The Fourth Basic Vandyke Edge

For the final Basic Vandyke I'm going to include 2 different patterns. They have a different number of squares in the border and a different number of points on the sides of the Vandykes.  The first pattern has 5 squares in the border and 5 points on the sides. The second pattern has 3 squares in the border and 6 points along the Vandykes. The reason they are both included in this post is that they both have 1 final Vandyke and they also have the same type of instructions used in creating that final Vandyke.


The patterns for these Vandykes are:

Our first example (5 squares and 5 points):

First Vandyke with straight, vertical side

Tie the thread from the netting needle onto the foundation loop, leaving a 6" tail.

Row 1: Net 2 knots in the foundation loop. (2 loops in the row)

Row 2: Net 1 knot in the first loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (3 loops in the row)

Row 3: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (4 loops in the row)

Row 4: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (5 loops in the row)

Row 5: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (6 loops in the row)

Row 6: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (7 loops in the row)

Row 7: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (8 loops in the row)

Row 8: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (9 loops in the row)

Row 9: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (10 loops in the row)

Row 10: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (11 loops in the row)

Row 11: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (12 loops in the row)

Row 12: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (13 loops in the row)

Row 13: Net 1 knot in each loop. (13 loops in the row)

Row 14: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (14 loops in the row)

Row 15: Net 1 knot in each loop. (14 loops in the row)

Row 16: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (15 loops in the row)

Row 17: Net 1 knot in each loop. (15 loops in the row)

Row 18: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (16 loops in the row)

Row 19: Net 1 knot in each loop. (16 loops in the row)

Row 20: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (17 loops in the row)

Row 21: Net 1 knot in each loop. (17 loops in the row)

Row 22: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (18 loops in the row)

Row 23: Net 1 knot in each loop. (18 loops in the row)

Row 24: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (19 loops in the row)

Row 25: Net 1 knot in each loop. (19 loops in the row)

Row 26: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (20 loops in the row)

Row 27: Net 1 knot in each loop for 13 loops, leave 7 loops without a knot, turn the netting. (13 loops in the row)

Repeating Vandyke

Rows 14-27: Repeat instructions to create a new Vandyke.

Last Vandyke with a straight vertical side

Rows 1: Net 1 knot in each loop. (13 loops in each row)

Rows 2: Net 1 knot in each loop. (13 loops in each row)

Row 3: Net 1 knot in each loop except the last 2 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (12 loops in the row)

Row 4: Net 1 knot in each loop. (12 loops in the row)

Row 5: Net 1 knot in each loop except the last 2 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (11 loops in the row)

Row 6: Net 1 knot in each loop. (11 loops in the row)

Row 7: Net 1 knot in each loop except the last 2 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (10 loops in the row)

Row 8: Net 1 knot in each loop. (10 loops in the row)

Row 9: Net 1 knot in each loop except the last 2 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (9 loops in the row)

Row 10: Net 1 knot in each loop. (9 loops in the row)

Row 11: Net 1 knot in each loop except the last 2 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (8 loops in the row)

Row 12: Net 1 knot in each loop. (8 loops in the row)

Row 13: Net 1 knot in each loop except the last 2 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (7 loops in the row)

Forming the first square of the netting

1.      Remove the foundation loop from row 1 of the netting.

2.      Tie the tail onto a tapestry needle, which is used in place of the netting needle.

3.      Place the foundation-loop cord through another row of meshes.

4.      Tie the foundation-loop cord into a circle and attach it to a tension device.

5.      Net the first two loops together without using a mesh stick.

Our second example (3 squares and 6 points):

First Vandyke with straight, vertical side

Tie the thread from the netting needle onto the foundation loop, leaving a 6" tail.

Row 1: Net 2 more knots in the foundation loop. (2 loops in the row)

Row 2: Net 1 knot in the first loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (3 loops in the row)

Row 3: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (4 loops in the row)

Row 4: Net 1 knot in each loop. (4 loops in the row)

Row 5: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (5 loops in the row)

Row 6: Net 1 knot in each loop. (5 loops in the row)

Row 7: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (6 loops in the row)

Row 8: Net 1 knot in each loop. (6 loops in the row)

Row 9: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (7 loops in the row)

Row 10: Net 1 knot in each loop. (7 loops in the row)

Row 11: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (8 loops in the row)

Row 12: Net 1 knot in each loop. (8 loops in the row)

Row 13: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (9 loops in the row)

Row 14: Net 1 knot in each loop. (9 loops in the row)

Row 15: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (10 loops in the row)

Row 16: Net 1 knot in each loop for 4 loops, turn and prepare to begin the next row without netting into the last 6 loops. (These 6 loops form one side of the Vandyke.)

Repeating Vandyke

Rows 5-16: Repeat instructions to create a new Vandyke.

Last Vandyke with a straight vertical side

Row 1: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (5 loops in the row)

Row 2: Net 1 knot in each loop. (5 loops in the row)

Row 3: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (6 loops in the row)

Row 4: Net 1 knot in each loop. (6 loops in the row)

Row 5: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop.  (7 loops in the row)

Row 6: Net 1 knot in each loop. (7 loops in the row)

Row 7: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (8 loops in the row)

Row 8: Net 1 knot in each loop. (8 loops in the row)

Row 9: Net 1 knot in each loop for 6 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (7 loops in the row)

Row 10: Net 1 knot in each loop. (7 loops in the row)

Row 11: Net 1 knot in each loop for 5 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (6 loops in the row)

Forming the first square of the netting

1.      Remove the foundation loop from row 1 of the netting.

2.      Tie the tail onto a tapestry needle, which is used in place of the netting needle.

3.      Place the foundation-loop cord through another row of meshes.

4.      Tie the foundation-loop cord into a circle and attach it to a tension device.

5.      Net the first two loops together without using a mesh stick.

If you would like to know the math involved, here it is.

To find how many final Vandykes are needed:

• If the number of squares in the border is less than or equal to 2 times the number of points -1 then you have just 1 final Vandyke.
• If the number of squares in the border is greater than 2 times the number of points -1 then you need more than 1 final Vandyke.

 First Example: 

• number of squares in the border 5 
• number of points is 5 then 2 times 5 subtract 1 = 9
• since the number of squares in the border is less than the other number we will need 1 Vandyke. 

 Second Example: 

• number of squares in the border 3 
• number of points is 6 then 2 times 6 subtract 1 = 11
• since the number of squares in the border is less than the other number we will need 1 Vandyke. 

To determine which of the 4 types of instructions to use for the final Vandyke:

1. Double the number of points along one side of the Vandyke 
1. for the first example the answer is 10
2. for the second example the answer is 12
2. Subtract 1 
1. for the first example the answer is 9
2. for the second example the answer is 11
3. Subtract the number of squares in the border from the result 
1. for the first example the answer is 9 - 5 = 4
2. for the second example the answer is 11 - 3 = 8

When the answer is an even number (in this week's example, the numbers are 4 and 8) - Alternate increase and plain rows (which combined equal the even number), then alternate decrease and plain rows (until the last decrease row, which has no plain row following it). You can tell it is the last decrease row because it has the correct number of loops on the last side of the final Vandyke.