If you’re new to knitting, or if you’ve been avoiding chart patterns because they look like hieroglyphs to you, you’ve come to the right place!
Let’s make knitting from a chart easier for you! After reading this article, no colorwork chart will feel like deciphering a long-lost treasure map.
First: what you need to know about charts. There are different types of charts. Some about colorwork, telling you which color to use when; and others about the type of stitch you will work, that may or may not also be color-coded. The latter is used for textured patterns, cables, Japanese knitting, Bavarian twisted stitches, and other techniques. We will only explore the first type in this article, otherwise this would be way too long and confusing!
Let’s start with a basic chart:
The Grid
Here, you have a series of squares in columns and rows. Each square/small rectangle represents one stitch. The numbers 1 and 3 on the right represent the row number. You will sometimes see even numbers (2, 4, etc.) to the right-hand side of the chart (more about this later).
The Vertical Lines
The 2 bold vertical lines represent the pattern repeat. The chart will often expand beyond the pattern repeat to better show the motif pattern, but there should be vertical lines to show the exact pattern repeat.
The Pattern Repeat
The pattern repeat is what you need to pay attention to, to recreate the motif you want to achieve. "6-stitch repeat" tells you what multiple of stitches you need to have on your needles to recreate the motif.
In this case, you will need a multiple of 6 stitches for your project to recreate this pattern without breaking the pattern design (cast on 6, 36, 60, 120, 240 stitches, you get the gist). This isn't always written, but you can get it by manually counting the number of squares on a row between the vertical lines. If there are no vertical lines, you will need to manually count each stitch on a row until you've reached the stitch that repeats the motif.
The Key
Next, there is the chart key to the right. This is essential to understanding what you need to do, but isn't always present on charts! If it isn't there, you will need to infer as to which color should go where.
In this example, the key tells you that each blue rectangle needs to be worked in the contrasting color (CC), and each blank rectangle has to be worked in the main color (MC).
Charts are read like this:
- The chart represents what you will see on the right side of your project once finished
- To begin reading the chart, you have to start at the bottom right corner if you are knitting from the bottom up. If you are knitting top down, you will need to start from the top right corner.
- Always start your first row reading the chart from the right side. We knit by passing stitches from the left needle to the right needle, so the first stitch is always the one to the right!
Working In the Round
If you are working your pattern in the round, you will read every row of the chart from right to left. In this example, on row 1 you would knit 5 stitches with the contrasting color, 1 stitch with the main color; repeat until the end of the round.
I STRONGLY recommend having a beginning of round (BOR) stitch marker. I will always use either a bigger stitch marker for BOR, or my favorite one. This makes knitting in the round so much easier, and fun!
Here's the BOR Stitch marker I like to have on my projects these days. They're made with Austrian crystal beads <3!
Knitting Flat
If you are knitting flat, you will work each odd row (1/3/5/etc) from right to left, and each even row (2/4/6/etc) from left to right. That's why even row numbers will often show up on the left side of the chart.
‼️ Attention!!
If you are knitting flat, even rows are on the wrong side of the fabric!
What looks like a knit stitch on the chart actually translates to a purl stitch on the wrong side, the side you are actually working. Some charts will tell you this in the key, most won't.
In this example, for row 2 when knitting flat, you would be purling each stitch: 1 stitch with the contrasting color, 1 with the main color, and 4 with the contrasting color; repeat until the end of the row.
That's basically it for colorwork charts. Go ahead, try a chart!
Try out the Point Reyes Cowl or the Point Reyes Hat for an easy first chart pattern that includes the chart shown above!
Feeling bold?
Try out the Ohlone Trail Cowl Knitting Pattern and get out of your comfort zone!
If you've read until here, congratulations! You can now read basic colorwork charts!
Want to not only know how to read a colorwork chart, but also make your own? Get the Free Printable Knitting Graph Paper to help you out!
DOWNLOAD FOR FREE!
Did you like this article?
💌 Subscribe to the newsletter to get more just like it; plus new product alerts, sales, freebies, and more delivered straight to your inbox. We respect your privacy and will never sell your information. Thousands of crafters just like you are getting updates straight into their inboxes and improving their knitting skills!