Knitting lace is an intricate art that all knitters desire to create. The beauty and elegance of lace knits shine even in the smallest and simplest of projects. Many knitters, especially the newbies in knitting get overwhelmed at the thought of knitting lace projects, but we are here to assure that it does not have to be complicated. Here in this blog, we’ll discuss lace knitting techniques and mistakes you need to avoid.
You need quality tools, preferably stainless steel knitting needles, stitch markers, yarn and a pattern and you can easily knit lace projects. Before planning your project, we advise you to refer to our previous blog on how to choose the needles for lace knitting. With the right tools, you can enjoy the joy of knitting elegance.
Knitting lace for Beginners
For new knitters who want to knit lace projects, start by building confidence and experience by starting with a few simple lace stitches and patterns. Before you start with knitting lace projects, you must understand yarn. Lace knitting can be made with any type of yarn as long as you're knitting with the appropriate needle size creating an organized pattern of holes. Lace-weight yarn is generally preferred for the finished piece a delicate look. But, make sure to invest in good quality. An important thing and often overlooked point are, not to read the knitting pattern for the project. Make sure you understand everything and practice the stitches before starting with a project.
Lace Knitting Techniques
The first thing to know about lace knitting, besides the needles and yarn is the technique. Lace knitting stitches are just a series of increase and decrease stitches that form strategic holes that ultimately look like lovely patterns. From the very basic to the most detailed lace patterns, all require the knowledge of only 4 basic knitting techniques. The knit and purl stitches are the basic stitch patterns in knitting. Other complex and elaborate patterns are made with the combination of these two essentials. You must be clear and confident about these stitches before trying out anything complicated. Yarn over (yo), and knit two together (k2tog) are two essentials for knitting lace.
Yarn Over (yo) - This technique allows you make to create a tiny hole in the fabric. Wrap the yarn from the back towards the front of your work and around to the back again on your right needle. Then continue on to the next stitch. The loop formed is yarn over and will be instructed on a pattern.
Knit Two Together (k2tog) - A common decrease stitch, here you simply insert your right needle into two stitches at once and knit them into one. This will decrease one stitch and compensate for an earlier or oncoming yarn over.
Additional Stitches- Besides, yo and k2tog you will come across instructions such as knit three together (k3tog) or purl two together (p2tog) depending on the pattern.
Now that we have gone through the needles, stitches and yarn needed for lace knitting, let’s now take a look at common mistakes a knitter makes and how to avoid them. Mistakes in knitting lace can be disastrous as it is very difficult to identify. And, even when found out, very laborious to correct. So, make sure to look at your project at frequent intervals. Adding a lifeline to your project is a blessing when knitting lace. If you want to know more about adding a lifeline, browse through our previous blog.
Common Mistakes in Lace Knitting
1. Not Counting Stitches- A common mistake many beginner knitters make is adding too many stitches because you skipped a k2tog or k3tog stitch or not having enough stitches because you missed a yo.
The fix - To avoid this, count your stitches at the end of every row when you are starting out. If you find a mistake you can redo the row. Keep your stitch markers and use them generously as and when the pattern demands. In fact, use the stitch markers even 10 or 20 stitches.
2. Uneven Tension - Another common issue with beginners is they will make yarn overs with too much slack so the small lace will actually be huge gaping holes in the fabric. Or they will pull the yarn over too tight so the holes bunch up.
The fix - To some extent blocking correctly can assist you, but for the most part, you will have to learn to keep even tension throughout.
3. Not blocking
Missing out on the process of blocking your lace knitting project is a mistake that most beginners make. Blocking means wetting and drying a piece of knitting in a controlled way to finish it.
Your yarn shines after the process. If your tension throughout a lace project was not consistent you can make up for a few mistakes.
Now that we covered all points needed to learn to knit lace, get started.
Happy lace knitting!