 sts, p11. 

NOTE: if working shortcuts, then follow directions for tail-to-tail PLACEHOLDER trick instead of working the LFC-5.

27

10

k11, p2, k1, p2, k11

27

11

p10, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p10


12

k10, p2, k3, p2, k10

27

13

p9, R-p-T, p1, place first two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p1, place last two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p1, L-p-T, p9

27+4 =31

14

k9, p2, k2, p2, k1, p2, k2, p2, k9

31

15

p8, R-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p8

31

16

k8, p2, k2, p2, k3, p2, k2, p2, k8

31

17

p7, R-p-T, p2, k2, p3, k2, p2, L-p-T, p7

31

18

k7, p2, k3, p2, k3, p2, k3, p2, k7

31

19

p6, R-p-T, p3, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p3, L-p-T, p6

31

20

k6, p2, k5, p2, k1, p2, k5, p2, k6

31

21

p5, R-p-T, p5, LFC-5 on next 5 sts, p5, L-p-T, p5

NOTE: if working shortcuts, follow the directions for the head-to-head DENTAL FLOSS MANEUVER instead of working the LFC-5

     31

22

k5, p2, k6, p2, k1, p2, k6, p2, k5

31

23

p4, R-p-T, p5, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p4

31

24

k4, p2, k6, p2, k3, p2, k6, p2, k4, 

31

25

p3, R-p-T, p5, R-p-T, p3, L-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p3

31

26

k3, p2, k6, p2, k5, p2, k6, p2, k3

31

27

p3, k2, p5, R-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p5, k2, p3

31

28

k3, p2, k5, p2, k7, p2, k5, p2, k3, 

31

29

p3, L-p-T, p3, R-p-T, p7, L-p-T, p3, R-p-T, p3

31

30

k4, p2, k3, p2, k9, p2, k3, p2, k4

31

31

p4, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p9, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p4, 

31

32

k5, slip 2 p sts to holder. hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back k11, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k5

31- 8 

=23

top

p23, then continue for an additional few rows in reverse st st, then add any top border you choose.

23



For finishing, the arms must be transformed and dupli-grafted, where shown on the map.

HEART WITH SCROLLWORK TOPPER
Here's a heart with a scrollwork topper. This is a sort of "top teardrop."



Transformation map:
On this heart, working the transformations the simple ("long") way makes the most sense--there are no "under" transformations to avoid. 



Charted directions:
With the topper added, the simple heart would be 32 rows high by 23 stitches wide. Width includes a 3 stitch margin either side. 

To enlarge chart in a printable window, click here.

Written directions for scrollwork heart topper:

row

Infinity Loop scrollwork heart topper

st ct

this a teardrop-like embellishment for heart tops. It works on the Bo heart, the cable bottom heart and the plain heart. Row directions are given for adding to the plain heart, but simply change the row numbers for the other hearts: the method of knitting remains the same.

bottom

Knit as for plain heart up to row 23 


24

k5, p2, k1, p2, k11, p2, k1, p2, k5

31

25

p5, LFC-5, p11, LFC-5, p5

31

26

k5, p2, k1, p2, k11, p2, k1, p2, k5 

31

27

p4, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p9, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p4

31

28

k4, p2, k3, p2, k9, p2, k3, p2, k4

31

29

p4, k2, p3, k2, p9, k2, p3, k2, p4

31

30

k4, p2, k3, p2, k9, p2, k3, p2, k4

31

31

p4, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p9, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p4

31

32

k5, k5, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k11, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k5

31-8 =23

top

p23, then continue for an additional few rows in reverse st st, then add any top border you choose.

23


For finishing, the arms must be transformed and dupli-grafted, where shown on the map.


CABLE-BASE HEART
Here's a heart with a cable base, a sort of a double lower teardrop. The cable is actually a traveling one, although it does not travel very far--just one stitch in each direction, then one stitch back. This variation on the Bo heart has a double teardrop underneath and no teardrop inside (but nothing stops you from adapting this heart to contain a teardrop--just switch over the Bo heart above the cable base. More on this sort of mix n' match below).

