Working with lace knitting patterns is like switching from hot coffee to iced lattes, from flats to sandals, from wool to linen. It’s so much fun to move into something lighter and airier for spring and summer. In this tutorial, you will learn five different lace patterns and the details required to transform these beautiful pieces into a simple shawl.
First of all, don’t let lace intimidate you! Lace is created by mixing stitch increases and decreases in various ways to create a pattern. Some increases and decreases keep the stitches looking straight, while some tilt the look of the pattern to the left or to the right. The first set of repeats in any lace may seem tricky, but before long you’ll be flying through the patterns with ease. With these lace patterns, the stitch count remains the same for every row so you can always check to make sure you’re on target.
Now go find a gorgeous linen or silk yarn, choose one of these lace patterns below and let’s get knitting!
I chose to share with you laces that are all a multiple of either 3 of 6 stitches to keep the math simple. I kept my cast-on stitch count the same for each swatch. You can see by the variety of swatch size below that each lace pattern creates varying sizes of fabric. Additionally, your choice of yarn, needle size, and the tension with which you knit will all affect the size of your finished piece. Keep this in mind as you design or think about your own project.
For each of the pattern swatches:
– Needle size: US 4 (3.5mm)
– Yarn used: Madelinetosh Pashmina, (75% Wool, 15% Silk, 10% Cashmere) in Charcoal
– Cast on: 28 stitches (multiple of 3 or 6 plus 2 selvage stitches on either side of the lace pattern).
– Extra stitch: If a lace pattern needs an extra stitch to be completed (Lace 3 and Lace 5), I used my second selvage stitch on the right side of the work as part of the lace pattern.
Lace Pattern 1
Gauge: Multiple of 6 stitches, 4-row repeat, 28 stitches x 40 rows = 5.5 inches square
Note: Don’t forget, the pattern written below does not include any selvage stitches you may have cast on.
Key:
– k: knit
– yo: yarn over (Note: Bring yarn to front of work, then knit as usual. The working yarn will create an extra stitch.)
– sl2 k1 P2sso: Slip two stitches as if to knit, knit 1, pass the 2 slipped stitches over the knit stitch. (Note: Slipping a stitch simply means moving a stitch from your left-hand needle to your right. In this case, you put the needle into the stitch as if you were going to knit. Then, as you slide it, the part of the stitch (or leg) that sits in front of the needle switches which is part of the design.)
Stitches:
– Row 1: *k3, yo, sl 2 k1, p2sso, yo*, repeat from * to * to end
– Row 2: Purl all stitches on wrong side/even rows
– Row 3: *yo, sl 2 k1, p2sso, yo, k3*, repeat from * to * to end
– Repeat rows 1-4 as necessary
Lace Pattern 2
Gauge: multiple of 3 stitches, 4 row repeat, 28 stitches x 36 rows = 4.5 inches square
Note: Don’t forget, the pattern written below does not include any selvage stitches you may have cast on.
Key:
– k: knit
– yo: yarn over (see note above)
– sl1: slip 1 stitch as if to knit (see note above on slipping stitches)
– psso2: pass slipped stitch over 2 knit stitches
Stitches:
– Row 1: k1, *yo, sl1 k2, psso2*, repeat from * to * as necessary, knit 2 last stitches.
– Row 2: Purl all stitches on wrong side/even rows.
– Row 3: *yo, sl1 k2, psso2*, repeat from * to * to end.
– Repeat rows 1-4 as necessary.
Lace Pattern 3
Gauge: multiple of 3 stitches +1, 4 row repeat, 28 stitches x 28 rows = 3.5 inches square
Note: The pattern written below will need to use 1 of your selvage stitches. K 1 selvage stitch on the right and start the pattern.
Key:
– k: knit
– yo: yarn over (see note above)
– k3 tog: knit 3 stitches together as one
– k3 tog again: knit the same 3 stitches together again
Stitches:
– Row 1: k1,*k3tog but leave those 3 stitches on left hand needle, yo and k3tog again and removing the 3 stitches from left hand needle*, repeat from * to* as necessary
– Row 2: Purl all stitches on wrong side/even rows
– Row 3: *k3tog but leave these 3 stitches on left hand needle, yo and k3tog again (the same three stitches) and now pull the 3 stitches from needle*, repeat from * to* as necessary, until last stitch, k1
– Repeat rows 1-4 as necessary
Lace Pattern 4
Gauge: Multiple of 3 stitches, 6 row repeat, 28 stitches x 36 rows = 4.5 inches square
Note: Don’t forget: The pattern written below does not include any selvage stitches you may have cast on.
