Biki Bird Knits

Shaping Instructions

Shaping codes for increasing, decreasing, and straight knitting appear inside the border, symmetric, and asymmetric subroutines. Click on the buttons below to view the shaping code tables. Straight knitting is actually a special case of increasing or decreasing exactly zero stitches and appears under both the increasing and decreasing tables.

Increasing Increasing with Flash/Refer Decreasing Decreasing with Flash/Refer

	Increase X stitches evenly
Over Y rows	X=0	X=1	X=2	X=3	X=4	X=5	X=6	X=Value¹
Y=0²	N/A³	8	16	24	32	40	48	56
Y=2	1	9	17	25	33	41	49	57
Y=4	2	10	18	26	34	42	50	58
Y=6	3	11	19	27	35	43	51	59
Y=8	4	12	20	28	36	44	52	60
Y=10	5	13	21	29	37	45	53	61
Y=12	6	14	22	30	38	46	54	62
Y=Value⁴	7	15	23	31	39	47	55	63
¹ $Value = Stitches + 121$ or $Value = Stitches - 7$ ²It is impossible to decrease any number of stitches over zero rows. Therefore, a pair of rows will in fact be knitted for Y=0. Y=0 and Y=2 shaping codes produce the exact same results and may be used interchangeably. ³Zero is an invalid shaping code since zero is used to end the form programme. ⁴ $Value = \frac{Rows}{2} + 121$ or $Value = \frac{Rows}{2} - 7$
Examples	Commentary
27	Increase 3 stitches evenly over 6 rows. No parameters needed for this code.
59 141 (or 13)	Increase 20 stitches evenly over 6 rows. Single parameter needed for stitches. 141 - 121 = 20 stitches or 13 + 7 = 20 stitches.
31 141 (or 13)	Increase 3 stitches evenly over 40 rows. Single parameter needed for rows. (141 - 121)2 = 40 rows or (13 + 7)2 = 40 rows.
63 141 (or 13) 151 (or 23)	Increase 20 stitches over 60 rows. Two parameters are needed, stiches first then rows. 141 - 121 = 20 stitches or 13 + 7 = 20 stitches. (151 - 121)2 = 60 rows or (23 + 7)2 = 60 rows.

With Flash/Refer¹	Increase X stitches evenly
Over Y rows	X=0	X=1	X=2	X=3	X=4	X=5	X=6	X=Value²
Y=0³	64	72	80	88	96	104	112	120
Y=2	65	73	81	89	97	105	113	121
Y=4	66	74	82	90	98	106	114	122
Y=6	67	75	83	91	99	107	115	123
Y=8	68	76	84	92	100	108	116	124
Y=10	69	77	85	93	101	109	117	125
Y=12	70	78	86	94	102	110	118	126
Y=Value⁴	71	79	87	95	103	111	119	127
¹A flash/refer shaping code must not appear as the first instruction in first subroutine after the initialization section. This will cause the console to lock up and it will need to be cycled off and on to clear the 'WAIT' message. ² $Value = Stitches + 121$ or $Value = Stitches - 7$ ³It is impossible to increase any number of stitches over zero rows. Therefore, a pair of rows will in fact be knitted for Y=0. Y=0 and Y=2 shaping codes produce the exact same results and may be used interchangeably. ⁴ $Value = \frac{Rows}{2} + 121$ or $Value = \frac{Rows}{2} - 7$
Flash/Refer Code	Display
128	Flash/Refer 6
1	Flash/Refer 7
2	Flash/Refer 8
3	Flash/Refer 9
4	Flash/Refer 10
Examples	Commentary
91 128	Increase 3 stitches evenly over 6 rows with flash/refer 6. Flash 6 (form computer) or REFER 6 (E6000 console.)
123 1 141 (or 13)	Increase 20 stitches evenly over 6 rows with flash/refer 7. Two parameters needed for flash/refer and stitches. Flash 7 (form computer) or refer 7 (E6000 console.) 141 - 121 = 20 stitches or 13 + 7 = 20 stitches.
71 2 141 (or 13)	Increase 3 stitches evenly over 40 rows. Two parameters needed for flash/refer and rows. Flash 8 (form computer) or refer 8 (E6000 console.) (141 - 121)2 = 40 rows or (13 + 7)2 = 40 rows.
127 4 141 (or 13) 151 (or 23)	Increase 20 stitches over 60 rows. Three parameters are needed, flash first, followed by stiches and then rows. Flash 10 (form computer) or refer 10 (E6000) 141 - 121 = 20 stitches or 13 + 7 = 20 stitches. (151 - 121)2 = 60 rows or (23 + 7)2 = 60 rows.

	Decrease X stitches evenly
Over Y rows	X=0	X=1	X=2	X=3	X=4	X=5	X=6	X=Value¹
Y=0²	128	136	144	152	160	168	176	184
Y=2	129	137	145	153	161	169	177	185
Y=4	130	138	146	154	162	170	178	186
Y=6	131	139	147	155	163	171	179	187
Y=8	132	140	148	156	164	172	180	188
Y=10	133	141	149	157	165	173	181	189
Y=12	134	142	150	158	166	174	182	190
Y=Value³	135	143	151	159	167	175	183	191
¹ $Value = Stitches + 121$ or $Value = Stitches - 7$ ²It is impossible to decrease any number of stitches over zero rows. Therefore, a pair of rows will in fact be knitted for Y=0. Y=0 and Y=2 shaping codes produce the exact same results and may be used interchangeably. ³ $Value = \frac{Rows}{2} + 121$ or $Value = \frac{Rows}{2} - 7$
Examples	Commentary
155	Decrease 3 stitches evenly over 6 rows. No parameters needed for this code.
187 141 (or 13)	Decrease 20 stitches evenly over 6 rows. Single parameter needed for stitches. 141 - 121 = 20 stitches or 13 + 7 = 20 stitches.
159 141 (or 13)	Decrease 3 stitches evenly over 40 rows. Single parameter needed for rows. (141 - 121)2 = 40 rows or (13 + 7)2 = 40 rows.
191 141 (or 13) 151 (or 23)	Decrease 20 stitches over 60 rows. Two parameters are needed, stiches first then rows. 141 - 121 = 20 stitches or 13 + 7 = 20 stitches. (151 - 121)2 = 60 rows or (23 + 7)2 = 60 rows.

