Entrelac step-by-step tutorial for beginners

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Normally in order to make one you put the tip of your right-hand needle between the first and the second stitch on your
Entrelac step-by-step photo tutorial for beginners Written by Urszula Szwabowicz

Entrelac isn’t as difficult as it’s described on the Net – it just sounds difficult, but to learn entrelac in fact you have to know just a bunch of useful techniques that you probably use while working on different, “non-entrelac” projects. These techniques are as follows: Knit stitches, Purl stitches, Knit two together (k2tog), Purl two together (p2tog), Slip slip knit (ssk), Make one stitch (m1), Pick up stitches along the edge. TIP! You don’t have to use two different colours of yarn and I recommend using solid colour or self-striping yarn while learning entrelac. It’s also easier and more comfortable to work entrelac with circular needles. While working entrelac, you have to think in category of rectangles (or triangles at the beginning) rather than right-side and wrong-side rows. Entrelac consists of four sections: a set-up row (the beginning of work), the first row of rectangles, the second row of rectangles and a closing row. This tutorial is divided into four parts. Each part describes one section of entrelac work and is provided with a picture of the described area.

Set-up row

When you start working in entrelac, you have to decide how big your rectangles will be. I chose 8 stitches wide rectangles for this tutorial, so I have to cast on the number of stitches that can be divided by 8. Let’s get started then. 1. Cast on 32 sts. Start working on the first triangle of the set up row (the one marked with an arrow in the photo above): K2 stitches, then turn your work to the wrong side. P2 sts, turn to the right side. K3, turn. P3, turn. K4, turn. P4, turn. K5, turn. P5, turn. K6, turn. P6, turn. K7, turn. P7, turn. K8, don’t turn. It should look like this:

2. Leave the first triangle on the right-hand needle and repeat the instructions from point 1. This way you’ll make the second triangle. It will curl a little but don’t worry.

3. Make remaining two triangles in the same way. You’ll complete the set-up row in this way. Then turn your work to the wrong side. This is what you should have on the right-hand needle before turning to the wrong side:

First row of rectangles

1. As you can see in the photo above, before you start making rectangles, you need one more triangle at the beginning of the row (there is always a triangle at the beginning and at the end of the first rectangles row). P2, turn. K1, m1, k1, turn. P2, p2tog, turn. K2, m1, k1, turn. P3, p2tog, turn. K3, m1, k1, turn. P4, p2tog, turn. K4, m1, k1, turn. P5, p2tog, turn. K5, m1, k1, turn. P6, p2tog, turn. K6, m1, k1, turn. P7, p2tog. Don’t turn (you’re going to stay on the wrong side). TIP! Now – how to perform m1 when you have only one stitch on your left-hand needle. Normally in order to make one you put the tip of your right-hand needle between the first and the second stitch on your left-hand needle, but in this case you just have to put the tip of your right hand needle under the stitch remaining on the lefthand needle. The rest is the same. However, it can seem a bit loose. In the photo below you can see the beginning triangle. Pay attention to the increases (make 1) marked with the red arrows.

2. Now it’s time to start the first rectangle. With the wrong side facing, pick up 8 stitches along the edge of the last triangle in the set-up row (see below). You have to pick up stitches as if you were purling.

3. Turn your work to the right side and work the first rectangle: K8, turn. P7, p2tog, turn. Repeat this sequence 7 times. K8, turn. P7, p2tog. Don’t turn. It should look like this:

4. Knit the following rectangles in the same way (pick up 8 sts along the edge of the next triangle in the set-up row, then follow the instructions from point 3.). When you finish, you’ll have something like this on the needle (RS shown):

5. Make closing triangle of the first rectangles row: With the wrong side facing, pick up 8 sts along the edge of the last triangle in the setup row. Turn. K1, k2tog, k 5. Turn. P7. Turn. K1, k2tog, k4. Turn. P6. Turn. K1, k2tog, k3. Turn. P5. Turn. K1, k2tog, k2. Turn. P4. Turn. K1, k2tog, k1. Turn. P3. Turn. K1, k2tog. Turn. P2. Turn. K2tog. Don’t turn.

Second row of rectangles

1. Begin the first rectangle in the row: With the right side facing, pick up 7 sts along the edge of the closing triangle (7 sts, not 8, because you already have one on the right-hand needle). Turn your work to the wrong side. P8. Turn. K7, ssk. Turn. Repeat this sequence 7 times. P8. Turn. K7, ssk. Don’t turn.

2. Make the next rectangle in the same way (pick up 8 sts along the edge of the rectangle in the first row, then follow the instructions from point 1.). In this way you finished the second row of rectangles. It should look more or less like this:

3. Keep working alternating between the first and the second row of rectangles until desired length. End with the first row of rectangles.

Closing row

1. Closing row, like set-up row, consists only of triangles. Make the first triangle following these instructions:

With right side facing, pick up 6 stitches (you’ll have a total of 7 sts, as one is already on the needle). Then slip 2 stitches off the left-hand needle (these will be the stitches of the last rectangle in the previous row) and knit them together (ssk). Turn the work. P8. Turn. K2tog, k5, ssk. Turn. P7. Turn. K2tog, k4, ssk. Turn. P6. Turn. K2tog, k3, ssk. Turn. P5. Turn. K2tog, k2, ssk. Turn. P4. Turn. K2tog, k1, ssk. Turn. P3. Turn. K2tog, ssk. Turn. P2. Turn. K2tog. Don’t turn.

2. In order to complete a closing row of work, repeat the instructions from point 1. to the last triangle. Break the yarn leaving a long tail. Thread the yarn through the only active stitch and pull tight. Weave in the loose ends and you’re done ☺

Any questions? Contact me. My e-mail: [email protected]