Confessions of an Amateur Believer Square Pattern

Confessions of an Amateur Believer square by Tuppence

Design inspired by Confessions of an Amateur Believer by Patty Kirk

The paradoxical words of the agonized father in Mark 9:24--"I believe Master, help my unbelief"--have been close to my heart during the many struggles with faith I've experienced throughout my life. They immediately came to mind when I wanted a square for My Reading Afghan to remind me of Patty Kirk's story of her struggles with faith.

Size: Approximately 8 x 8 inches

Materials used:

Red Heart Super Saver yarn (or any worsted-weight yarn) in Royal and White

Size 8 knitting needles (or size needed to obtain gauge)

Yarn needle

Gauge: 17 stitches and 23 rows = 4" x 4" in stockinette stitch

This square is knitted with Royal, and then after the knitting is completed, the verse is added in backstitch with White.

Cast on 34 stitches with Royal. (Even-numbered rows are the right side.)

Rows 1-3: Knit.

Rows 4-42: Even-numbered rows (the right side) are knitted across. Odd-numbered rows (the wrong side) are knit 2, purl 30, knit 2.

Rows 43-45: Knit.

Row 46: Bind off as if to knit.

Add backstitch alphabet embroidery in White to complete the square. Weave in all yarn ends.

Any backstitch alphabet can be used for the embroidery that is added in White after the square is knitted. I used this one:

http://www.freepatternsonline.com/xscharts/page/abc9.htm

It is helpful to map out the verse on graph paper first to make sure of the best arrangement. Knitter's graph paper with the squares in the desired gauge proportions can be created here:

http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/matrix/e-index.html

Because the graph of this graph paper is in the actual proportions of the knitting, charting the embroidery on this graph paper will yield a closer approximation to what the embroidery will look like than on regular graph paper.