Key:
– k: knit
– yo: yarn over (see note above)
Stitches:
– Row 1: *yo, k3, pass the first knit stitch over the other 2*, repeat from * to * as necessary.
– Row 2: Purl all stitches on wrong side/even rows.
– Row 3: k2, *yo, k3, pass the first knit stitch over the other 2*, repeat from * to * as necessary, until last stitch, k1.
– Row 5: k1, *yo, k3, pass the first knit stitch over the other 2*, repeat from * to * as necessary, until last 2 stitches, k2.
– Repeat rows 1-6 as necessary.
Lace Pattern 5
Gauge: multiple of 6 stitches +1, 8 row repeat, 28 stitches x 36 rows = 4.5 inches square
Note: The pattern written below will need to use 1 of your selvage stitches. K 1 selvage stitch on the right and start the pattern.
Key:
– K2tog: knit two stitches together as one
– K2togtbl: knit two stitches together through the back loops
– Psso: pass slipped stitch over (see note above)
Stitches:
– Row 1: k1,*yo, k2tog tbl, k1 k2tog,yo, k1*, rep from * to * as necessary
– Row 2: Purl all stitches on wrong side/even rows
– Row 3: k1*yo, k1, sl1, k2tog, psso, k1, yo, k1*, repeat from * to* as necessary
– Row 5: k1,*k2tog, yo, k1,yo, k2togtbl, k1*, repeat from * to* as necessary
– Row 7: k2tog; *k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, sl1, k2tog, psso*, repeat from * to * as necessary until last 5 stitches, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, k2togtbl
– Repeat rows 1-8 as necessary
To design a lace knit shawl pattern, follow these five easy steps:
1. Make a lace swatch as above.
2. Measure your swatch. How many inches wide and high is the lace portion (don’t include the selvage edges) of your swatch?
3. Decide on shawl dimensions and calculate required stitches. Let’s say you want a shawl that is 66″ long and 20″ wide with a selvage of approximately 1″ at each end. Divide the width of desired lace portion (64″) by the width of the lace portion of your swatch (say 4.25″), you need approximately 15 times the number of stitches as you had in the lace portion of your swatch. Each swatch above has 24 stitches of lace, so in this example, multiply 15 times by 24 stitches to get 360 stitches total. The number of sititches needs to be divisible by the required number of stitches in your lace repeat (all laces here are repeats of 3 or 6 and 360 is divisible by both). Add 6 sitches of garter stitch (knit on both sides) selvage to each end (12 stitches total). Add the lace stitch count (360 stitches) to the selvage stitch count (12 stitiches) for 372 stitches total.
4. Calculate required rows. To figure out how many rows you will need to knit, divide your desired shawl height (20″) by the height of your total swatch (4.5″), you need approximately 4.4 times the number of rows from your swatch (say 36) for a total of approximately 158 rows. You will want to end at the end of a lace repeat so adjust this number of rows accordingly. You can also just measure the width as you go without bothering to count rows.
5. Calculate required yardage. Although I’ve given you an approximate number above, to get a better sense of required yardage, rip out the swatch that you used for steps above. Measure the total yardage required by swatch (say 18 yards). Multiply this yardage by how many times wider the scarf will be (15 times) and by how many times higher the shawl will be (4.4). This number will suggest the approximate yardage (18 x 15 x 4.4 =1,188). Because the original swatch has 4 stitches of selvage for each row included in the yardage, it will more than make up for the added selvage width on each end of the shawl. This should be a slight overestimation.
Easy Lace Knit Shawl Pattern
Based on the above five steps with a four-row repeat lace (adjust with 6 or 8 row repeat as desired):
Cast on 372 stitches (Note: If an additional stitch is required for the lace (as in lace 3 and lace 5), add one additonal stitch to your cast on stitch count)
Stitches
– Row 1: k6, <insert Row 1 of desired lace pattern above here>, k6
– Row 2and every even/wrong side row: k6, purl until 6 stitches remain, k6
– Row 3: k6, <insert Row 3 of desired lace pattern above here>, k6
– Repeat rows 1- 4, until desired height
– Bind off
I’m so excited to announce that I’m officially a MarthaStewart.com contributor now. This means that I’ll be making lots of beautiful things to be featured on MarthaStewart.com. Here is my profile there. This was my first article as contributor and was published on the MarthaStewart.com Network on May 13, 2015.
