Texture Spotlight: Raya Shawl Dip Stitches
The Raya Shawl and Mittens feature a pattern that looks like embroidery, but is actually knit in as you work—a decorative detail that adds a pop to these otherwise simple items! In our tutorial for this dip-stitch technique, we are using Maxima in Pewter (MC) and Helium (CC).
The shawl begins with a straight-forward setup, casting on a few stitches, then working increases and placing removable markers (ours here are purple). The Raya pattern is worked in rows over 5 stitches, which are set off by the stitch markers. On Rows 1, 3, 5, and 7 work as instructed to bring the CC to the front of the work, knit 1 with the MC, then the CC is brought to the back of the work again. This creates the inlay stitches: the CC strand floats horizontally across the front of the center knit stitch.
On Row 9 of the shawl, we need to add a regular stitch marker (we’ve used a green one) next to the removable marker (purple), then we work Row 9 of the Raya pattern. The first of the center stitches is knit with the MC.
Next, look at where the tapestry needle is pointing. That is where you’ll insert the needle tip from front to back, into that stitch below the inlay from Row 7, wrap the CC around the needle as if to knit, and draw up a loop.
You’ll then knit 1 with the CC. This will be repeated: draw up a second loop, k1, draw up a third loop.
At last, you’ll use the MC to k2tog the last two stitches of the five-stitch panel. Drawing up those loops added stitches, so now there are 7 stitches between the markers. The green markers we placed will stay put and the purple removable markers are moved inwards by one stitch so there are only the 5 CC stitches between the markers.
The last row of the Raya pattern, a wrong side row, instructs you to bring the CC up, over, and bring it to the front of the work to position it for the next inlay stitch at the beginning of the pattern repeat. The photo above shows the right side of the work, one complete repeat of the Raya pattern.
We look forward to seeing your Raya Shawls and Mittens and the colors of Maxima you pair for your projects! Be sure to tag us when you share photos on Instagram, Facebook, and Ravelry!
Don’t forget to pin this post!
