Lace Knitting Made Easy: A Stunning Beginner-Friendly Stitch + Video
Today, I’m showing that lace knitting can be easy, and that you don’t need to be an expert to create lovely garments 🙂
But before we dive into the tutorial, I want to say how delighted I am to be back here with you all 🙂
As some of you know, I had back surgery, and it honestly took me longer than expected to recover.
But the good news is that I’m feeling much better now!
I can walk and exercise again, and most importantly, the excruciating pain I had before the operation, is gone!
I also want to say a huge THANK YOU for all your kind messages and emails over the last 6 months!
I truly appreciate them, and I missed you a lot too 🙂
Now, back to knitting!
I designed this stitch while thinking about my next Summer project for you.
I wanted to create a simple yet stunning lace stitch, one that even a beginner knitter could follow 😉
I’ll also be showing you how to do it in both, English and Continental styles in the video tutorial.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Lace Knitting
What’s Lace Knitting?
It’s a technique to create a delicate fabric, often resembling organic shapes like leaves, flowers, or mesh patterns.
These designs are made combining increases (like the yarn over, which create holes), and decreases, (such as knit two stitches together), to shape the fabric.
Can Lace Knitting Be Suitable for Beginners?
While many lace patterns may look complicated due to their intricate shape and long repeats, this pattern is totally beginner-friendly.
The techniques required -knit stitch, yarn over, and knit two stitches together- are all simple and easy to master.
And the best part? No purling!
I know that many knitters aren’t fans or purling, so I made sure this pattern is free of it 😉
What Kind of Yarn Should You Use?
Lace knitting is traditionally done with animal fibers (wool, Cashmere, Alpaca, etc. or its blends).
However, you can use thicker or plant-based fibers like cotton or bamboo.
For my swatch I used 100% Merino Superwash Wool yarn (worsted weight, medium, or nº 4) #ad
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Do You Need Special Needles?
If you are a beginner, metallic knitting needles may be too slippery, so I recommend using wooden or bamboo needles for better grip.
For my swatch I used one of my favorite needles – US 7 (4,5 mm).
Also, make sure your needles should have a sharp tip #ad
It makes it much easier to knit two stitches together, which is a common decrease in lace knitting.
Why Does Your Lace Looks Bumpy or Uneven?
First of all, it’s totally normal!
Lace can look bumpy or uneven at first, but once you block it, the stitches will crisp up, the design will define itself, and the fabric will become flat and smooth.
Don’t be discourage if your first attempts aren’t perfect!
Start with knitting a few swatches using simple lace patterns, like this one, and then, try a small project (I’ll be publishing one next week).
How Do You Block Your Knit Work?
To block your projects (or swatches), follow these steps:
1.- Submerge the piece in cold water for 10 – 20 minutes
2.- Squeeze it very gently
3.- Flatten it, shape it, and let it dry (it shouldn’t be exposed to the direct sun).
This uncomplicated process is magic 🙂 Take a look at this Shawl and see the difference before and after blocking!
Abbreviations
CO: Cast on
st: Stitch
RS: Right side of the work
K: Knit
yo: Yarn over (bring the yarn over the needle to create a hole)
k2tog: Knit two stitches together (a simple decrease)
BO: Bind off
WS: Wrong side of the work
Lace Knitting Made Easy: A Stunning 4-Row Repeat Pattern
The even rows form the right side of the work.
CO an even number of sts (including the edge sts, the first and the last).
Row 1 (WS): K1 (edge), *k2tog, yo*. Repeat from * to *, to last st, K1 (edge)
Row 2: K across
Row 3: K1 (edge), *yo, k2tog*. Repeat from * to *, to last st, K1 (edge)
Row 4: K across
Repeat rows (1 – 4) until the desired length is reached.
When finished, BO knitwise after row 3 (facing the RS), as shown in the video tutorial.
This is the WS of the work:
Enjoy the Video Tutorial:
Finally, Don’t Forget to Share Your Projects Using the Lace Made Easy Pattern
I can’t wait to see them, even if it’s just a swatch!
Tag me @SoWoolly so we can all get more inspiration.
Here are some hashtags to help spread the lace love:
#LaceMadeEasy
#EasyLaceStitch
#TwoRowRepeatLace
#LaceKnittingForBeginners
Remember, sharing is caring 🙂
Ok, that’s everything for today, my little Woolly.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, thank you for watching, and happy knitting 🙂
Carolina – So Woolly
