Bloody Dragonflies

Failed attempt #13
Failed attempt #13

And bloody they are.  It took me twenty-eight attempts and a video tutorial from my cousin Donna to master this damn stitch. I found it on Freeknitstitches.com via Pinterest and whoever wrote the directions is just plain mean. Here they are as lovingly deciphered, decoded and put down by Donna, with a few tweaks by yours truly for those of us who like everything spelled out.

Dragonfly Lace Stitch

Cast on 16 stitches

Row 1:  P2, K4, K2tog, YO2, Sl1, K1, PSSO, K4, P2

Row 2:  K2, P3, P2tog, Slip 1 of the YO's purlwise, YO2 purlwise, Slip the other YO purlwise, Sl1, P1, PSSO, P2, K2

Row 3:  P2, K2, K2tog, drop all the YO's off the left needle - there should be 2 long strands; take them up with your right needle, YO2 knitwise, then go under the YO's again; Sl1, K1, PSSO, K2, P2.

Note: at this point, the slipped loops and the YO's in the middle make what Donna and I call THE TANGLE. THE TANGLE is ugly but don't let it frighten you. THE TANGLE is a metaphor for life, just keep going and it will work out in the end.

Row 4:  K2, P1, P2tog, drop THE TANGLE off the left needle , it is now 3 strands; take them up with your right needle, YO2 purlwise, then go under THE TANGLE again; Sl1, P1, PSSO*, P1, K2

Row 5:  P2, K2tog, drop THE TANGLE which is now 4 strands; take them up with your right needle, YO2, then go under THE TANGLE again; Sl1, K1, PSSO, P2

Row 6:  K2, P1, 4YO cast-on style**, drop THE TANGLE and P1, K1 into it - keep tension as even as possible and pull tight as you are doing the final "draw-up" of the wings; 4YO cast-on style, P1, K2

Row 7:  P2, K12, P2

Row 8:  K2, P12, K2

Row 9:  Same as 7

Row 10:  Same as 8

* On the even rows, this PSSO was a little tricky (for me) because that slipped stitch liked to "hide" under a long strand.  Just be sure you're passing the correct thing over.

** YO cast-on style—Donna had to show me what she meant by this.  You don't want to simply wrap the yarn around 4 times, it will all fall apart in the next row.  Do a yarn over the right needle, then take that loop off, turn it 180 degrees, and put it back on the right needle.  Repeat 3 times.  If that doesn't make sense, give me a holler, I'll try to explain better.

So the Dragonfly is 16 stitches wide. I attempted a double swatch with 2 lead off knits, 2 knits in the center, and 2 ending knits, so I cast on 38 stitches total. Those 6 knits are always knit, odd and even rows. 

This is one that takes a ton of practice, I'm still not happy with the final P1, K1 into THE TANGLE on row 6, I wish I could get it tighter.

If you try this and find it incredibly difficult and frustrating, do tell me about it, please! Remember it took me twenty-seven times to finally get it so don't get discouraged.

If you breeze right through it on the first try, I don't want to hear from you.