“Lay down these words
Before your mind like rocks.”
My favorite writer is Gary Snyder… and one of my favorite poems of his is entitled Riprap. Riprap is defined as “a foundation or sustaining wall of stones or chunks of concrete thrown together without order” (thank you Merriam-Webster). The first powerful lines of this poem are quoted above and lay the groundwork for an intense piece of writing.

Although I do not have permission to reproduce the poem in it’s entirety, it can be found in Snyder’s excellent volume, Riprap and Cold Mountain Poems. It can also be found online at http://www.litkicks.com/Texts/Riprap.html.

When I first came across this stitch in Knitting Made Easy by Barbara Ayers (sometimes referred to as Broken Stripe), I knew that it was meant to go with Noro Kureyon or a Kureyon-like yarn. As the pattern emerged, the word “Riprap” immediately came to mind… and I rather think that the pattern exemplifies a sense of ordered chaos.

Many, many yarns would be suitable for this project. Although my preference is for long color repeats against a solid background with lots of contrast, imagine the possibilities! This reversible stitch pattern is simple enough for travel/movie knitting, but entertaining enough to maintain interest. Best yet, this makes for a quick and impressive gift- especially if it is for yourself.