Cariad leaf: a free lace knitting stitch pattern

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This leaf pattern is made from a motif from cariad, published a couple weeks ago. Sometimes I like to make a subsection of a bigger pattern into a smaller one.

  • cariad leaf: a free lace knitting stitch pattern, by Naomi Parkhurst
  • cariad leaf: a free lace knitting stitch pattern, by Naomi Parkhurst

This is a rare case where knitted lace looks good unstretched (at least in my opinion). The image on the left shows the swatch washed and dried flat without pinning out. The image on the right shows it after it’s been stretched out to dry a second time.

I’ve photographed them from a slight angle because I had a difficult time getting the pattern to show in a photo from directly above.

Cariad leaf: a free lace knitting stitch pattern, by Naomi Parkhurst

Notes:

  • This is a stitch pattern such as might be found in a stitch dictionary. It is not a pattern for a finished object. You will need to add selvedges or some other form of knitted stitches to either side.
  • Cariad is a multiple of 8 + 7 stitches and 8 rows depending on the version.
  • I’ve made a stitch map for it.
  • Designers, please feel free to use this in your patterns. I’d like credit but won’t be offended if people don’t give it.
  • My blog posts and free stitch patterns are supported by subscriptions on Patreon or donations to my Paypal tip jar in the sidebar. If you appreciate my work, please consider helping out. Thanks!

Abbreviations:

  • CDD: centered double decrease: slip the next 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit the next stitch, then pass the 2 slipped stitches over the third.
  • k: knit.
  • k2tog: knit 2 stitches together as if they were 1. (Right-leaning decrease)
  • kyok: (k1, yo, k1) in 1 stitch.
  • p: purl.
  • ssk: slip each of the next 2 stitches as if to knit, then knit them together through the back loop. (Left-leaning decrease)
  • yo: yarnover

Row 1 (RS): k2, *p1, kyok, p1, ssk, k1, k2tog; work from *, p1, kyok, p1, k2.

Row 2 (WS): p2, k1, p3, k1, *(p3, k1) x 2; work from *, p2.

Row 3: k2tog, *p1, (k1, yo) x 2, k1, p1, cdd; work from *, p1, (k1, yo) x 2, k1, p1, ssk.

Row 4: p1, k1, p5, k1, *p1, k1, p5, k1; work from *, p1.

Row 5: (k1, p1) in 1 stitch, *p1, ssk, k1, k2tog, p1, kyok; work from *, p1, ssk, k1, k2tog, p1, (k1, p1) in 1 stitch.

Row 6: p2, k1, p3, k1, *(p3, k1) x 2; work from *, p2.

Row 7: k2, *p1, cdd, p1, (k1, yo) x 2, k1; work from *, p1, cdd, p1, k2.

Row 8: p2, k1, p1, k1, *p5, k1, p1, k1; work from *, p2.