Flex is a knitted flexagon I created as a fun little fidget toy to amuse myself. I decided to share it with the knitting community on Reddit and found that it amused others as well. So I decided to write up and share it with you all. Enjoy!! I wrote out a plain 2 color version to begin with. I will make a chart that includes the 3 color work as seen in the above picture and share it some time this week. I just wanted to get the pattern up ASAP. (I know this is a tricky little knit and so I will start a KAL on Ravelry on Monday so we can work together and I can answer questions as I go along. Hopefully I will have some videos to post so those of us who are visual learners can follow along.)
Before your begin:
I need to warn you that this is not a zombie knit. It is an extremely tricksy little thing that will probably make you say some not too kind words about me. And it requires you to some things that I have found to be quite unpopular in the knitting world. You will need to swatch (boo!) and you will need to graft it at the end (boo...hisssss). I know it is a lot to ask any knitter, but if you bear with me it will result in a very satisfying little FO.
Yarn:
You can use any small amount of fingering or sport weight yarn that you have on hand. We will make a custom template for the project so gauge is not an issue. Just make sure that the yarn and needle combo you choose yields a fabric that is quite tight and does not show the card stock frame.
Needle requirement:
You can use either 2 dpns with very flexible cords or a set of 5 DPNs. For the sample I used a pair of Addi turbo circulars in size 0.
You'll also need a tapestry needle to graft the stitches and some waste yarn for a provisional cast on.
Frame Construction
The flex is actually composed of 6 card stock tetrahedrons (4 sided pyramid) which are connected by knitting a sleeve sorts to create a long bumpy "snake". Then the beginning and end of this "snake" is grafted together to create a donut shape that can be rotated. So we will begin by making 6 tetrahedrons out of card stock. This will require you to make a small swatch to see how big your tetrahedrons need to be.
CO about 15 st and knit a small swatch. Just an inch or so will do. Measure across nine stitches. This is how long the side of your tetrahedron will need to be.
Example: If nine stitches measure at 1 inch this will be your template:
Here is a handy calculator for determining the height of your tetrahedron and there are plenty of templates out there if you do a google search. However, it is a very easy shape to create with just a ruler. Make a total of 6 tetrahedrons from cardstock.
Here is my finished tetrahedron template. I scored along the lines with the point of my embroidery scissors so the folds will be sharp. I strongly advise you do this as well.
Folded up and ready to go!
Finally, you're ready to cast on!
Pattern
Using your favorite provisional CO technique CO a total of 20 st using the two colors.
To do this use your MC to cast on the first 9 st, CC to cast on the next 1 st. Place these 10 st on one Circular needle or on one DPN. Repeat with the next needle for a total of 20 st. (You'll start using 2 dpns and adjust to four dpns later.)
r1: *With mc k9, change to cc k1. Rep from * once.
**Insert your tetrahedron in to the middle of your knitting. Use your finger to keep it in there as you continue to knit around the frame. Its okay if it pops out, just stuff it back in again. Keep your float between the knitting and the frame. Try to pull the stitches tight when you begin knitting on a new side. You want the knitting to fit your little pyramids like a glove.
r2: Rep r1 keeping tetrahedron in with your fingers.
On this row you will change to 4 dpns or adjust your circs.
If using DPNS:
r3: *With MC: k1, dec 1 r, k3, dec 1 l, k1, do this on 1 needle, change to CC, inc 1 r, k1, inc 1 left on to another dpn. Rep from * once.
You should have 7 st on needle 1, 3 st on needle 2, 7 st on needle 3, 3 st on needle 4.
If using circs:
r3: *With MC and first pair of circs: k1, dec 1 r, k3, dec 1 l, k1, pull the needle through and leave some cord length between this set of st and the next, change to CC, inc 1 r, k1, inc 1 left, pull needle through. Rep from * one more time using the next pair of circs.
This is what it looks like when you use circs. (Note that in this picture I am up to row 6 in the pattern)
r4: * With MC k7, with CC k3. Rep from *once
r5: Rep r4
r6: * With MC k1, dec 1 r, k1, dec 1 l, k1, with CC k1, inc 1 r, k1, inc 1 l, k1. Rep from *once
(By now your tetrahedron should be quite snug in it's little knitted coat. You can breathe and imagine you are a knitting oyster, just covering jagged things with a layer of soft knitting.)
r7:* With MC k5, with CC k5. Rep from *once
r8: Rept r7
r9: * With MC k1, slip 2, k1 pass 2 stitches over, k1, with CC k1, inc 1 r, k3, inc 1 l, k1. Rep from *once
r10: * With MC k3, with CC k7. Rep from *once
r11: Rep r10
r12: * With MC slip 2, k1 pass 2 stitches over, (If using DPNS keep knitting on the same needle, if using circs don't pull the cord through between the 2 sets of stitches.) with CC k1, inc 1 r, k5, inc 1 l, k1. Rep from *once
r13: * With MC k1, with CC k9. Rep from *once
This is what it should look like:
Congratulations, you little oyster, you have completely covered 1 of your 6 tetrahedron with a lovely layer of knitting! You are now ready to go on to the next one. If you've gotten through to this part you can relax now. This is the hardest it will be.
r14: *With MC k1, with CC k9. Rep from * once. Insert next tetrahedron in to the middle of your knitting.
r15: Rep r14 keeping tetrahedron in with your fingers.
r16: With MC inc 1 r, k1, inc 1 l, with CC k1, dec 1 r, k 3, dec 1 l, k1. Rep from * once.
r17: *With MC k3, with CC k7. Rep from * once.
r18: Rep r17
r19: With MC k1, inc 1 r, k1, inc 1 l, k1, with CC k1, dec 1 r, k 1, dec 1 l, k1. Rep from * once.
r20: *With MC k5, with CC k5. Rep from * once.
r21: Rep r20
r22: With MC k1, inc 1 r, k3, inc 1 l, k1, with CC k1, slip 2, k1 pass 2 stitches over, k1. Rep from * once.
r23: *With MC k7, with CC k3. Rep from * once.
r24: Rep r23
r25: With MC k1, inc 1 r, k5, inc 1 l, k1, (If using DPNS keep knitting on the same needle, if using circs don't pull the cord through between the 2 sets of stitches.) with CC slip 2, k1 pass 2 stitches over. Rep from * once.
r26: *With MC k9, with CC k1. Rep from * once.
Repeat rows 1-26 twice more. On the last repeat knit only up to r25.
Finishing:
Arrange remaining stitches on to 2 DPNs or onto 1 circular needle (10 st on one needle, 10 on the other). Remove the waste yarn from the provisional cast on and arrange the sts on another set of DPNS or circulars in the same fashion. Graft the stitches carefully using the same color as the live stitches.
Done!! You have the right to be utterly satisfied with yourself. Embroider something cute on it if you feel like it!
If you really enjoy this pattern buy me a coffee. I would really appreciate it!