The Landlocked Sailor

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The Bravo, or letter B flag, when hoisted on its own means “I am taking in, discharging, or carrying dangerous cargo.”

It’s another swallowtail, just like the Alpha flag, so it’s a little tricky to knit, but not too bad. It’s also one of only two solid colored letter flags. (The other one is Quebec, or letter Q.)

There are two basic ways to knit the Bravo flag:

In two pieces:

1. With red, cast on an even number of stitches to equal the desired width of the flag. (For an 8″ x 12″ flag, cast on 12″)

2. Work in garter stitch, decreasing by 1 stitch at the end of every right side row until piece measures 12″ by 4″. Bind off.

You should have something like this:

3. Repeat step 2, then stitch the two pieces together to form the complete Bravo flag.

Intarsia Style:

Start with the short end (the end that would be attached to a flagpole)

1. With red, cast on an even number of stitches (for an 8″ x 12″ flag, cast on 8″)

2. Continue in garter stitch for 8″

3. On the next right side row, knit across only 4″ (half of the row), and put your remaining stitches (the other half of the row) on a stitch holder.

4. Continue in garter stitch, decreasing by 1 stitch at the beginning of every right side row, until you have only 2 stitches remaining on the needle.

5. Bind off.

6. Pick up the stitches from the stitch holder.

7. Add new red yarn, and continue in garter stitch, decreasing by 1 stitch at the end of every right-side row, until you have only 2 stitches remaining on the needle.

8. Bind off.

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