Friday, March 29, 2013

Tic-Tac-Toe Aran Square


Tic-Tac-Toe Aran Square

(to be used either alone or in combination

with other squares to make a Toddler's Play Mat)

Designed by: Anne Goodwin

(copyright March 29, 2013)

Tic-Tac-Toe Aran Square For Toddler's Playmat

Designed by: Anne Goodwin (copyright March 29, 2013)



Materials:



  • one ball of Mary Maxim Aran Irish Twist (205 yards/187 metres) OR any sturdy worsted weight acrylic yarn
  • 3.00 mm/US size 2 knitting needles, flat or circular are both fine
  • 2.5 mm/US size 1 knitting needles, shorter flat ones would be easiest to use
  • cable needle
  • stitch markers
  • “D” crochet hook (to pick up and fix dropped stitches)(recommended)
  • large flat-tipped sewing/darning needle (to sew in yarn ends)



Ideally the square should be 12” x 12” inches. Please make adjustments to size of knitting needles that you use to obtain required gauge. (Simply knit a few rows of about 20 stitches to see how many stitches you get per inch.) If you would like your square to be larger, then use larger knitting needles. The pattern will work to any size knitting needle. In fact, if you would like this single square itself to be a playmat all by itself, then you would simply use very large knitting needles.



Terminology:



K – Knit

P – Purl

PM – Place marker

SM – Slip marker

1/1 RC (One by One Right Cross) – Slip one to cable needle, K1; K1 from cable needle

1/1 RPC (One by One Right Purl Cross) – Slip one to cable needle,hold to back, K1; P1 from cable needle

1/1 LPC (One by One Left Purl Cross) – Slip one to cable needle , hold in front, P1; K1 from cable needle

K1tbl – Knit one through back loop



Instructions For Making Large Square (the main piece)



On all wrong side rows, simply knit the knitted stitches and purl the purled stitches. The instructions for the rows make the design for the FRONT or the RIGHT SIDE of the piece. Therefore, when you are finished knitting the square, you will actually have knitted TWICE the number of rows as what are numerically listed below.



Using larger needles, cast on 84 stitches, using the cast-on method of your choice.



Knit 6 rows (3 ridges) of garter stitch. Now work the rows as follows, remembering to keep the 4 outside stitches at EACH edge as GARTER STITCH. I recommend you use markers in order to easily remember this. Now work the rows as follows:



  1. [K1,P2, K1, P1, K2, P1] eight times, K1, P2, K1.
  2. [1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 RPC, 1/1LPC] eight times, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  3. [P1, 1/1 RC, P1, K1, P2, K1] eight times, P1, 1/1 RC, P1.
  4. [1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC] eight times, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.
  5. P1, K2, P1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, P1, K2, P1.
  6. 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, PM, K 20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, PM, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.*
  7. K1, P2, K1, SM, K 20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, SM, K1, P2, K1.**
  8. 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, K 20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K 20, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  9. K1, P2, K1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, K1, P2, K1.
  10. 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  11. P1, 1/1 RC, P1, K 20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, P1, 1/1 RC, P1.
  12. 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, K 20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.
  13. P1, K2, P1, K 20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, P1, K2, P1.
  14. 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.
  15. K1, P2, K1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, K1, P2, K1.
  16. 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  17. K1, P2, K1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, K1, P2, K1.
  18. 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K13, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  19. P1, 1/1 RC, P1, K6, K1tbl 48 times, K6, P1, 1/1 RC, P1.
  20. 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, K6, K1tbl 48 times, K6, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.
  21. P1, K2, P1, K6, K1tbl 48 times, K6, P1, K2, P1.
  22. 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.
  23. K1, P2, K1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, K1, P2, K1.
  24. 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  25. K1, P2, K1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, K1, P2, K1.
  26. 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  27. P1, 1/1 RC, P1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, P1, 1/1 RC, P1.
  28. 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.



