Best. Lace. Ever: When Crochet Lace Breaks with Tradition
Get a modern twist on crochet lace from Interweave Crochet Fall 2017. When we think of lace, we envision laceweight yarn or thread, teeny tiny crochet hooks, and very detailed, intricate, and complicated stitches. While no one can deny the beauty of this craft, it can be time-consuming and sometimes tedious. We have redefined crochet lace as any type of open or weblike stitch pattern. Our “Autumn Lace” story features open crochet stitches in a range of yarn weights, all worked in beautiful fall colors. Let’s walk through the yarn weights used in these projects and pick the project perfect for you!
0. Lace
We can’t make a lace story without at least one project worked in laceweight yarn: Lisa Naskrent’s Fall River Shawl. But it’s not a typical lace shawl, though it’s worked in a traditional fine yarn (The Fibre Co. Road to China Lace). Lisa, a designer known for thinking outside the box, has added post stitches, which are not typically seen in lace. These post stitches add a texture and complexity to this shawl unlike any other lace shawl we’ve ever seen.
1. Super Fine
Natasha Robarge’s Hondius Way Pullover uses fingering-weight Manos del Uruguay Alegria to create an open fabric of interlocking V-stitch webbing. But the garment silhouette really makes this sweater one of a kind—it’s part poncho and part sweater!
2. Fine
Zsuzsanna Makai’s Elk Ridge Shawl uses sportweight Passion 8 from Ancient Arts Fibre Crafts. The yarn is just heavy enough to speed up your stitching of a big half-hexagon shawl while allowing its stitch patterning room to open up. Can you find the stunning star motifs in this shawl?
3. Light
DK-weight yarn is a fantastic choice for lace patterns: the yarn is just fat enough to move a project along for the impatient crocheter, while still fine enough to show off an open stitch pattern. Our “Autumn Lace” story features 2 projects in DK-weight yarn: Jill Wright’s Dunraven Lane Tunic (Plymouth Yarn DK Merino Superwash) and Alla Koval’s Mountainside Scarf (Universal Yarn Amphora). The tunic features leaf or tree shapes made from open chain stitches and double crochet, making this project perfect for fall! Or work side to side with the Mountainside Scarf—its picot edging, shell stitch motifs, and fringe will stand out in a crowd.
4. Medium
Lace also looks great in big yarns. Jane Howorth made her Moon Ridge Cowl, with Cascade Yarns Cloud (a worsted-weight yarn) held double for extra warmth. All stitches for this cowl are worked between the stitches of the previous row (rather than into the stitches of the previous row) giving it a more open and lacy appearance. But it’s the closure that really stands out: thick chains of yarn loop through each other for major impact. This one will work up fast, so be sure to give it a try!
Try these projects with a modern take on crochet lace and get your hook moving this fall—you won’t want to miss them! To get a closer look into all the projects from Interweave Crochet Fall 2017, check out the fall preview page.
Happy stitching!
-Sara Dudek
Associate Editor, Interweave Crochet
Crochet Lace in Interweave Crochet Fall 2017
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