Knitting tip of the week, learning to read knitting charts

November 3, 5:28 AMPhoenix Knitting and Crocheting ExaminerTina Sanders

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Dying to try lace knitting only to find that the pattern is completely charted.  As a new knitter, and even as an advanced knitter, chart reading can seem a little scary and even a little complicated.   But the truth of the matter, reading charts for knitting is very easy once you understand the mechanics and unlock the code to the abbreviations of the chart.  

While some knitters might prefer a more visual  approach to knitting and find chart reading a piece of cake , others prefer a written approach.  Those that prefer the written approach,  go as far as deciphering the chart by writing out the complete pattern instructions before starting, enables them to keep track and helps them understand the pattern better. 

So now that you are ready to start your adventure on a simple lace pattern or design, here are a few simple rules to follow when reading charts:

• Typically charts start in the bottom right-hand corner and read to the left. 
• For right side rows, you will read from the right  to the left. 
• For the wrong  side rows, you will read from the left  to the right.. 
• If you are using a pattern for circular knitting, you will read every row in the same direction.
• Each symbol in the chart represents a certain type of stitch.  Check out this  stitch guide  from the Craft Yarn Council of America. 
• You may come across a "no stitch" in a chart box.  This simply means that you will knit that stitch. 
• Also remember to  watch for  pattern repeats, as they usually shown in a box, and if the wrong side rows not deplicted in the chart, make sure to knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches

For example, let's look at this basic chart pattern.  

The written instructions would be:  

Row 1:  Purl 2, Knit 2, Purl 2, Knit 2   

Row 2:  Knit 2, Purl 2, Knit 2, Purl 2. 

So, no matter what type of knitter you might be, remember to just be patient, take your time, knit slowly and like anything, the more you do it , the easier it will become.