20 Featured Eyelet and Lace Stitches: A Complete Guide for Knitters and Crocheters
There is something timeless about the look of eyelet and lace work. Whether it appears as a delicate border on a baby blanket, an intricate shawl draped over a shoulder, or a subtle detail running up the sleeve of a sweater, lace has a way of elevating any project from ordinary to extraordinary. The combination of yarn overs and decreases creates an openwork fabric that feels almost like magic — light, airy, and endlessly beautiful. If you have ever wanted to explore eyelet and lace stitches more deeply, this guide is the perfect place to start.
In this post, we are going to walk through 20 featured eyelet and lace stitches that every knitter and crocheter should know. Some are simple enough for beginners, while others will challenge even experienced crafters. Each stitch has its own personality, its own rhythm, and its own set of ideal applications. By the time you finish reading, you will have a rich toolkit of lace techniques ready to use in your next project.
What Are Eyelet and Lace Stitches?
Before diving into the individual stitches, it helps to understand what distinguishes eyelet stitches from lace stitches — and what they have in common.
An eyelet stitch typically refers to a single deliberate hole in a fabric, created by pairing a yarn over with a corresponding decrease. Eyelets can appear in isolation for a subtle decorative touch or in rows and columns for a more structured look. They are often used in children’s clothing, where a ribbon or cord can be threaded through for a charming finishing detail.
Lace stitches take the concept further. They involve multiple yarn overs and decreases arranged in patterned sequences to create larger areas of openwork. True lace can be worked across an entire fabric, creating a transparent, web-like texture. The overall visual effect depends on how the holes are grouped, the direction of the decreases, and the weight of the yarn used.
Both eyelet and lace stitches are usually blocked after completion. Blocking — the process of wetting the fabric and stretching it to shape — opens up the holes and allows the full pattern to reveal itself. If you have ever been disappointed that your lace looks bunched and indistinct off the needles, blocking is the transformative step that brings it to life.
Essential Techniques Before You Begin
If you are new to lace knitting or eyelet work, there are a few fundamental techniques worth mastering before you attempt any of the stitches below.
The yarn over (YO) is the foundation of every eyelet and lace stitch. It involves wrapping the yarn over your right needle to create an extra loop, which becomes a new stitch on the next row. This loop also creates the hole. The size of the hole depends partly on the weight of the yarn and partly on how the surrounding stitches are worked.
Paired with the yarn over is the decrease. The most common decreases in lace knitting are the knit two together (k2tog), which leans to the right, and the slip, slip, knit (ssk), which leans to the left. When you pair a yarn over with a decrease, you maintain the same stitch count while creating an opening in the fabric. The direction of your decreases affects the visual flow of the lace pattern, so paying attention to this detail makes a real difference in the finished look.
For crochet lace, the chain space plays a similar role. Chains are skipped over, and stitches are worked into chain spaces rather than into individual stitches. Understanding how to read a crochet lace pattern — especially how to identify where each stitch should be placed — is the key to maintaining clean, even openwork.
Now, let us explore the stitches themselves.
1. Simple Eyelet
The simple eyelet is the most basic form of openwork and the best starting point for anyone new to this style of knitting. It involves working a single yarn over followed immediately by a knit two together on a right-side row, then purling across on the wrong-side row. The result is a neat, round hole that sits cleanly in a stockinette background. Simple eyelets can be scattered randomly across a fabric or arranged in rows and columns for a polka-dot effect.
2. Horizontal Eyelet Row
A horizontal eyelet row creates a full line of holes running across the width of a fabric. It is achieved by alternating yarn overs and knit two togethers all the way across a single row. This stitch is extremely useful as a decorative border, a turning row for hemlines, or a drawstring channel at a waistband or neckline. The resulting row has a delicate, perforated appearance that contrasts beautifully with solid knitting above and below it.
3. Vertical Eyelet Column
By repeating a single eyelet at the same position on every right-side row, you create a vertical line of holes that runs up the length of the fabric. This is particularly effective along the center front of a cardigan, up the side of a sock, or flanking a center cable. It is a subtle detail that adds refinement without overwhelming the overall design.
4. Diamond Eyelet Pattern
The diamond eyelet pattern arranges simple eyelets in a diamond configuration, creating a grid-like arrangement of holes that forms repeating diamond shapes across the fabric. Each diamond may contain just a single eyelet at its center, or the design can be scaled up with multiple holes forming the outline of each diamond. This stitch works well for baby items and light sweaters, offering just enough visual interest without becoming too busy.
