A knitting diagram consists of squares. 1 square = 1 stitch - the symbol definition provide information on how the stitch is worked. The diagram shows all stitches seen from the right side (unless otherwise specified).
A diagram looks like this:
You read a knitting diagram completely opposite to how you would normally read: from right to left, from bottom to top. In other words: you start with the symbol in the bottom right corner, and work your way leftwards and upwards (see RED in diagram below). If you are supposed to start at a different point/with a different stitch, will this be specified - for example: the different sizes can start at different places in the same diagram (see BLUE box below).
If you are supposed to work several repeats of a diagram (ie: work the same diagram several times in width) you’ll work until the end of the diagram row, and start again with the first stitch for the next repeat.
When working back and forth, every other row will be worked from the right side and every other row will be worked from the wrong side. Since the diagram shows all stitches seen from the right side, you’ll have to work it in opposite way when working from the wrong side (see BLUE arrows in diagram below): you read the row from left to right, knit stitches are purled, and purl stitches are knit etc (this will often be specified in symbol definition: “knit from right side, purl from wrong side”).
When working in the round all rounds are worked from the right side, and the diagram is read solely from right to left. When starting a new round, simply start working the first symbol on the next row in diagram.
If you’re working several different diagrams after each other on the same row/round, work as follows: Work 1st row in diagram 1, continue with 1st row in diagram 2, then 1st row in diagram 3 etc. REMEMBER: if you’re working back and forth, the diagram will have to be worked in the opposite order from the wrong side - ie: start with diagram 3, then diagram 2 and lastly diagram 1. They are also worked in opposite way as usual.
In the pattern this can be written as follows: “work A.1, A.2, A.3 a total of 1-1-2-3-4 times”. This means that you first work A.1, then A.2 and finally you repeat A.3 a total of 1-1-2-3-4 times (depending on your size). It is ONLY A.3 that is repeated, A.1 and A.2 are worked 1 time each.
Sometimes the stitch count is not divisible with full/whole repeats of the diagram in width. For example: A.1 covers 12 stitches and is to be repeated over 40 stitches. In this case you will work 3 full repeats of A.1 (=36 stitches), and then work the first 4 stitches in the diagram over the remaining stitches (see RED line below). This is usually the case where the diagram is a repetitive pattern, so that regardless of working full repeats, the pattern will still be consistent.
Carolyn Salon
03.03.2021 - 18:37:
I am knitting Catch the Wind and have just completed the section of A1, A2, A3 (47 stitches) . Now to continue, I need to knit A1, A2, A2, A3 . Two A2 sections give me 28 stitches; that leaves 19 stitches -- maybe 10 on one side and 9 on the other to continue the A1 and A3. but just where in the A1 and A3 charts do I start? there are just 2 or 3 stitches at the beginning and too many at the end. You answered me on Monday but my computer said "404:page not found" so I missed it.
DROPS Design
04.03.2021 - 08:10:
Elena
02.03.2021 - 23:38:
Nel caso in cui trovo un diagramma parziale....ad esempio ho 126 maglie da lavorare e trovo un diagramma con 30 maglie devo eseguire le 30 maglie nel primo giro e poi continuare a ripeterlo? La maglie che ho di avanzo le eseguo sul secondo giro? Grazie
DROPS Design
05.03.2021 - 00:11:
Carolyn Salon
28.02.2021 - 19:22:
I am making Catch the Wind and have completed the first section of A1, A2, and A3 for a total of 47 stitches in the sleeve section. Now I need to knit A1, A2, A2, A3 for the next section of the sleeve. However, the number of stitches does not correlate to those pattern sections. Where do I start A1 and A3? Two A2 sections give me 28 stitches so I need to make up 19 stitches to maintain the stitch #. How do I do this? thank you for your consideration. Carolyn Salon in New York
DROPS Design
01.03.2021 - 11:05:
ThérèseChampagne
23.02.2021 - 03:50:
Bonjour Dans le modèle vs-061, après avoir tricoté le premier rang du diagramme ( j'ai tricoté 2 fois entre *-*) je comprends que je commence à faire les augmentations en suivant le point de fantaisie du diagramme, mais après A.1c je continue A.2 je fais 2 fois de suite 1 jeté? puisqu'à la fin de A.1c il y a 1 jeté et au début de A.2 il y a un autre jeté. Éclairez-moi s.v.p. Merci beaucoup!
DROPS Design
23.02.2021 - 09:57:
Annick Brochet
19.02.2021 - 16:58:
Bonjouur Je tricote actuellement le modèle Cosy twist sk 003 by . Le 1er rang se tricote à l'endroit sur l'endroit Quelqu'un peut il me dire si le second rang se tricoté bien de la droite vers la gauche svp ? Un grand merci aux personnes qui auront la gentillesse de me répondre.
DROPS Design
22.02.2021 - 10:43:
Sylvie
12.02.2021 - 23:30:
Bonjour, je commence la robe modèle Wendy Darling. Est-ce que le premier rang di diagramme A1 se fait à l’endroit ou à l’envers ? Merci !
