The Knit-Wit

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

THE KNIT-WIT (R4x32) 4C Set Lesley Gousmett and Ruary Laidlaw

1- 4 1s+2s also 3s+4s change places on sides (Men RH, Ladies LH) with 1s and 3s finishing BtoB with partner joining hands with 2s and 4s (as Double Triangles) and all set
5- 8 1s+4s ½ turn (Ladies RH, Men LH) so 4s are BtoB and all set as Double Triangles
9-12 1s dance in and down nearer hands joined and cast up to 4th place while 4s dance in and up to top and cast down into 1st place
9-10: 3s step out and up to 3rd place, 2s step down to 2nd place. 4231
13-16 All turn partner RH
17-24 2s+4s set, dance ½ RH across; 4s+2s set and cross RH with partner. 2431
25-32 4s+3s set, dance ½ RH across; 4s+3s set and cross RH with partner. 2341

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)

The Knit-Wit 4 x 32 Reel, Lesley Gousmett and Ruary Laidlaw

Moss Stitch
1 - 4 1C/2C and 3C/4C ½ turn on sides: Men RH. Ls LH. (1C and 3C finish back-to-back).
Chevrons Taking hands on sides (in Chevrons/zig-zag formation up/down dance), all Set.
5 - 8 1C/4C only ½ turn on sides: Men LH. L's RH. All 4Cs taking hands, Set

Cables
9 - 12 4C and 1C, taking nearer hands with partner, dance out ends (4C up, 1C down) for 2 bars and cast into 1st place/4th place, bars 11 and 12,
WHILE 2C and 3C, dance back to original positions bars 9 and 10, and stand bars 11 and 12

The Flourish
13 - 16 All four couples turn partners RH to own side of dance (ie, 4 bar full turn)

Knitting
17 - 24 2C/4C (at top of set), Set 2 bars, RHX ½ way 2b, Set 2b, XRH with partner 2b,
25 - 32 4C/3C (middle of set), Set 2 bars, RHX ½ way 2b, Set 2b, XRH with partner 2b.

(Dance crib compiled by the devisers, Lesley Gousmett And Ruary Laidlaw, 2026)

Dance Information

The Knit-Wit was devised by Lesley Gousmett, one of whose many skills is knitting.

Each Christmas she invites friends to dinner and presents them with a knitted Christmas Elf or one of the "Guid Folk", and her friends have accumulated a collection of these figures.

The title "The Knit-Wit" refers to Lesley herself and combines her interest in knitting with a play on the word "nitwit", sometimes meaning a foolish person.

The knitting theme continues in the dance itself. Bars 1-4 are named Moss Stitch, Bars 5-8 are named Chevrons, Bars 9-12 are named Cables, Bars 13-16 are named "The Flourish", while bars 17-32 are headed "Knitting".

The original instructions credit the dance to "Lesley Gousmett, with a bit of help from Ruary", and are dated 19 December 2025 and 20 May 2026.

The specified music is "The London Highland Club's Farewell to Fetter Lane" from John MacGregor's LP "Country Dance Style".

The Knitwits - A Selection Of Lesley Gousmett's Knitted Figures

Lesley, "The Knit-Wit", And Her Granddaughters, Holly And Roslyn, 2018

Published in The Knit-Wit, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Ruary Laidlaw.
Published in The Knit-Wit Explained, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Ruary Laidlaw.
Upper Image copyright Ruary Laidlaw, Lesley, reproduced here with kind permission, 2026. All rights reserved.
Lower image copyright Ruary Laidlaw, Lesley, Holly and Roslyn, reproduced here with kind permission, 2026. All rights reserved.

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