Vandyke Lace

Sample knit with sport weight yarn on US 10 needles

Multiple of 3

Row 1 (RS): *k1, (yo) twice, k2tog

Rows 2 and 4: purl, treating each double yarn over as a single stitch (purl first yo, then drop it and the second yo off left needle)

Row 3: *k2tog, (yo) twice, k1

Repeat these four rows for the pattern.

Happy Knitting!

Easy Chevron Lace Cowl Kit

This cowl is worked in the round in a simple, attractive Chevron Lace pattern using my popular Merino DK base.  Merino DK is an incredibly soft, squishy 100% Superwash Merino wool.

Size: Appx. 42" circumference x 13" tall after blocking

Skill Level: Easy/Advanced Beginner

You should feel comfortable with the following techniques/stitches:

Working in the round, knit stitch, knit 2 together, yarn over, slip-slip-knit, purl stitch

You will receive:

• Digital pattern and 2 skeins of Merino DK

You will need:

• US Size 8 circular needle, 24"
• Stitch marker
• Yarn needle/crochet hook for weaving in ends.
• Blocking mat, wires/pins, wool wash or gentle soap - you can pin your project out onto the floor or a bed, or anywhere it won't be disturbed while drying if you don't have mats.

The pattern is completely written out, and a chart is included for the Chevron Lace.

Once your order has been processed, you will receive an email with a link to download the pattern.  If you do not get a download link, or it doesn't work, email sapphiresnpurlsknitting@gmail.com and the pattern will be sent to you.

PLEASE CHOOSE YOUR COLOR FROM THE DROPDOWN MENU

Bijou - Free Shawlette Pattern!

SORRY - PATTERN NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Hi everyone!  Finally, at long last, the pattern for my Bijou Shawlette is available!

You can get this through my shop, or as a free Ravelry download, or from Craftsy.  

Here is more info:

This is a triangle shawl knit from the top down.

It uses only one skein of my Springy Sport, or you may substitute any similar yarn you like.

Materials:
1 skein 3 ply sport weight yarn - 328 yds/299 m - 3.5 oz/100 gr
US size 10 circular needle at least 32”
Cable or DPN
8 locking stitch markers
194 Japanese glass seed beads, size 6/0
Yarn needle for weaving in ends

Blocking pins, mats, wires or whatever you use to block your projects and wool wash such as SOAK are useful but not required.

Depending on your preferred method of stringing beads, you may need a piece of scrap yarn, crochet hook, etc.

Skills:
You should know how to knit, purl, make yarn overs, k2tog, p2tog, and ssk, and feel comfortable with cables. You should also feel comfortable working with beads.

Annaliese Shawl - FREE Knitting Pattern

I wanted to share this shawl pattern with you.  This is knit with my wonderful Silk Camel yarn!  So soft, and the drape is amazing.


This is a crescent shaped shawl for the intermediate knitter.

The lace edging is knit first, then stitches are picked up and knit along the edge to work the main body of the shawl.

You will need just 1 hank of my Silk Camel fingering weight yarn, or you may substitute any similar weight yarn.  You will also need a US size 10.5 needle; the edging can be knit on a straight needle, but a 32" circular needle is recommended to accommodate the stitches for the body of the shawl.

The shawl measures appx. 46" x 19" after blocking.

The skills required to knit the shawl are:
• Short row shaping
• Pick up and knit
• I-cord bind off
• Knit/K2tog/K2tog tbl/K3tog
• Purl/P2tog
• SSK
• Yarn overs – single/double/beginning of row
• Slip and pass stitches over

There are several ways to get the pattern:

From my Storenvy shop, add the pattern to your cart and checkout.  An email will be sent with the download link.   CLICK HERE

To download from Ravelry CLICK HERE

From Craftsy, place the pattern in your cart and checkout to download the pattern.  CLICK HERE

Celeste Cowl - New Knitting Pattern!

This is an easy lace pattern that takes only one hank of my Triple Luxury DK yarn, or you may substitute 3.5 oz / 252 yds of a similar yarn.  Sample was knit with the color Forest Dusk.


The finished size after blocking is appx. 30"x12".  Notes are given for making the cowl larger.

