How To Knit With Scales

Or, at least, this it how I do it. Things are really moving along with the Pauldrons knitting pattern. I have set myself the made-up goal to have it available by the first weekend in July. Writing this pattern has not been easy! But we are almost there.

So here is my first ever tutorial. Many thanks to the other knitters who have knit with scales and published patterns before me. Hopefully this will help to keep the proverbial dice rolling, and anyone who wants to add scales to cool stuff they are making. I should also say up front that I am all knitting, all the time - I don’t have really any crochet skills. I know that using crochet for scalemail is absolutely a thing and I’m sure there are expert craftspeople to be found.

Insert the right hand needle into the next stitch as if to knit.

Place the scale onto the needle tip from the back. Be sure the scale is point down, and that the curved side is facing away from your work.

Wrap or pick the working yarn, and pull it through both the hole of the scale and the stitch.

Slide the stitch off the left hand needle and pull snug to secure.

You did it!

and here is a low tech, live action version for you….

Continental / Left Hand Tension

English / Right Hand Tension

Next time we’ll talk about some of the types of scales that are available, where you can get them and tips for making truly one of a kind pieces.