Have you ever wondered why we include the 'minimum stitch repeat' on all of our Doodle Charts? While every single one of our charts is standardized to 24 stitches, sometimes you might want a smaller repeat! Whether you're knitting a small item and need a half size, or if you just want to know if you can focus on a smaller piece of the chart while knitting, many of our charts can be split into smaller repeats to make them even more accessible!

Want to understand how changing your stitch count will affect your project? Scroll to the bottom of this page (or check out our post about Changing Yarn Gauge) to figure out how to modify your pattern to work for you and your charts!

What is a "minimum repeat"?

Let's start by explaining what we mean when we talk about repeat sizes and "minimum stitch repeats" in Doodle Charts. 

The "repeat" is the part of the chart that you will (fittingly) repeat around the circumference of your project. So if you have a "12-st repeat", you will knit the same 12 stitches around each round, over and over. If there is a "4-st repeat" you will only be knitting the same 4 stitches over and over around the project. 

In the example below, you can see how the stitches are the same in each box. That little section is what you will be repeating. 

What does "multiple of 24" mean?

A "multiple of 24" means that the number is a whole number of repeats of 24. So any number x 24 is a "multiple" of 24. 

If you want to check whether your chart size will work with your project size, just divide your stitches by your repeat size:

[Number of stitches] ÷ [chart size] = [must be a whole number, no decimals]

For example:

[144 st] ÷ [24 st repeat] = 6 (whole number, will work)

[150 st] ÷ [24 st repeat] = 6.25 (NOT a whole number, will end up with partial chart)

 

Working with Full Charts

The standard stitch count for all Doodle Charts is 24 stitches. A number of our charts utilize this full width of stitches, and cannot be "cut" down into smaller stitch increments. This works well for "hero" motifs, mirrored motifs, or other more ornate designs.

Below is an example of a Doodle Chart with a 24-stitch Repeat:

Note: 24-stitch charts will NOT have a repeat box on the chart, since it takes up the full size of the chart.

But some of the charts have shorter repeats! How do those work?

 

Using 'Half' Charts

Several of the Doodle Base Patterns call for working “half” charts, or repeats of just 12 stitches, rather than 24 stitches. This is typically used to allow more flexible sizing, especially for smaller circumference pattern shapes, such as socks or mittens. Adding 12 stitches between sizes (instead of 24) means more customizable size options for you!

While not every chart can be cleanly cut in half, there are plenty of options that allow for shorter repeats.

All of our new releases come with all the information you need to find those smaller repeats! The minimum stitch repeat (the smallest number of stitches you can split the chart into) is written at the top of the card AND marked with a box on the chart itself!

But what if I have an old version of the cards?

You can still learn how to identify this information yourself. An easy way to tell is to look for charts where the design is the same within stitches 1-12 and within 13-24. In other words, it looks like two of the exact same design within that chart.

Here are some examples of Doodle Charts with 12-stitch Repeats:

Working with even smaller repeats

Some Doodle Charts, especially those found in the Basic Doodle Patterns, can be cut down to even fewer stitches for their minimum repeat. 

Below is an example of a Doodle Chart with a 6-stitch Repeat:

 

Below is an example of a Doodle Chart with a 4-stitch Repeat:

Shifting or offsetting charts

Once you have identified the actual repeating element within the chart, you can move that repeat box around as much as you want - and the chart will still work!

In the example below, there is a 4-st repeat. Any consecutive 4 stitches within this chart will create the same repeating pattern, whether you choose to start working the chart on Stitch-2 or on Stitch-15. 

Okay, but why would I shift the chart? 

There are two main reasons why you might want to change where you start knitting the chart:

ONE: If I am using two charts next to each other that have the same repeat size, I might want them to be offset from each other. So that rather than lining up perfectly in vertical lines, they will alternate positions (kinda like a brick or subway tile layout). 

By offsetting the chart a little bit, I can make the final design a little more visually interesting. 

TWO: Depending on the chart you are using, you might want to have the empty space between the actual design elements cross your beginning-of-round. This can help minimize the appearance of a job at the BOR, because the stitches at the start and end of each row are just plain background color!

We try to take this into account when we lay out the charts, but some of the older designs aren't always set up like that. So if you want to move where you start the chart, to make sure that the BOR is in a better place, just move the repeat box!

Modifying Patterns & Rounding to the nearest multiple of 24 or 12

If you are using one of our Base Doodle Modifications and changing your cast-on number, you might want to double check that it will still work.

What does "multiple of 24" mean?

A "multiple of 24" means that the number is a whole number of repeats of 24. So any number x 24 is a "multiple" of 24. 

So to check whether your intended chart size will work with your new project size, just divide your stitches by your repeat size:

[Number of stitches] ÷ [chart size] = [must be a whole number, no decimals]

For example:

• [144 st] ÷ [24 st repeat] = 6 (whole number, will work)

• [150 st] ÷ [24 st repeat] = 6.25 (NOT a whole number, will end up with partial chart)

 

Want more modifications? Check out our complete library of Base Doodle Modifications for Infinity Cowl, Standard Cowl, Socks, and Hats!

Happy Doodling!

Want even easier access to all of our Doodle resources? All of this (and more) is available in our DoodleHQ app! 

 

Blog co-written by Jamie Lomax and Grey Lundy.