Rugged Trees

By Kay Hopkins

Instagram Handle: @KnitfortheSoul

Kay Hopkins is inspired by the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest in which she lives, and by travel and history. She strives for simple elegance in her designs, as well as versatility and options for both making and wearing. Kay’s background in IT and business consulting helps her simplify designs and write clear pattern instructions. Kay has self-published over 60 designs and believes in the goodness that knitting can bring to all of us.

Inspiration: The stitch pattern depicts the gigantic Douglas firs in the Pacific Northwest mountains, all laden with snow and creating a winter wonderland. I wanted to have lots of texture in a simple colorwork design, so I created a mosaic stitch pattern with a combination of garter and stockinette stitches for a nearly 3-dimensional stitch design.

Tip: Keep enough “white space” in your plan to stay relaxed and have fun with your knitting. Schedule time in your plan to just enjoy knitting with other people and to play with new techniques. Focus on the journey, not the destination, and enjoy every minute of it. Even if you’re frogging, you can use a ball winder to unravel and have fun with it!

Finished Stitch Block Measurements

8 x 8 inch/20 x 20cm stitch block square, blocked (including garter stitch borders)

Materials

Worsted weight yarn

Size 6 US (4mm) needles

Size 5 US (3.75mm)

Gauge

22 sts and 33 rows = 4 inches/10cm in stockinette with size 6 US (4mm) needle

Note: Use size 6 US (4mm) needle to work chart rows 9-58. Use size 5 US (3.75mm) needle to work all other rows, including cast on and bind off.

Stitch Block Instructions

Bottom Garter Stitch Edging

Using smaller needles and MC, cast on 45 sts.

Knit 4 rows.

Square Body

Work Rugged Trees mosaic chart one time, changing to larger needles after Row 8 in the chart and back to smaller needles after Row 58. Work RS row from right to left on chart using yarn color shown in first 3 columns and work corresponding WS row in same color while working left to right on chart. Written row instructions for chart are below.

Top Garter Stitch Edging

Continuing with smaller needles and MC, knit 6 rows. Bind off.

Written Instructions for Chart

Row 1 (MC) (RS): K3, knit to last 3, k3.

Row 2 (MC) (WS): K3, purl to last 3, k3.

Rows 3-4: Same as Rows 1 and 2.

Rows 5-6 (CC) (RS & WS): K3, knit to last 3, k3.

Rows 7- 8: Same as Rows 1 and 2. Change to larger needles after Row 8.

Row 9 (CC) (RS): K3, k1, sl1, (k1, sl2) x 4, k1, sl1, k7, sl1, (k1, sl2) x 4, k1, sl1, k1, k3.

Row 10 (CC) (WS): K3, p1, sl1, (p1, sl2) x 4, p1, sl1, p7, sl1, (p1, sl2) x 4, p1, sl1, p1, k3.

Row 11 (MC) (RS): K3, (sl1, k7) x 2, sl1, k5, (sl1, k7) x 2, k1, k3.

Row 12 (MC) (WS): K3, (sl1, p7) x 2, sl1, p5, (sl1, p7) x 2, sl1, k3.

Row 13 (CC) (RS): K3, k2, sl2, k9, sl2, k2, sl2, k1, sl2, k2, sl2, k9, sl2, k2, k3.

Row 14 (CC) (WS): K3, p2, sl2, k9, sl2, p2, sl2, k1, sl2, p2, sl2, k9, sl2, p2, k3.

Row 15 (MC) (RS): K3, k1, (sl1, k6) x 2, (sl1, k3) x 2, (sl1, k6) x 2, sl1, k1, k3.

Row 16 (MC) (WS): K3, p1, (sl1, p6) x 2, (sl1, p3) x 2, (sl1, p6) x 2, sl1, p1, k3.

Row 17 (CC) (RS): K3, sl1, k2, sl2, k7, sl2, k2, sl2, k3, sl2, k2, sl2, k7, sl2, k2, sl1, k3.

