GRAFTING Lace graftingLace series 3 min read

An Education in Lace Grafting: Lace Pattern 1

grafting two-sided lace
Join us at Maker Festivals Colorado, the ultimate crafting extravaganza in Loveland from April 10-13, 2024, where the beloved Yarn Fest evolves with an exciting addition of beads and jewelry artists!

Grafting Two-Sided Lace: Lace Pattern 1
Now that you’ve had a chance to practice the grafting sequences on stockinette stitch (Practice Swatch 1 and Practice Swatch 2), you can try them out on the five lace patterns. You are getting closer to grafting two-sided lace!
For your practice swatches, I recommend using a yarn that is a heavier weight than you might normally use for a lace pattern so that you can see the stitches clearly.
And smooth cotton yarn will make it easier to undo the grafted stitches if you need to. As with Practice Swatches 1 and 2, the lace swatches can be worked in two separate pieces: one piece that begins with a provisional cast-on, and another that ends with live stitches.
LACE PATTERN 1
Lace Pattern 1 is worked over a multiple of ten stitches, plus two (the instructions here are for a swatch worked over thirty-two stitches) For the grafting, I used Rows 3 and 4 of the lace chart (Row 3 for the grafted row itself and Row 4 for the provisional cast-on row). I chose those two rows so the grafted decreases would fall in the middle of a right-slanting line formed by the k2tog decreases on Rows 1 and 2, and on Rows 5–9. The grafting should connect the decreases so that they form a continuous line. Having regular landmarks like this ensures that a mistake will be found after only a few stitches.
USING LANDMARKS
I find these types of landmarks crucial when I’m grafting in pattern. There’s nothing more frustrating than to get to the end of the grafted row only to find out that I made a mistake way back at the start of the row. In addition to decrease lines, the yarnovers that were worked on the provisional cast-on row also serve as helpful landmarks (which is why I include them on the grafting chart, even though they don’t involve working any grafting steps). As you graft, pay close attention to how each grafting sequence relates to the stitch pattern in the rows above and below.
THE GRAFTING SEQUENCES
Three sequences are used to graft Pattern 1: Sequences A, F, and I.   grafting two-sided lace  
THE PROVISIONAL CAST-ON
Crochet Chain Method 1. With crochet hook and cotton waste yarn, chain about 38 sts. Break yarn and pull tail through last st. 2. Turn chain over so the bumps in the back of the chain are visible. With knitting needle and working yarn, beginning in 3rd st from last st of chain, pick up and knit sts in the chain, placing the yarnovers from Row 4 of the chart as foll (reading chart Row 4 from left to right, counting the decrease symbol as one picked-up st): pick up and knit 1 st, *pick up and knit 6 sts, yo and skip a chain, pick up and knit 3 sts; rep from * 2 more times, pick up and knit 1 st—32 sts. Alternate Crochet Chain Method 1. With crochet hook and cotton waste yarn, work 32 chain sts onto a knitting needle. 2. With knitting needle and working yarn, work as foll: k1, *k6, yo, drop a chain st from needle, k3; rep from * 2 more times, k1—32 sts. Waste Yarn Method 1. With cotton waste yarn, cast on 29 sts. Work in St st for about 1″, ending with a RS row. Break yarn. 2. With WS facing and working yarn, k1, *k6, yo, k3; rep from * 2 more times, k1—32 sts.
WORK THE LACE PATTERN
Work Rows 5–18 of the chart once, then rep Rows 1–18 as desired. Bind off all sts. For the second part of the swatch, cast on (not provisionally) 32 sts and work Rows 1–18 of the lace pattern as many times as desired, ending with Row 2. Break the yarn, leaving a tail about 5 times the width of the swatch for grafting. (I like to block the swatches before grafting so that I can make sure the tension of the grafted stitches matches the blocked gauge. I also block after grafting to even out any irregularities in the grafted row.)
CREATE AN EXTRA LOOP ON THE PROVISIONAL CAST-ON ROW USING THE CAST-ON TAIL
grafting two-sided lace
Create an extra loop on provisional cast-on row using cast-on tail.
FOLLOWING THE GRAFTING CHART
I print out the grafting chart so I can check off each sequence as it’s worked. That way, if I get interrupted mid-graft, I know that I have to start with the first unchecked sequence. I usually try to complete a full repeated set of sequences (the sequences enclosed in the red box) before stopping. There’s no particular reason to do this, but I’ve found that having a regular process that I adhere to each time lessens the chance of making a mistake.
GRAFT THE STITCHES
Thread the working yarn onto a tapestry needle. Work Sequence A once: Make sure to use the half loop at the very edge of the upper piece for Step 2 of the first sequence.
BEGIN THE REPEATED SEQUENCES
*Work Sequence A two times:
Begin repeated set of sequences: work two Sequence A’s.
Work Sequence F once: Sequence F ends just before the first yarnover on the provisional cast-on row (this is the first landmark).
Work Sequence F, ending just before first yarnover on provisional cast-on row.
Work Sequence A five times: The first Sequence A is worked on the other side of the yarnover on the upper piece and follows a left-slanting line of stitches on the left side of the line of yarnovers (another useful landmark).
Work Sequence A on other side of yarnover.
Then four more Sequence A’s are worked for a total of five.
Work four more Sequence A’s.
Work Sequence I once: Work Steps 1–4 of Sequence I as for Sequence A.
Work Steps 1–4 of Sequence I as for Sequence A.
Work Step 5 of Sequence I.
Work Step 5 of Sequence I: insert tapestry needle purlwise into next two stitches on lower piece.
Work Step 6 of Sequence I over same two stitches on upper piece as first part of sequence.
Work Step 6 of Sequence I: insert tapestry needle purlwise and knitwise into same two stitches on upper piece as first part of sequence.
Work Step 7 of Sequence I. The k2tog decreases should form a continuous right-slanting line (third landmark). This is the end of the repeated set of sequences.
Work Step 7 of Sequence I: insert tapestry needle knitwise into both stitches on lower piece (following the path of the grafting yarn back through both stitches). End of repeated set of sequences.
Repeat from * 2 more times: Second set of repeated sequences complete.
Second repeated set of sequences complete.
Third set of repeated sequences complete.
Third repeated set of sequences complete.
Work the last Sequence A and then remove the waste yarn. Block the swatch to even out the grafted stitches.
Work final Sequence A and remove waste yarn from both pieces.

