Little Sun Panel — Stockinette Colorwork Strip

A small worked-flat rectangular panel (8 cm tall × 22 cm wide) in stockinette stitch, featuring a cheerful sun motif knit from the attached stitch chart. Perfect as an appliqué, a pillow front, a bag panel, or a sampler square.

Difficulty: Intermediate Construction: Worked flat, back and forth on two needles (dos agujas), bottom-up.

Finished Measurements

• Width: 22 cm (8.66 in) — 54 stitches
• Height: 8 cm (3.15 in) — 14 rows

Materials

• Yarn: Worsted weight (medium / #4) in two colors:
  • MC (Main/Background color): approx. 30 yd (28 m) — e.g., sky blue
  • CC (Contrast/Sun color): approx. 15 yd (14 m) — e.g., golden yellow
  • Optional third color for sun details if indicated on the attached chart.
• Needles: US 6 / 4 mm straight needles (or size needed to obtain gauge)
• Notions: Tapestry needle, small bobbins for colorwork, stitch markers (optional), scissors

Gauge

Because this is a small panel worked to exact dimensions, gauge is what makes the finished piece hit target size.

• Stitch gauge: 54 sts = 22 cm (8.66 in) → ≈ 24.5 sts per 10 cm (4 in)
• Row gauge: 14 rows = 8 cm (3.15 in) → ≈ 17.5 rows per 10 cm (4 in)

Verification: 54 sts ÷ 22 cm = 2.45 sts/cm × 10 = 24.5 sts/10 cm ✓ | 14 rows ÷ 8 cm = 1.75 rows/cm × 10 = 17.5 rows/10 cm ✓

Always knit a gauge swatch in stockinette and block it before starting. If your gauge is looser (fewer sts per 10 cm), go down a needle size; if tighter, go up.

Abbreviations (US)

• k — knit
• p — purl
• st(s) — stitch(es)
• RS — right side
• WS — wrong side
• MC — main color
• CC — contrast color
• St st — stockinette stitch (k on RS, p on WS)

Pattern Notes

• The panel is worked flat in stockinette stitch: knit all stitches on RS rows, purl all stitches on WS rows.
• The sun motif is added using intarsia colorwork (recommended for a defined, isolated motif) worked from the attached stitch chart (see below). Use small bobbins for each color block and twist yarns at each color change to avoid holes.
• Row 1 is a RS row. Because there are 14 rows total (an even number), the piece begins and ends cleanly: the last worked row (Row 14) is a WS purl row.
• Keep edges neat for seaming or appliqué; a chain (slipped-stitch) selvage is optional if you prefer a tidy edge.

Attached Stitch Chart

Use the separate attached chart panel for the visual grid — the sun motif is NOT reproduced as an ASCII grid here.

• Placement: The attached chart is provided as a separate asset alongside this pattern and represents the central sun motif to be worked across the 54-stitch × 14-row panel. Center it within the panel.
• How to read (flat knitting):
  • Read the chart from the bottom row upward. Row numbers correspond to the panel's Rows 1–14.
  • RS rows (odd: 1, 3, 5, …): read the chart right to left.
  • WS rows (even: 2, 4, 6, …): read the chart left to right.
  • Each square = 1 stitch; each horizontal line of squares = 1 row.
  • MC squares = background color (knit on RS, purl on WS); CC squares = sun color; any third-color squares = detail color as keyed on the chart.
• Centering math: If the charted motif is narrower than 54 sts, subtract the chart width from 54 and split the remainder evenly to each side in MC.
  • Example: a 30-st-wide chart → 54 − 30 = 24 background sts → 12 MC sts before the chart and 12 MC sts after it on each row.
  • If the chart width is odd or doesn't split evenly, place the extra stitch on the left edge and keep it consistent every row so the motif stays centered.
• Color management:
  • Use intarsia: separate bobbins/lengths of MC on each side of the motif plus one for CC.
  • At every color change, bring the new color under and around the old color to lock the stitches and prevent a hole.
  • Carry no floats across the back for wide MC gaps — intarsia keeps the fabric flat and reversible-looking.

Instructions

Cast On

With MC, cast on 54 sts. Check: 54 sts = 22 cm at gauge. ✓

Body (Rows 1–14) — Stockinette with Centered Sun Chart

Work in St st while following the attached chart for color placement. Substitute CC (and any detail color) exactly where the chart indicates, keeping all other stitches in MC.

• Row 1 (RS): Knit across, following the attached chart right-to-left for color changes. (54 sts)
• Row 2 (WS): Purl across, following the attached chart left-to-right for color changes. (54 sts)
• Row 3 (RS): Knit across per chart (right-to-left). (54 sts)
• Row 4 (WS): Purl across per chart (left-to-right). (54 sts)
• Row 5 (RS): Knit across per chart. (54 sts)
• Row 6 (WS): Purl across per chart. (54 sts)
• Row 7 (RS): Knit across per chart. (54 sts)
• Row 8 (WS): Purl across per chart. (54 sts)
• Row 9 (RS): Knit across per chart. (54 sts)
• Row 10 (WS): Purl across per chart. (54 sts)
• Row 11 (RS): Knit across per chart. (54 sts)
• Row 12 (WS): Purl across per chart. (54 sts)
• Row 13 (RS): Knit across per chart. (54 sts)
• Row 14 (WS): Purl across per chart. (54 sts)

Verification: 14 rows worked at 17.5 rows/10 cm = 8 cm tall. ✓ Stitch count remains 54 throughout (no shaping). ✓

Bind Off

With MC (or the color that matches your finished edge preference), bind off all 54 sts knitwise on the following RS pass, OR bind off loosely in purl if binding off directly after the WS Row 14. Cut yarn, leaving a 6 in (15 cm) tail.

Tip: For a clean top edge, work one final RS knit row before binding off if you prefer to bind off knitwise — note this adds ~0.5 cm to height. To keep the exact 8 cm, bind off directly on Row 14 (WS) knitwise-through-the-back or in pattern.

Finishing

1. Weave in ends: Weave all MC, CC, and any detail-color tails into the back of matching-colored areas using a tapestry needle. Trim.
2. Block: Wet-block or steam-block the panel gently to the finished dimensions: 22 cm wide × 8 cm tall. Pin to shape on a blocking mat, keeping corners square, and allow to dry fully. Blocking is essential to even out the colorwork and set the stitches.
3. Optional edging / mounting: If using as an appliqué, you may work a row of single crochet or a whipstitch border around all four edges before attaching. If using as a standalone motif, a simple slip-stitch crochet edge in MC gives a tidy finish.

Quick Reference

Enjoy your little sun! ☀️