ON YOUR WAY TO THE MASTERS by cindy nelson

We all remember our early attempts. For most, the projects YOs should always be snug on the needle so the holes they create are had loose stitches and inconsistent tension. They probably also had even and consistent. Please note the YOs below the green markers in an amazing assortment of holes. Now our skills have improved and sample swatch 1. They should be tightened to improve the swatch. we are not beginners. We get to create holes by choice. Those holes Excess in a loose YO can create “floats” or oversized stitches. set the stage for what will become lovely, intricate lace pieces. Always keep the YOs snug on the needle as you create the next stitch. Level 1 of the Master Program requires a knitter to demonstrate skills that lay the groundwork for lace knitting. Those All YOs create increases and are balanced by decreases if the stitch skills include blended and full fashioned decreases, yarn overs and count is to remain constant from row to row. Not all lace includes simple eyelets. Level 2 includes three lace swatches that are knit eyelets. Decreases and YOs may not be side by side, or even in the using those basic skills. In Level 3 there is a circular lace swatch that same row in some patterns, and sample swatch 3 is an example. includes a central double (CDD). Lace patterns such as shawls will also use YOs to the size or change the shape of the piece. Lace knitting is a very old art and many patterns were handed down orally in families and communities. In the 19th century, writ- Like YOs, the decreases should be snug with no stretched stitches. ing about lace knitting began to appear in England and Scotland, In sample swatch 1 the decreases to the right of the red markers are including Weldon’s Practical Knitting. The history of lace knitting stretched or loose. Keep the decreases on the tips of your needles and and knitted lace is a fascinating study and there are many excellent baby them as you work to reduce this stretch. There are right and left resources in the Masters bibliography. slanting and double decreases in lace work. You will find an excellent discussion of the techniques in a two-part article by Arenda Holladay Techniques in the Spring (February – April 2005) and Summer (May – July There is one distinction that you may encounter in patterns: the 2005) issues of Cast On and in an “On Your Way to the Masters” difference between lace knitting and knitted lace. In lace knitting article archive in the Member section on the TKGA Web site. the rows that include increases and decreases alternate with rows of plain knitting. Knitted lace has lace work in every row. As you work Effects swatches, it may be easier to focus on knitted lace. The techniques for Various combinations of YOs and decreases create different effects in both are the same. When working on a new or complex pattern it is lace. For example, placing the YOs and decreases side by side creates a good idea to add a “lifeline”. This is a smooth, contrasting yarn eyelets. Check swatches 11 and 12 from your Level 1 submission. added to the first row of the pattern. If there is an error in your pattern The eyelets vary in relation to YO placement and type of decrease you can rip out to the lifeline and move forward from that row. used. June Hemmons Hiatt distinguishes smooth and broken eye- lets. Smooth left is a YO before a right slant, and smooth right is a The most common increase in lace is the (YO or yo). Some YO after a left slant. Broken left is a YO before a left slant, and broken patterns may use YF or YRN as abbreviations for yarn over. An open right is a YO after a right slant. In sample swatch 2, the right side of M1 can also be used, but it is not common. There are many detailed the swatch is worked with broken eyelets and the left side is worked formulas for making a yarn over between knit and purl stitches. In with smooth eyelets. The pattern is the same, but the effects are Level 3 you will be asked to describe each of them in detail. There is a different. Broken eyelets create the look of an “outline” for the YOs, shorthand description that may be easier to remember: a YO always and the smooth eyelets create less definition and smooth fabric. goes over the tip of the right needle from front to back, and into position to make the next stitch. Remember those holes from your Charts and early work? Some of them were dropped stitches, but some occurred Most lace knitting patterns include charts, which makes reading because the yarn was in front of the needle before the next stitch was easier. Each chart includes a key, which defines the symbols used. knit. That is precisely how a YO is created between two knit stitches. The most common symbols for lace are: O for YO, and a right or left

64 Cast On • May – July 2007 slant symbol for decreases. The patterns for the lace swatches in Level 2 can be written out or you can use charts. The lace swatches for level 2 must be bordered by seed stitch, which makes easier and gauge numbers more reliable. After the swatches are blocked (dressed), measure the lace within the borders and make your calcu- lations based on those numbers. When you are swatching for your lace projects, it is a good idea to border those swatches as well.

Blocking (Dressing) The last step for lace is blocking, also called dressing in some re- ferences. This is a critical step and should not be taken lightly. Lace can look like a rumpled mess when it comes off the needles. It is essential that the work is stretched out and the pattern opened up. Wet blocking is an appropriate method and lace requires a lot of rust- proof pins. Blocking wires are a useful alternative to pins for block- ing straight or curved lace edges. A cord can also be laced through the points for that type of lace edge and then pinned out to size and shape. Blocking frames, used in the Shetland Islands, are good for 1 large pieces, which are often blocked under tension. When blocking swatches, stretch the piece to the correct size and shape before pin- ning. A border on the swatch makes the blocking process easier.

Conclusion What does the committee want to see in lace swatches? First, ap- propriate yarn choice. Use a fine or superfine yarn, preferably in wool or wool blend that is smooth and light colored. Cotton yarn can be a wonderful choice for lace doilies, tablecloths, and summer afghans. It can be difficult to maintain good tension in cotton, and the use of starch is discouraged for swatches. Second, appropriate choice of pattern. The pattern must be of a size to work sufficient multiples and repeats while staying within the required swatch size. Consistent ten- sion is very important and can be the make or break point. The YOs and decreases must be even and consistent throughout the piece. Good finishing is extremely important, and a poorly blocked swatch is not acceptable. Please take great care with this step. 2 Work within your skill set and don’t try to do something overly complicated. The committee has seen it all before. It is much better to do an excellent job on a simple piece showcasing your best work. Beautifully done, simple patterns are truly works of art.

Finally, we offer a note of caution. Lace knitting can be addictive. Once you start you may find yourself scouring your local yarn store for books and yarn to add to your stash.

References Amedro, Gladys, Shetland Lace, The Shetland Times Ltd, 1996 Hiatt, June Hemmons, Principles of Knitting, Simon and Schuster, 1988 Miller, Sharon, Heirloom Knitting, The Shetland Times Ltd, 2002 Sowerby, Jane, Victorian Lace Today, XRX Books, 2006 Stove, Margaret, Creating Original Hand Knitted Lace, Lacis Publication, 1995 Waterman, Martha, Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls, Interweave Press, 1998

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to TKGA Master Hand Knitting Committee members Carolyn Vance, Joan Janes and Moira Ravenscroft for their valuable contributions to this article. 3

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