Berberè by Paola Albergamo

Berberè

Knitting
January 2017
Fingering (14 wpi) ?
26 stitches and 34 rows = 4 inches
in garter stitch
US 2½ - 3.0 mm
900 - 1200 yards (823 - 1097 m)
200 x 60 cm (79 x 24”)
English Italian
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Undulating lines in warm tones that evoke the African landscape and remind me of berberè spice, with its specific color and taste.

Berberè is knitted sideways in colorful and sinuous strips, using only two colors at a time, with simple intarsia technique and basic lace.
Each strip is formed by a garter “body” in one color and a lace portion worked in a contrasting color. The first and the last strips feature also a different lace stitch worked in the same color of the strip “body”.
Strips are joined together as-you-go, so you’ll knit just a small number of stitches at a time (unlike in The top-down or bottom-up methods) and you will have to use only 2 colors at a time (unlike in working the whole stole sideways).

The curves are obtained through simple increases and decreases in the garter stitch body, and the gentle movement is underlined by the simplest of the lace in a contrasting color.
The result is stunning, but the work is really easy!


Materials:
Approx. 580 m (635 yards) fingering yarn for MC.
Approx. 230 m (250 yards) fingering yarn for CC1.
Approx. 70 m (76 yards) fingering yarn for CC2.

Sample is knitten with silk yarn, but the pattern was tested with wool/merino yarns too.

Needles:
3 mm /US 2.5 * circular knitting needles.
* or size needed to obtain gauge.

Notions:
2 markers.
2 removable markers.
Tapestry needle to weave in ends.

Gauge:
26 stitches x 34 rows = 10x10 cm (4”) in garter stitch with MC.

Techniques used
Simple intarsia (only 2 colors at a time), easy lace, short rows.