Counting Stitches: Alternate Spaces

Some patterns and techniques will require you to make use only of spaces in a pattern that is perpendicular to a particular loop -- say, to create a mitered corner or a traditional (bent at 45-degree angles) ribbon rose.
Depending upon whether your spaces are to start, you would use either the spaces defined by the capital letters below, or the spaces defined by the lower-case letters.



Or, in the theme we discussed earlier, usually the odd-numbered spaces, but occasionally the even-numbered ones.

Working Definitions

I expect that most everyone who will be interested in what I have to say is already familiar with knitting, crochet, embroidery, fine handsewing (or heirloom sewing), or some other needle art. Still, not everyone who knits or crochets fine lace edgings is familiar with planning the fancy band of lace around a little girl's special-occasion dress, nor that everyone who knits knows what a "bishop dress" (or "bishop bubble") is. Or the reverse, for that matter. Even within a particular discipline, terminology may differ: a Dover Press reprint on Irish Crochet calls the fabric stitch in which no yarn-over is made prior to inserting the hook "double crochet"; today's books call it "single crochet". I've recently learned that the method I've been taught to make a knit stitch (insert needle through the back of the loop) is called "combination knitting" as opposed to the more-common "English" and "Continental" methods, which insert the needle through the front of the loop instead. So, I need to make clear which "standard" terms I'm using.

• Standard crochet terms are those used by the Crochet Guild of America. 
• Standard knitting stitches are described on The Knitting Guild of America's site, specifically knit stitch, purl stitch, garter stitch, and stockingette stitch (called "stocking stitch" in the United Kingdom). Please note that the methods of casting on is different for ruffle yarn.
• Heirloom sewing techniques we will use include lace shaping, fancy bands, lace insertion, and fagoting
• Net lace techniques will also be explored

Standard terms will only take me so far once we start venturing into ruffle-yarn-specific territory. Most importantly, most existing knit and crochet patterns for these netted fabrics work only along the thin, unembellished edge; a few others use the entire fabric as if it were a typical bulky or super-bulky (numbers 5 and 6) yarn. Just as importantly, on most ruffle yarns, that edge has clear demarcations as to where the hook or needle should be inserted for the next stitch or yarn-over. While many of the techniques I'm exploring make use of this edge and its demarcations, some of them will be using the flat dimension of the net, and since I've so far found only one other person who is using that dimension, the terms she's used, and the terms I've seen other needleworkers use, are still " working" definitions until standard terms are adopted by one or more of the acknowledged standards organizations (Craft Yarn Council, TGKA, Crochet Guild of America, etc.)

I will establish and explain the terms I'll be using for ruffle-yarn-specific techniques as I introduce them.