Drop Stitch Braid

This is a super easy technique which creates a really dramatic statement!

Either follow the pattern for Cuibhrichte or work up a small swatch.

If making a swatch decide where you want to start the braid and place a marker. Place a removable stitch marked in the first stitch on the left-hand needle then (k1, p1, k1) into the stitch. Continue working the swatch as you wish. When you’re ready to work the braid knit to the marker and follow the instructions below. Make sure you have worked a number of rows that can be divided by three including the increase row. This will give a vertical braid. Cuibhrichte uses increases and decreases to create a slanted braid.

A piece of knitting with a wide laddered gap where stitches have been dropped. At the bottom of the photo is a stitch with a bulb stitch marker through it.
1. Drop the next three stitches until you reach the removable stitch marker.
The stitch with the removable marker has now been place on a crochet hook, and the stitch marker removed. The laddered dropped stitches can still be seen at the back of the photo
2. Remove the stitch marker and insert the crochet hook into the stitch.
Two images. Left image: Three of the laddered strands of yarn have been placed on the crochet hook beside the stitch from step 2. Right Image: The three laddered strands have been pulled through the single stitch and remain on the crochet hook.
3. Pick up the next three strands of yarn and pull through the previous stitch, leaving the stitches on the crochet hook. (This is the same process as fixing a dropped stitch.)
Three more laddered strandss have been picked up on the crochet hook next to the three strands from the step before.
4. Repeat step three until all dropped stitches have been picked up.
Two images. Left Image: The three remaining strands have been placed on the left hand knitting needle as one stitch. Right Image: The three strands have been knit together as one stitch which is now on the right hand needle.
5. Place the final loop on the left hand needle and knit 1 into all three loops together.
A close up on the finished drop stitch braid showing how it meets the knitting above showing several rows of stitching stitch above the finished braid
Done!

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