Level Up Your Lace Knitting

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When choosing a lace pattern, sometimes it can be difficult to know just what you’re in for before you’re committed. And toiling away at a lace pattern you weren’t ready for just isn’t fun.

To help you out, Interweave knitters who love to knit lace share their favorite patterns for beginner, intermediate, and confident lace-knitters. You can level yourself up or knit where you’re comfortable—just keep making those yarnovers! We’ve got some beginner resources to help you out if you get stuck, too. This roundup of patterns is all about helping you choose the right lace project for your level, while also looking ahead at the next step or two in your lace-knitting journey.

Perfect Introductions

These patterns are perfect for getting the basics down; they’re small and use yarns heavier than laceweight. Bulkier yarn lets you practice your increases and decreases without having difficulty seeing your yarn.

Start here if you are new to lace, haven’t tried it in a while, or want some simple lacy stitches to fly through. For a referesher on the basic techniques, check out Heather Zoppetti’s online workshop, Start Knitting Lace!

Balsam & Lavender Sachets by Donna Kay from Interweave Knits Gifts 2019

If you’re new to lace knitting (or just new to lace charts), these charming sachets are the perfect place to start. The lace panel on each sachet is worked over just a few stitches. Then the rest of the stitches are all-knit!

The sachets start with a provisional cast-on, but if you’re not familiar with that cast-on you can use a regular long-tail cast-on and sew the bottom edges together instead.

Bette Scarf by Joni Coniglio from Quick + Easy Knits No.1

You might notice that this extremely simple scarf pattern was designed by one of the other contributors to this article. Joni is too modest to say that this project is the ultimate introduction to lace, in a form that you will also love to knit and wear.

You’ll use only the simplest of techniques to create simple eyelets, and there’s just stockinette and garter stitch in between.

Viola Beanie by Laura Barker from Interweave Knits Gifts 2020

New to lace? It doesn’t get much easier than this slightly slouchy hat. A simple ribbing flows into a basic lace pattern.

This project is a great way to learn how to read a chart; after a repeat or 2, you‘ll be able to read your own knitting as a back-up. And no purling!

Next Steps

These projects are sill fairly simple, featuring scaled-up versions of the techniques you learned in the previous section. The projects are getting bigger here, though, focusing on garments and wraps that use a lace motif repeated throughout; either allover or as a central motif.

If you need a refresher on reading charts as things get more complicated, Jennifer Dassau’s workshop How to Read Knitting Charts will teach you everything you need to know about lace charts, as well as colorwork, cable, and shaping charts.

Puck’s Tunic by Susanna IC from Interweave Knits Summer 2017

The same basic lace stitches used in the Balsam & Lavender Sachets can also be used as a lace panel in a garment. In the tunic, the lace pattern is worked back and forth in rows, which means purling on the wrong-side rows.

Geometric patterns like this are good for building confidence in a larger-scale garment. One reason is that you are more likely to be able to see if you’ve made a mistake. The earlier you spot a mistake, the easier it is to fix!

Buena Vista Stole by Sandhya Shadangi from Interweave Knits Summer 2018

There’s nothing difficult about the lace in this project; you use the simplest of yarnovers and increases to create mesh textured squares between simple square crosses in stockinette stitch. It is, however, a really big commitment to an allover lace pattern that will prepare you for similarly large projects with more going on.

I’ve knit this pattern myself, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. I made lots of little mistakes while knitting it (inevitable in lace-knitting) but I was always able to fix them without ripping out entire rows. It’s a great pattern for building confidence in fixing your mistakes while knitting lace!

Monterey Tee by Kate Gagnon Osborn from Wool Studio Vol. II

Don’t let the fancy pattern fool you. This tee is nothing more than 2 rectangles of knitted lace, with a bit of twisted ribbing at the hem, collar, and sleeves. The all-over lace pattern is a great way to get comfortable with charts, as there is no shaping. It’s a great choice if you are short- or long-waisted, as you simply knit fewer or more lace repeats to suit.

A smooth yarn will show off the lace beautifully, but if you want a slightly more ethereal look, try a with a bit of mohair in it. Note: block this baby aggressively; you really want that lace to open up!

Hoo-Boy (Knitting Lace with Confidence)

After you’ve knit a project or two from earlier in the list, and when you’re also confident with accomplishing shaping and following a lace chart at the same time, give these projects a try. Ranging from small and intricate to a full sweater, they’re just a taste of the wide world of lace knitting.

Ghostly Mitts by Jennifer Miller Comstock from Interweave Knits Winter 2021

Once you’ve mastered the basics of knitting lace and following lace charts, you’ll be able to move on from working lace in single panels to more-advanced lace patterns such as those with charts that have stitch repeats, or lace patterns that involve some shaping.

Start with a small accessory and, from there, you will be able to knit pretty much any lace pattern with confidence.

Catalina Shawl by Lana Jois from Interweave Knits Summer 2016

Shawls are a huge part of lace knitting, and with a great introduction like the Catalina Shawl, you’ll find that you keep coming back to the lightweight lace shawl. The lace doesn’t even come in until you’re halfway down the body of this shawl, at which point your rows will be getting pretty long. That lace will be a welcome change-up!

This project is more simple than it looks, and will give you lots of practice increasing while working a lace pattern. Plus, you’ll be working with a true laceweight yarn! Once you’re finished, you’ll be set to work just about any shawl from Interweave; the key techniques are all under your belt!

Midsummer Aran Knitted Sweater by Ginevra Martin from Interweave Knits Summer 2013

Yes, a lot is going on here: Lace, cables, mesh, doing-shapey-things-with-the-neckline-and-sleeves . . . but I’ve rarely had a sweater enthrall me so much. You definitely need a row counter with this, and it’s helpful to map out what you are doing, as you’re juggling more than one chart at a time.

It’s knit in the round from the bottom up, and you work the sleeves separately before joining them to the yoke. If you’re comfortable with charts and lace, this pattern is Netflix-friendly up to where you hit the V-neck portion. Though it’s called “Midsummer,” I definitely recommend this for fall. And since you need to wear some sort of tank or camisole underneath, you might want to size up. You’ll invest time and brainpower into this particular project, but it’s worth the sense of triumph you get at the end.

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We hope we’ve got you feeling inspired and empowered to knit lace! If you’d like more pattern suggestions, check out a few of our most-popular lace knitting patterns and the Interweave pattern shop.

Looking for still the next step? Learning how to graft lace is the ultimate way to understand the structure and technique. Plus, you’ll be able to create gorgeous knitted lace tubes: cowls, headbands, and more!

Originally publised 4/5/2021. Last updated 3/7/2024.