Stitches: One | Lace [part 2]
Welcome back to the second part of our stitch focus on lace. In part one we covered all the basics about lace, if you haven't read the post and are new to lace knitting pop over to Stitches: One | Lace [part 1] for some helpful hints and tips.
Once you have started to progress on your lace journey you will start to discover lace styles you love and you may want to start challenging yourself with more complex patterns.
You may find as you start knitting more complex patterns that the written options fall away and designs are only charted. I would high recommend learning to use a chart, as it really will benefit your knitting.
You may also find that you come across times when you need to fix mistakes, often a daunting task. Laura Nelkin has just released an excellent Craftsy class focussed on saving your lace stitches – I high recommend you take a look.
Fixing lace mistakes by Laura Nelkin
Here is a selection of my favourite lace patterns and some gorgeous yarn inspiration.
Rioja Shawlette by Hilary Smith Callis is a good beginner or next steps style shawl. Bands of garter give way to beautiful eyelet lace sections. A single skein is all you need. I think it would look stunning in Nurturing Fibres Supertwist Sock in the colour Pear, for a bright summery pop of colour or Aged Leather for something more sophisticated.
The perfect summer shawl is On the Pier by Justyna Lorkowska. The body works up easily in garter stitch and the slightly frothy lace edge create the perfect sense of balance. The pattern is written for 4ply but I think this design would be wonderful in Coast, a slightly lighter fingering weight. The cotton / wool blend would make this accessory a great addition to your summer wardrobe. How about Kingfisher and Dove or Lichen and Freesia? With such a wide range of colours available the combinations are almost limitless.
Anne Hanson’s Almost Ovals is a lovely twist on lace and cables and would be great for a knitter wanting to try out lace in a 2ply yarn. A single skein of Malabrigo Lace would be enough for the small stole. Wouldn’t it make a show-stopping accessory in Bergamota? Bold not your style, opt for something more elegant and muted in Simply Taupe.
Almost Ovals by Anne Hanson
Slightly more challenging is the Lace Edge Cowl by Debbie Bliss, with lace every row there is no relaxing on the purl rows. This cowl uses a single skein of Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace and is finished item is utterly gorgeous. Try a pretty muted shade like Candy or a bright bold Fuschia for a real statement piece.
If you are looking for something that features oodles of lace and bags of style look no further than the latest issue of PomPom Magazine. These lace tops, Talavera by Amanda B Collins and Alcomar by Hanna Maciejewska are exceptional designs and would make a wonderful addition to your summer wardrobe.
I hope you have enjoyed our first stitches series. Please share your lace knitting projects using the hashtag #tangledyarnuk on Instagram and Twitter.
Join us for Lace: Two | Stocking Stitch in mid-June.
About the Author
Clare Devine is a writer and designer. Originally from South Africa, she has nomadic tendencies and is currently knitting her way around the UK. She is passionate about all things fibre related (especially if it’s grey), knitting, travel and sunshine in equal measures.