As you knit the back, the section with the diamond shapes, which forms the pleat, has slipped stitches at either edge (the raised ones you can see below) and a purled ridge another 6 stitches away from the slip stitch line (which you can better on the left hand side of the picture below) - these are the "fold lines" for the pleat. Decreases are done inside the fold lines and in the diamond section as you work up the back piece.
Once you get to the top of the back, you do a regular cast off until you hit 6 stitches before the purled fold line. Then you do a 3 needle bind off (except with 4 needles!) for the pleat section. You start by transferring the stitches before the purled fold line to one dpn and the stitches between the fold lines to another dpn
Then you fold the pleat section inwards, and do the 4 needle bind off - it's just a little bit trickier to manipulate all those needles when binding off, but it just takes a little patience and a little time. Use a pointy needle as your main needle as well, it's a lot easier to get it through the 3 loops you need to for the bind off (yay KnitPicks Harmony!).
Also, it helps to have someone handy to take the pictures for you - which unfortunately I did not have!!
This is what it looks like from the back once half the pleat has been formed. So neat!
And from the front:
Then you repeat for the second half of the pleat and continue casting off the rest of the back. And then forget to take a photo of the completed piece!
I've read on Ravelry that lots of people have trouble keeping the pleat sitting flat in the finished garment, but you know, I'm not sure it's going to bother me that much. It probably won't sit flat, especially at the bottom, but I'm not sure I care - I just think it is so clever!
22 comments:
Shazzam! Pleat magic! And photo magic!
Thanks for the step-by-step instructions and pictures. I am not advanced enough to make pleats but I am sure this post will be handy for many knitters!
It's really an interesting technique. Thanks for the tutorial.
That is very clever! How fun!!
What a beautiful pattern. Will you be finishing this in August, then? :)
Very clever! Thanks for sharing it with us. I've never seen anything like that before.
it's just so beautiful and clever. I regret I never got around to starting this with you - it would have been cool to work through it with you. As it is, I'm just going to take note and someday it'll be my turn.
The yarn is still as perfect as I thought it was when you showed it to me the first time. Yummy.
I must get this on the needles and some other stuff off the needles - now I've frogged Juliet I might give myself some space for this (after I've done the Flair)! Great photos and tute there!
Oh that is lovely. She is a bit of a genius isn't she...very clever (and well explained!)
Oh, that is very clever! On the laying flat thing - I'm not sure it's supposed to lay totally flat; I thought it looked like the pleat was supposed to be more flouncy. So I think you're right not to worry about it.
That will look beautiful. I don't know about 4 dpns at one time in that small space. That looks fiddly. It really is a clever design. Thank goodness for knit designers who are willing to share their ideas with us!
This is definetly next on my list since I have it all waiting to CO. I will surely need your little tutorial too!! Can't wait to see it finished and modeled!
Thanks for sharing that technique - it's so clever, and I love how un-bulky it looks. I'd seen this pattern and wondered how the pleat worked.
Oh, wow, that is very cool. I am constantly amazed at how clever these designers are. The sweater looks beautiful.
How cool. Fascinating the things knitting can do, innit?
I can't wait to see the FO - those pleats are completely darling. I think it possible that having the bottom of the pleat flair open will help with the overall drape of the garment. Looking forward to seeing how it works out.
Clever indeed. Lovely pattern and nice to see you enjoying the construction so much.
Wow. I feel smarter by proxy, just watching you handle the yarn and the tricky bits of the bindoff. Kudos to you for making it look easy!
Beautiful construction.
I'd love a plainer version on the front side of a jumper... Just under the shoulder.
Mmmmmmmmm...
Wow - it is clever isn't it. As if the pleats weren't cool enough! You know I knitted the Rowan Patti, and it had box pleats that could have been so much nicer if they were joined like this.
Too bad it's in the frog pond now..
That IS clever. It looks complex, too. Thanks for showing us how it's done!
That is clever, and your nitting looks great. You could always put a little invisible stitch in to sit it flat if needed.
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