A Lace Revival: 25 Vintage Knitted Edgings to Transform Your Projects
There is something deeply satisfying about finishing a handknitted piece with a length of delicate lace. The way the yarn catches the light, the rhythm of the needles working through yarn overs and decreases, the slow emergence of a pattern that looks far more complicated than it actually is — lace knitting carries a kind of quiet magic that modern crafters are rediscovering in remarkable numbers. Whether you are finishing a baby blanket, edging a tablecloth, adding charm to a handknitted shawl, or decorating the hem of a pillow cover, vintage knitted edgings offer an unmatched combination of elegance and personality.
This post is a deep dive into the world of vintage lace edgings: their history, their construction, how to choose the right one for your project, and a curated collection of twenty-five patterns that span styles, difficulty levels, and aesthetic moods. If you have never tried knitted lace before, consider this your invitation. If you are already a devotee, consider it a celebration of everything you already love.
The History Behind Knitted Lace Edgings
To appreciate vintage knitted edgings, it helps to understand where they came from. Lace knitting has a documented history stretching back at least to the sixteenth century in Europe, with regional traditions developing independently in places like the Shetland Islands, Bedfordshire in England, and throughout Scandinavia. Each tradition evolved its own vocabulary of stitches, its own relationship between the yarn and the needle, its own aesthetic sensibility.
In Victorian England, knitted lace experienced one of its great golden ages. Pattern books and ladies’ magazines published edging after edging for household linens, undergarments, and clothing. Women traded patterns the way we share links today — through letters, through visiting, through church groups and sewing circles. The patterns themselves were often written in a dense shorthand that assumed a great deal of shared knowledge, which is part of why interpreting vintage lace patterns today can feel like a small act of translation.
By the early twentieth century, knitted lace appeared in everything from cotton baby layettes to fine wool shawls intended for Sunday wear. Department stores sold coordinated sets of household linens edged in hand-knitted lace. Grandmothers passed patterns to granddaughters inscribed on index cards in cramped handwriting, a form of inheritance that many knitters today remember with tremendous affection.
The mid-century brought synthetic fibers and faster manufacturing, and for a time, handmade lace edgings fell out of fashion. They came to feel old-fashioned in a way that was not yet charming — just dated. But time, as it tends to do, transformed perception. What once seemed fusty began to seem beautiful. What seemed obsolete became artisanal. Today, the revival of vintage knitting patterns is one of the most vibrant corners of the craft world, and lace edgings are very much at the center of that revival.
Why Knitted Edgings Are Worth Your Time
Before we get into the patterns themselves, it is worth addressing the practical question that knitters always ask: is it really worth making a knitted edging when I could simply bind off and be done?
The answer depends on what you want from your finished object. A clean bind-off is entirely correct for many projects. But an edging does something different. It transforms the edge of a piece from a structural conclusion into a design element. A simple garter-stitch shawl becomes something quite different when it ends in three inches of Old Shale lace. A muslin tea towel becomes an heirloom when it is finished with a picot point edging in fine cotton thread.
Knitted edgings are also remarkably portable projects. Most edgings are worked on relatively few stitches — sometimes as few as five or seven — and repeat over a short row count. This makes them perfect for waiting rooms, commutes, and the ten quiet minutes before bed. They ask for your attention but not your full concentration once you have learned the repeat, which makes them a very particular kind of meditative knitting.
They are also a wonderful way to use up small quantities of fine yarn. Many vintage edgings were originally worked in cotton crochet thread, and they translate beautifully to modern laceweight or even fingering weight yarns. A leftover skein from a larger project can become a dozen yards of edging with very little effort.
Understanding Vintage Lace Pattern Language
One of the small hurdles of working vintage patterns is their language. Before the standardization of modern knitting abbreviations, patterns used a variety of conventions that can be confusing at first glance.
“Make 1” in many vintage patterns means what we would now call a yarn over, not a lifted increase. “Slip, slip, knit” did not exist as an instruction — instead you would find “slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over,” which achieves a similar result. “Narrow” often means decrease, while “widen” means increase. “Cast off” and “bind off” are interchangeable, as are “cast on” and “make a new stitch at the beginning of the row.”
Some vintage patterns also work with a directional assumption that is the reverse of what many modern knitters expect. Edgings were often designed to be applied to a finished piece by picking up stitches along the edge and knitting outward, but just as many were designed as separate strips that were then sewn on. Understanding which approach a particular pattern assumes will save you considerable confusion.
