Knitting Types and Terms

Here are some words you’ve heard and may not know the difference between. All are known as “traditional” knitting in the sense that the patterns have been used for many years and are passed down from generation to generation. I’ve tried them all, but today my interest is in Lace Knitting.

Aran Knitting uses a variety of stitches to create texture. This is where you see cables and bobbles and twisting vines.

Fair Isle Knitting is based on patterns created with color changes. Think Nordic ski sweaters.

Intarsia incorporates blocks of color. Think Argyles.

Lace Knitting and Knitted Lace are based on structure and openness and are usually of all one color. The difference between them is that Lace Knitting alternates a pattern row with a plain row and Knitted Lace uses a pattern for every row. Both are meant to be blocked to open the holes and create the lace look.

I have been trying Lace Knitting and I find it extremely fascinating. Using size 1 (or smaller) needles and lace weight fiber I’ve experimented with several patterns from my favorite book The Lacy Knitting of Mary Schiffmann by Nancy Nehring.

Above you see a Lacy Tidy (cute name!) and also a sample pattern. Most lace patterns are in chart form. I find this so much easier than written instructions which sometimes take up pages and pages. Pillowcase edgings, doilies, and hankies are not in common use today, but preserving the patterns is important. One of the oldest patterns is called “Shale” or “Shell.” This was taught to me by my Scottish grandmother, Grace MacLeod Chapman Anderson. Like some other basic life skills, I have always known how to do this and don’t even remember learning it.

Watch this space for instructions and more photos at some later date.