Have you ever searched and searched for the perfect stitch for a knitting pattern, thinking that the more complex the stitch the more beautiful the garment? Only to end up discovering that a very simple stitch is the ideal solution? Or have you looked at what appears to be a somewhat complicated stitch and were pleasantly surprised that is was only a combo of two very easy stitches. Well, I certainly have.

Case in point, a new sweater pattern that I'm working on at the moment. It is a top down raglan, with stripes in various widths. And, of course, double increases on the raglan seams. I swatched a few rather complicated stitches that very nice, but simply got in the way of the design. Finally, I was able to register a rather simple stitch that I had passed over many times flipping through my favorite stitch reference book looking for the best idea. Surprise, it generated just what I wanted, a solution that allows the concept for the garment to work effortlessly, is interesting for the knitter, is fun to work...and is a no brainer. Proof that simple can be beautiful.

Want to try this stitch? Row 1 (RS): * kbl, p1; rep from * to last stitch, kbl. Row 2: k. Repeat rows 1 and 2. How's that for simple? 

Cheers — James