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These Books about Lace Knitting Could Be Yours

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lace knitting books

In more Sarah’s-cleaning-out-the-office news, this week I’ve got two lace knitting books for your consideration and that I could be sending to you soon.

Knitted Lace by Anne Merrow has a few essays on lace knitting — how to get started with lace, casting on and binding off, and shaping in lace — as well as 25 designs previously featured in Interweave publications. (Check out the patterns on Ravelry.)

This collection is a nice mix that includes shawls, sweaters, scarves and socks. The Dorflinger Tee and the Isis Wrap are a couple of personal favorites.

Also from Interweave, Lace Style by Pam Allen and Ann Budd has 21 designs as well as a designer’s notebook that talks about increases and decreases in lace, offers a bunch of example swatches and gives tips on things like centering lace motifs and fixing mistakes in your lace knitting. (Here are the patterns.)

A few favorites here are the Essential Tank Top, Lacy Waves Top and Floral Lace Anklets.

If you would like these books, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, April 9. I’d love to know what sort of lace knitting you’ve done in the past, or if there’s a project here that jumps out at you.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

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Comments

  1. I knit & give away a lot of prayer shawls, but, I don’t like the standard basic ones & don’t like knitting the same pattern each time, so each is a different lacy pattern. But, for these books, I’d begin with Angela Hahn’s Wakame Lace Tunic.

  2. I am working on my first lace shawl with a beginners simple pattern.
    Would love challenges… These books look lovely!

  4. I have done lace knitting-a scarf for my sister-a beautiful finish. I have had trouble with using fine textured yarns and keeping up with the pattern. Love the Lacy Waves Top-a must do!

  5. What treasures!!!! I have knitted some lace trims — I’ve had a class in Lace Knitting, shawlette, last Summer. Have done a lace scarf, and started a lace triangle shape wrap Antarktis. Lace knitting is light and airy — such nice accents!!! Thx for the opportunity to participate.

  6. Love knitting lace. I have done several lace shawls including some with beads, lace socks and even designed a lace cowl and lace fingerless mitts.

  7. Love doing shawls and pillow covers.

    When I first tried lace I made mittens with wrong gauge and yarn. I call them over-mittens and wear them with colorful gloves underneath so that the color peaks through my large black lace mittens. Sometimes there are pretty mistakes.

  9. I’m new to knitting but would love to make a prayer shawl. They are so pretty and delicate.

  10. I really like that Lacy Waves top! I have knit a lace shawl. It seemed like I would never get done, but I did and I’m proud of it although I’ve only worn it once.

    I was sure to use lifelines every purl row as it got larger, no way was I going to start over!

  11. I Iover knitting lace. Technically it requires more concentration but it reminds me of all the knitted projects my grandmother made for us as children especially the vintage lace. It brings back such wonderful memories. I love using lace around my blankets & throws. It gives them that beautiful finished look.

  13. I mostly do lace in sweaters and hats. I’m working on a lace and cable hat pattern right now.

  15. I have knit several lace knit projects. It is my favorite thing to knit. I would have a hard time deciding which of these projects to knit first. They are all so beautiful.

  17. I’ve made some lace hats, mohair lace scarves and will soon cast on for a lace cowl. I love working with lace patterns.

  18. I have knitted lace hats and scarves before, but a classic item like the Katharine Hepburn Cardigan is my goal!

  19. I have done scarves, hats, baby sweaters, and incorporated lace in afghans and shawls. I want to make myself a sweater

  20. I made a wedding shawl for our now DIL to wear at the wedding!

    from rainy VT,
    the Vermonster

  21. I am attempting my first lace project, a shawl, but I keep dropping a stitch somewhere and have to start over. Oh well. I’ll just persevere until I figure it out!

  22. I made my only knitted lace project a couple of years ago. My cast on followed the in and out of my pattern but my cast off was very flat. I ripped it and tried a different cast off. Same result. To this day not sure what I did wrong.

  24. These are two great collections, featuring some of my favorite designers. I’ve knit smaller lace pieces, like mitts and cowls, but never a full size shawl or garment. I’m overdue on trying that. Thanks for all the wonderful giveaways – you seem to have a magical never ending library.

  28. I have knitted lace scarves, hats, shawls, socks, baby blankets and clothes….I love knitting lace!

  29. I’ve done several lace shawls and am thinking a lace cardigan might be nice for summer.

  32. I have knit lace scarves, a shawl and a snood. I find a good pattern very helpful to keep track of a chart.

Have you read?

Book Review: Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit & Crochet Blankets

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four. 

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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