A Lace Edging Worked on a Knitting Machine

This morning, I was working away on a posting about the Fanciful Flat Fiber Friend Dolls, when a note popped up in my mail box.

A reader  was asking me to please post a chart for the knitted lace edging that I  designed for the baby blanket that I posted about in June.

She needs to get an edging done asap, so I stopped what I was doing, and sat down with my graph paper and went to work.

I was rushed when I was knitting the baby blankie for father’s day, so foolishly, didn’t write down what I had done. Silly of me.

Ah well…. it didn’t take me long to figure out a simple lace edging- not quite the same as what I put on the baby blankie, but I am pleased with it, anyhow.

Here’s the chart:

Photo and chart by Noreen Crone-Finday copyright

The lace is worked from the lower edge to the top. 10 rows are repeated for as long as you want the lace to be.

I don’t have a lace carriage, so I work it all with my one and only carriage.

The 3rd and 4th and 6th and 7th needles from the left are pushed back out of working position and never come forward into working position.

This is what row one looks like: The needles will be pushed back into working position once the yarn is cast on…. then knit them.

Photo by Noreen Crone-Finday copyright

Rows 2 and 3 (are both worked the same way): Working with a double prong stitch lifter, lift the 2 stitches at the right hand edge of the row, leaving an empty needle in working position. Knit the row.

Row 4: Working with a double prong stitch lifter, lift the 2 stitches at the right hand edge of the row, leaving an empty needle in working position. With a single prong stitch lifter, lift the stitch off the 5th needle from the right hand edge and place it on the needle to the left, leaving the needle in the working position. Knit the row.

So… you will just carry on, lifting one or two stitches at a time to make the holes and to move the edge of the lace out and then in again….

Photo by Noreen Crone-Finday copyright

As I knit the lace, after 5 or so rows, I move two claw weights up to the row just off the machine.  I also roll up the length of lace and pin it to keep it organized.  (and safe from the depradations of the cats and small mischevious dog).

If you look closely at the pic above, you’ll see that I started out with a gap of 2 needles, then 1 needle at the left hand side. I wasn’t happy with that, so I moved things around and ended up with the 2 gaps of 2 needles each.

After you finish knitting the length of edging that you want ( or attaching it integrally as you go, the way I did for the baby blanket) you’ll need to press and block the lace.

I used a slubby cotton, and quite like it.

I’ll be using it on another baby blanket soon….. it’s a really quick and easy way to make a very pleasing edging for a shawl, blanket or whatever your heart desires!