Well, if you’re a member of MWK or if you’ve been following my posts for the past week, you know that I’ve been working on a special braided cable that I made a few years ago. As you probably already know (if you’re been reading), my favorite thing in knitting is cables. I love all kinds of cables, from the ordinary 2 strand straight cables, to the traveling multi-strand braids. Actually, especially the traveling, multi-strand braids. My two favorite designers are Elsebeth Lavold and Alice Starmore because of their work with cables (although Alice has phenomenal fair aisle skills as well!). Elsebeth has a way of creating cables out of thin air and then making them disappear just as quickly that is totally captivating. Alice’s cables are designed from actual Celtic ruins and symbols and has a sense of history running through them that takes you back in time – fascinating. Anyway, I digress. One of my favorite braids is the Saxon Braid. I have made a few scarves with it as the main feature and thoroughly enjoy creating it.
I designed and knit a sweater for a friend a few years ago with the Saxon Braid in mind. Instead of using the Saxon braid though (a 6 strand braid), I decided to add two strands to the outside of it, making it an 8 strand braid. It took a while but I eventually figured out the pattern and made the braid. I can’t stress enough how important it is to write out your patterns as you are doing the designing! I would have saved numerous hours redoing this if I had only done that in the first place. To make a long story short, I recently found out that there is no name for this braid and I can’t find a reference or pattern for it anywhere. After conferring with some friends of mine from MWK and a local knitting group that I belong to, I have decided to name the braid myself. It is now called the Barrington Braid – that’s my middle name. If I find a reference to it and a pattern I will update you all, but it will always be known as the Barrington Braid in my world. As I said it is an 8 strand, 34 stitch braid and is done in stocking stitch with a reverse stocking stitch background. There is a picture of it below with the pattern. Feel free to use it if you like and if you want to float me a donation for making it easy for you, well,who am I to disagree? ;-). The pattern below is for the 48 row version. I am working on a more relaxed 72 row variation for it as well. I’ll have that up shortly (with pictures) as well. In the meantime though, enjoy the Barrington!
The Barrington Braid in the original sweater I designed.
Here is the pattern.
Stitch Glossary:
C4F: Take 2 stitches and place them on a cable needle, holding at front of work. Knit 2 stitches from left hand needle, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle.
C4B: Take 2 stitches and place them on a cable needle, holding at back of work. Knit 2 stitches from left hand needle, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle.
T3F: Take 2 stitches and place them on a cable needle, holding them at front of your work. Purl 1 stitch from left hand needle, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle.
T3B: Take 1 stitch and place it on a cable needle, holding it at the back of your work. Knit 2 stitches from left hand needle, then purl 1 stitch from cable needle.
T4F: Take 2 stitches and place them on a cable needle, holding them at front of your work. Purl 2 stitches from left hand needle, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle.
T4B: Take 2 stitches and place it on a cable needle, holding it at the back of your work. Knit 2 stitches from left hand needle, then purl 2 stitches from cable needle.
For Row 2 and all alternate rows, work your stitches as they appear.
Row 1: (K2, P3) 3x, C4B, (P3, K2) 3x
Row 3: (K2, P3) 2x, T3F, T4B, T4F, T3B, (P3, K2) 2x
Row 5: K2, P3, T3F, P3, C4F, P4, C4F, P3, T3B, P3, K2
Row 7: T3F, P3, T3F, (T4B, T4F) 2x, T3B, P3, T3B
Row 9: P1, T3F, P3, (C4B, P4) 2x, C4B, P3, T3B, P1
Row 11: P2, T3F, (T4B, T4F) 3x, T3B, P2
Row 13: P3, (C4F, P4) 3x, C4F, P3
Row 15: P2, T3B, (T4F, T4B) 3x, T3F, P2
Row 17: P1, T3B, P3, (C4B, P4) 2x, C4B, P3, T3F, P1
Row 19: T3B, P3, T3B, (T4F, T4B) 2x, T3F, P3, T3F
Row 21: K2, P3, T3B, P3, C4F, P4, C4F, P3, T3F, P3, K2
Row 23: (K2, P3) 2x, T3B, T4F, T4B, T3F, (P3, K2) 2x
These 24 rows form the pattern but you don’t see a complete representation of it until after 48 rows so you would have to do all rows one more time. Also, you can start the pattern on row 1 or 13 but I wouldn’t recommend starting on any other row or it just doesn’t look right. I’ll post the 72 row version of this soon. Have fun with it and if anybody asks where you found it tell them Barrington sent you!
Hugzzz 😎