The Travelling Sands stitch uses Cable Stitches to generate this wonderfully raised texture.
The texture of the stitch is unique, and gives a rippled look similar to sand on a beach after the tide has gone out (or as my nephew put it, it looks like his motocross bike wheel).
Working on a stockinette stitch background, it is quite straight-forward with a cable six forward and a cable six backwards added to every strip of four rows of stockinette.
Let’s get going!
Instructions
Cast on any multiples of twelve stitches for your project.
The first two rows are foundation rows, start the first row by knitting all stitches, then in the second row, purl all stitches.
The third row begins the pattern repeat proper. Start the row by slipping three stitches onto your cable needle and holding it at the front of the work, then knit three from your left-hand needle and knit the three from the cable. Knit the next six stitches. Repeat these twelve stitches across the row.
Continue knitting stockinette stitch for rows four, five and six i.e. purl all the stitches in rows four and six, and knit all stitches in row five.
Start the seventh row by knitting six stitches. Slip the next three stitches onto your cable needle and hold them behind the work whilst you knit the next three stitches from you working-needle. Now, knit the three stitches from your cable needle. Repeat for this for the rest of the row.
Once you have completed row seven, continue repeating rows 3-7 until you have the desired size.
Traditional Instructions
- Rows 1, 5 & 9: k all stitches.
- Rows 2, 4 & 6: p all stitches.
- Row 3: *C6F, k3, k3 from cable, k6; repeat from * till end of row.
- Row 7: *k6, C6B, k3, k3 brom cable; repeat from * till end of row.
Repeat rows 3-7 to desired length.
*C6F (sl 3 sts on cable needle and leave in front, k3 sts, k3 sts from cable needle).
*C6B (sl 3 sts on cable needle and leave in back, k3 sts, k3 sts from cable needle).
Travelling Sands Stitch Chart
Travelling Sands Stitch Swatch Examples