Cable base heart, Infinity Loop style

Again, this one is up to you to use shortcuts or no. Transforming the long way would mean transforming the cable base. You'd have one "over" and one "under" on the cable base. With shortcuts, you get one placeholder trick and one dental floss trick, but never have to work an under or over. It's knitter's choice which way you'd like to go, both are mapped below. Again shown is a right arm dominant transformation for the long way option, but this has no advantage over a left arm dominant transformation: both have the same number of overs and unders. 

Transformation map:


Charted instructions are not needed because this is a mash-up of the Bo heart and the simple heart--cut and tape your charts together per written instructions, below

Written directions for cable-base heart:


row

cable-base heart

st ct

bottom

As Bo heart to row 8 (bottom of the cable-base is the same as the lower teardrop of the Bo heart). 

27

9

p11, LFC-5, P11.

NOTE: if working shortcuts, then follow the directions for tail-to-tail PLACEHOLDER trick instead of working the LFC-5  


10-16

as rows Bo heart rows 2-8. 



17

p11, LFC-5, P11.

NOTE: if working shortcuts, then follow the directions for head-to-head DENTAL FLOSS MANEUVER instead of working the LFC-5 


heart

The heart above the cable detail is knit as the plain heart. Start with row 2 of the plain heart.





For finishing, the arms must be transformed and dupli-grafted, where shown on the map.


MIX N' MATCH
Here's a gallery of more mix-n-match shapes from all of the hearts above. Lots of possibilities. Either print out the relevant charts, cut them up and tape them together; or do the same with the written directions. Sketch out a transformation map before you start though, to see if you want to use tricks (shortcuts) or transform the long way, because the transformation maps shown for each figure might not hold true once you start mashing patterns together.



BONUS IDEA: MIX N' MATCH ON OTHER SHAPES
Teardrops and double teardrops, top and bottom could be adapted to any pointed figure such as diamonds. Diamonds and other hollow figures are often the frame for other Celtic knots. The possibilities are endless. Just save yourself a bunch of grief and make a transformation map before you set out knitting to see whether as-you-go shortcuts will save time, or whether it makes sense to transform the longer but simpler way. 

Remember, all you need to know to make a transformation map is that each figure starts with a tail-to-tail discontinuity where the stitches enter the fabric at the bottom on their scrap-yarn placeholder, the figure grows upward, row by row, and the arms meet head-to-head at the top. To get ride of these discontinuous meetings, some arms somewhere are going to have to be transformed. Either one-half of the figure needs to be transformed the "long way," in which case your map will show whether left- or right-arm dominant transformation results in fewer "unders." Alternatively, if using shortcuts, your map will show where to engineer head-to-head/tail-to-tail meetings by hiding them under a cable cross. 


Concept: not just hearts, but any pointed shape can have embellishment tops and bottoms applied. These shapes can be frames for other Celtic knots. Here, a diamond with a teardrop below + scroll topper above frames a simple Bowen Cross.


One last thought. There are other lobed forms in Celtic knitting besides hearts. Here is a lovely and complicated form where a lobed frame encloses a simple Bowen Cross. The frame--a sort of simplified batman logo--is more obvious on this project photo

black arrowheads show
original direction, green
hashes and arrows show
transformations
Transformation maps are your friend with complex lobed forms like these--and please don't think a transformation map needs to be all fancy like the diagrams in this series so far. Here is a half-minute sketch surely good enough to knit from. (And why do I suddenly want to knit a batman logo? Oh no! I have enough stray projects already!)

Another last thought:  Inspiration lurks everywhere. Here is a link to a hairstyle which would make a perfectly framed 3-heart motif. The talent and vision here are outstanding! I wish I knew who to credit--this was posted anonymously on Oddly Satisfying (Reddit)--but wouldn't this just look stunning in Infinity Loops? 


Next time: contrasting color motifs. (However, there will be a delay due to upcoming holidays.) 

Until we meet again, good knitting 
--TK


Questions? Feedback? Talk to me about this post on TECHknitting Ravelry forum.