Two-Row Patterns

When I was pondering changing the four-row pattern to a stacked arrangement and before I started charting, I didn't really give much thought to the potential result. It turns into a two-row pattern. Also, now that the pattern elements are stacked again, we get the peaks and valleys of Old Shale. They are sharper than the original, though, because of the smaller number of intervening plain rows.

I decided to try two different decrease styles as you can see in the photos and charts. As always, lines of stitches lean towards the decreases and away from the increases but in the mixed decrease sample they are much softer. I did not work a sample where the mixed decreases lean away from the central stitches; if anyone tries it, please let us know how it looks!





Charts

The next logical step will be a pattern with no plain rows. The swatch for that is fighting me at every juncture, so it might be a little longer than usual. I also plan to add a page of chart symbols; that will eliminate the need to repeat the symbols on every post. Until then . . .