purlJam

<pattern>

# EMBOSSED DRAGON SCARF
**A Beginner Tuck Stitch Pattern**

Create a textured scarf featuring embossed dragon motifs using simple tuck stitch technique. The raised dragons march side-by-side across the fabric, creating dimensional interest without complicated color work or lace transfers.

---

## MACHINE SETUP

**Machine Type**: Standard gauge knitting machine (Brother, Silver Reed/Singer, or compatible)

**Carriage**: Main knit carriage only (KC) with tuck stitch capability

**Pattern Card/Program**: 
- **Punchcard machines**: Use 24-stitch repeat dragon tuck pattern (see PATTERNING section for punch layout)
- **Electronic machines**: Program pattern as 24-stitch × 32-row repeat

**Needle Arrangement**: Main bed only, 48 needles total
- Bring needles to working position from center 0: Left 24 needles and Right 24 needles
- This creates 2 complete pattern repeats side-by-side
- Needle positions: Needles -24 to +24 (or L24 to R24)

**Cast-On Method**: Waste yarn and ravel cord
1. Thread waste yarn (smooth acrylic or contrasting color)
2. Set tension dial to 5
3. Knit 8-10 rows waste yarn, COL (carriage on left)
4. Lay ravel cord (crochet chain or smooth cord) across needles
5. Knit 1 row over ravel cord
6. Change to main yarn

**Initial Tension Settings**: 
- Main tension dial: Start at 6 for tuck stitch (looser than plain knitting)
- Adjust after gauge swatch if needed

**Carriage Lever Settings**:
- Part buttons: Both down (no holding)
- Tuck buttons: Set according to pattern card reading (will be adjusted in PATTERNING)
- Lace carriage: NOT required for this pattern

---

## MATERIALS

**Yarn**: 
- Approximately 400 yards (366m) worsted weight yarn (#4 Medium)
- Recommended: Wool, wool blend, or acrylic with good stitch definition
- Sample shown in solid color to best display embossed texture

**Suggested Yarns**:
- Cascade 220 (100% wool)
- Lion Brand Wool-Ease (80% acrylic/20% wool)
- Berroco Vintage (52% acrylic/40% wool/8% nylon)

**Tools & Notions**:
- Claw weights (2-3, approximately 100g total)
- Single transfer tool or latch tool
- Ravel cord or crochet chain for cast-on
- Tapestry needle for weaving ends
- Blocking pins and mat (optional but recommended)
- Steamer or steam iron

---

## GAUGE AND TENSION

**Pattern Gauge** (in tuck stitch pattern, after blocking):
- **6 stitches** = 1 inch (2.5cm) width
- **8 rows** = 1 inch (2.5cm) length

**Tension Setting**: Main tension dial at 6 (or 7 if yarn is fine worsted)

**Gauge Swatch Instructions**:
1. Cast on 24 needles using waste yarn method
2. Knit 4 rows plain stockinette at tension 6, RC000
3. Set punchcard/pattern to row 1, lock card on row 1
4. Set both tuck buttons to tuck (up position)
5. Release card lock, knit pattern for 32 rows (RC032)
6. Knit 4 rows plain stockinette
7. Remove from machine with waste yarn
8. Steam lightly and measure center 20 stitches × 24 pattern rows

**Critical**: Tuck stitch pulls in width and spreads in length compared to stockinette. If your gauge is too tight (more than 6.5 sts/inch), increase tension dial by 1. If too loose (fewer than 5.5 sts/inch), decrease tension by 1.

**Finished Dimensions**:
- Width: 8 inches (20cm) 
- Length: 60 inches (152cm)
- *Calculation check: 48 sts ÷ 6 sts/inch = 8 inches ✓*
- *Calculation check: 480 rows ÷ 8 rows/inch = 60 inches ✓*

---

## PATTERNING

**Pattern Description**: 
The 24-stitch × 32-row repeat creates an abstract dragon motif with curved body, distinctive head, and sweeping tail. The tuck stitches create raised embossed areas while knit stitches form the recessed background.

**Punchcard Layout** (24-stitch repeat):
```
DRAGON TUCK PATTERN - 24 stitches × 32 rows
(Punch holes = TUCK; Blank = KNIT)

Row 32: ■■□□□□■■■■□□□□□□■■■■□□□□
Row 31: ■■□□□■■■■■□□□□□■■■■■□□□□
Row 30: ■□□□■■■■■■□□□□■■■■■■□□□□
Row 29: ■□□■■■■□■■□□□■■■■□■■□□□□
Row 28: □□■■■■□□□■■□□■■■■□□□■■□□
Row 27: □■■■■□□□□□■□■■■■□□□□□■□□
Row 26: ■■■■□□□□□□■■■■■□□□□□□□■□
Row 25: ■■■□□□□□□□■■■■□□□□□□□□■■
Row 24: ■■□□□□□□□■■■■□□□□□□□□□■■
Row 23: ■■□□□□□□■■■■□□□□□□□□□■■■
Row 22: ■□□□□□□■■■■□□□□□□□□□■■■■
Row 21: ■□□□□□■■■■□□□□□□□□□■■■■□
Row 20: □□□□□■■■■□□□□□□□□□■■■■□□
Row 19: □□□□■■■■□□□□□□□□□■■■■□□□
Row 18: □□□■■■■□□□□□□□□□■■■■□□□□
Row 17: □□■■■■□□□□□□□□□■■■■□□□□□
Row 16: □■■■■□□□□□□□□□■■■■□□□□□□
Row 15: ■■■■□□□□□■■□□□■■■□□□□□□□
Row 14: ■■■□□□□□■■■■□□■■□□□□□□□□
Row 13: ■■□□□□□■■■■■□■■□□□□□□□□□
Row 12: ■■□□□□■■■■■■■■□□□□□□□□□□
Row 11: ■□□□□■■■■□■■■□□□□□□□□□□□
Row 10: □□□□■■■■□□□■■□□□□□□□□□□■
Row 09: □□□■■■■□□□□□■□□□□□□□□□■■
Row 08: □□■■■■□□□□□□■□□□□□□□□■■■
Row 07: □■■■■□□□□□□□□■□□□□□□■■■■
Row 06: ■■■■□□□□□□□□□■■□□□□□■■■■
Row 05: ■■■□□□□□□□□□□■■■□□□□■■■■
Row 04: ■■□□□□□□□□□□■■■■□□□■■■■□
Row 03: ■■□□□□□□□□□□■■■■■□□■■■■□
Row 02: ■□□□□□□□□□□■■■■■■□■■■■□□
Row 01: ■□□□□□□□□□□■■■■■■■■■■□□□

Legend: ■ = PUNCH (tuck) | □ = BLANK (knit)
```

