Mitered Technique Works Magic
A number of years ago I took a class from California designer Ginger Luters that she called Mitered Corner Magic. The class gave information about an interesting construction technique based on square or rectangle shapes. Ginger credits the inventive Elizabeth Zimmermann for the original idea.
The basic idea is to cast on stitches for two outside edges: the top and one side. Using a gradual stitch decrease, you work increasingly fewer stitches until you have no stitches (for a square) or a few stitches (for a rectangle). This is the part that I like best.
If you add stripes of color to your work, you will get horizontal and vertical stripes, as I have done on the vest shown here.
The decrease I have used is a double decrease that removes two stitches at one time. It is worked as follows: Slip 2 stitches as if to knit them together from the left-hand needle to the right-hand needle, k1, pass both slip stitches over the knit stitch at the same time.
Other decreasing methods can be used, but this one makes a nice ridge when the decreased stitch is purled on the wrong side of the piece.
You can use either stockinette stitch (knit on right-side rows, purl on wrong-side rows) or garter stitch (knit every row) to work this technique. The major difference between these two stitches is the rate of decrease. For stockinette, you decrease on each of three rows and work one row without a decrease. For garter stitch, you simply decrease every other row - or every right-side row. I find garter stitch much easier to use, and it creates an interesting texture, especially when worked in stripes.
To work a gauge swatch, cast on the number of stitches needed for the stitch gauge, plus one stitch for the center, plus the number of stitches needed for the row gauge. In the case of the vest, the gauge is 18 stitches and 18 rows to 4 inches, or a total of 37 stitches.
For the first row: Knit until you have worked 17 stitches. Work the double decrease over the next 3 stitches and place a marker. Work the last 17 stitches. On the next row, knit to the marker, purl 1 stitch, and knit to the end. On the next row, knit to 2 stitches before the marker, work the decrease again (removing and replacing the marker), and knit to the end. Continue to work the last 2 rows to the last stitch. Fasten it off and you are done!
Another way to use this technique is to make smaller squares and join them in one piece. Use this method to create interesting sweaters or afghans. Because shaping is complicated, you should confine your designs to unshaped pieces.
Our cute cropped vest is fashioned from three different kinds of yarn - a solid cotton, a tweed and a luxurious flat ribbon. Finished chest measurements are 35, 38 and 40 inches. Worked according to the mitered corner method described above, it is finished off with a button closure and a buttoned-down collar.
MEMO: To obtain directions for making the Mitered Vest, send your request for Leaflet No. 050596 with $2 and a long, stamped, self-addressed envelope to: The NeedleWorks, The Spokesman-Review, PO Box 419148, Kansas City, MO 64141. Or you may order Kit No. 050596 by sending a check or money order for $34.95 to The NeedleWorks at the same address. Kit price includes shipping charges, full instructions and cotton, tweed and ribbon yarns to complete the project in your choice of blue tweed, denim and tan, or brown tweed, back and tan. Buttons are not included. For kit orders only, you may call weekdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at (800) 873-9537. Pat Trexler’s popular book “A Collection of Afghans” is available for $3.95 (includes postage) from the address above. The NeedleWorks is having a spring sale. For a free brochure, send a selfaddressed, stamped, legal-size envelope to the address above.