Mosaic Knitting

Mosaic knitting is a colorwork technique that creates stunning geometric patterns. Although these designs may appear complex, the method itself is pretty simple.

In the knitting world, it is rare to credit the invention of a technique to a single individual; however, mosaic knitting stands out as an exception. Barbara G. Walker, a pivotal figure in the knitting community, developed this innovative approach. She has written several influential reference books focused on creating and cataloging stitch patterns, celebrated for their thoroughness and clarity. My collection is filled with Barbara Walker's works, which serve as my go-to resources when considering a new design.

In the 1960s, Barbara Walker developed the mosaic technique. She first introduced mosaic patterns in her book 'A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns,' published in 1970. Her next work, "Charted Knitting Designs: A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns," was released in 1972 and included an extensive section dedicated to mosaic knitting along with numerous designs. In 1976, she published "Mosaic Knitting," a book entirely dedicated to this technique that showcased hundreds of mosaic patterns.
The technique is best explained in Barbara's own words:

"Mosaic patterns are slip-stitch designs in two colors. Two strands are used, one at a time. They are changed at the beginning of each right-side row. So a mosaic pattern is made by working one right-side row and one wrong-side row with Color A, then dropping Color A at the right-hand edge, picking up color B, and working the next two rows with Color B - and so on."

Mosaic is an easy colorwork technique since you only handle one color at a time. For right-side rows, each slip-stitch is slipped with the yarn held at the back, while on wrong-side rows, the yarn is held in front. Each wrong-side row mirrors the preceding right-side row, maintaining the same stitches worked and slipped.

Mosaic patterns are usually charted, making visualizing and following the design easier, so I highly recommend working from a chart. A true mosaic chart condenses two rows into one, where each horizontal row of squares represents two rows of knitting: read from right to left for right-side rows and from left to right for wrong-side rows. The color of the first square in the row indicates which color to use for that row. Squares of this color are to be knitted, while squares of the opposite color are to be slipped.

While searching for patterns using Barbara Walker's mosaic technique, I was shocked by the number of designs on Ravelry labeled as 'mosaic.' The term 'mosaic' is often used to categorize any pattern that incorporates slip stitches, which is misleading. Simply having slip stitches does not qualify a pattern as a mosaic design. This is confusing and shows a complete disregard for the genius of Barbara Walker. Due to the overuse of the mosaic label, finding a true mosaic knitting pattern can be a bit tricky.

Lisa Richardson's 'Mosaic Shawl' is an excellent example of Mosaic knitting. The central panel showcases the mosaic technique, beautifully complemented by Fair Isle and lace sections. It is worked using three shades of Rowan's Felted Tweed.

Knox Mountain Knit Company's 'Tweed Shawlette' is a great choice for someone looking to dip their toe into the technique, featuring a mosaic pattern at the center of the triangle. It is also made with Rowan's Felted Tweed.

'Sunny Morning in Berlin' by Lisa Hannes is a fun shawl to knit, featuring mosaic bands of color for a striking effect. It is knit with three shades of Feliz from Manos del Uruguay.

Yumiko Alexander has skillfully integrated the mosaic technique into her 'Sankaku' and 'Permutations' designs, both of which are knit using two shades of DanDoh Cotton Fine.

The colorful 'Oh So Chic!' cowl from Alina Appasova is a gorgeous example of mosaic knitting, combining the Urth's Spiral Grain and its multi-color twisting plies with their semi-solid 16 Fingering.
We'll provide links to all these extraordinary designs, along with the yarns used, in today's post.

If you're eager to learn more about Mosaic Knitting, look no further than the source. Barbara Walker's 'Mosaic Knitting' can be found at Schoolhouse Press, along with her other works, including all four volumes of the Treasury of Knitting Patterns. These books are must-haves for any serious knitter's collection.