Bekah says
Great tutorial – love those lace patterns! So pretty!
flaxandtwine says
Thanks so much, Bekah! Enjoy!!
Pam says
beautiful stitches! I don’t know anything about knitting except the terms cast on, knit, purl, and I can do those 3 things. Because of my limited experience, I couldn’t follow the directions. Do you gave a video posted anywhere?
flaxandtwine says
Thank you Pam! I don’t have a video. I’m so sorry it was hard for you to follow the directions. It’s hard at first to know how to do the new stitches when you don’t have the visual. I’d like to try to provide photographic step by steps or a video soon.
Corkie says
Thanks for sharing this great patterns. I would love to make a summer shawl. How much yarn would I need to make a nice size shawl?
flaxandtwine says
Hi Corkie! It depends on your dimensions. Read the pattern part at the end of the post. If you make a shawl similar to the dimensions I suggest, you will need approximately 1,100 yards.
Emily says
hi! I love these patterns!! But I noticed there are rows missing…could you please help? Thanks!
Emily
flaxandtwine says
Hi Emily, I’m so glad you like them. If you don’t see the row listed, that means you are purling. With these lace patterns you purl on the wrong side rows. I hope I’ve answered your question!
silvia branda says
muito lindos , obrigada
silvia
Roxanne Brown says
Thank you for these lovely lace stitch patterns! I was wondering if you could advise how I might convert the patterns to knit cowls on circular needles. I am a beginner knitter however, I do understand how you noted that the stitches required a certain amount of stitches plus an additional stitch. I am particularly interested in the fifth stitch pattern because I have some angora blend yarn that I would love to use and I think a lace stitch would make it more comfortable to wear.
Once again, thank you for the patterns.
Roxanne
Alla says
Instead of purling, you need to knit stitches on each even numbered round.
Jewel Melia says
Most beautiful lace patterns – thank you so much for sharing
Jewel South Africa
Jewel Melia says
Beautiful lace patterns – thank you so much for sharing
Jewel
flaxandtwine says
Thanks so much, Jewel!
Beatriz Silva says
Thanks for the patterns. They are just beautiful and I think, easy to knit
flaxandtwine says
Thanks so much Beatriz!! I love them, too!
Sarafina says
Thanks for the wonderful explanation of lace! Being visually impaired, lace has always intimidated me, even if I could see what was going on in the pattern. Again, thank you for the great explanation, and the sample patterns!
flaxandtwine says
Oh – Thank you! I’m so glad you like the post!
Geeta Tomar says
Very very nice…Very well written….loved all your patterns…
flaxandtwine says
Thanks so much Geeta! I’m glad you like them!
Anne
Gizala says
Please show the videos of these patterns to understand more clearly thanks
flaxandtwine says
HI Gizala,I’m so glad you like the lace patterns. Unfortunately, I don’t have videos for these patterns. I will add it to my list as a request, however!
Ellie says
Hi, thank you for these patterns! It’s my first attempt at anything lacy so I appreciate the clear instructions 🙂 I’m working with number 4 and it’s looking beautiful but I have found my whole piece of knitting leans to one side – so I end up making a parallelogram shape, not a nice rectangle! What do you think I am doing wrong? Thanks!!
flaxandtwine says
Hi Ellie, a lot of time lace looks really funky until you block it. Have you tried doing that? It may straighten everything out just beautifully.
Jennifer Shields says
You are amazing.New to lace knitting making a wedding shawl for my daughter to be .All the patterns seam crazy either the edges were too tight or the wrong shape .
Thanks to you I can now make her shawl.
Just a question I would like to add beads how much space would you place them every second or every 4 the rest?
flaxandtwine says
Hi Jennifer,
I’m so glad! I would do a couple of swatches and see what you like best. But my instinct would be to do every 4.
Amy says
I just viewed this article and really love it. I would love to receive all of your articles, please. Would it also be possible to send me any other similar instructional knitting, and instructional how-to create pattern articles that I have missed, please? Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. Let me know if you have done any instructional videos, please. I am so happy to have found your article “How to Make an Easy Lace Knit Shawl Pattern”. Best regards, Amy
flaxandtwine says
Hi Amy, I’m so glad you like the article. If you want to keep up to date on all my posts and news, you can sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/St_i9 or you can subscribe to my blog via email (you will get an email for every post) here: http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=flaxandtwine&loc=en_US
Thanks again!
