Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Review: New Lace Knitting

by

new lace kntiting book reviewI have a strange relationship with lace. I like the idea of lace knitting, I love the look of a lot of it, and yet I resolved long ago that my lifestyle is not that of a person who knits or wears a lot of lace. I don’t have the patience for complicated patterns, long repeats or the seemingly unending length of time an intricate lace knitting project would require.

Yet I still love the idea that you can make shapes with holes, and I can get behind using lace as an accent on projects (and though completely unrelated to knitting I just today bought two shirts featuring lace trim).

If you like the look and the idea of lace but maybe not so much the traditional patterns like giant lace shawls that take forever to knit, check out Rosemary (Romi) Hill’s book New Lace Knitting: Designs for Wide Open Spaces.

In it, she looks at some traditional lace motifs like waves, leaves and diamonds and uses them in different ways, sometimes enlarging or editing the pattern, other times leaving it like the original. The motifs are then used on tops, sweaters, cowls, shawls, hats and other projects.

These designs are pretty and often a great way to use a little bit of lace to great effect (though there are some larger, detailed and more advanced patterns here, too). A couple of my favorites include the sweater on the cover, called the Manzanita Tee, featuring a chevron lave pattern on the yoke and picot edgings; the Hope Valley Flounce, a knit denim skirt; and the Crystal bay Shawl, which uses a Print o’ the Wave edging on an otherwise Garter Stitch shawl.

You can check out all the patterns on Ravelry. You’ll also love Romi’s rules for lace knitting, which are important for new lace knitters and those with experience.

This is a fun book for people who like lace but who maybe don’t want another lacy shawl (though there are some of those here, too) or who want to knit a project that’s a little different from traditional lace. If you’ve looked at this book or knit anything from it, I’d love to know what you think!

About the book: 168 pages, paperback, 19 patterns (no skill levels given, but some knowledge of lace knitting is helpful, garments have between five and seven sizes). Published by Interweave/F+W, September 2015. Suggested retail $24.99.

Comments

  1. I really love his book, but haven’t purchased it yet. I like to knit (and wear) lace garments… During the past couple of years I have made a number of lace tops (with sleeves) to wear during the summer over a tank. I think it’s a good modest look with a little glamour. Like the top on the cover, it’s pretty and feminine even if you’re wearing it with capris.

Have you read?

Classic Dishcloth Knitting Patterns

Fall will be here before we know it, and that means there are holidays coming right behind where we might be entertaining at home. It’s always fun to have a hand knit touch in your home for other people to see, and if you’re going to be in the kitchen all day you might as well have some nice knit dish cloths to use. 

I love this little plaid hand towel from Darling Jadore. Use a little bit of leftover cotton yarn from another project for the plaid portion. It looks like the horizontal stripes are worked as you knit and the vertical stripes are done with duplicate stitch, making this a quick and easy project even newer knitters can make. 

Combine garter stitch and an easy eyelet pattern worked sideways to make the Annette Dish Towel from Cluck Cluck Boots, which is meant to be reminiscent of flour sack towels. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can work it in one color or two (or even three!). 

Add a little more texture with this set of kitchen towels from Whileberry Creative. They’re mostly worked in garter stitch with borders in easy knit/purl patterns, and you can work them in sport or worsted weight yarn. 

Two of Wands Shop has another cute allover knit and purl pattern they call the Seersucker Textured Tea Towel. It’s an easy repeating pattern worked in worsted weight yarn, and there’s a chart in the pattern you can use, but don’t have to, if you want to practice knitting from a chart. 

The Classic Cloth dish towel from Handmade Home by Connie is another one that can use a little leftover yarn in a contrasting color, or you could color block it our use stripes throughout the pattern. This one uses worsted weight yarn and another easy repeating knit purl stitch pattern. 

If you like to hang your towel on the oven handle or elsewhere but it’s always falling off, try the Stay Put kitchen towel from Fancy Step Knits. This project is worked in garter stitch and includes a hole partway through so you can pull the towel through itself over a rod or handle. Stripes are optional but a nice addition.