purlJam

<pattern>

# AUTHORSHIP COLORWORK RECTANGLE

**Difficulty Level:** Intermediate  
**Techniques Used:** Stranded colorwork, chart reading, border construction

## FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
- Width: 20 inches
- Height: 24 inches

## MATERIALS

**Yarn:**
- Worsted weight yarn in 2 colors:
  - **MC (Main Color/Background):** 400 yards
  - **CC (Contrast Color/Text):** 100 yards
- Suggested: Machine washable wool or acrylic blend for durability

**Needles:**
- US 8 (5 mm) straight or circular needles, or size needed to obtain gauge

**Notions:**
- Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
- Stitch markers (optional, for marking chart placement)
- Blocking materials (pins, blocking mats)

## GAUGE
18 stitches × 24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, blocked

**IMPORTANT:** Gauge is critical for text legibility. Take time to swatch and measure accurately.

*Gauge Math Check: 20" width × 4.5 sts/inch = 90 sts ✓*

## ABBREVIATIONS
- CC: contrast color
- k: knit
- MC: main color
- p: purl
- RS: right side
- st(s): stitch(es)
- WS: wrong side

## PATTERN NOTES

**Colorwork Method:**
This pattern uses stranded colorwork (Fair Isle technique) for the text. Carry the unused color loosely across the back of the work, catching floats every 3-5 stitches to prevent snagging.

**Alternative Method:**
For knitters less comfortable with stranded colorwork, you may knit the entire rectangle in MC, then duplicate stitch the letters in CC following the chart after completing the piece.

**Chart Reading:**
- Read RS (odd-numbered) rows from RIGHT to LEFT
- Read WS (even-numbered) rows from LEFT to RIGHT
- Each square represents one stitch
- Work chart rows from bottom (Row 1) to top (Row 9)

**Float Management:**
When carrying CC across long stretches of MC, catch the floating yarn every 4-5 stitches by lifting it over or under the working yarn on the WS to prevent long loops.

## COLOR KEY
- □ = MC (Main Color/Background)
- ■ = CC (Contrast Color/Text)

## CHART A: LETTER "a" (7 sts × 9 rows)
```
9: □■■■■□□
8: ■□□□□■□
7: ■□□□□■□
6: ■■■■■■□
5: ■□□□□■□
4: □■■■■□□
3: □□□□□■□
2: ■□□□□■□
1: □■■■■□□
```

## CHART B: LETTER "u" (7 sts × 9 rows)
```
9: ■□□□□■□
8: ■□□□□■□
7: ■□□□□■□
6: ■□□□□■□
5: ■□□□□■□
4: ■□□□□■□
3: ■□□□□■□
2: ■□□□■□□
1: □■■■□□□
```

## CHART C: LETTER "t" (7 sts × 9 rows)
```
9: ■■■■■■■
8: ■■■■■■■
7: □□□■□□□
6: □□□■□□□
5: □□□■□□□
4: □□□■□□□
3: □□□■□□□
2: □□□■□□□
1: □□□■□□□
```

## CHART D: LETTER "h" (7 sts × 9 rows)
```
9: ■□□□□■□
8: ■□□□□■□
7: ■□□□□■□
6: ■□□□□■□
5: ■■■■■■□
4: ■□□□□■□
3: ■□□□□□□
2: ■□□□□□□
1: ■□□□□□□
```

## CHART E: LETTER "o" (7 sts × 9 rows)
```
9: □■■■■□□
8: ■□□□□■□
7: ■□□□□■□
6: ■□□□□■□
5: ■□□□□■□
4: ■□□□□■□
3: ■□□□□■□
2: ■□□□□■□
1: □■■■■□□
```

## CHART F: LETTER "r" (7 sts × 9 rows)
```
9: ■□□□□□□
8: ■□□□□□□
7: ■□□□□□□
6: ■□□□□□□
5: ■■■■■□□
4: ■□□□□■□
3: ■□□□□□□
2: ■□□□□□□
1: ■□□□□□□
```

## CHART G: LETTER "s" (7 sts × 9 rows)
```
9: □■■■■■□
8: ■□□□□□□
7: ■□□□□□□
6: □■■■■□□
5: □□□□□■□
4: □□□□□■□
3: □□□□□■□
2: ■□□□□■□
1: □■■■■□□
```

## CHART H: LETTER "i" (5 sts × 9 rows)
```
9: □□■□□
8: □□■□□
7: □□■□□
6: □□■□□
5: □□■□□
4: □□■□□
3: □□□□□
2: □□□□□
1: □□■□□
```