Row 18 (CC) (WS): K3, sl1, p2, sl2, k7, sl2, p2, sl2, k3, sl2, p2, sl2, k7, sl2, p2, sl1, k3.

Row 19 (MC) (RS): K3, k2, (sl1, k5) x 2, (sl1, k4) x 2, (sl1, k5) x 2, sl1, k2, k3.

Row 20 (MC) (WS): K3, p2, (sl1, p5) x 2, (sl1, p4) x 2, (sl1, p5) x 2, sl1, p2, k3.

Row 21 (CC) (RS): K3, (sl2, k2, sl2, k5) x 3, sl2, k2, sl2, k3.

Row 22 (CC) (WS): K3, (sl2, p2, sl2, k5) x 3, sl2, p2, sl2, k3. 

Row 23 (MC) (RS): K3, k3, (sl1, k4) x 2, (sl1, k5) x 2, (sl1, k4) x 2, sl1, k3, k3.

Row 24 (MC) (WS): K3, p3, (sl1, p4) x 2, (sl1, p5) x 2, (sl1, p4) x 2, sl1, p3, k3.

Row 25 (CC) (RS): K3, k1, sl2, k2, sl2, k3, sl2, k2, sl2, k7, sl2, k2, sl2, k3, sl2, k2, sl2, k1, k3.

Row 26 (CC) (WS): K3, p1, sl2, p2, sl2, k3, sl2, p2, sl2, k7, sl2, p2, sl2, k3, sl2, p2, sl2, p1, k3.

Row 27 (MC) (RS): K3, k4, (sl1, k3) x 2, (sl1, k6) x 2, (sl1, k3) x 2, sl1, k4, k3.

Row 28 (MC) (WS): K3, p4, (sl1, p3) x 2, (sl1, p6) x 2, (sl1, p3) x 2, sl1, k4, k3.

Row 29 (CC) (RS): K3, sl1, (k1, sl2, k2, sl2) x 2, k9, (sl2, k2, sl2, k1) x 2, sl1, k3.

Row 30 (CC) (WS): K3, sl1, p1, sl2, p2, sl2, k1, sl2, p2, sl2, k9, sl2, p2, sl2, k1, sl2, p2, sl2, p1, sl1, k3. 

Row 31 (MC) (RS): K3, (k5, sl1) x 2, (k7, sl1) x 2, k5, sl1, k5, k3.

Row 32 (MC) (WS): K3, (p5, sl1) x 2, (p7, sl1) x 2, p5, sl1, p5, k3.

Row 33 (CC) (RS): K3, sl2, k1, sl2, k7, sl1, (k1, sl2) x 4, k1, sl1, k7, sl2, k1, sl2, k3.

Row 34 (CC) (WS): K3, sl2, p1, sl2, p7, sl1, (p1, sl2) x 4, p1, sl1, p7, sl2, p1, sl2, k3.   

Rows 35-36 (MC): Same as Rows 31 and 32.

Rows 37-38 (CC): Same as Rows 29 and 30.

Rows 39-40 (MC): Same as Rows 27 and 28.

Rows 41-42 (CC): Same as Rows 25 and 26.

Rows 43-44 (MC): Same as Rows 23 and 24.

Rows 45-46 (CC): Same as Rows 21 and 22.

Rows 47-48 (MC): Same as Rows 19 and 20.

Rows 49-50 (CC): Same as Rows 17 and 18.

Rows 51-52 (MC): Same as Rows 15 and 16.

Rows 53-54 (CC): Same as Rows 13 and 14.

Rows 55-56 (MC): Same as Rows 11 and 12.

Rows 57-58 (CC): Same as Rows 9 and 10. Change to smaller needles after Row 58.

Rows 59-60: Same as Rows 1 and 2.

Rows 61-62: Same as Rows 5 and 6.

Rows 63-66: Same as Rows 1-4.

Rugged Trees Chart and Key

Please contact the designer for permission before using this stitch pattern in patterns to be published or for sale.