KNITTED CURLING FORMS TO MAKE A SPIRAL
For these curling forms I was inspired by a curling feather tattoo I saw here and the book Unexpected Knitting of Debbie New. This books explains a method using segments in which you make decreases or increases. To make these curling forms I have only used decreases. You can vary the number of stitches, you can make decreases in all segments or knit straight in one of them. You can also make more segments, which will cause more curling. With many small segments and many decreases the form will even curl about itself…. Try to knit 1 or more spirals following the directions, and then make your own variations.. Go wild!

The long and crossed pattern stitch I have found in an old Dutch knitting series: Alles over breien {All About Knitting}. I have described this stitch at this project page

For most of my knitted curling forms I used a thin variegated sock yarn and needles 3.0 or 3.5 mm. If you use thicker yarn less curling forms are needed. I combined 2 thinner yarns together to get a thicker yarn at the photo with the bird paisley with the 5 curling forms.
After finishing the curling forms can be stretched and blocked to emphasize the lace pattern.

At the photos the curling forms are combined with the Small Paisley-bird.

Middle size curling form
Place stitch-markers between each segment: CO 7 - 5 - 4 - 5 - 6

ROW 1. Use the long and crossed pattern stitch as described at the knitted paisley
ROW 2. In each of the first 4 segments: k1, k2tog, k rest of stitches. Last segment: k1, k2tog, k1, slip 1, k1, pass slip-stitch over.
ROW 3. Use the long and crossed pattern stitch
ROW 4.Removing stitch-markers. In each of the first 4 segments: k2tog, k rest of stitches. Last segment: k2tog, slip 1, k1, pass slip-stitch over.
ROW 5. Bind off 4 stitches, k1, next 4 stitches use the long and crossed pattern stitch, k till the end of row.
ROW 6. Bind off all stitches.
Variation: Knit another one all the same, except that you make no decreases in segment 3.

Bigger variation: CO 9 - 6 - 5 - 6 - 7
Row 1 and 3 use the long and crossed pattern stitch.
ROW 2. In each of the first 4 segments: k2, k2tog, k rest of stitches. Last segment: k2, k2tog, k1, slip 1, k1, pass slip-stitch over.
ROW 4. Removing stitch-markers. In each of the first 4 segments: k2tog, k rest of stitches. Last segment: k2tog, k1, slip 1, k1, pass slip-stitch over.
ROW 5. Bind off 5 stitches, k1, next 8 stitches use the long and crossed pattern stitch, k till the end of the row.
ROW 6. Bind off all stitches.

Small variation: CO 3 - 4 - 5 - 4 - 6
Row 1 and 3 use the long and crossed pattern stitch.
ROW 2. In each of the first 4 segments: k1, k2tog, k rest of stitches, if there are any. Last segment: k1, k2tog, k1, slip 1, k1, pass slip-stitch over.
ROW 4. Removing stitch-markers. In each of the first 4 segments: k2tog, k rest of stitches if there are any. Last segment: k2tog, slip 1, k1, pass slip-stitch over.
ROW 5. Bind off 3 stitches, knit till the end of the row.
ROW 6. Bind off all stitches.

Smallest variation: CO 3 - 3 - 4 - 3 - 4
Row 1 and 3 use the long and crossed pattern stitch.
In each of the first 4 segments: k1, k2tog, k rest of stitches, if there are any. Last segment: k2tog, slip 1, k1, pass slip-stitch over
Removing stitch-markers. In each of the first 4 segments, k2tog, k rest of stitches if there are any. Last segment: slip 1, k1, pass slip-stitch over.
Bind off 2 stitches, knit till end of row.
Bind off all stitches.