Mitered Square Afghan Project

Our knit nite group is making a group project, probably for Afghans for Afghans. Lorajean donated the yarn, Frog Tree Alpaca Sport.

I’ve been experimenting with garter stitch mitered squares. I like the idea of garter stitch, because it’s square instead of rectangular, and I want the squares to be square! More or less. It’s still a little diamond-y, but I think it will do. Blocking will help. Since this is a group project, I also want the square to be pretty simple. Here’s the square:

And here’s how I made it:

CO 72 sts with color A, knit one row (wrong side).

Row 1: K 34, SSK, place marker, K2tog, K34

Row 2 and all even rows: Knit

Row 3 and all odd rows: K until 2 sts before marker, SSK, slip marker, K2tog, K to end of row.

After first 6 rows, change to color B. There are 4 garter ridges on the right side. (Why not 3? Because the one row you knit on the wrong side before row 1 made a ridge on the right side, so there was one ridge before we even started the pattern. After this, it will take 8 rows to make 4 garter ridges.)

Continue in miter pattern, alternating between color A and color B every 8 rows (you’ll have four garter ridges on the right side). At the beginning of each right side row, bring the current color up under and behind the color not in use. This will carry the color not in use up the side of the block.

When you have 2 sts remaining (one on either side of the marker) after completing a right side row, K2 tog on the very next wrong side row. (Don’t change colors; I know there are 4 ridges, but we don’t want a little blip of color.) Cut yarn and pull through the last stitch. Cut the other yarn, too, leaving nice tails!

I’m using size 4 needles, but as usual, it’s all about gauge. Square measures 7 inches across the middles, and 10 inches point to point. Now we just need to make a lot of them! I’m guessing we’ll get three squares out of each set of two balls of yarn. Wish I had a digital kitchen scale…

Yarn has been distributed; have at it, knitters!

Edited to add: There are many ways to go about this, but it works in garter stitch as long as you have two decreases, every other row. You could also do one decrease each row, always before the center marker. Or always after the center marker. You could also do a centered double decrease on every right side row.

I’m guessing we’ll either whip stitch the squares together, or slip stitch crochet from the back.

Happy knitting!

Edited again to add: Want to try a mitered square from the point out, increasing as you go? See here.

Edited April 26, 2014 to share my mitered square for Bridge for Blankets, an art installation in Portland, Oregon that will be displayed on the Broadway Bridge in August 2014. This is my favorite mitered square recipe so far; a double decrease at the center. It gaps less than the side by side decreases.

CO 93 sts. (or whatever number you want, 2 times X, the desired number of sts for the bottom, plus 3 sts for center decrease)

Row 1: K 45 (or X), place marker, Sl 2 tog knitwise, k1, pass 2 slipped sts over k st, K45 (or X).

Row 2 and all even rows: Knit (when you come to the marker, remove it, k one more st, replace marker)

Row 3 and all odd rows: K to marker, slip marker, Sl 2 tog as if to knit, k1, pass 2 slipped sts over k st, K to end of row.

Rep rows 2 & 3 until 1 st remains. Cut and pull yarn through remaining loop.

You can change colors as desired…Knit on!