How to Read a Lace Knitting Chart

Once you have a few simple projects under your belt, you might want to try out some more complex lace knitting, and that often means that you will need to — or at least have the option to — read and follow a chart instead of text instructions.

I know knitting charts can seem intimidating, but they’re really just a visual representation of what your knitting should look like when you work it properly.

Yarn overs, for instance, are represented as Os. Decreases a slants that go the direction the actual decrease goes.

When you’re knitting flat, you work a chart from right to left on the right (or front) side of the work, while you work from left to right on the back/wrong side. Because that’s the direction you’re knitting in relation to the front of the work.

Sometimes in projects that are shaped or where the stitch count changes between rows you’ll see a shaded box that means there is no stitch there to work on that row. That’s easy; just ignore it and move on.

Charts often show just one repeat of the pattern along with the edge stitches, so make sure you’re reading it properly and know which part of it you’re supposed to repeat. (If you mess it up, you’ll know pretty quickly because you won’t have room for a full repeat at the end or your pattern just won’t look right.

It’s a great idea to start knitting from charts by using a pattern that has both written and charted instructions. Look at the chart and translate it into written instructions, then compare to the actual instructions. After you’ve done this once or twice you’ll be confident enough to work patterns that only have charts.

If you’re a lace knitter and you have tips for following charts, I’d love to hear them!

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns!

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil.

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn.

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point.

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up.

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.

Have you read?