Knitted Stockinette Pleats Pattern

Piece #1 of my Black Sweater Coat project

The first piece is a little over 2" wide & has a good firm structure. It's made with "Love" by Southwest Trading Company - a blend of Bamboo & Silk that's wonderful to work with. It's smooth and soft, but not annoyingly slippery like some silks can be.

Following are the knitting instructions I developed for this stitch:

Stockinette Pleats
Yarn:
Southwest Trading Company "Love"
Needle:
Size US3 Double Pointed - use 3 needles
Finished Size:
width: 2.25" wide. length: not known as yet

Hints:
Keep a crochet hook handy. It's easy to drop stitches as you move them. The crochet hook lets you scoop them back up quickly. I also counted stitches on both needles at the end of the "transfer" as this was a good opportunity to drop stitches and not notice. Counting at this point lets you figure out when you've slipped a stitch before it becomes a hassle to go back. You should have 13 stitches on the front needle & 11 on the back.

Having tried this quite a few times, I feel that it looks best when worked tighter than usual. You have a better structure, the rib stitches blend nicely with the stockinette pleats and the pleats stand up nicely & can be seen more clearly. For example - the suggested needle size for this yarn for is US7 and I preferred the results using a US3.

• CO 24 stitches. K1, P1 rib for 4 rows, slipping the first K stitch of each row.
• Divide stitches onto 2 needles: 1. Pick up first stitch (a knit stitch) and slip it on a needle in front of the work. 2. Pick up second stitch (a purl stitch) and slip it on a needle at back of the work.
• Continue like this until you come to the last 2 stitches. Slip them both onto the front needle.
• Work stockinette stitch for 8 rows, slipping the first K stitch of each row K-wise.
  
• K1 from the front needle, then P1 from the back needle across row. Last 2 stitches are on the front needle - K the first one, P the second one.
• Work 7 more rows in K1, P1 rib, slipping the first K stitch of each row. (8 rows total)
• Divide stitches as before & continue in pattern until you've reached the desired length.

Let me know what you think. If you try this pattern and have questions or suggestions, please leave them in the comments section. And if you use this pattern to make something email me a photo - I'll add it here & link to your blog or website!