Basic Baktus

Earlier in the year, we decided to discontinue our Merino DK 50g balls and shift the Merino DK solid colours to 100g skeins. We still have some stock of balls and they’re going on sale.  For inspiration, I wanted to make something using a selection of different colours.  Browsing Ravelry for inspiration I stumbled on the Baktus Scarf knitting pattern, which you might remember from several years ago. It’s a very basic pattern formula that offers incredible freedom to play around with colour, stitch, and yarn quantity to create something beautiful.  So I thought going back to basics with Baktus would be a good plan.

The name Baktus comes from a Norwegian children’s novel about Karius and Baktus.  They are two small tooth trolls who live inside the cavities of a boy named Jens. And their names are puns on Caries (tooth decay) and Bacteria.  Perhaps a fitting story for our pandemic times. You can read more about them on Wikipedia here. I’m moving on to the knitting …

Strikkelise’s published a version of the original Baktus pattern here. This is what I used as my starting point.
I decided I wanted a long, narrow and very “flat” triangle, so I opted for the 6-row repeat, working Row 5 and Row 6 as knit rows also.
To get a deeper V stick to the 4-row repeat.
In order to keep the edges neat and tidy, I also started every row with a Slip 1 knitwise, and I finished every row with K1tbl (through back of loop).

I chose 4 quite different colours and knitted them in colour blocks.  If you want more inspiration try googling Baktus Scarf and look at the images.  This project can be as creative and complicated as you choose to make it.
You don’t need to worry about gauge, just use the needle size recommended on your yarn – for our Merino DK that’s a 4mm needle.

I started on the Mustard end, joined in the Aubergine, and when I got to the end of those two I started decreasing with Celadon followed by Terracotta. If you’re going to add tassels like I plan to, make them before you start.  That way you can use up the rest of the yarn with the knitting.  Do be a little bit careful … I had a couple of meters of Terracotta left at the end, and if I had started that side I would have run out of Mustard before I finished.  So it’s a good idea to weigh your yarn before you start.

For the tassels, I used a 16cm piece of cardboard and wrapped the wool around 50 times before cutting and tying-off each tassel.

I highly recommend the Baktus Scarf knitting pattern as a nice and easy knit.  It’s a beginner-friendly project.  However, if you’re a more advanced knitter, this pattern offers lots of possibilities for being adventurous. Looking for a baktus scarf crochet pattern? This formula works for that too!

Have fun!!

MATERIALS:

4 x 50g balls Cowgirlblues Merino DK (I used Mustard, Aubergine, Celadon and Terracotta)
4mm knitting needles
Darning needle for finishing away the ends

FINISHED SIZE:

~176cm end to end along the straight side
~27cm  at the widest point

KNITTING INSTRUCTIONS:

Cast on 4 stitches
R1: Sl1, Knit to last stitch, YO, K1tbl
R2: Sl1: Knit to last st, K1tbl (through back of loop)
R3 to R6: Repeat row 2

Measure your yarn and split into two equal quantities.
Repeat these 6 rows until you have finished the first half of your yarn.
Then switch to a decrease row on R1 instead of an increase as follows:

R1: Sl1, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1tbl
R2-R6: as previously
Repeat these 6 rows until you have 4 sts left, then cast off.

Per my notes above remember to make the tassels first and then weigh and split your yarn, so that you have enough to finish the project.

Happy Knitting!