How to knit the Mock Turkish stitch: A two-row lace pattern

The Mock Turkish stitch is one of those lace patterns that knitters love…

Why?

Well, there are several important reasons:

Undoubtedly, lace knitting is infamous for its complexity, a technique that consists of creating a hollowed fabric, through increases and decreases.

Not just because of the long repetitions, nor the number of rows needed to form a pattern, but also due to the fact that mistakes take time and a lot of fiddling to fix.

On the contrary, the Mock Turkish stitch is a two-row repeat pattern, that I’m sure you’ll memorize quickly because it involves only two steps to be repeated on each row.

According to some knitters (and honestly, I include myself in that group), this one is considered “true” or “proper” lace, because the even rows are not plain purl rows.

We’ll be working increases and decreases on the even rows as well.

However, I’d like to place great emphasis on the simplicity of the techniques we’re about to implement for this pattern.

Actually, it’s all about simple decreases, purling two stitches together, along with “yarn over” and “yarn round needle”.

Easy-peasy, you’ll see 😉 And I’m showing how to do it in both, English and Continental methods.

Ok, it’s time to start, so grab your needles and a bit of yarn, and let’s get busy!

Abbreviations

CO: Cast on

st: Stitch

RS: Right side of the work

K: Knit

sl1kw: Slip one stitch knitwise (as if to knit)

passo: Pass the slipped stitch over the last one

P: Purl

p2tog: Purl two stitches together

yo: Yarn over (before a knit stitch)

yrn: Yarn round needle (before a purl stitch)

BO: Bind off

WS: wrong side of the work

Before starting to knit the Mock Turkish stitch:

The first and the last st will be knitted on each row.

Always slip the stitches knitwise.

Last but not least, please don’t forget the last yo and yrn, otherwise, your stitch count will decrease and the pattern won’t come out 😉

This swatch was knitted using 100% Egyptian cotton yarn (very soft and durable) #ad

Mock Turkish stitch lace knitting pattern. So Woolly

Using my favorite bamboo needles set (that come with a lovely case) #ad

Mock Turkish knitting pattern

CO an even number of st. This number includes 2 selvages or edge st.

1º and every odd row (RS): K1 (edge), *sl1kw, K1, passo, yo*. Repeat from * to *, to last st, K1 (edge)

2º and every even row: K1 (edge), *p2tog, yrn*. Repeat from * to *, to last st, K1 (edge).

These two rows create the pattern. Repeat them until the desired length is reached.

BO purlwise after a row 1 (facing the WS).

This is the other side of the work:

Mock Turkish knitting stitch pattern: Learn to knit lace in two rows. So Woolly.

Enjoy the video tutorial: