What kind of lace knitter are you?

Do you prefer to knit lace by written instructions or by chart?

Does your brain register the abbreviations and language of knitting in a strictly left to right direction more comfortably than symbols in both directions or vice versa? Are you a reading/writing type or a visual type? These are the kinds of questions I love talking about because everyone has such different characteristics and preferences!

I can’t remember when I first began to use/read charts for lace but it was like learning to read another language – challenging in the beginning but eventually being able to fumble my way through a pattern and then some crazy transition to not having to “translate” the symbols into words, just letting my fingers do their thing. I often get muddled up when trying to process written instructions, not being able to memorize or find the rhythm in them.

The Simple Lace Shawl pairs the simplest of lace stitches with stockinette stitch to create a modern take on the triangular shawl. I’ve included both written and charted instructions for the lace portion. If you’re a beginner knitter just getting familiar with knitting lace, this is a good place to start as it is easy to memorize the pattern in either written or charted form.  The two-stitch repeat also makes it easy to see the results after only a couple of rows.

Whichever method you prefer to read lace instructions, we all get to the same finished piece and how wonderful is that?

You can download the Simple Lace Shawl pattern for FREE when you sign up for the Cleome Smith Knits newsletter.