Make Blocks
Instructions for the New Hampshire State House sculpture
MATERIALS
Materials will be supplied at in-person knitting circles.
If you would like to use your own, you may bring:
- worsted weight yarn (weight 4), light granite gray or cream, either solid or tweed
- size 8 knitting needles, or
- size I-9 to K-101/2 crochet hook
You will need about 20 grams of yarn for knitting; 30-40 grams for crochet.
Knitting and crochet instructions are below. Finished blocks should be 6” wide, and measure 6”, 8” or 10” long.
Listen at home
While you craft your constituent piece of the State House, you can learn how ranked choice voting works in Alaska and other places in the U.S. Listen to a discussion on this episode of WBUR’s On Point:
Get started on your own with these instructions!
Send us your finished piece!
Attending a knitting circle to meet community members and talk about democracy is the best way to participate. If you can’t attend, you can still contribute to the sculpture.
Mail your piece of the State House by May 10 to: NH Humanities, 117 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH, 03301
Or drop it off at the Elegant Ewe, 75 S. Main St., Concord.
If your piece doesn’t lay flat, it would be really helpful if you block it before sending it to us (if possible).
SUGGESTED KNITTING STITCHES
Worsted weight yarn, gauge 4-4.5 stitches = 1 inch on size 8 needles
Use any stitch you like. It can be plain or fancy.
Abbreviations
k = knit
p = purl
* = repeat whatever follows the * as indicated
RS = right side of fabric
For stockinette block with ridge
Cast on 24-27 stitches depending on how many you need for 6” wide piece. You can check the width after 2 rows.
Row 1-3: knit across row to create a garter stitch ridge
Row 4: purl across row
Row 5: knit across row
Repeat rows 4 & 5 in stockinette stitch until piece measures 5 1/2 inches.
Last 3 rows: knit across row to create garter stitch ridge. Piece should measure 6 inches.
Bind off, leaving a tail about 2-feet long.
For checkerboard block
Cast on a multiple of 5 stitches. It could be 25 or 30 depending on your gauge. Choose the number of stitches that is closest to 6 inches wide.
If you cast on 25 stitches:
Rows 1, 3 and 5: *k 5, p 5; repeat from * ending with k 5
Rows 2, 4 and 6: *p 5, k 5; repeat from *
Rows 7, 9, 11: *p 5, k 5; repeat from *
Rows 8, 10, 12: *k 5, p 5; repeat from *
Repeat rows 1-12 until piece measures 6 inches (or 8 or 10 inches). You will have 6 rows of checkered blocks. It’s okay if the measurement is not exact. Bind off, leaving a tail about 2-feet long.
If you cast on 30 stitches:
Rows 1-6: *k 5, p 5; repeat from *
Rows 7-12: *p 5, k 5; repeat from *
Repeat rows 1-12 until piece measures 6 inches (or 8 or 10 inches). You will have 6 rows of blocks. It’s okay if it’s not exact. Bind off.
For block with side columns
If you cast on 24 stitches:
Row 1 (RS): p3, k3, p12, k3, p3
Row 2: K3, p3, k12 p3, k3
Repeat these two rows until piece measures 6 inches (or 8 or 10 inches).
If you cast on 28 stitches:
Row 1 (RS): p4, k4, p12, k4, p4
Row 2: k4, p4, k12, p4, k4
Repeat these two rows until piece measures 6 inches (or 8 or 10 inches).
SUGGESTED CROCHET STITCHES
Worsted weight yarn (weight 4). Size I-9 to K-101/2 crochet hook
Use any stitch you like worked in rows to give the impression of blocks of granite. It can be plain or fancy.
Abbreviations
st = Stitch
sc – Single crochet
ch – Chain
ch-sp – Chain space
Moss stitch (aka granite or linen stitch)
Make a foundation chain with an even number of chain stitches, and work as follows:
1st row: 1sc in second ch from hook, * ch1, miss next ch, 1sc in next ch * repeat from * to end, then turn.
You should have half as many sc as you had in your starting chain, plus one.
2nd row: ch1 (doesn’t count as a st), 1sc in first st, 1sc in ch-sp, ch1, *miss next sc, 1sc in ch-sp, ch1*, to last st, 1sc, turn.
3rd row: ch1 (doesn’t count as a st), 1sc in first st, *ch1, miss next sc, 1sc in ch-sp* to last 2 sts, ch 1, miss next st, 1sc in last st, turn.
Repeat the 2nd and 3rd rows until piece measures 6 inches (or 8 or 10 inches) long. Leave a tail about 2-feet long.
Half double crochet stitch worked in rows
Make a foundation row that is 2 chains longer than 6 inches.
Start your first crochet stich in the chain that is three chains away from your hook.
Yarn over and insert the crochet hook into the stitch.
Yarn over again and pull the yarn through the stitch. You should now have three loops on the hook.
Yarn over one more time and pull the yarn through all three loops.
That completes the first half double crochet (HDC) stitch.
Continue making HDC in all stitches in the row.
To begin the new row, turn the work, chain two for a turning chain. Make HDC stitches in the next stitch and all the following stitches from the row before.
Repeat this row until piece measures 6 inches (or 8 or 10 inches) long. Leave a tail about 2-feet long.