Review the Lace Grafting Series

TAKE ME TO PRACTICE SWATCH 1

TAKE ME TO PRACTICE SWATCH 2

TAKE ME TO LACE PATTERN 1

TAKE ME TO LACE PATTERN 2

TAKE ME TO LACE PATTERN 3

TAKE ME TO LACE PATTERN 4

TAKE ME TO LACE PATTERN 5

LEARN MORE ABOUT GRAFTING CHARTS


Find More on Lace & Lace Grafting!

  • Sale!

    Knitscene, Summer 2017 Digital Edition

    $14.99 $5.00

  • The Definitive Guide to Grafting: Part 1 Video Download

    $24.99

  • How to Graft Your Knitting Invisibly: Taking Kitchener Stitch to the Next Level eBook

    $19.99

Join the Conversation!

Choose the membership you’d like to join​

Bead & Jewelry

Annual Charter Membership â€‹

(Limited Time Offer)​

$78.00 $24.95/year

Interweave Knits

Annual Charter Membership â€‹

(Limited Time Offer)​

$78.00 $24.95/year

  • 250+ Projects should be ​ ($2,000+ value)
  • 100 Member exclusive ​ should be ($800+ value)
  • 10,000+ Pieces of Expert Advice (Priceless)​​​
  • To View All Benefits Click Here for Bead+Jewelry or here Interweave Knits

The membership you’d like to join​

Interweave Knits

Annual Charter Membership â€‹

(Limited Time Offer)​

$78.00 $24.95/year

  • 250+ Projects – Fresh for Each Season ($1,400 value)​
  • 100 Member Exclusive Projects ($500 value)​​​
  • 10,000+ Pieces of Expert Advice (Priceless)​​​
  • To View All Benefits Click Here for Bead+Jewelry or here Interweave Knits

The membership you’d like to join​

Bead & Jewelry

Annual Charter Membership â€‹

(Limited Time Offer)​

$78.00 $24.95/year

  • 250+ Projects – Fresh for Each Season ($2,000 value)​
  • 100 Member Exclusive Projects ($800+​ value)​​​
  • 10,000+ Pieces of Expert Advice (Priceless)​​​
  • To View All Benefits Click Here for Bead+Jewelry or here Interweave Knits

The membership you’d like to join​

Interweave Knits

Annual Charter Membership â€‹

(Limited Time Offer)​

$78.00 $24.95/year

  • 250+ Projects – Fresh for Each Season ($1,400 value)​
  • 100 Member Exclusive Projects ($500 value)​​​
  • 10,000+ Pieces of Expert Advice (Priceless)​​​
  • To View All Benefits Click Here for Bead+Jewelry or here Interweave Knits