Monica Knits

Fireflowers I have included the Fireflowers pattern to illustrate another way of adding color to knitting, in this case through the ingenious use of slip stitches. Any given row is knitted with a single yarn color, avoiding the need to carry other colors behind the work, as is done in weaving, stranding or bobbin work. The flower colors are actually introduced on the first 2 rows of a 10 row block, then slip stitches move the color up a further 6 rows. This is the fifth in a series of articles on introducing color to knitting.

Slip stitches can be used to introduce texture, pattern and color. The small swatch shows three colors of flowers against a variegated grey background. Each flower color is part of a different block of ten rows, against a constant background of variegated grey yarn; the variegated yarn gives a tweed like effect and the impression of additional colors knitted in. The back of this work looks neat much neater than color carried with stranding.

Reverse SideThis is the reverse side of the fireflowers stitch pattern, showing how neat the wrong side is compared to fabrics with weaving or stranding of yarns. This was a quick sample, used to test colors and the stitch pattern, so I wasn't attempting to be neat or accurate.

Stitch Pattern Source
The fireflowers stitch pattern is found in Barbara Walker's book: A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, Schoolhouse Press, 1998, pp. 94-95. I came across this pattern when I was researching stitch patterns to use in a toe-up sock. Since this is a unidirectional stitch pattern (bottom-up), it complements a toe-up sock structure.

Quality Tips
I would recommend knitting a larger swatch to practice getting the tension and stitch patterns uniform before working on the final garment.