What are nupps?

By sligo, on June 30th, 2008

Just wondering–I’ve been coming across them, without a definition, in my lace reading, and figured one of you could give me a quick answer.

Thanks

3 comments to What are nupps?

beadlizard

June 30, 2008 at 8:41 pm

Here’s the slang definition. Someone else might feel inclined to post something more technical.

Generally, nupps are little nubby bits. They have more thickness than just a k3tog, for instance. You can make them by increasing quickly and then decreasing quickly, really quickly, like m5 in one row and dec5 in the next. If you purl a plain row between the active rows then there’s more nupp to the nupp.

They can be very effective in openwork, like beads in a sea of yo’s, but it’s hard to keep the tension even and can be slow going plus hard on the wrists. It’s important to try to stay relaxed and breathe evenly when making a hoard of nupps!

A bobble is a giant nupp. [My husband would roar with laughter if I read that aloud right now.]
Tammy Knits

June 30, 2008 at 9:15 pm

In the Swallowtail Shawl, they are a special bubbled stitch made by knitting K1,yo,K1,yo,K1 into 1 stitch then purling all 5 together on the next row.
- sligo
  
  June 30, 2008 at 9:23 pm
  
  Thanks–I’ve done it tons of times, just never by that name. Now I know.