5. Faggoting Stitch
Faggoting is a classic lace construction method that creates a column or band of openwork by working alternating yarn overs and decreases. In knitting, a faggoting stitch typically pairs a yarn over with an ssk or k2tog on every row, including wrong-side rows, so the fabric grows while remaining almost entirely open. The result is a narrow strip of mesh-like lace that is often used to join two sections of knitting or to create a decorative seam. In crochet, faggoting involves alternating chain spaces and single crochets to produce a similar ladder-like effect.
6. Old Shale (Feather and Fan)
Old shale, also known as feather and fan, is one of the most beloved traditional lace stitches in the knitting world, and it originates from the Shetland Islands of Scotland. The stitch creates graceful, undulating waves by alternating sections of increases with sections of decreases. The wave effect is visually dramatic and works up surprisingly quickly. Old shale is traditionally worked in multiple colors on shawls and blankets, where each color band ripples through the waves in a stunning gradient. It is accessible enough for intermediate knitters but produces results that look far more complex than the pattern itself.
7. Cat’s Paw Lace
Cat’s paw lace is a traditional Estonian lace stitch that creates a motif resembling a small footprint with four toe-like holes grouped around a central decrease. It is typically worked over a small number of stitches and rows, making it a great allover pattern for shawls and scarves. The motif is charming and recognizable, and because it has deep roots in folk knitting traditions, it carries a certain historical warmth as well as visual appeal.
8. Yarn Over Mesh
Yarn over mesh is a simple but endlessly versatile stitch that creates an open, fishnet-like fabric by working yarn overs and decreases every row. Because both the right-side and wrong-side rows include yarn overs, the fabric grows quickly and has a very open, airy structure. It is an excellent choice for lightweight summer tops, beach cover-ups, and decorative panels. The simplicity of the repeat also makes it very meditative to work once you find its rhythm.
9. Arrowhead Lace
Arrowhead lace is named for the sharp, pointed shapes it creates in the fabric. The pattern uses yarn overs and directional decreases to draw the eye upward in a series of V-shapes or chevrons. The pointed motifs can be worked as single repeats scattered across a fabric or massed together to create a bold, graphic texture. Arrowhead lace is a good intermediate-level pattern that introduces the concept of using left-leaning and right-leaning decreases to shape the visual lines of a design.
10. Horseshoe Lace
Horseshoe lace is a traditional pattern that creates graceful U-shaped or horseshoe-shaped openwork motifs. The holes are arranged so that they curve around each other, following the shape of the motif. This stitch has a flowing, organic quality that makes it especially beautiful in shawls and scarves. Like many traditional lace stitches, it looks far more intricate than its pattern actually is, making it a satisfying project for knitters who want maximum visual impact for a moderate amount of effort.
11. Leaf Lace
Leaf lace patterns use the directional quality of knitting increases and decreases to create shapes that genuinely resemble leaves, complete with a central spine and spreading lobes. The increases build outward from a central point, and the decreases taper the edges back in. Leaf lace can be worked as individual motifs placed intentionally across a fabric or repeated in a regular pattern for a verdant, garden-like effect. These patterns are particularly lovely in natural fiber yarns like linen and silk, which allow the leaf shapes to drape gracefully.
12. Vine Lace
Vine lace takes the idea of organic, botanical motifs a step further by connecting leaf or bud shapes with curving lines of yarn overs that suggest vines or stems. The result is a flowing, scrolling pattern that moves diagonally or in gentle curves across the fabric. Vine lace is popular in shawl designs, where the pattern can meander freely across the increasing stitch count of a triangular shawl without feeling rigid or repetitive.
13. Russian Lace (Spider Lace)
Russian lace, sometimes called spider lace, is characterized by small, tightly grouped motifs that resemble the geometric bodies of spiders or insects. The pattern uses very few yarn overs arranged in a specific grid to create a regular, symmetric texture. It has a slightly more architectural quality than some other lace stitches, with a clarity and order that makes it very readable and satisfying to work. Russian lace is excellent for table runners, doilies, and decorative home goods where a structured look is desirable.
14. Falling Leaves Lace
Falling leaves lace is a dynamic pattern where the leaf or teardrop motifs appear to cascade diagonally across the fabric, as though caught mid-fall in a breeze. The diagonal movement is achieved by offsetting the motifs in each repeat, so they progress gradually across the rows. This stitch has a beautiful energy and movement that makes it very popular for shawls and wraps. It is one of those patterns that seems to knit itself once you internalize the repeat.
15. Shetland Print of the Wave
Print of the Wave is an authentic Shetland lace pattern with a long history in the lace-knitting traditions of the Shetland Islands. Unlike old shale, which creates broad, sweeping waves, print of the wave produces a finer, more intricate undulation. The pattern involves long runs of yarn overs separated by decreases, arranged to suggest the rolling surface of the sea. It is traditionally worked very finely on lace-weight yarn with fine steel needles, producing a gossamer fabric of extraordinary delicacy.