You are, at this point, half-way through completing the square! Keep going!



  1. P1, K2, P1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, P1, K2, P1.
  2. 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.
  3. K1, P2, K1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, K1, P2, K1.
  4. 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  5. K1, P2, K1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, K1, P2, K1.
  6. 1/1LPC, 1/1 RPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  7. P1, 1/1 RC, P1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, P1, 1/1 RC, P1.
  8. 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, K6, K1tbl 48 times, K6, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.
  9. P1, K2, P1, K6, K1tbl 48 times, K6, P1, K2, P1.
  10. 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, K6, K1tbl 48 times, K6, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.
  11. K1, P2, K1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, K1, P2, K1.
  12. 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  13. K1, P2, K1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, K1, P2, K1.
  14. 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  15. P1, 1/1 RC, P1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, P1, 1/1 RC, P1.
  16. 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.
  17. P1, K2, P1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, P1, K2, P1.
  18. 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.
  19. K1, P2, K1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, K1, P2, K1.
  20. 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  21. K1, P2, K1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, K1, P2, K1.
  22. 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.
  23. P1, 1/1 RC, P1, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, P1, 1/1 RC, P1.
  24. 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, K20, K1tbl 3 times, K14, K1tbl 3 times, K20, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.
  25. [P1, K2, P1, K1, P2, K1] 8 times, P1 K2, P1.
  26. [1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC] eight times, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC.
  27. [K1, P2, K1, P1, 1/1 RC, P1] eight times, K1, P2, K1.
  28. [1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 RPC, 1/1 LPC] eight times, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC.



Knit 6 rows (3 ridges) of garter stitch. Cast off comfortably, not too loose but not tightly.



* and ** setting up markers and explaining how to use them; instructions from here on in will not mention the markers; however, you should continue to use markers to separate the garter stitch border, the decorative border and the main piece.



Instructions for Making the 'X' and the 'O' Pieces (small squares to play the game)



I recommend that you knit the 'X' pieces in one color and the 'O' pieces in another color. This will be easier for a toddler to work with; also we are using flat pieces instead of smaller felted cut-outs of x's and o's because it is both easier to play with and SAFER!



To Make the 'X' piece:



Using smaller needles, cast on 16 stitches. Knit 3 rows garter stitch (1.5 ridges). Just as for the main piece, all wrong side rows, you must knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches. So, keeping 2 stitches at EACH edge apart (marked with a marker) for a garter stitch border, do the following:



  1. P2, K1, P6, K1, P1. (This and the following rows do not include instructions for the garter stitch border.)
  2. P3, K1, P4, K1, P3.
  3. P4, K1, P2, K1, P4.
  4. P5, K2, P5.
  5. P5, 1/1 RC, P5.
  6. P4, K1, P2, K1, P4.
  7. P3, K1, P4, K1, P3.
  8. P2, K1, P6, K1, P2.



Knit 3 rows (1.5 ridges) of garter stitch. Cast off comfortably.



To Make the 'O' piece:



Using smaller needles, cast on 16 stitches. Knit 3 rows garter stitch (1.5 ridges). Just as for the main piece, all wrong side rows, you must knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches. So, keeping 2 stitches at EACH edge apart (marked with a marker) for a garter stitch border, do the following:



  1. P5, K2, P5. (Again, this and following rows do not include instructions for garter stitch border.)
  2. P4, K1, P2, K1, P4.
  3. P3, K1, P4, K1, P3.
  4. P2, K1, P6, K1, P2.
  5. P2, K1, P6, K1, P2.
  6. P3, K1, P4, K1, P3.
  7. P4, K1, P2, K1, P4.
  8. P5, K2, P5.



Knit 3 rows (1.5 ridges) garter stitch. Cast off comfortably. Weave in all loose ends.



Make at least 5 of each of the 'X' and 'O' pieces.



Enjoy playing the game with your youngster!


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