Post stitches and lacy stitch patterns
This newsletter is part of a series on the topic of crocheted post stitches.
Previous issues were published in May 2017, June 2017, July/August 2017 and September 2017.
Now that we have experimented with textured stitch patterns and cables using post stitches, let’s have a look at how post stitches can enhance, and sometimes transform openwork stitch patterns.
We can achieve subtle or impressive effects – but first of all, we need to know how the stitch pattern is constructed so we can tell if it is possible to use post stitches in it.
A post stitch is worked around the « body » of another stitch as opposed to in the « head » of the stitch. This means that to use post stitches in a stitch pattern, the stitch patterns must contain stitches that are worked into other stitches. When you start looking closely at lacy stitch patterns, you will soon notice that very often stitches are made not into other stitches but into chain spaces.
This is the case with stitch patterns based on shells, like the one in my Wave shawl.
Looking at the center and border pattern in the shawl Ananas 343 (designed by EclatDuSoleil), almost all stitches are worked into chain spaces.
If you want to use post stitches in this kind of stitch pattern, you can do it by adding elements. One idea is to add columns of stitches worked « stitch in stitch », as in this shell pattern.
On the left, the shells are separated by dc columns. On the right, I used post stitches to enhance the columns and add texture. To do so, I substituted the dc’s with front post trebles (FPtr) on the right side and back post trebles (BPtr) on the wrong side.
Since I also wanted to « frame » the pattern with post stitches at each selvedge, I added a dc on each side – I find it hard to work post stitches around the first and last stitch of a row.
You can add texture in a rather subtle but interesting way by using post stitches only at selected spots in the pattern.
In the swatch on the right I underlined the « branches » of the leaves with post stitches – once more I used FPtr on the right side and BPtr on the wrong side.
I also wanted to see how horizontal texture could change a lacy stitch pattern. This meant that I had to find a stitch pattern in which several stitches in the same row were worked into other stitches.
In the swatch on the right, a single row of FPtr worked on the wrong side in each repeat transforms the stitch pattern in a spectacular way. (I tried with two rows of post stitches, but I actually thought that this changed the stitch pattern too much!)
I hope this gives you some ideas on how to use post stitches in openwork patterns. Did this inspire you? Please feel free to share your comments, suggestions, and questions below!
As always you can find my online shop in English here, and my designs on Ravelry here. There is also my Ravelry group, I’d be glad to see you join us there!
See you soon,
