Partial knit + lift: diagonal ripples

Machine types that can knit it

• Single bed, punch card
• Single bed, electronic
• Single bed, no patterning
• Single bed (punch card) + ribber
• Single bed (electronic) + ribber
• Double bed with pushers (Passap type)
• Double-bed hand flat (V-bed)

Steps

1. Knit border; COR.
2. Hold all but rightmost w needles.
3. Ripple: R_roll rows; lift last ground row over those w; divider rows over same w.
4. Bring Δ more needles to UWP/work; repeat until full width.
5. Then hold Δ needles from the right per ripple until w remains on the left.
6. Knit border, cast off.

The full card

What it looks like

Parallel ripples running at an angle across a panel; the diagonal fan forms a triangle of ridges that widens then narrows.

How it behaves

Ridges on a diagonal; fabric stays roughly flat if increase and decrease halves are balanced.

How it works

Each ripple knitted over a working width that grows by Δ needles per ripple (first half) then shrinks by Δ (second half), always from the same side; lift only the worked needles.

Machines

Single bed with hold (E). Not reliable on double bed (take-down), impossible on V-bed hand-flats.

Parameters

start width 4 needles; Δ = 1–6 needles per ripple; R_roll = 10–12; divider = 2–4 rows; carriage start/finish side constant.

Steps

1) Knit border; COR. 2) Hold all but rightmost w needles. 3) Ripple: R_roll rows; lift last ground row over those w; divider rows over same w. 4) Bring Δ more needles to UWP/work; repeat until full width. 5) Then hold Δ needles from the right per ripple until w remains on the left. 6) Knit border, cast off.

Charting

Staircase chart: worked cells form a stepped diagonal band; ripple-yarn rows in lighter grey; arrows at base of each step.

Limits and common problems

Yarn should lie on top of held needles when bringing needles to hold, to minimize floats on the back.

Combines with

colour change within ripples, reverse-direction repeats.

Pieces and assembly

Use as a shaped insert; directional ripples can visually continue across seamed panels if Δ matches.

Related techniques

• Sectioned ripples in multiple directions
• Stacked shrinking ripples (pyramid / peak)
• Partial-knit peaks closed by lifting
• Short-row godet ground with ripple dividers
• Basic lifted stitch (heel hook-up)
• Selective lifts, alternating grid (honeycomb / smocking)