Laminaria Maths 101

Having done the maths:

  • 285 stitches from row 6
  • less 1 centre stitch = 284
  • divide by 2 = 142 stitches per side
  • less 3 border stitches = 139 charted stitches each side
  • minus 5+6 non-repeated stitches = 128 stitches for chart repeat each side

(with me so far?)

Now…

  • 16 stitches total (3+1+3+1+3+1+3+1) form each chart repeat
  • divide 128 stitches total from above calculation by 16
  • 128/16 = 8 chart repeats each side

Take a deep breath, bear with me

  • 16 stitches in each repeat becomes (3+1+2=1+2=1=3=1) 14
  • [16-14 = 2 stitches lost per repeat]

I think I’m right this far…

  1. Right hand non-repeated section of chart is 6 original stitches + 2 made stitches = 8
  2. Left hand non-repeated section of chart is 5 original stitches + 2 made stitches = 7

That was easy, let’s put it all together now

  1. Right hand side 6+2 = 8
  2. Left hand side 5+2 = 7
  3. Chart repeat section = 128 – (8*2)= 112
  • Total stitches per side after Row 7 should be
    = 8[ from 1] + 7[from 2] + 112[from 3] + 3 border stitches = 130

Which is good, as I do have 130 stitches on one side. On the other, I have 129. You can’t win ’em all…

I go in search of the missing stitch!

(Please – just don’t tell me about the many easier ways there must have been to do this calculation)

2 Comments

  1. March 14, 2009

    Or if you’re me you just make a stitch and go bollocks to it!
    I am very definitely not a perfectionist!

    • March 14, 2009

      @Katie, I am no perfectionist either, and if I knew what the pattern looked like, I’d probably fudge it too – but I had to find out where the wrong stitch was, or it would all be out for the rest of the shawl.

      Luckily, it turned out to be in the end five stitches and… I did fudge it in the end because I was able to work it into a decrease that should have had three stitches – I just knitted 2 tog instead.

      More importantly – are you feeling better?

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