DROPS Design
15.02.2021 - 10:32:
Marielle Melanson
12.02.2021 - 22:37:
Dans le modèle Z-898 sur le diagramme A3 la 3ieme ligne un rond et un x sur la première maille ça dit3 mailles Jersey. Comme c’est la première maille du rang je ne comprends pas. Merci
DROPS Design
15.02.2021 - 10:34:
Marianne Ipsen
11.02.2021 - 18:27:
Jeg er ved at strikke butterfly dream. Hvad gør jeg når jeg skal til at strikke M1b, der er jo flere masker i rapporten fra slut M1, end start M1b. På den måde bliver mønstret skævt.. Skal jeg strikke flere glat masker mellem iind og udtagninger?
DROPS Design
12.02.2021 - 07:46:
Cathrin Nybø
08.02.2021 - 19:21:
Hei, jeg er i gang med winter carnival sweater, skal begynne på diagram a1 nå.. jeg lurer på: den strikkes jo ovenfra og ned, skal jeg da begynne fra toppen av diagrammet? Og dermed strikke økning nr 6 først?
DROPS Design
12.02.2021 - 07:24:
Hanneke
08.02.2021 - 16:08:
Hallo, ik het moeite met patroon A4 van Drops 171-20. Aan weerszijden van het patroon wordt in de even pennen geminderd door samenbreien/afhalen. In de oneven pennen wordt dit niet gecompenseerd met bv een omslag. Het werk wordt daardoor steeds smaller wat niet de bedoeling is. Moet er misschien toch een omslag worden gebreid of van een samengebreide steek weer twee steken worden gemaakt? Alvast bedankt voor de uitleg
Karin Jaensson
03.02.2021 - 17:45:
Jag stickar Lillesand kofta. När jag stickar aviga varv ska jag läsa från vänster till höger i mönsterdiagrammet. Ska jag då börja med A2 efter kantmaska? Jag slutar ju med A2 på räta varv.
DROPS Design
08.02.2021 - 07:57:
Martine Ferol
31.01.2021 - 16:58:
Modèle R-756 3 diagrammes A1 A2 A3. Je lis sur la première ligne 2 m envers 1 jeté 1 m endroit 1 jeté et 2 m envers il es indiqué A1 6 m A2 6 m A3 7 m pour moi les 3 diagrammes sont les mêmes. Où est-ce que je fais une erreur ? Merci pour vos conseils
DROPS Design
01.02.2021 - 11:28:
Carole
31.01.2021 - 16:14:
Pour le bandeau avec le diagramme A1 debut 4 ieme rang je dois tricoter 3 mailles et passer la dernière par dessus les 2 autres donc diminution d’une maille qu’est ce qui se passe au rang suivant il me manque 1 maille, que dois je faire?
DROPS Design
01.02.2021 - 11:25:
Joan Cook Faust
31.01.2021 - 03:15:
Is the needle size I use for the tension swatch the same as the one for the garnmnet, or when I get to the main pattern do I increase the needle size as ordered?
Henneke Rollema-Goede
26.01.2021 - 10:05:
Ik brei Drops 116-11. In het patroon staat: 10 ribbels, M1(=6st). Maar op de foto ziet het er echt anders uit. Ik volg het patroon op de foto, maar vind het wel vervelend zonder patroon.
Carina Richard
21.01.2021 - 13:31:
Hej Jag skrev en fråga om ökningar på en ärm. Mönstret är 37-9 ,tycker fortfarande det är svårt att få det snyggt. Ökningen är ju från 42 till 66 maskor. Jag har helt kört fast kan ni förklara på ett tydligare sätt ? Carina
DROPS Design
25.01.2021 - 08:33:
Amy Perry
18.01.2021 - 00:07:
I am working on pattern “Drops102-43” and am confused by how the diagrams work. In the pattern, it has me using M.1, M.2 and M.3 throughout the row. This works for the first 8 rows, but now I’ve run out of rows in M.2. Do I jump back to row 1 again for M.2, but continue with row 9 in M.3 and M.1? And M.3 only has 10 rows, so would this mean on the 11th row, I’m using row 3 of M.2, row 1 of M.3 and row 11 of M.1? I think this could get very confusing! Please help!
DROPS Design
18.01.2021 - 12:14:
Carina Richard
13.01.2021 - 21:41:
Hej jag stickar efter mönster 37-9. Har problem med ökningarna på ärmen de blir inte bra. Hur gör man för att få in dom i mönstret ? Tacksam för svar Carina
DROPS Design
18.01.2021 - 07:49:
Linda
12.01.2021 - 20:33:
Hej! Jag är nybörjare på stickning och ska för första gången våga mig på att sticka "mönster" i färg på enfärgad botten. Jag önskar vägledning till ett av de enklaste mönster ni har, gärna något litet som vantar, strumpor eller något för barn. Tack för jätte fina mönster, men en liten vägledning om svårighetsgrad till varje mönster skulle jag uppskatta! Tusen tack!
DROPS Design
13.01.2021 - 07:19:
Hallo, ik het moeite met patroon A4 van Drops 171-20. Aan weerszijden van het patroon wordt in de even pennen geminderd door samenbreien/afhalen. In de oneven pennen wordt dit niet gecompenseerd met bv een omslag. Het werk wordt daardoor steeds smaller wat niet de bedoeling is. Moet er misschien toch een omslag worden gebreid of van een samengebreide steek weer twee steken worden gemaakt? Alvast bedankt voor de uitleg