I have a bag of Berroco's Maya in my stash--mostly mocha colored, but also a few hanks of navy and cream. Maya is a lovely cotton chainette with a touch of angora. It is so soft and easy to knit with and it is machine washable! I had been thinking of using it for a wide necked raglan pullover with striped sleeves and contrasting trim at the neck, cuffs and hem.
On a recent rainy morning, with my dog-eared stitch dictionaries spread out before me and a cup of hot tea (with sugar and milk, thank you very much!) I started searching for a unique edging--something other than the usual knit/purl ribbing--for the contrasting trim.
 | I considered a number of different ideas before I came across vertical drop stitch. Because it is made up of knit and purl stitches, it would lay flat. I thought it would be very elastic as well--both great qualities for edging. So I swatched it up and fell in love. So much in love that I ditched the idea of the striped sleeve raglan with contrasting unique trim and decided to use vertical drop stitch as the main fabric for a short sleeve layering piece. |
This isn't the first time a stitch pattern has driven a design idea for me. I built a pullover around Stamen Stitch (pattern will be available this fall), and slipped stitch patterns I admired grew into my Slipped Stitch Cowl collection.
| I often work from the top down in my knitting but for this stitch pattern I think bottom-up seamless construction will work best and simplify pattern writing (we shall see). I am LOVING knitting this. The stitch pattern is quickly established and easily memorized for carefree knitting. Back into my stash goes the cream and navy Maya. No striped sleeve raglan for me, at least not right now. My only worry is that I have enough of the mocha Maya to finish this. Keep your fingers crossed for me--toes crossed too!! |  |
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