Knitted lace is a great method for making a delicate ribbon which can be used for other crafts and décor!
I had an idea: make a lace ribbon. But I wasn’t sure how I wanted to go about this challenge. I have seen crochet being used to make lace, I have seen a needle method (that I have never tried) to make lace, and then there was my comfort zone of knitting. So, I picked my comfort zone of knitting.
Knitting itself wasn’t going to give me the challenge I wanted though! So, my next thought was, what if I change the material that I use to knit with? This led me to think of knitting with embroidery thread. It is more delicate than yarn so it would fit perfectly with the lace feeling. And I had no idea how it would knit since I haven’t used it to knit before!
I got to knit with embroidery thread, very small needles, and a pattern. And then I got to work making a lace ribbon. I think the end results turned out beautifully!
Check out the Craft section of MCG for more fun patterns in strings and things or more unlimited ideas.
Supplies
This project did not need many supplies, which makes it great for a quick and easy knitting project.
- (2) US Size 2 needles
- Embroidery Thread, any color
- Embroidery needle, for finishing edges
Process
Making a lace ribbon is very simple, so I am not breaking it out into parts. I used one pattern stitch: openwork on an angle. The stitch consists of knitting, purling, knitting 2 stitches together, wrapping the yarn over, and slipping stitches. Nothing too complicated but when you put them together, the result pattern turns out great!
I ended up repeating the eight-row pattern until I had made a lace ribbon that was eight and a half inches long. This length of ribbon was needed for a different project (stay tuned!). I then used the embroidery needle to weave in the ends of the yarn. I also decided to use an iron to flatten out the ribbon. Curling can be a serious problem when it comes to knitting.
Reflections
Knitting with the embroidery thread didn’t prove to be too much of a challenge but it did have some difficulties. The embroidery thread is not as tightly woven as the yarn that I am used to using. I would often end up slipping the needle through the thread and causing it to split. Which is not what I wanted. But, so long as I paid attention, the creation process was uneventful. And I really like the results for the lace ribbon (if I hadn’t made that obvious already).
Lessons
Dealing with Lost Stitches
Somewhere in this project, I ended up losing a stitch and was not able to find it. Until I finished the project. Then I saw that obvious loop right in the middle of the project. Next step was figuring out how to secure it.
I took a piece of embroidery thread and passed it through the loop, pulling the loop into the lace and hiding it from the face of the ribbon. Then I knotted the thread together and sewed the edges into the lace, essentially hiding and securing the ribbon in one go.
Quick Recipe
Knitted Lace Ribbon
Equipment
- 2 US Size 2 Needles
- 1 Embroidery Needle
Materials
- Embroidery Thread any color
Instructions
- CO13
- Row 1 – K2, YF, K3, slip 1 knit wise, K2tog, Pass Slipped St, K3, YF, K2
- Row 2 – Purl all sts
- Row 3 – K3, YF, K2, slip 1 knit wise, K2tog, Pass Slipped St, K2, YF, K3
- Row 4 – Purl all sts
- Row 5 – K4, YF, K1, slip 1 knit wise, K2tog, Pass Slipped St, K1, YF, K4
- Row 6 – Purl all sts
- Row 7 – K5, YF, slip 1 knit wise, K2tog, Pass Slipped St, YF, K5
- Row 8 – Purl all sts
- Repeat 8 rows until desired length is reached. BO13
Notes
- CO – Cast On
- K – Knit
- K2tog – Knit 2 Together
- St(s) – Stitch(es)
- YF – Yarn Forward