You will need to be comfortable working in the round on circular needles, know how to knit, purl, yo, slip/pass slipped stitches over.

You will need a 24" US size 8 circular needle, a stitch marker, yarn needle for weaving in loose ends, and wool wash or gentle soap (optional).

Pattern is written with a chart for the main stitch used.

Click HERE to purchase the pattern and yarn.

Knitted Broomstick Lace

Sample knit with Debbie Bliss Amalfi on US Size 7 needles

Knitted Broomstick Lace, no crochet hook required!  

I first saw broomstick lace a few years ago, and gave it a try, but didn't like fussing with the crochet hook.  The whole process was just too fiddly for me.  Imagine my surprise to learn that you can knit broomstick lace.  I saw this process in the Summer 2012 issue of Love of Knitting.  Along with instructions for the broomstick lace, there are a few patterns in the magazine.

The process is fairly simple.

Work with a multiple of 5
For the first row K1, YO(2) across the row.  That is, knit the first stitch, make a double yarn over, and repeat to the end of the row.
Next, you will be slipping the knit stitches and dropping the yarn overs.  Slip a total of five stitches to the right needle.  These stitches will be long/loose.
Then, place the five stitches back on the left needle.  You will now K1, YO, K1, YO, K1 into this group of five stitches, and drop from left needle.  Repeat this to the end of the row.

Love of Knitting did not specify how many rows of plain knitting to do in between the above steps.  I suppose it does not really matter, however, if you look at one side of your work you will see a strand running across the fabric.  You can see the strand in the picture of my sample from the front; it is more noticeable on the back.  If you work an even number of rows between the lace stitches, your strand will always be on the same side of the work.  You could set it up so that the strand shows alternately on the 'front' and 'back' of the work.  For me, I actually like the look of the strand running across the fabric, so consider this a reversible fabric.  Try a sample and see what you think.

Here is a video of the process.  I misspoke and said I had 25 stitches on my needles, I only worked with 20.  Happy Knitting!

How to Knit Entrelac: An Entrelac Tutorial

At long last, here is the tutorial on Entrelac!  Below you will find a printable guide, with which you can knit a small sample of entrelac fabric.  When you feel comfortable with entrelac, you can use the directions here to create your own project.  Just substitute the number of stitches in the sample for however many stitches you want to use.

There is also a video demonstrating the small sample you can knit with the entrelac guide.  The video is in two parts, each about half an hour long.  I show the sample knit from cast on to bind off - how to knit the base or foundation triangles, the right side triangles/rectangles, the left triangles and wrong side rectangles, and finally the bind off triangles.

This tutorial is for knitting entrelac flat.  I also have a tutorial for Seamless Entrelac / Entrelac in the Round HERE.



This tutorial is just bare bones entrelac; there are many creative ways to expand on the basic entrelac I show you here.  As I mention in the guide, there are a couple of books on Entrelac that I know of (the first one I have), and a Craftsy class on Entrelac.  Here are the links:


Entrelac: The Essential Guide to Interlace Knitting

Entree to Entrelac: The Definitive Guide from a Biased Knitter

HERE is the class on Craftsy, taught by Gwen Bortner

Entrelac Tutorial

And here are the two videos:

Piecework May/June 2012

The latest issue of Piecework arrived in my mailbox today!

It is the 5th Annual Lace issue!!

There is an absolutely exquisite Russian Triangular Butterfly Shawl, designed by Inna Voltchkova, to knit.  I think this has to be one of the most beautiful pieces of lace I have ever seen!  If you have been reading my blog for a while, you may know that I am not big on large projects - and this would be one of those large projects.  However, I may just have to make an exception.  This is so beautiful!

Also in this issue, Bucks Point Lace article with a Bucks Point Bobbin-Lace Edging to Make, by Jo Ann Eurell.

Reticella Needle Lace to Stitch, by Bronislava Bacilkova.

A Lacy Ribbonwood and Fern Scarf to Knit, by Margaret Stove.

Margaretenspitze (Margarete's Lace), which is a type of hand-knotted lace - article as well as a tutorial on the technique and a flower project, by Marji Suhm.

There is a lot more lace goodness in this issue, so if you love lace, be sure to get your copy!