First Bloop Afghan

This is actually the first larger piece I ever tried with bloop knitting. My goal was to try everything I could think of, so it is far more complicated than the later pieces, and that is why I have delayed showing it until now.

That's a yardstick, to show the size.

Throughout most of this I had markers in different colors, each signifying a different bloop pattern. I even had a color for bloops made on the return row. For example, one bloop had sections of 12 with, say, a bloop of 1 2 1 3 1, and another had sections of 20 with bloops of 3 2 1 2 3. As long as all the markers were removed, it is perfectly possible to be following several bloop patterns at the same time.

I also played with yarnovers, first using them in between the bloop rows, and then using them only for bloop rows.

Finally, I did two bloop rows between the yarnover rows.

It was fun and I learned a lot, but afterwards I've just been doing a single bloop pattern in any given row because it gives a fine look all by itself, and I always make them on the front-side row because they are easier to keep track of if you have a contrast color after the stationary marker and the same color at the movable marker.

Perhaps I'll get bored with single bloops and go back to multiples one day. And then again, maybe not!

Turn the Corner

Since Mermaid's View is basically a log cabin pattern, I began with the green rectangle in the middle.

As usual, I used my markers with tails to define the bloops.

I don't have pictures of the entire process but I'll do my best to explain.

Once the green section had been completed (e.g. all the bloops were made and the markers were removed), I didn't cast off, but instead picked up stitches along one side and switched to the orange color group. I knitted one plain ridge (garter stitch across and back) across all the stitches, placing the markers for the bloops. At the corner I placed three special markers so I could always distinguish which ones these were.

When I got to the trio of corner markers on the first bloop row, I added a stitch on either side of the middle marker (so I had marker - stitch - center marker - stitch - marker), and on each subsequent right-side row I added another stitch on each side of that center marker. This meant that as I added rows, the two outer markers got farther and farther from the center one.

Here is the trick to make this work for bloop knitting: whatever color I was using when I got to the first marker was continued until I got to the third marker. In other words, the corner section was just an elongation of whatever was happening with the stitches on either side of it. If I was making bloops, the corner section didn't count as stitches. If I had to increase 3 stitches for my bloop, and the stitch just before the first corner marker was stitch 1, then I would knit that one stitch, continue knitting through the center section, increasing one on either side of the center marker, and then after the third center marker I knit the other two bloop stitches, wrapped and turned, and knit back.

This meant the center section increased as part of any bloops that were being created around it. Perhaps you can see this here (it is really a square, but slightly distorted because of how this is hanging on the bar).

With that hint, can you see it elsewhere?

I really love this piece now, but when I was knitting it, I almost took it apart just after staring the orange corner, because I hadn't realized how on the part where I didn't cast off (now on the bottom of the green section) the orange would look like a continuation of the green bloops. I was afraid that the log cabin sections wouldn't be distinctive as sections.

In the event, I didn't have to worry, but I wanted to share that moment of doubt in order to inspire you (and myself) to be a little more patient. Some things can only be seen large.

A Mermaid's View of the World

Named by an artist acquaintance--I want her to name all my knitted pieces!

This is a log cabin version of the basic bloop pattern, and all the sections were created using the same formula. I wanted to figure out how to turn corners with bloops, and it turned out to be surprisingly simple -- I'll cover this in the next blog post.

I had three sets of colors that coordinated: greens, rusts and beige-greys. My idea was to begin with sections with a single color (but with touches of the others), and end with sections where the colors were mixed.

Here are some closer looks.

Can you figure out how the corners were made?

Bloop Stole

('Stole' the noun, not 'stole' the verb!)

Just like the scarf, only you do two or three repeats of the entire pattern before binding off. I used slightly larger bloops for this one.

There is a plain ridge of thin green lace yarn, almost like a thread, in between each color section, to make it lighter and more drapy.

This one had the easiest of cast-ons, a brown ripple yarn threaded back and forth on the needles, and then when I cast off, I threaded the same ripple yarn into it.

Easy and quick!

Bloop Scarf Tips

Width: if you are getting near the end (e.g. there are very few markers left), and the scarf seems too narrow, start adding extra plain rows between the bloop rows. They will blend in with the rest of the scarf because of the flow of the design.

If you still have a lot of markers left but the scarf seems to be getting too wide, start doing two bloops in each row, not next to each other, and don’t use any plain rows between the bloop rows.

Similarly, the flow of the design will make this just seem part of the pattern.


Markers: Because you are slipping the markers, it helps to have a tail of yarn on them, which ends up being woven in and out as you knit back and forth. This tail will keep the marker from jumping off the needle as you move it or slip it.

Also, if you find you have trouble remembering which marker is the SM and which is the MM, you could use a small clip, broken-ring marker, or even an extra and distinctive second marker on one of them to remind you which it is, but just remember to do it consistently for each bloop (write it down, if you need to), so it helps you instead of confuses you more.

This pattern describes the way I use markers to make my bloops, but if you think of a method that makes more sense to you, then go for it!

Here are some pictures of markers with tails and how to add the tail:

Memory Helpers


Stationary Marker (SM)

• You are always slipping it, not taking it off.
• It is always closer to the end of the scarf than the MM
• You are always knitting past it and wrapping into the previous color

Movable Marker (MM)

• You are always taking it off, wrapping and turning, and knitting one or two stitches before replacing it
• It is always closer to the beginning of the scarf than the SM
• You are always knitting and wrapping into the same yarn you are knitting with

Bloop Scarf Pattern

I use size 13 needles and cast on 104 stitches, because I like the open look—if you use a smaller needle or like short scarves, adjust your length accordingly. (However, it’s a scarf, so no matter what the length, someone will like it.)

