New Vintage Lace

Vintage knitted doilies are breathtaking in their intricacy and delicacy. But who the heck wants to knit a doily? Lace knitter Andrea Jurgrau admits her obsession, but readily acknowledges that most people don’t have a use for such items from the past. Instead she offers a collection of 18 fully-charted projects, along with the vintage doily patterns that she has altered and adapted into fresh wearable accessories suited to more modern styles and tastes.

Included in the New Vintage Lace are hats, small and large shawls (circular, semi-circular, and triangular), scarves, and wraps—all derived from traditional lace doily patterns. Andrea shows how she creates her patterns, lifting and adjusting individual motifs, then reworking and combining them into original, unique works of wearable art. She discusses the mechanics of gauge, sizing, and shaping and gives readers ‘recipes’ that allow them to use their own vintage patterns should they choose. She also covers using half and quarter motifs for better drape or fit, and how to handle shaping the edges of a piece when doing so.

Andrea covers many particulars of lace knitting—explaining special stitches, how to read both charts and one’s own knitting, different ways of adding beads, and the importance of proper blocking (including how to cat-proof a project). Andrea has a keen eye for details, and discusses how yarn weight, ply, fiber, and color can all affect a lace design. While the majority of her projects are 800 yards or less, 3 substantial projects will provide a challenge for lace knitters wanting more.