I really like the entrelac technique so I thought it would be fun to design an entrelac afghan pattern. You can make it all in one colour, or every square different if you wish.
Materials
The materials you will need will depend on the thickness of the yarn you choose to use and the size of your finished afghan.
I used 8 ply (dk) yarn and 4mm needles for my test swatch which produced a nice fabric.
Abbreviations
K = knit
P = purl
st(s) = stitches
PU = Pick up
P2tog = Purl tow together
SSK = Slip slip knit. Slip one st, slip another, then return both sts to the left hand needle in their new twisted state and knit the 2 together.
Test Swatch
Method
Cast on 66 sts (22 sts for each entrelac diamond)
1st row: K10, SSK, turn
2nd row: K11, turn
Rep last two rows 10 times more, K11.
Repeat twice more. This completes the first row of entrelacs. You should now have 3 entrelac diamonds on your needle, with a total of 33 live sts.
Turn
Change colours now if you wish the second row of entrelacs to be a different colour
The next row of entrelacs are works all in purl knitting. If you are like me and your purl stitches tend to be much looser than your knit stitches, now is a good time to go down one or two needle sizes.
First we will work a triangle at the end of the row.
1st row: (wrong side facing) P1, turn
2nd row: Inc in this st, turn
3rd row: P1, P2tog, turn
4th row: Inc in first st, P1, turn
5th row: P2, P2tog, turn
6th row: P1, inc in next st, P1, turn
7th row: P3, P2tog, turn
8th row: P2, inc in next st, P1 turn
9th row: P4, P2tog, turn
10th row: P3, inc in next st, P1 turn
11th row: P5, P2tog, turn
12th row: P4, inc in next st, P1 turn
Cont in this manner until you have 11 sts on your right hand needle
We will now work the first full entrelac diamond for this row.
Pick up 11 sts purlways along the edge of the next entrelac, turn
2nd row: Purl 11, turn
3rd row: P10, p2tog, turn
4th row: P11, turn
Repeat 3rd and 4th rows 9 times more, then 3rd row once
This completes the first entrelac. Repeat once more for the second full entrelac diamond, then we will work the end triangle.
PU 11 sts purlways, turn
1st row: P11, turn
2nd row: P9, p2tog, turn
3rd row: P10, turn
4th row: P8, p2tog, turn
5th row: P9, turn
6th row: P7, p2tog, turn
7th row: P8, turn
8th row: P6, p2tog, turn
9th row: P7, turn
10th row: P5, p2tog, turn
11th row: P6, turn
12th row: P4, p2tog, turn
13th row: P5, turn
14th row: P3, p2tog, turn
15th row: P4, turn
16th row: P2, p2tog, turn
17th row: P3, turn
18th row: P1, p2tog, turn
19th row: P2, turn
20th row: P2tog
Fasten off
Turn, change colours if desired
Join yarn and pick up 11 sts knitways along edge of triangle just worked, turn, K11
Work to coincide with the first row of knit entrelacs (not the purl row just worked).
Repeat the two rows of entrelacs until desired length, ending with a row of knit entrelacs. On the last row cast off each entrelac as it is worked.
Afghan
Using your swatch as a guide, work out how many entrelac diamonds wide you wish your afghan to be.
Cast on 22 sts for each square and work as for swatch.
Making Up
Sew in all loose ends. Press according to your yarn label
Copyright © Sarah Bradberry August 1997. All rights reserved.