Knitting Traditions, Fall 2013 Digital Edition

This seventh edition of PieceWork’s Knitting Traditions is all about lace—its magic and mystery and its ethereal quality—as expressed in knitting.

The word ‘lace’ comes from the Latin verb laqueare, ‘to ensnare.’ Many believe that lace originated with efforts to reproduce the web made by nature’s consummate lacemaker, the spider. The openwork fabric that would come to be known as lace originated in the sixteenth century, and the lace industry quickly became a force to be reckoned with. Lace made and broke national economies. Women and men died trying to possess the finest examples. Smugglers devised creative (and some ghoulish) ways to avoid paying taxes and duties on it. Numerous governments established laws that restricted who could wear it.

Each piece of lace speaks so eloquently to the beauty and value of work done by someone’s hand, whether that of an unknown maker of the past or one of today’s practitioners of lace knitting. And the lacemakers’ stories are just as intriguing as their lace.

In these pages, you’ll find stunning stoles, scarves, and shawls, an entire section with lace patterns from Victorian England, and lacy edgings, doilies, socks, and more. In addition to new patterns designed for this edition, our archives yielded a selection of older lace patterns that are no longer widely available.

Although knitting lace came along a little later than lace in its earliest forms—bobbin and needle—its fascinating history is still centuries old, and its traditions grow stronger with the addition of each new lace knitter to the fold. Please enjoy Knitting Traditions’ look at lace!” —Jeane Hutchins, editor

Explore the lace knitting projects in this issue

Find patterns for a variety of knitted lace wraps in this section, including Anniken Allis's Elegant Beaded Lace Stole from the cover of this issue. Knit Anne Carroll Gilmour's Cloud Stole, a lovely lace accessory that combines a Van Dyke lace pattern with traditional Cypress edging. Learn about Icelandic wool, spinning, and knitting with Helene Macnusson's Halldora Long Shawl, and knit elegant bobbles with fine alpaca/silk yarn to create Donna Druchunas's Dutch Lace Crescent Scarf. Delight in a floor-length knitted lace shawl adorned with beads in Lyanna's Shawl by Katrina King. Learn about the traditional lace knitting of Orenburg, Russia and create your own Orenburg knitted lace shawl with The Lacy Triangular Shawl by Inna Voltchkova, plus enjoy an Orenburg scarf, the Koloski (Ears-of-Wheat) Scarf by Galina Khmeleva. Find all these knitted lace wrap, scarf, and shawl patterns, plus lace knitting history and more, in Knitting Traditions Fall 2013.

Journey into vintage knitted lace with lace knitting patterns from Weldon's Practical Knitter and knit the Knitted Lace Mitten for a Lady from 1909, the Lady's Fancy Knitted Glove from 1900, and the precious Knitted Nightcap for baby from 1899. Enjoy Trellis Stripe lace knitting with the Trellis Stripe for a Quilt pattern, knit a lovely round lace doily with the Star Pattern d'Oyley pattern, and explore bird's eye lace and a twin cable pattern with two knitted lace border and corner patterns.

Create classic knitted lace garments and accessories with Karen Hooton's Lacy Afternoon Tea Blouse, Nancy Bush's Lacy Socks, and Ava T. Coleman's Lacy Bag for Lingerie. Meet Rose Wilder Lane: author, political activist, and needleworker. Learn the history of Herbert Niebling: Grand Master of Lace Knitting and knit your own Lace Bag Inspired by Herbert Niebling. Find patterns for beautiful and complex lace doilies, a miniature lace tablecloth, and more.

Order or download your copy of Knitting Traditions Fall 2013 today!