Back before Ravelry or KP, I went back to school - after retirement. I took remedial math classes and advanced to higher math than I’d ever done before (way back, when I’d had no choice in the matter), and did well - much to the surprise of my family. One particular teacher was very helpful, so (during Spring Break, when I had no assignments to prepare!) I made her a small blanket based on the Fibonacci Sequence. I wish now that I’d thought to snap a photo; I guess I need to make another. Each square was a different colour.
Anyway, the beginning of the Fibonacci Sequence is often used to plot stripes - in knitting, on fabric, wherever there are stripes, it can be used, and the human eye seems to like it, and it occurs in nature.
The blanket I made was probably based on a cast on of ten stitches for the first mitered square.
For the second, cast on five and pick up five = same size square as the first.
For the third, cast on ten and pick up ten.
For the fourth, cast on 15 and pick up 15.
Sixth, cast on 25, pick up 25.
Seventh, cast on 40, pick up 40.
Eighth, cast on 65, pick up 65.
Ninth, cast on 105, pick up 105.
Etc.
I don’t remember how far I carried it on. Probably not past the ninth - if that far; it gets very big very fast! I don’t remember; that was in 2003 or 2004, and I kept no real notes before Ravelry.
Spurred to enter this information now by a topic on Knitting Paradise: http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-496496-1.html#11382921
September 21, 2017
N.B.
First stitch of every row is slipped knitwise and last stitch is purled, to facilitate picking up stitches later on.
Stitches are picked up in the back loop only of the ‘chain’ selvedge.
US # 9 Boye KnitMaster (ca. 1970).
Generic 5.5mm crochet hook.
First Square:
Crochet hook cast-on 10 stitches with a scrap of cornflower blue yarn = Row 1 - right (decrease) side.
Row 2 wrong (work even) side: Sl1 k8, p1.
Row 3: Sl1, k2, (k2tog) twice, k2. p1.
Row 4: Sl1, k6, p1.
Row 5: Sl1, k1, (k2tog) twice, k1. p1.
Row 6: Sl1, k4, p1.
Row 7: Sl1, (k2tog) twice, p1.
Row 8: Sl1, k2, p1. (4 sts.)
Row 9: Sl1, bring yarn to front between needle tips, replace slipped stitch on left-hand needle, (p2tog) twice. (2 sts.)
Row 10: Sl1, bring yarn to front between needle tips, replace slipped stitch on left-hand needle, p2tog. (1 stitch to begin next square.)
If working next square with a different colour, use the new colour to work the last p2tog of the old square.
Second Square: white (same size as first)
Cast on 5. Pick up 5. = Row 1.
Repeat fromRow 2** above.
Third Square: pale aqua
Row 1: cast on 10, pick up 10.
Repeat same sequence of double decreases in mid-row on the right sides to complete the square.
Fourth Square: navy
Row 1: cast on 15, pick up 15.
September 22, 2017
Fifth Square: dark green
cast on 25; pick up 25.
Sixth Square: orange
cast on 40; pick up 40.
September 23, 2017
Seventh Square: royal blue & old rose in two-row stripes
cast on 65; pick up 65.
completed evening September 25.
September 26, 2017
Eighth Square: dark purple & pale green
cast on 105; pick up 105.
Interesting to compare ball bands over time. Same company: Bernat.
Both ball bands have text in three languages - English, French, and Spanish; therefore, they were both made after the beginning of NAFTA.
Both are made in Canada.
Both have bar codes.
However, the ball band from the Bernat Super Value has only laundry instructions (only in English and French!) on the inside, and says ‘mothproof’ on the outside. My guess is it’s the older packaging.
The Bernat Big Value yarn does have most of the text in three languages, except for the pattern on the inside of the wrapper; it’s only in English and French. Since it’s a smaller quantity, I’m guessing it’s the newer of the two. Yarn package sizes don’t inch up, only down. ;)
October 13, 2017
8th square is finished!
The piece now measures 46” x 31”.
It could end now and be a lap-robe, but not for me, because I don’t want to see it ruined by Puck’s claws. The 9th square will be 46” on each side and will take many more weeks, not to mention a lot of yarn. It would also bring it up to a much more usable size - big enough for a twin bed blanket.
Decision time! Do I do it in two-row stripes of only two colours as the 8th, or do I bring in the Fibonacci Sequence for the stripes - changing colours as it progresses?
Time to dive into the stash!
October 14, 2017
Ninth Square: very yellow & shades of brown
cast on 170; pick up 170.
October 15, 2017
Photo of 9th square’s bare beginnings and the first 8.
Thanks to Ginette!
October 22, 2017
Two photos of 9th square with a dozen rows done.
The yellow was possibly sold as a #5 weight yarn - or just heavy worsted. I don’t think it will really make a difference, at least not while I’m using the very thin, lightest shade I have of brown. When its four small balls run out, then we’ll see.
Yes, four small balls. Where do I find antique yarn that’s never been entered into Ravelry’s database? Second hand stores, where inheritors dump the unwanted stash of their loved ones is where.
So, this yarn - is packed in a plastic tube - two balls of 2 ounces each, and I (miraculously!) have two such tubes, though only one has the ball band. I suppose the other might be a different dye lot, but in garter stitch stripes, it’ll never show. It’s brown - plain, sort of a faded brown.
It was Made in U.S.A. at some point between the introduction of ZIP codes and product bar codes. The only address is N.Y., N.Y. 11101 - lower Manhattan. It’s labeled as “100% DuPont Orlon® Acrylic Fibre” (Yes, fibre is spelt the British way! Had it been produced for the Canadian market?) “4 ply knitting worsted weight” “Net Wt. 4 ozs. (112 grams). It’s unilingual English, without anything printed on the inside of the label. It’s rather loosely plied, but (thankfully!) not splitty.
As of the moment, 14 rows done. This square will take forever!
October 29, 2017
Slow progress, 20 rows done.
Today marks the first time I’ve had a Boye needle tip loosen while working a project. Luckily, it happened at Sunday knitting meeting, and Ginette had a ‘key’ from her KnitPicks set. Yes, it’s too small for this old Boye set, but - between it and a silicone bracelet - it did the job. I guess I should start carrying a tightening key around with me while I’m making this, but I’m afraid I’ll lose one, so I won’t. ;)
December 18, 2017
Last Sunday’s photo added. It shows growth, but it’s deadly slow! I don’t usually knit it at home, only in the car, and we don’t seem to go out as much since the temperatures have fallen into the deep-freeze range. Good thing it has no deadline!
March 16, 2018
Down to only 100 stitches!! The end of the mitered squares is near.
March 24, 2018
Knitting of the blanket itself is finished!!!
Now, to root about in the wool-room for the yarn to use for the border such as - but narrower than - the one I just finished on this.
July 24, 2018
I had a pleasant surprise when I re-folded it to work on the last side. I had thought it was the other long side, and I wasn’t looking forward to it, but it’s the other short side! Yay!!! Not as much left to do as I’d thought.
I will definitely have enough in this one ball; the other will be returned.
August 18, 2018
The oppressive heat/humidity has broken! For a few days anyway. So, I was finally able to weave in the last few ends on this and throw it into the washer/dryer. Now all I have to do is find the bag to carry it and to give it to Ginette at tomorrow’s knitting meeting. Oh, and get her to take some photos of the finished project!
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