This is the first part in a 3 part tutorial on making the flex. I am writing this in an attempt to help anyone who wants to knit this but is confused as to how it should look like.
We are starting after the provisional cast on. If you're not sure how to do this there are a lot of videos on this topic. My preferred method of casting on for this project is the crochet cast on. This is because it gives you a stable base to start your knitting in 2 colors. Here is a really good video on this by Purl Soho.
It is worth noting that keeping a small crochet hook handy is a good idea. The knitting is tight and at times unweildy. A crochet hook can pick up dropped stitches, help when decreasing or picking up stitches for increasing as well as tug the knitting in to place. Oh, and also for easing your tetrahedron in to place if and when it falls out.
Once you've cast on 20 st with the waste yarn you will begin knitting with your actual yarn.
Use the MC to knit 9 stitches, and then use the Contrast color to knit 1 stitch. Do this on one needle. This is because if there is only 1 stitch on a needle it will fall through no matter what you do to prevent it. Ask me how I know.
Next, use a new needle and the main color to knit 9 stitches. Using the same needle knit 1 stitch using the contrast color.
Make sure the stitches are not twisted and join the work to begin working in the round. You will have 10 stitches on each needle in the following order 9 in MC and 1 in CC.
(I forgot to take a picture at the very beginning of my knitting so in an attempt to show what it should look like when you start here is a picture of the first round of the third tetrahedron. The set up for the stitches is the same. In the picture I am holding the blue (MC) yarn ready to knit the first stitch of the round.)
Holding the 2 needles parallel insert the tetrahedron in to the middle between the 2 set of stitches. Try to keep it there as you wrap the yarn around the base to knit in the round. Keep working around the tetrahedron keeping it in place with your middle, ring and pinky finger as you knit with your pointer and thumb. This is just as awkward as it sounds. NGL, these next 3 rounds are the most work in the entire pattern. Once your tetrahedron is securely knitted in place the rest will be downhill. Also, I will now refer to the tetrahedron as "the frame" because if I have to type tetrahedron one more time, I will scream.
Knit round 1-2 in regular st st keeping the frame in the middle of your work as you knit around it. As you change color pull the yarn quite taut against the frame to try to use the wraps to secure the frame in place. This is a lot easier then it sounds. The frame will pop out. You just need to pic it up and stuff it back in again. be patient with your wayward little creation.
The next round is round 3. You will be working the first shaping row here. If you are using DPNs make sure you have them handy. If you are using circulars we will be looping them a bit differently than we normally would when using 2 circs to knit in the round. This is to ensure that we are able to pull the floats as taut as possible to keep the knitting as tight around the frame as possible. It is like we are knitting a body con dress for your frame. It needs to hug allll those curves... I mean ... angles.
Instructions for DPNs:
You will now be working with 5 needles
Needle 1: Knit the MC stitches as follows: k1, dec 1 right, k3, dec 1 left, k1.
Needle 2:Pick up one stitch to the right, pull the yarn taut and then k1, pick up 1 stitch to the left.
Needle 3: Using MC k1, pull the yarn taut and then dec 1 right, k3, dec 1 left, k1
Needle 4: Pick up one stitch to the right, pull the yarn taut and then k1, pick up 1 stitch to the left.
Instructions for circular needles:
With MC and first pair of circs: k1, pull the yarn taut and 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, pull the yarn taut and k1, inc 1 left, pull needle through. The cord should twist in a loop between your MC stitches and your CC stitches. Let your needles dangle off from the knitting so they don't get in your way.
Rep from The last set of instructions one more time using the next pair of circs.
This is what your knitting should look like:
Your frame should now be pretty snug. If your frame still falls out, don't panic. Simply use your crochet hook or one of your needles to part the floats and slide your frame back in place. If this will not happen no matter how you tug, you will have to rip back and begin again. Don't fret, after all, it is one 3 round of knitting over 20 stitches (although it may seem like more!)
Knit the next 2 rounds in plain st st following the same color sequence. Your frame should be as snug as a bug in a rug in its nifty little body con dress. Have a stiff drink. You made it through the hardest part!
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