With Flash/Refer¹	Decrease X stitches evenly
Over Y rows	X=0	X=1	X=2	X=3	X=4	X=5	X=6	X=Value²
Y=0³	192	200	208	216	224	232	240	248
Y=2	193	201	209	217	225	233	241	249
Y=4	194	202	210	218	226	234	242	250
Y=6	195	203	211	219	227	235	243	251
Y=8	196	204	212	220	228	236	244	252
Y=10	197	205	213	221	229	237	245	253
Y=12	198	206	214	222	230	238	246	254
Y=Value⁴	199	207	215	223	231	239	247	255
¹A flash/refer shaping code must not appear as the first instruction in first subroutine after the initialization section. This will cause the console to lock up and it will need to be cycled off and on to clear the 'WAIT' message. ² $Value = Stitches + 121$ or $Value = Stitches - 7$ ³It is impossible to decrease any number of stitches over zero rows. Therefore, a pair of rows will in fact be knitted for Y=0. Y=0 and Y=2 shaping codes produce the exact same results and may be used interchangeably. ⁴ $Value = \frac{Rows}{2} + 121$ or $Value = \frac{Rows}{2} - 7$
Flash/Refer Code	Display
128	Flash/Refer 6
1	Flash/Refer 7
2	Flash/Refer 8
3	Flash/Refer 9
4	Flash/Refer 10
Examples	Commentary
219 128	Decrease 3 stitches evenly over 6 rows with flash/refer 6. Flash 6 (form computer) or REFER 6 (E6000 console.)
251 1 141 (or 13)	Decrease 20 stitches evenly over 6 rows with flash/refer 7. Two parameters needed for flash/refer and stitches. Flash 7 (form computer) or refer 7 (E6000 console.) 141 - 121 = 20 stitches or 13 + 7 = 20 stitches.
223 2 141 (or 13)	Decrease 3 stitches evenly over 40 rows. Two parameters needed for flash/refer and rows. Flash 8 (form computer) or refer 8 (E6000 console.) (141 - 121)2 = 40 rows or (13 + 7)2 = 40 rows.
255 4 141 (or 13) 151 (or 23)	Decrease 20 stitches over 60 rows. Three parameters are needed, flash first, followed by stiches and then rows. Flash 10 (form computer) or refer 10 (E6000) 141 - 121 = 20 stitches or 13 + 7 = 20 stitches. (151 - 121)2 = 60 rows or (23 + 7)2 = 60 rows.

Insert decoder here.

Insert encoder here.

For increases and decreases less than 14 rows and less than 7 stitches a single shaping instruction is all that is entered. If you want increases and decreases of 7 stitches or more and/or 14 or more rows, you must enter a value for the number of stitches and/or rows according to a special formula.

The shaping instruction may also be paired with a 'Flash' number on the form computer or a 'REFER' number on the console. The number displayed refers the user to special instructions accompanying the from programme. In this case a different value is used for the shaping code and the value for the flash/refer number appears under the shaping code.

Stitch increases and decreases 7 or greater require that a code value for the stitches be entered after the shaping code or if the shaping code includes a flash/refer value, the stitch value appears after the flash/refer value. The code value for stitches may be calculated by using either of two formulas: $Value = Stitches + 121$ or $Value = Stitches - 7$ . The first formula is to be preferred. For stitches greater than 7 either formula will work. In the case increasing or decreasing by seven stitches, the second formula yields a zero, which is not allowed since zero is the code to end the form programme. The maximum number of stitches that may be increased or decreased is 134.

If you are decoding a pre-existing form programme use this formula to find stitches: $Stitches = Value - 121$ if the value is greater than 127 or $Stitches = Value + 7$ if the value is less than 128.

The number of rows over which to increase or decrease must be an even number. Row counts 14 or greater require that a value for the rows be entered after the shaping code. If the shaping code includes a flash/refer value and the stitch increase or decrease is less than 7, the row value appears after the flash/refer value. If the number of stitches to increase is 7 or greater, the row value apears after the stitch value. The code value for rows is calculated using this formula: $Value = \frac{Rows}{2} + 121$ or $Value = \frac{Rows}{2} - 7$ The first formula is to be preferred. For rows greater than 14 either formula will work. In the case increasing or decreasing over exactly 14 rows, the second formula yields a zero, which is not allowed since zero is the code to end the form programme. The maximum number of rows allowed is 268.

If you are decoding a pre-existing form programme use this formula to find rows: $Rows = (Value - 121) * 2$ if the value is greater than 127 or $Rows = (Value + 7) * 2$ if the value is less than 128.

Attention 8-bit computer geeks: 121 may seem arbitrary, but it is not; 121 is actually 128 subtract 7. In other words, the formula for stitches is really subtract 7 and then set the most significant bit of the byte. A similar operation is going on with the rows, but rows are really pairs of rows. So, subtract 7 pairs and set the most significant bit.

Form Programmes Explained

Shaping Instructions