What is it, that, from their faces fresh as spring,
such fair, fresh, alert, first-flower faces,
like lavender crocuses, snowdrops, like Roman hyacinths,
scyllas and yellow-haired hellebore, jonquils, dim anemones,
even the sulphur auriculas,
flowers that come first from the darkness, and feel cold to the touch,
flowers scentless or pungent, ammoniacal almost
– DH Lawrence, Frost Flowers (written in Cornwall at the end of the bitter winter of 1916-1917)
THE LO DOWN
frost flowers, a pattern featured on the cover of Barbara G. Walker’s first treasury of knitting patterns, is one of the most exquisite lace patterns that we’ve ever laid our eyes on. it’s also easier to knit than one might think — consisting of two four row repeats that are cycled through 2 times each. we’d advise taking your time on the first of each four row repeat (i.e. rows 1 and 13 below). once after the first of repeat is established, it becomes much easier to “read” the pattern as you knit!
THE LO-LO-DOWN
| YARN | Minkle – a laceweight yarn |
| COLOUR | Twinkle in the Fog |
| NEEDLE | US6 / 4.0 mm |
| SIZE (WxH) | 5 1/4 (W) x 3 (L)” when steam blocked |
| STS | 36 sts x 24 rows |
| LEVEL | Intermediate |
| TYPE | Lace |
SWATCH CONSTRUCTION
R1 (RS): K1, *K3, K2tog, K4, YO, P2, (K2, YO, SSK) 3 times, P2, YO, K4, SSK, K3; rep from *, end K1
R2 (WS): K1, * P2, P2tog-b, P4, YO, P1, K2, (P2, YO, P2tog) 3 times, K2, P1, YO, P4, P2tog, P2; rep from *, end K1
R3: K1, * K1, K2tog, K4, YO, K2, P2, (K2, YO, SSK) 3 times, P2, K2, YO, K4, SSK, K1; rep from *, end K1
R4: K1, * P2tog-b, P4, YO, P3, K2, (P2, YO, P2tog) 3 times, K2, P3, YO, P4, P2tog; rep from *, end K1
R5-12: Repeat R1-4 two more times
R13: K1, * YO, SSK, K2, YO, SSK, P2, YO, K4, SSK, K6, K2tog, K4, YO, P2, K2, YO, SSK, K2; rep from *, end K1
R14: K1, * YO, P2tog, P2, YO, P2tog, K2, P1, YO, P4, P2tog, P4, P2tog-b, P4, YO, P1, K2, P2, YO, P2tog, P2; rep from *, end K1
R15: K1, * YO, SSK, K2, YO, SSK, P2, K2, YO, K4, SSK, K2, K2 tog, K4, YO, K2, P2, K2, YO, SSK, K2; rep from *, end K1
R16: K1, * YO, P2tog, P2, YO, P2tog, K2, P3, YO, P4, P2tog, P2tog-b, P4, YO, P3, K2, P2, Yo, P2tog, P2; rep from *, end K1
R17-24: Repeat R13-16 two more times
repeat rows 1-24 for the pattern. the swatch above contains a single repeat of the pattern (not including the garter stitch rows we’ve got at the start and finish of the swatch).
and here’s a downloadable graphical depiction of the pattern, for the charty types:
RELATED PATTERNS
Celeste – a drapey vest, coming soon!