Lacy knits are so beautiful, delicate and intricate. Most novice knitters assume that such lovely makes must be hard to make, but guess what? They’re not! The holes in lace knits – known as eyelets – are worked by combining increases with left or right leaning decreases. We’ve covered the basic stitches below, so why not find yourself some needles and give them a try?
TYPES OF INCREASE
1) Yarn forward (yfwd)
This is worked between two knit stitches. The yarn starts at the back of the work.
Step 1: bring the yarn to the front of the work between the tips of the needles.
Step 2: take the yarn over the barrel of the right-hand (RH) needle to make an extra stitch. The yarn ends at the back of the work, ready to knit the next stitch.
2) Yarn round needle (yrn)
This is worked between two purl stitches. The yarn starts at the front of the work.
Step 1: take the yarn over the barrel of the RH needle to make an extra stitch.
Step 2: bring the yarn to the front of the work between the tips of the needles. The yarn ends at the front of the work, ready to purl the next stitch.
Note: If you are working this between a knit and a purl stitch, work Step 2 first, then work Steps 1 and 2 to complete the yrn.
3) Yarn over needle
This is worked between a purl and a knit stitch. The yarn starts at the front of the work.
Step 1: take the yarn over the barrel of the RH needle to make an extra stitch. The yarn ends at the back of the work, ready to knit the next stitch.
TYPES OF DECREASE
1) Knit two together (k2tog)
Step 1: Insert the RH needle into the next two stitches on the left-hand needle at the same time,
knit both stitches together. The finished decrease leans to the right on a knit row.
2) Slip, slip, knit (ssk)
Step 1: Insert the right-hand needle into the next stitch on the left-hand needle as if to knit and transfer the stitch to the right-hand needle.
Step 2: Do the same with the second stitch.
Step 3: Return the stitches to the left-hand needle, then knit both stitches together through the back loops.
The finished decrease leans to the left on a knit row.
3) Slip one, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over (sl 1, k2tog, psso or sk2po)
Step 1: Slip one stitch as if to knit, knit the next two stitches on the left-hand needle together.
Step 2: Insert the left-hand needle into the slipped stitch, lift it over the last worked stitch and off the right-hand needle.
This is sometimes called the ‘central double decrease’ because it decreases two stitches and does not lean in any particular direction.
Have you ever tried knitting lace? What did you make? Share your pics with us on Twitter and Facebook!
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