**For Punchcard Machines**:
1. Using punchcard template, punch holes according to chart above
2. Mark row 1 clearly on card
3. Insert card into machine, advance to row 1
4. Lock card on row 1 position before starting pattern
5. Card advances automatically as you knit

**For Electronic Machines**:
1. Program the 24 × 32 pattern into memory
2. Set machine to pattern mode, starting at row 1
3. Set repeat to 2× across (for 48 needles)
4. Pattern advances automatically

**Carriage Settings for Pattern**:
- **Both tuck buttons UP** (active/engaged) throughout body of scarf
- This means: punched holes = needles tuck; blank spaces = needles knit
- Knit carriage alternates direction (COL to COR, COR to COL) as normal
- Pattern repeats automatically every 32 rows

**Pattern Repeat Check**: 
- 2 complete 24-stitch repeats across width = 48 stitches ✓
- Pattern mirrors naturally across center line for balanced dragon placement

---

## ROW PLAN

**CAST-ON SEQUENCE** (RC000-RC010):

RC000: COL, waste yarn threaded, tension 5
- Knit 8 rows waste yarn, ending COL (RC will read 008)

RC008: COL
- Lay ravel cord across all 48 needles
- Knit 1 row over cord (RC009)

RC009: COL
- Change to main yarn
- Knit 1 row (RC010), ending COR
- Check: all needles knitting evenly

**PATTERN BODY** (RC010-RC490):

RC010: COR, main yarn, tension dial 6
- Set punchcard to row 1 (or electronic pattern to start)
- Lock card temporarily
- Knit 2 rows plain stockinette as base (RC012)

RC012: COR
- **Engage tuck buttons** (both up/active)
- Release card lock
- Hang claw weights on cast-on edge (approximately 100g total, evenly distributed)

RC012-RC044: First pattern repeat (32 rows)
- Knit slowly and steadily
- Watch for any needles failing to tuck properly
- Pattern will look very textured and dimensional

RC044: COR, end of first pattern repeat
- Rehang weights if fabric has knitted down
- Check tension—fabric should feel firm but not too tight

**Continue pattern**, rehanging weights every 40-50 rows:
- RC100: Rehang weights
- RC150: Rehang weights  
- RC200: Rehang weights
- RC250: Rehang weights
- RC300: Rehang weights
- RC350: Rehang weights
- RC400: Rehang weights
- RC450: Rehang weights

RC480: COR (completion of 15 full pattern repeats)
- *Calculation check: 480 rows ÷ 32 rows/repeat = 15 repeats ✓*
- You should have 15 complete dragons marching up the scarf

**BIND-OFF SEQUENCE** (RC480-RC492):

RC480: COR
- **Disengage tuck buttons** (both down/neutral)
- Knit 2 rows plain stockinette (RC482)

RC482: COR
- Knit 8 rows waste yarn at tension 5 (RC490)

RC490: COR
- Remove from machine
- Do NOT unravel waste yarn yet

---

## FINISHING

**Removing from Machine**:
1. At RC490, knit several more rows waste yarn if desired for security
2. Release carriage from bed
3. Carefully lift work off needles, keeping waste yarn intact
4. Lay flat on table

**Releasing Ravel Cord** (Cast-on edge):
1. Locate ravel cord at beginning (below main yarn, above first waste yarn)
2. Find one end of cord and pull gently
3. As cord releases, place released stitches on spare needles or waste yarn holder
4. Once all 48 stitches are released and secured, remove beginning waste yarn

**Releasing Bind-Off Edge**:
1. Carefully unravel top waste yarn
2. Place live stitches on spare needles or long circular needle to prevent unraveling
3. Both ends of scarf now have live stitches ready for finishing

**Grafting Ends** (optional seamless finish):
1. Thread tapestry needle with 24" (60cm) of main yarn
2. Hold cast-on and bind-off edges together, wrong sides facing
3. Using Kitchener stitch (or mattress stitch for easier technique):
   - Pass needle through first stitch of front edge as if to purl, leave on needle
   - Pass needle through first stitch of back edge as if to purl, leave on needle
   - *Pass through first front stitch as if to knit, drop from needle
   - Pass through next front stitch as if to purl, leave on needle
   - Pass through first back stitch as if to