• Cast on 4 stitches, place marker, then place a marker after every 8 stitches 12 times (you have 100 stitches at this point), place a marker, cast on 4 stitches, and that’s the end.
• Turn and knit back to start.

The easiest way to knit this scarf is:

• Start with the First Bit Bloop (see below)
• After that bloop, continue knitting across the entire scarf and then turn and knit back (finishing first garter ridge)
• Change color, knit to the first marker and do a regular bloop
• Finish knitting across and back
• Change color and make a bloop at the next marker, and continue in this fashion until you complete the Last Bit Bloop (you are always knitting to the first remaining marker to do your bloop, then knitting across and then back--you are removing the marker for the one bloop in each ridge, so you should always be starting a bloop a little past the last one)
• What makes this method easy is that you will never need a temporary marker, and it should always be easy to know which side you started from (the side with fewer markers)

But who needs easy? Okay, all of us, but here's how I like to do it more often:

• I make two bloops which aren't near each other in each ridge, making it somewhat random
• I like to knit a plain row between the bloop rows – and sometimes two plain rows – and sometimes I use a row of yarn-overs
• Don’t forget to do the First Bit Bloop (which doesn't have a marker to remind you, so you just have to remember)

With either method, when all of the markers have been removed and you've knit back to the beginning, change the color for the last time and bind off.

How to Knit a Bloop:

(See the Notes if you don’t know how to wrap and turn.)

(I keep the 1, 2, 1, bloop in the pattern just to show you how it works, but you could change the directions to read, knit 1, then on the next row, knit 3, then on the next row, knit 4, if you want.)

• Knit to the marker where you want to start a bloop. This is your **moveable marker** (MM) 
• (Row 1) Knit 8 stitches to next marker. This is your **stationary marker**  (SM) (if no marker is there because you removed it earlier, add one—I find it helps to use one that is very different from the others, to remind me it is only temporary)
• (2) Slip SM, wrap and turn, knit back to MM
• (3) Take off MM, wrap and turn, knit 1, replace MM, knit to SM
• Slip SM, knit 1
• (4) Wrap and turn, knit past SM back to MM
• (5) Take off MM, wrap and turn, knit 2, replace MM, knit to SM
• Slip SM, knit 1, knit 2
• (6) wrap and turn, knit past SM back to MM
• (7) Take off MM, wrap and turn, knit 1, replace MM, knit to SM
• Slip SM, knit 1, knit 2, knit 1
• (8) Wrap and turn, knit past SM back to MM
• Take MM off entirely and put aside, wrap and turn, knit past MM [removing it if you put a temporary marker there] to next place you want to bloop, or to end of row

End of bloop

Here's the same thing in diagram form:

• [knit to another marker and repeat bloop if desired]
• At the end of the row, turn and knit all the way back to the beginning, then change color.

For First and Last Bits – these are only partial bloops

First Bit Bloop – for the beginning 4-stitch area: 

• Knit 4 to first SM [place temporary SM if needed], slip SM, wrap and turn, knit back to start. 
• Knit to SM, slip SM, knit 1, wrap and turn, knit back to start.
• Knit to SM, slip SM, knit 1, knit 2, wrap and turn, knit back to start.
• Knit to SM, slip SM, knit 1, knit 2, knit 1, wrap and turn, knit back to start.
• Knit to the next place you want to do a bloop, or to the end of the row, and then knit back to the beginning.
• [If you had to use a temporary SM, take it off as you go past.]

Last Bit Bloop – for the ending 4-stitch area:

• From the final marker, which is the MM, knit 4 stitches to the end
• Turn and knit back to MM
• Take off MM, wrap and turn, knit 1, replace MM, knit 3 stitches to end
• Turn and knit back to MM
• Take off MM, wrap and turn, knit 2, replace MM, knit 1 stitch to end
• Turn and knit back to MM
• Take off MM and put aside, wrap and turn, knit 1 to end
• Knit back to the beginning

Notes

Wrap and turn: slip the next stitch, bring the yarn between the needles to the front, turn the knitting so you are knitting back the way you came, slip the stitch back and continue knitting.

What you have done is slip the yarn around the next stitch like a tiny lasso, and turned the knitting around so you are knitting in the other direction. This keeps a hole from forming where you turn. It helps if you make sure your lasso isn’t too tight, so the stitches keep the proper distance from each other.

There are other ways to prevent a hole, so use your favorite, but this method works for me for bloop knitting.

Next post: hints and tricks for this pattern and bloop knitting in general.

I Came Back for the Bloops

I've been having so much fun that I decided to restart this blog.

This is my version of short row knitting. My sister-in-law calls the short-row sections 'bloops,' so I've come to think of this as bloop knitting.

It isn't the same as Swing Knitting -- this is a simplified version of doing short rows, and I handle the marking very differently -- but I suppose you could say they are all part of the same short-row family.

The basic idea of bloops is to keep the number of rows the same, even when using short rows. When I made Slice of Jupiter several years ago, I didn't try to be perfect in my short rows, and just guessed at keeping the number of rows even.

Another foray into short rows was Organic Triangle, where again I wasn't systematic.

And yet, such is the forgiving nature of knitting, both of these worked well enough.

However, now it's time to get serious.

If you have blocks of color and some plain rows, a schematic of your knitting might look like this.

Short-rows take the same pattern, and simply slide it over a bit.

Note that in any given column of stitches, you still have the same number of rows.

And that is the theory, because if each column has the same number of rows, you will end up with a rectangle.

And once you have a rectangle, well, then......you can play.