Anne
Ali says
This is my first time trying to knit anything lacy, and these patterns seem so approachable! I’m currently knitting a swatch of pattern 1, and I was wondering when it says to slip two stitches if you slip them both at the same time, as in a k2tog, or separately – one at a time? Or does that not matter that much since they are then passed over the next stitch? Thanks!
Lindsy Penney says
First off, THANK YOU!!! I have a hard time completing patterns “As Written”. If I run into a section I’m not too fond of, I calculate rows & stitches & yardage to adjust the pattern to something that suites me. I spend hours reworking & swatching, with yarn that’s comparable to whatever luxurious yarn I’m completing my project with, but MUCH less expensive so I don’t ruin my nicer yarn during the creative stage of my alterations LOL! Right now I’m working on the “Cambria Wrap” by Two of Wands, by Alexandra Tavel. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE her patterns & style! Mostly because I rarely run into sections I feel the need to alter to my liking. But, here I am, swatching something a little more appealing to me 😬. I read through the comments & didn’t come across anything about which way to slip the stitch in “Lace Pstern 5”. So I referred back to the Key;
– Psso: pass slipped stitch over (see note above)
I found this note in “Lace Pattern 1”
(Note: Slipping a stitch simply means moving a stitch from your left hand needle to your right. In this case, you put the needle into the stitch as if you were going to knit. Then, as you slide it, the part of the stitch (or leg) that sits in front of the needle switches which is part of the design.)
Does this mean that a sl1 is always slipped knitwise in all 5 of the lace patterns?
flaxandtwine says
HI Lindsay! I’m so sorry for my delayed response here. I somehow missed your comment. THanks so much for your kind words! Yes, when you slip a stitch you should do it knitwise. But when you refer to PSSO, you are passing the stitch that you already slipped knitwise over the last stitch. So you aren’t slipping again. Does this make sense to you?
Anne
Lindsy says
Yup, finally got it! Also, I just noticed the original article is over 3 years old & still helping people become more accomplished knitters! THANK YOU!!
flaxandtwine says
Oh great! What a nice thing to say~! Thank you!! I hope you make a beautiful shawl that you’re thrilled with!
Helena Okekai says
I am unable to follow any of these patterns. Looking at the Lace 5 pattern is mind-boggling.
I have knitted scalloped baby blankets, many hats (send to children’s cancer centers), beautiful shawls–but they are all basic garter stitches or rib stitches.
My problems:
1) living in Hawai’i we have no knitting/yarn stores with support groups. It’s too hot to knit in this climate–the wool/silk/cashmere is too much…so very few of us knit when we could be surfing instead.
2) I have traumatic brain injury from an IED in Afghanistan which also took vision in right eye…so it’s nearly impossible to LEARN new patterns. I print your pattern on, put them on a cork board, then move the tack to current row. But I can’t do ANY of your patterns. I get lost and so frustrated.
Don’t you have ANY easier lace patterns? I’m so discouraged!
flaxandtwine says
Hi Helena,
I’m so sorry you’re feeling frustrated! Knitting lace patterns can be challenging. Unfortunately, I do not have others on my blog. I would try doing Lace number 2 or 3 as they might be easier to tackle. I’m sorry you’re frustrated. Another good resource is Craftsy or Creativebug, where you could find a great instructor to show you how on video. they’re both great!
Kelly Boccia says
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!! I discovered you on Pinterest and now I am totally hooked on these patterns. As a new knitter you explain PSSO so perfectly it was easy for me to choose a pattern to try for my first lace pattern. Thanks again for your site!! I will be trying more of your patterns soon as well.
flaxandtwine says
Hi Kelly,
Thanks so much! I’m really glad that you like the post! feel free to pin or share!~ Enjoy knitting your lace 😉
Rain says
Hi, thanks for all the beautiful patterns, they all are so pretty n well written. I was wondering what type of cast on and cast off methods you used for lace patterns?
flaxandtwine says
I just use a long-tail cast-on.
Luz luna says
Hola me gustaría tener estos patrones en español
flaxandtwine says
Sorry, i don’t have them in Spanish!
Anne
Kristin93 says
Love these ideas, but is there no way to get a good “Print” view, so one can print this out to follow along easier?
flaxandtwine says
Hi Kristin,
Thanks so much. Apologies, but I don’t have that option!