Conventional Wisdom

The conventional wisdom about medallion knitting is that, by working in the round, starting either at the centre with a small number of stitches and increasing outward at specific points or starting at the outer edge and decreasing down at specific points a square, circle or other polygon shape that will lie flat can be produced.

We'll call the starting at the outer edge and decreasing down method "perimeter in polygon/medallion shaping" and the start small and work out "centre out polygon/medallion shaping."

Of the two forms, perimeter in seems to be the more popular form for all but lace knitting. This seminar explores the other, somewhat less popular, center out polygon/medallion knitting.

One disadvantage for some is that you need to start with a small number of stitches and that usually means double pointed needles (dps). But once one masters the dp start, the advantages of the centre out method really start to mount up. First, you are mostly free from the big G (gauge). Second, running out of yarn can look like a design decision rather than an oops. When you think about it, centre out medallions offer the same advantages as toe up socks and knitting from the top.

So why polygons? Perhaps you have a hidden desire to become the next lace doily designing diva. Maybe you want to go modular mad with your very own version of a triangle tango style garment. Perhaps a counter pane style interlocking hexagon throw is in your future. The again, you might just want to play at designing your own version of Norah Gaughan's Mandalay Swirl Sweater or this knitter's medallions that morph shell.

Whatever your goals, this seminar will give you the basic recipes for triangles to octagons and every shape in between.

Testing the limits and consulting the experts

Returning to the conventional wisdom about shapes and such, several years ago, while experimenting with perimeter in polygons, I found that, at least when knitting flat rather than in the round, the decrease down rule fell apart once you went past 5 sides (aka a pentagon). Instead of producing a nice little six sided shape (aka a hexagon) the shape started to spiral in on itself.

Knitting a hexagon in the round from centre out or perimeter in started out as a nice flat hexagon. Somewhere along the way this well-behaved piece of knitting developed a bit of a hump/dome/bump which called the conventional wisdom into question, or at least made me wonder what the limits of the "general rule" were and why, when I consulted the "experts" on the topic that they either mouthed the conventional wisdom, made mad math noises or otherwise left me without direction.