16. Filet Crochet Lace
Filet crochet deserves its own place in any list of lace techniques, even though it belongs to the world of crochet rather than knitting. Filet crochet creates a grid of open and filled squares using chains and double crochets. By strategically filling in certain squares and leaving others open, you can create pictures, letters, or decorative borders within the grid. Filet crochet is used to make curtains, table runners, and decorative panels, and the technique has a long tradition in European fiber arts going back to the Victorian era.
17. Broomstick Lace
Broomstick lace is a crochet technique that creates distinctive looped clusters by pulling up large loops over a thick dowel or pin and then crocheting them together in groups. The result is a textured, fan-like pattern with a beautiful rhythm and an almost woven appearance. The stitch is worked in a back-and-forth motion — pulling up loops across a row and then crocheting them back off in clusters — giving it a meditative quality. Broomstick lace produces a thick, structured fabric that works beautifully for blankets, bags, and cowls.
18. Tunisian Lace Stitch
Tunisian crochet is its own hybrid craft, combining elements of both knitting and crochet, and it has its own distinctive approach to lace. Tunisian lace stitches typically involve chain spaces and skipped stitches within the forward pass of the Tunisian technique, creating openwork within the unique flat, woven-looking Tunisian fabric. The result has a character unlike either standard knitting lace or regular crochet lace — it retains the density and body of Tunisian fabric while allowing the light and air of openwork through. Tunisian lace is still relatively underexplored, making it a wonderful area for crafters who want to try something genuinely novel.
19. Bruges Lace
Bruges lace is a crochet lace technique inspired by the traditional bobbin lace of Bruges, Belgium. In Bruges crochet lace, a long central strip is worked in a ribbon shape, then curved and joined to itself to form flowers, spirals, and intricate woven-looking compositions. The individual strips are narrow and worked in simple stitches, but the way they are arranged and joined creates a strikingly complex visual effect. Bruges lace is used for collars, cuffs, and decorative inserts, and learning it opens the door to a tradition of lacemaking with deep artistic roots.
20. Haapsalu Lace Stitch (Estonian Wedding Lace)
Haapsalu lace comes from the town of Haapsalu in Estonia, where lace knitting developed into a fine art over centuries of tradition. Haapsalu shawls are famous for their extraordinary fineness — they are light enough to pass through a wedding ring, which is the traditional test of their quality. The stitches used in Haapsalu lace are worked on very fine yarn with thin needles, and they include a wide vocabulary of motifs including flowers, leaves, snowflakes, and geometric shapes. Learning even the most basic Haapsalu motifs is an entry into a living tradition of textile art, and it opens up possibilities for heirloom-quality work that can be passed down through generations.
How to Choose the Right Eyelet or Lace Stitch for Your Project
With twenty beautiful stitches now in your repertoire, the question naturally becomes: how do you decide which one to use? The answer depends on several factors working together.
Yarn weight plays a huge role. Traditional fine lace stitches like Haapsalu or Shetland print of the wave are designed for lace-weight or fingering-weight yarn. Working them in a heavier yarn tends to produce chunky, muddy holes rather than delicate openwork. On the other hand, simple eyelets and robust stitches like old shale can be worked in heavier yarns with excellent results.
The purpose of the item matters too. For a baby blanket, something soft and simple like a diamond eyelet or old shale is ideal. For a summer top, yarn over mesh or faggoting creates a breezy, wearable fabric. For a formal shawl intended as an heirloom, horseshoe lace, leaf lace, or Haapsalu-inspired motifs bring the appropriate gravitas.
Consider also your skill level and the time you have available. Eyelet rows and simple eyelets can be mastered in a single afternoon. Complex lace patterns with multiple-row repeats and intricate decreases will require patience, good lighting, and possibly a lifeline (a piece of waste yarn threaded through a row of live stitches so you have a safe resting point if you need to rip back). There is no shame in starting simple and working your way up — that is, in fact, the most enjoyable way to develop as a lace knitter or crocheter.
Tips for Success with Eyelet and Lace Work
Work in good light. Lace stitches are easier to see and count when you are not straining your eyes. Natural daylight is best, but a good craft lamp helps too.
Use a needle size that is appropriate for lace work. Many knitters go up a needle size or even two when working lace, because the larger needle creates rounder, more open holes. The pattern you are following will usually specify this, but do not be afraid to experiment.
Use stitch markers generously. Marking the repeat sections of a lace pattern helps you keep track of where you are and catch mistakes before they become too costly to fix. A missing yarn over is much easier to deal with in
