Square Pattern

This is the pattern I use for creating my squares.

At the bottom of this post is the pattern that I have written for the square. The paragraphs before explain how I have gone about following the pattern to create my square.

In this pattern I am using size 9 (3.75mm) needles and a double knit yarn. The particular yarn I'm using is a variegated, Hayfield yarn that I found in my local Hobbycraft, nothing too special!
The final square measures approximately 16cm x 16cm, but that can vary due to tension, needle size, and wool weight used.


To start with I have cast on two stitches and knitted them as a row.

The second row I am going to start to increase the stitches, and I am going to increase one per row, until I have 40 stitches.
In each row the first stitch is knitted normally, then the second stitch is used to increase. This makes the outer edge of the square less loopy and more neat.

Increasing First Step

Increasing
There is not a set way to increase each row in this pattern, but this is the way that I increase my squares, which looks neat.


The first step is to insert the needle into the next stitch, yarn over and pull it through (Shown in the picture) this is the beginning of a normal knit stitch. Instead of sliding the yarn off the left hand needle, slide the newly made loop onto the left needle along side the stitch you just made it from.

Now there is another stitch on the left hand needle. The newly made loop is treated as another stitch and the loop and its parent stitch are knitted along with the rest of the row.

Newly made loop next to the parent stitch

Once I have my 40 stitches (one per row), one half of the square has been done. To create the other side of the square each row is decreased by one, until there is only one stitch left.

Decreasing
To decrease on the second half of the square, the second and third stitch of each row are knitted together.

When decreasing, knit the first stitch of the row then knit the next two stitches of the row together to form one stitch.

To knit them together insert the needle from front to back through both of the stitches, yarn over the needle and pull it through both stitches like you would if doing a normal knit stitch.

Continue this until there is only one stitch left on the needle, pull this stitch into a loop. Cut the yarn from the ball and pass the end through the loop before pulling it tight to effectively cast off the square.

Decreasing: needle inserted through two stitches

Written Pattern:

Cast on 2,
Row 1: k to end of row
Row 2: *k1, inc1, k to end of row
Rep from * until you have 40 sts
Row 38: *k1, k2tog, k to end of row
Rep from * until you have one stitch
Cast off

A list of the abbreviations is included in another page on the blog. Pages can be found in the right hand bar.

Happy Knitting!

Completed square and half done sqaure