Knitting lace in the round can be a bit challenging, but it's definitely doable with the right techniques. Here are some steps to get you started:
- Choose a lace pattern that's suitable for knitting in the round. Look for patterns that have a repeatable motif that can be easily adapted to the circular format.
- Cast on the required number of stitches and join them in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
- Begin knitting the lace pattern as instructed. You may need to adapt the pattern slightly to account for the circular format. For example, if the pattern instructs you to "knit 2 together" on every wrong-side row, you'll need to modify this to "knit 2 together through the back loop" to ensure that the stitches lie flat.
- Use stitch markers to keep track of the pattern repeats. This will help you stay organized and ensure that the lace pattern lines up correctly.
- When working decreases, such as "knit 2 together", be sure to use a decrease that is appropriate for knitting in the round. For example, a "knit 2 together" decrease will lean to the right on a flat piece of knitting, but it will lean to the left on a circular piece. To make a right-leaning decrease on a circular piece, you'll need to use a "knit 2 together through the back loop" decrease instead.
- Continue working the lace pattern in the round until you reach the desired length.
- When you're ready to bind off, use a stretchy bind-off technique to ensure that the edge of the lace doesn't pull in too tightly. One popular option is the "Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off".