Swirl Ball

Swirl Ball
Picture courtesy Judy Gibson

This pattern was inspired by Judy's 12-Section Yarnball.  I've copied the instructions for stuffing and bind-off from Judy Gibson, San Diego NHM [jgibson@cts.com] with her permission. She also test knit this pattern. Judy said "I never did succeed in making it swirl, exactly." So I took up her
challenge and this is the result.

Materials:
4-ply knitting yarn, one or two colors (or more) I used two shades of Rose.
#4 needles
Polyester fiber filling or other stuffing
Optional noise element: Plastic Easter egg or film canister with jingle bell or pebbles inside. Glue egg halves together with model glue.

This ball comes out 4" to 4 1/2" in diameter, about the size of a grapefruit. I knit loosely, so a tight knit one would be smaller. The needles are small for the size of the yarn to keep the filling from showing through. This can be knit with a lighter weight yarn and smaller needles to make a smaller ball. There is a wrapping method for short rows that I haven't mastered yet, but would be very good to use in this pattern. This is also an ideal pattern for practicing knitting backwards as the rows are short in order to get a good swirl.

Pattern:
This ball has six S shaped sections that swirl around.

Right side noted with > and wrong side with <.

Instructions for One Section:
For first section Row 1:  Loosely cast on  30 stitches (<) placing a marker six stitches from each end, turn.

For remaining sections Row 1: Loosely knit 30 stitches (<) , turn. Move the markers down whenever you knit past one. They are useful for keeping your place (see diagram).

Row 2:  k  10  >  turn,
Row 3:  k  6  <  turn,
Row 4:  k  7  >  turn,
Row 5:  k  8  <  turn,
Row 6:  k  9  >  turn,
Row 7:  k  10  <  turn,
Row 8:  k  11  >  turn,
Row 9:  k  12  <  turn,
Row 10:  k  13  >  turn,
Row 11:  k  14  <  turn,
Row 12:  k  15  >  turn,

Rows 13 to 31 (between the markers): odd rows k9, even rows k10

Row 13:  k  9  <  turn,
Row 14:  k  10  >  turn,
Row 15:  k  9  <  turn,
Row 16:  k  10  >  turn,
Row 17:  k  9  <  turn,
Row 18:  k  10  >  turn,
Row 19:  k  9  <  turn,
Row 20:  k  10  >  turn,
Row 21:  k  9  <  turn,
Row 22:  k  10  >  turn,
Row 23:  k  9  <  turn,
Row 24:  k  10  >  turn,
Row 25:  k  9  <  turn,
Row 26:  k  10  >  turn,
Row 27:  k  9  <  turn,
Row 28:  k  10  >  turn,
Row 29:  k  9  <  turn,
Row 30:  k  10  >  turn,
Row 31:  k  9  <  turn,

Row 32:  k  15  >  turn,
Row 33:  k  14  <  turn,
Row 34:  k  13  >  turn,
Row 35:  k  12  <  turn,
Row 36:  k  11  >  turn,
Row 37:  k  10  <  turn,
Row 38:  k  9  >  turn,
Row 39:  k  8  <  turn,
Row 40:  k  7  >  turn,
Row 41:  k  6  <  turn,
Row 42:  k  10  >  turn.
Change colors.

Make six sections, one after the other. Each section takes about 11 1/2 yards of yarn.

Each section starts at same end. Don't cut off the old yarn if you plan to use it on another section in that color.

Bind off when you get to the end of the sixth section leaving about a two foot tail to use for sewing up. Notice that since this is garter stitch, on one side there is a sharp boundary between the colors of the adjacent wedges, and on the other side the adjoining colors are interlinked. Decide which side you want to be the outside.

With a tapestry needle, run the tail around through the end stitches of the rows and pull tight. (To make it extra firm, run the yarn around again.) Continue sewing up the open side about 2/3 of the way.

Stuff the ball as firmly as you like and sew up the rest of the way. Run the yarn through the end stitches of the rows (twice if you like) and pull tight. Make a knot and run the end of the yarn
into the ball and cut off.

A HINT: If you're going to use the "wrong" side as the side that shows (that is, the side where the colors of adjoining segments interlock), knit one last row in the color of the section you
will be stitching to, then cast off. This will give you the last set of interlocking stitches, and let you sew together two edges that match in color.

Diagram Legend:
< = stitch on row going left
>  = stitch on row going right
-  = stitch
M = Marker
Numbers designate the row.

01 < - - - - -M- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -M- - - - - -
02 - - - - - -M- - - >
03         < -M- - - -
04         - -M- - - - >
05       < - -M- - - - -
06       - - -M- - - - - >
07     < - - -M- - - - - -
08     - - - -M- - - - - - >
09   < - - - -M- - - - - - -
10   - - - - -M- - - - - - - >
11 < - - - - -M- - - - - - - -
12 - - - - - -M- - - - - - - - >
13            M< - - - - - - - -
14            M- - - - - - - - - >
15               < - - - - - - - -
16               - - - - - - - - - >
17                 < - - - - - - - -
18                 - - - - - - - - - >
19                   < - - - - - - - -
20                   - - - - - - - - - >
21                     < - - - - - - - -
22                     - - - - - - - - - >
23                       < - - - - - - - -
24                       - - - - - - - - - >
25                         < - - - - - - - -
26                         - - - - - - - - - >
27                           < - - - - - - - -
28                           - - - - - - - - - >
29                             < - - - - - - - -
30                             - - - - - - - - - >M
31                               < - - - - - - - -M
32                               - - - - - - - - -M- - - - - >
33                                 < - - - - - - -M- - - - - -
34                                 - - - - - - - -M- - - - >
35                                   < - - - - - -M- - - - -
36                                   - - - - - - -M- - - >
37                                     < - - - - -M- - - -
38                                     - - - - - -M- - >
39                                       < - - - -M- - -
40                                       - - - - -M- >
41                                         < - - -M- -
42                                         - - - -M- - - - - >
 
 


Pattern Copyright (c) Eve Clevenger 1999.  All rights reserved. E-mail: EMD_Governor@Yahoo.com Image Copyright Judy Gibson.

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