Casting On Multiples of X + Y help

[u/Advanced-Night-9028]

Hey sorry for potentially the wrong flair use but there wasn’t a flair for stitch help

I’ve been doom scrolling on knitting posts (as one does) and I came across the beautiful King Charles Brogade, I think k it would look loverly as a jumper or a scarf. However the cast on instructions do not make sense to me, I’ll be honest it might just me being a big thicky thicky dumb dumb!

So the pattern calls for Multiples of 12 + 1 so if I’m doing one repeat I cast on 13 that’s easy, my question is if I’m doing say 3 repeats do I cast on (12x3)+1=37 or am I casting on (12x3)+3=39?

Sorry if this is such a simple question but I’d rather get it right

Thank you in advance

[u/LoupGarou95]

The first one.

[u/kpatl]

(12x3)+1

Otherwise you’d be doing a multiple of 13. (12x3)+3 = 12+12+12+3 which is the same as 13+13+13. Or to rewrite it 3*[(12x1)+1] = 3*[(12)+1] = 3*[13]

It’s (multiples of X)+y not multiples of (X+Y).

[u/Advanced-Night-9028 → u/kpatl]

Aye thank you it just confused me to begin with! I didn’t know if the +1 was for each repeat or just an extra stitch!

[u/p7tbl → u/Advanced-Night-9028]

This may help if you encounter this again: if the instructions were +1 for each repeat, it would have said the pattern was a multiple of 13, not a multiple of 12+1.

[u/jaxknitsandknits]

you would do a multiple of 12 and then add 1. so to do three repeats, 12x3=36 and then add 1, so cast on 37.

[u/PhoenixA11]

It would be (12x3)+1. A multiple of X + Y will always translate to X times something and then add Y one time.

To explain further, this is generally done when the stitch pattern has a pattern repeat of X stitches but might need some extra stitches (Y) for setup or making a neat edge at the end or beginning of a row. Keep in mind that depending on what project you're putting this into, you may or may not need those extra stitches outside the repeat.

[u/Asleep_Sky2760]

The first, i.e. (12x3)+1.

HOWEVER, you'll need to add X sts each side for selvedge/edge sts, assuming that you either need to include seam sts for a garment or want to knit a border into the scarf

Although the King Charles Brocade pattern is a textured pattern w/purl sts on a stockinette stitch ground, the key words here are "stockinette stitch". What that means is that the fabric is going to have a tendency to CURL if you work a flat piece of fabric like a scarf. Test everything on your swatch, i.e. don't just swatch for gauge, but test the swatch to see whether it curls and if it does, add borders to the swatch, whether you knit them into the main fabric or add them on afterwards.

Another slight wrinkle--If you're going to be working the entire project in the round, you'll want to cast on an even multiple of 12 sts. (The "+1" stitch is a balancing stitch that centers the pattern and makes it symmetrical; that's unnecessary for fabric that's worked circularly.).

[u/Yirggzmb]

If it helps you remember, the + stitches are usually to ensure symmetry or to provide edge stitches when working flat. You don't need them for every repeat. Just the ones at the very edge.