## CHART I: LETTER "p" (7 sts × 9 rows)
```
9: ■□□□□□□
8: ■□□□□□□
7: ■□□□□□□
6: ■■■■■□□
5: ■□□□□■□
4: ■□□□□■□
3: ■□□□□■□
2: ■■■■■□□
1: ■□□□□□□
```

## COMPLETE TEXT CHART: "authorship"
**(80 sts × 9 rows)**

```
Row 9:  □■■■■□□ □■□□□■□ ■■■■■■■ ■□□□□■□ □■■■■□□ ■□□□□□□ □■■■■■□ □■□ ■□□□□□□ (spacing between letters)
Row 8:  ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□■□ ■■■■■■■ ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□□□ ■□□□□□□ □■□ ■□□□□□□
Row 7:  ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□■□ □□□■□□□ ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□□□ ■□□□□□□ □■□ ■□□□□□□
Row 6:  ■■■■■■□ ■□□□□■□ □□□■□□□ ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□□□ □■■■■□□ □■□ ■■■■■□□
Row 5:  ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□■□ □□□■□□□ ■■■■■■□ ■□□□□■□ ■■■■■□□ □□□□□■□ □■□ ■□□□□■□
Row 4:  □■■■■□□ ■□□□□■□ □□□■□□□ ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□■□ □□□□□■□ □■□ ■□□□□■□
Row 3:  □□□□□■□ ■□□□□■□ □□□■□□□ ■□□□□□□ ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□□□ □□□□□■□ □■□ ■□□□□■□
Row 2:  ■□□□□■□ ■□□□■□□ □□□■□□□ ■□□□□□□ ■□□□□■□ ■□□□□□□ ■□□□□■□ □■□ ■■■■■□□
Row 1:  □■■■■□□ □■■■□□□ □□□■□□□ ■□□□□□□ □■■■■□□ ■□□□□□□ □■■■■□□ □■□ ■□□□□□□
```

**Chart Layout:** The text is centered with 5 blank stitches on each side.
- Sts 1-5: MC background
- Sts 6-85: Text pattern (80 sts)
- Sts 86-90: MC background

*Stitch count verification: 5 + 80 + 5 = 90 sts total ✓*

## INSTRUCTIONS

### BORDER (BOTTOM)
With MC, cast on 90 sts using long-tail method.

**Rows 1-8:** Knit all sts (garter stitch border).

*Running stitch count: 90 sts*

### BODY - LOWER BACKGROUND
**Row 9 (RS):** With MC, knit all sts.
**Row 10 (WS):** With MC, purl all sts.

**Rows 11-72:** Repeat Rows 9-10 (31 more times).
*(32 total stockinette repeats = 64 rows)*

*Position check: 8 rows border + 64 rows background = 72 rows = 12" height ✓*

### COLORWORK SECTION - TEXT
**Setup:** The text chart begins on the next row. Mark stitch 6 and stitch 85 if desired to track chart boundaries.

**Row 73 (RS - Chart Row 1):** 
- K5 MC (background), work Chart Row 1 from right to left across 80 sts, k5 MC (background).

**Row 74 (WS - Chart Row 2):** 
- P5 MC, work Chart Row 2 from left to right across 80 sts, p5 MC.

**Rows 75-81:** Continue working Chart Rows 3-9, maintaining 5 MC sts at each edge.

*Colorwork section complete: Rows 73-81 = 9 rows*

*Running total: 72 + 9 = 81 rows ✓*

### BODY - UPPER BACKGROUND
**Row 82 (RS):** With MC, knit all sts.
**Row 83 (WS):** With MC, purl all sts.

**Rows 84-136:** Repeat Rows 82-83 (26 more times).
*(27 total stockinette repeats = 54 rows)*

*Position check: 81 rows + 54 rows = 135 rows*

### BORDER (TOP)
**Rows 137-144:** With MC, knit all sts (garter stitch border, 8 rows).

*Final row count: 144 rows ✓*
*Final height: 144 rows ÷ 6 rows/inch = 24" ✓*

Bind off all sts knitwise.

## FINISHING

**Weaving in Ends:**
1. Weave in all MC and CC ends securely on the WS.
2. For colorwork ends, weave diagonally through stitches of the same color for 2-3 inches.
3. Trim ends close to fabric.

**Blocking:**
1. Soak the finished rectangle in cool water with wool wash for 15-20 minutes.
2. Gently squeeze out excess water (do not wring).
3. Lay flat on blocking mats or towels.
4. Pin to measurements (20" × 24"), ensuring text is centered and straight.
5. Pay special attention to borders—pin garter edges flat to prevent rolling.
6. Allow to dry completely (24-48 hours).

**Note:** Proper blocking is ESSENTIAL for colorwork to even out tension and make the text crisp and readable.

**Optional:** If using for wall hanging, ad