Genius Tips
Ask Patty: Jogless Latvian Braid
Knitters love working in the round. But as discussed in so many columns, working in the round is really working in a spiral, and that comes with a few challenges.
So far, we’ve tackled how to create a jogless cast on, bind off, two row stripe, single row stripe and even how to work short rows in the round. But there’s one unanswered email still joggling around my inbox:
Dear Patty,
Thank you for all your clear teachings, always helpful. I have made the pretty Latvian braid on several accessories. I haven’t been able to make the end/beginning of the design look jogless. Do you have a solution?
Lynn
I’ll admit I’ve felt like replying:
Dear Lynn,
STOP ASKING FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE.
Warmly,
Patty
But after casting on and playing a bit, I’m happy. But first . . .
What is a Latvian Braid?
The Latvian braid is a fancy-schamancy looking stitch that’s actually just purling. It’s worked in three rounds and is usually done in 2 colors. It’s all about twisting your yarns, on PURPOSE!
Here’s how it usually goes:
Set up: *K1 with CC, k1 with MC; rep from * to end of rnd.
Rnd 1: Move both colors to the front. P1 with CC, *bring MC under CC, p1 with MC, bring CC under MC, p1 with CC; rep from * to last st, bring MC under CC, p last MC. NOTE: this round twists your yarn, the next round will untwist them.
Rnd 2: P1 with CC, *bring MC over CC, p1 with MC, bring CC over MC, p1 with CC; rep from * to last st, bring MC over CC, p last MC.
Bring both yarns to the back and continue working pattern with your main color
But as my mother would say, there’s just one problem. The two ends of the braid do not connect.
What to do? Cue the ah ha intuition. Would using a variation of a hack I use to create jogless Fair Isle do the trick? (Spoiler alert: YES.)
Jogless Latvian Braid–A Good Cheat
We create a trick of the eye, nothing more. As with all jogless tricks, the action is on the second round.
Set up: *K1 with CC, k1 with MC, rep from * to end of rnd.
Rnd 1: Move both colors to the front. P1 with CC, *bring MC under CC, p1 with MC, bring CC under MC, p1 with CC; rep from * to last st, bring MC under CC, p last MC. NOTE: this round twists your yarn, the next round will untwist them.
Jogless trick
Step 1: Leaving both yarns in front, slip marker, slip first CC stitch.
Step 2: Move MC to the back, wrapping around the slipped stitch.
Step 3: Slip that stitch back to LH needle, slip marker back, slip last worked stitch back. Move MC back to front.
Step 4: Purl the last stitch again with your MC. I know it’s weird, just go with me.
Rnd 2: *Bring CC over MC, p1 with CC, bring MC over CC, p1 with MC; rep from * to end of round.
At this point you will return to working your main body.
Main body:
Slip end of round marker, move MC to back, leaving CC to the front, and begin working your stockinette. NOTE on the second round of your stockinette, don’t forget your friend the jogless two row stripe, we don’t want to ruin our jogless braid with a jog in our main body color.
Round 2 of main body: First st of round 2, remove marker, work into row below, replace marker continue
We have one last step to finish our braid. Notice we’ve left the contrasting yarn in front. Cut this yarn and we’ll use it to create that bottom half of that braid.
If you look at the other contrasting color braids, you’ll see that the top and bottom of that sideways V look like they are going in and out of the purl bump. The first thing we want to do is take that contrasting yarn and pull it through the purl bump so it’s coming out of the bottom.
Finally, you’ll insert your tapestry needle under the MC loop to complete the braid.
Ta da . . . a pretty good fake. (Up top you’ll find a little video—apologies for the sound and lighting, not in my studio—that I hope will help.)
So, there you have it. Once it’s blocked, it’s pretty darn hard to tell the fake braid. Of course, as with any trick, the final step is DON’T POINT IT OUT!
Keep sending your questions to askpattymdk@gmail.com. Who knows, maybe there are some questions out there that don’t include the word “jogless.”
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Patty in your pocket!
Brilliant…again!
You took the words right out of my mouth!
You are SO good!! Awesome.
How did you know? Just recently I had been contemplating a Latvian braid on a Christmas project. Now I can do it! (Bought your book).
It’s like a magic mirror! So very clever. Sincerely love your bag of tricks!
when you slip the sts from left to right needle and knit into the st below, don’t you have a big float?
I’m not sure what step you are referring to (did you take a look at the pictures? There’s also a video).
There are no steps that quite do what you are describing. Do you mean this step:
Step 2: Move MC to the back, wrapping around the slipped stitch.
Step 3: Slip that stitch back to LH needle, slip marker back, slip last worked stitch back. Move MC back to front.
Do you notice in step 2 it mentions this wraps the yarn around the slipped stitch. This is on purpose to mimic the braid.
I took one look at the header of this article & I’ll admit, I felt like “Ah geez here we go with another technique I don’t care about/will never try.”
Dear Patty,
Your skills are so outrageously helpful that I am now, in all probability, going to try a dang Latvian braid! You had me at “…just purling.” Plus extra Bad Girl points for intentionally twisted stitches. You’re kinda genius, has anyone mentioned?
Warmly,
Mary
Oh you gotta try it. It’s one of those stupid simple / looks super fancy knitting things. The only thing that bums people out is that it doesn’t connect.
Best advice ever…DON’T POINT IT OUT!
Brilliant!
I will never knit one of those braids, but it’s amazing how you did that.
You are amazing.
Patty, I do not believe you really want “joyless” questions. You thrive on them! Thanks for your contribution to our craft.
Not JOYless, JOGless. ❤️❤️
Wow. Just wow.
Thank you, thank you! Now if you could just find a trick to add 10 hours of knit time to each day, I would be able to finish the project that needs to be finished before I can start the one with the Latvian braid!! Love it, Patty.
What I do to solve the end of one round and the changing of color ….
Put a marker at the end of the round. When you change colors…..at the last row of color A slip the last stitch. Change to color B. On the last row of color B slip the stitch after the marker
Patty, I love your suggestions and love your book even more. In the short time I have had it, it has more than paid for its cost in reinforcing ways that I knit and for techniques that I have forgotten. Thank you so much!
YOU…ARE…AMAZING!!!!!!!!!
Definitely a column to save! Thank you Patty!
A perfect Latvian braid!! The trick is in the “trick”
Breathtaking.
I sometimes think, “Can she pull this one out of the hat (er, bag)?”
And ta da, you did it once again. This is a fabulous, clever, genius join.
Many thanks.
Patty, you mentioned a similar strategy that you used for stranded knitting. Did you write a column on that topic?
I truly appreciate this post. I have been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thx again