Rosemary Drysdale has written two excellent books for those interested in knitting in the Entrelac technique. I opted for the second book and found it in limited supply.
While I have nothing to add to Drysdale's instruction, there are some tips for those with challenges.
If you choose to knit using three or more colors, choices are relatively simple. But to use one hue and shade the rows from light to dark, called making a 'value gradation', the task is a bit more complicated.
Without going into the scientific aspects of light reflection, you can see the value of a color by taking a picture of it and changing the image to black and white. Once you have photos of the different values of your color, you can cut them into squares and arrange them to suit your purpose.
Other methods for viewing color in neutral values are 'red transparency' and 'black mirror.'
To make a 'red transparency': Buy some red, clear wrapping cellophane, and sandwich a rectangle of it between two cardboard frames.
To make a 'black mirror' you would coat one side of clear glass with black paint, and tape the edges for safe handling.
You can see through the red transparency, but the black mirror can only reflect the image.
Pay special attention to Row 4 and Row 5.
In 'Color,' there is good contract, but in 'Black and White,' there is very little difference in value.
As a swatch, this shows that the more comfortable I am with the pattern, the more relaxed I am, and the tension is looser.
I also found 2 places where I dropped a stitch doing the SSK. I will pay more attention next time.
Counting Rows
A knitter must be able to count stitches and rows accurately while knitting Entrelac, unlike some patterns that suggest knitting for a specific number of inches or centimeters.
Counting stitches on the needle is fairly simple, especially if you place markers to denote a repeat, or an easy number to remember: 5, 10, or 20, for example.
Counting rows accurately can be challenging for anyone when the color of the yarn is very dark, but especially for those with vision problems.
When a freelancer, there were times when I needed a backup plan for 'downtime.' I learned accounting and hired out as a temp. Accounting taught me that if you must be accurate, it's good to have more than one way to check your work, as in double-entry bookkeeping.
There are many methods and devices for counting rows, the following are two that I use:
The Vertical Lifeline
When I first learned to knit, I found instructions for using a contrasting thread to count rows.
At the beginningof the first row, lay a thread across the yarn that lies between the first and second stitch. If you choose to count at the end of the row, place the thread next to the last, and the last stitch.
If I am working with a 2 row stitch (as in the knit one row, purl one row of stockinette stitch), I put the thread at the beginning of the row.
Lay the thread between this pair of stitches in each row.
Stockinette Stitch, right side.
Stockinette Stitch, wrong side.
You have knit only half the rows showing on the side you are looking at because the white cord covers the other rows. Count the yarn between the white thread (in this example) and double it to find the number of stockinette rows completed.
Method #2
Cover the blocking mat with a contrasting color. Pin the knitting to the mat, stretching it slightly to separate the stitches just enough to clearly see them. Count the rows, including the row on the needle, or cable. Ordinarily, unless doing colorwork, you would not count the row on the needle, but this is another of those exceptions when you will.
Happy Knitting !
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