Box-Pleat Top pattern alteration suggestion from fellow Ravelry knitter

Fellow Ravelry.com knitter gertrudskein suggested the following alteration for the Box-Pleat Top pattern:

“I did a tubular cast-on on US1 Addis (which are the bigger kid of US1) and two rows of 1x1 rib to prevent curling.”

Thanks gertrudskein for a great suggestion!!

Box-Pleat Top - Ivory

I just finished the ivory version.  I knitted it in the round, and I used faceted, glass roller beads with a gold color on the inside.  Here's the result:

Box-Pleat Top - Pattern CORRECTION

Thank you to all who have purchased my Box-Pleat Top pattern!!!

One correction: when you reach the row where you will form the box pleats, please note the the pattern instructions count the edge stitch twice.  Therefore the pattern should correctly read, "edge stitch, knit the first 9 (10) 11 (12) sts and then....."

Sorry for any headaches this may have caused. 

Happy Holidays and best wishes for the coming year!

Box-Pleat Top - Knitting in the Round

So, the Box-Pleat Top pattern is easily converted to knit in the round.

Simply omit the "edge stitch" on either side of both the front and back sides when you cast-on (i.e.,  size large would have 248 cast on stitches, rather than 252).  The "edge stitch" provides the selvedge edge that you would use when sewing a side seam.  If you've knit the garment in the round, you won't need the extra stitches.

After casting on the proper number of stitches, be mindful not to twist the stitches before attaching end-to-end for knitting in the round.

Knit Row 1 as per the pattern instructions.  However, Row 2 is now a "knit" row, rather than a "purl" row, and you just continue knitting around in the circle you have started.

Follow the pattern instructions for front and back simultaneously. Once you reach the bottom of the arm opening, you will need to stop knitting in the round, add the edge stitches back in, and follow the pattern instructions for front and back separately.  You can either leave stitches on the circular needle while not working on them, or you can move them to another circular needle for safe keeping while you finish knitting the first side.

The Box-Pleat Top is finished!!

... and I'm thrilled!  It turned out just the way I wanted.  Of course I had to knit and re-knit several sections to get things just right.  But in the end, I'm a happy camper.  The top is knitted with Stacy Charles Siam yarn.  Here are some photos:

Box-Pleat Top - Beading

I've been working with beads on the Box-Pleat Top, using 6x4 Czech Glass Faceted Large Hole Roller Beads that I bought at a local bead store.  Knitting with beads is fun and easy once you get started.  When knitting with beads, you can either string all of the beads on the yarn before you start your project, or you can add the beads to the yarn as you go using a crochet hook.  For the Box-Pleat Top, I have employed the second method.

Here are some photographs of the process I've used for placing beads on the Box-Pleat Top:

1) place one bead on a crochet hook and use the crochet hook to remove one loop on the left hand needle.

2) slide the bead from the crochet hook onto the loop. 

3) replace the loop onto the left hand needle. 

4) knit the loop.