Variegated Miter Coasters

Free pattern (for personal use only).

I wouldn't be surprised if there are tons of other coaster patterns out there on the internet that are similar to this, or perhaps even identical. I developed this "pattern" while teaching myself how to do miters. As soon as I had knit a test square, I knew that this technique would produce beautiful coasters, especially if done in a nice absorbent cotton, preferably a variegated yarn that would create striking right-angled streaks of colour on the diagonal of the square.

A second impetus went into the creation of this pattern--I tend to make a lot of dishcloths (there are so very many wonderful variations to explore), and there are usually fairly large hunks of yarn left over, though rarely enough to ever make a second dishcloth. A coaster is usually just the right size to finish off one of these leftovers. By sticking to variegated yarns, the coasters will still look like a set, even when the colours themselves are different.

The following pattern will produce 5-6 coasters per ball of yarn.

Note: Because of the difference in weight of the two yarns, the first numbers are for the Bernat yarn, while the numbers in brackets are for the Sugar'n Cream yarn.

Materials:

• 4 mm needles (U.S. size 6) [3¾ mm needles (U.S. size 5)]
  
• 1 skein Bernat Organic Natural Cotton (GET URL) *or* 1 skein Lilly Sugar'n Cream 100% cotton yarn (GET URL) (Note: You should be able to get at least four matching coasters out of a single skein.)
  
• 2 differently coloured place markers (I use pieces of red and green yarn made into a slip-knotted loop. I tend to forget which row/side of the knitting that I am on, so if I see a green loop is in place, then I need to decrease on that row; if a red loop is in place, then I don't decrease on that row.)
  
• Tapestry needle.

Stitches:

K = knit

K2tog = knit 2 together

SSK = slip 1, slip 1, knit two together (slip stitches knit-wise, insert the left needle into the fronts of the 2 stitches and knit together through the back loop)

Instructions:

Cast on 17 (15) stitches, put the 1st place marker on the left needle (I use the red loop), then cast on 17 more stitches.

Row 1 and all odd rows: K to marker, replace the red loop with the green loop), K to end of row.

Row 2 and all even rows: K to 2 sts before the green loop. K2tog. Remove green loop and place red loop on left needle. SSK. K to end of row.

Repeat these two rows until only 2 stitches remain on the needle. K2tog.

Knot off and sew in yarn tails.

© 2009-10-15 N0Nightowl