When in doubt, swatch. Lace knitting reveals its structure only after blocking, and a small swatch that you wet, pin out, and allow to dry will tell you more about whether a pattern is right for your project than hours of staring at the written instructions.
25 Vintage Knitted Edgings to Try
What follows is a curated collection of vintage-inspired and historically documented knitted edgings, organized loosely by style and complexity. Some have formal names recorded in pattern books; others are described by their visual characteristics. All of them have roots in the pre-1950 tradition of decorative hand knitting.
1. Basic Picot Edge
The simplest entry point into decorative edging. Worked by alternating yarn overs with decreases along a bound-off edge, this creates a series of small pointed loops that add charm without demanding much technique. Ideal for baby items and delicate shawl borders.
2. Old Shale (Feather and Fan)
A beloved and enduring pattern that creates gentle waves of increase and decrease. Its rhythmic four-row repeat makes it almost hypnotic to knit. Originally a Shetland pattern, it has appeared in countless Victorian and Edwardian pattern books and remains one of the most versatile edgings in the tradition.
3. Vine Leaf Edging
A slightly more complex pattern that creates a series of stylized leaves growing out of a straight inner edge. The leaves are formed by a combination of yarn overs and central double decreases that give them a pointed, naturalistic shape.
4. Torchon Lace Border
Inspired by the bobbin lace tradition, this pattern creates an angular geometric effect using diagonal bands of yarn overs. It looks architectural and precise, making it a good match for household linens and structured garments.
5. Shell Edging
One of the most recognizable silhouettes in all of lace knitting. Worked in short rows, the shells are built up individually and joined at the base, creating a scalloped border that can be narrow or deep depending on the stitch count.
6. Point Lace Edging
A classic with a strong Victorian pedigree. The pointed tips are created by casting on extra stitches at the beginning of right-side rows and working decreases that slowly draw the extra stitches back in, creating deep, sharp points.
7. Vandyke Pattern
Named for the distinctive zigzag collar associated with Anthony van Dyck’s portrait subjects, this pattern creates a bold serrated edge. It is worked sideways, with the points perpendicular to the main fabric, and produces a very satisfying result.
8. Horseshoe Lace
A traditional pattern in which paired yarn overs create an arch shape that reads clearly even in relatively heavy yarn. It is most effective at laceweight or fingering, where the arches have enough openness to show their structure.
9. Bird’s Eye Edging
A fine, airy pattern of small eyelet holes arranged in a regular grid, traditionally used for edging handkerchiefs and pillowcases. The regularity of the grid makes it a good choice for first-time lace knitters who want a sense of accomplishment without too much technical complexity.
10. Leaf and Berry Border
A more pictorial pattern that combines leaf motifs with small, raised berry stitches made by working multiple times into a single stitch and then decreasing back. The textural contrast between the flat leaves and the raised berries creates a lovely dimensional effect.
11. Fir Tree Edging
One of the great classic lace patterns, worked sideways with a pointed inner edge and a straight outer edge. The triangular fir tree shapes are built up through a series of yarn overs and decreases that create a strong diagonal movement through the fabric.
12. Melon Pattern
A rounded, ribbed pattern that creates a series of melon-shaped scallops. Unlike many lace edgings that rely on openwork, this one is relatively solid, making it appropriate for heavier yarns and projects where warmth matters alongside decoration.
13. Cobweb Edging
An extremely fine and delicate pattern worked in the finest thread or laceweight yarn. The repeat creates an impression of spiderweb-like geometry and is most impressive when blocked out to near transparency. A challenging pattern, but deeply rewarding.
14. Snowflake Border
A geometric pattern that creates repeating six-pointed star shapes through careful placement of yarn overs and decreases. Works best in smooth yarn that shows the stitch definition clearly.
15. Queen’s Lace Edging
A graceful pattern with a traditional English name, characterized by elongated diamond shapes formed by intersecting lines of yarn overs. The diamonds have a slightly three-dimensional quality that comes from the way the increases and decreases are paired.
16. Lily of the Valley Edging
A naturalistic pattern in which small bobbles or nupp stitches represent the bell-shaped flowers, arranged along curving stems of yarn overs. A technically demanding pattern but one with enormous visual reward.
17. Turkish Stitch Border
Inspired by the geometric patterns of Turkish weaving, this edging creates angular, interlocking shapes through a combination of slipped stitches and yarn overs. It has a strong visual presence that works well on heavier household items.
18. Diamond Mesh Edging
A clean, classic lattice pattern of diagonal eyelets that create open diamond shapes. The regularity makes it easy to memorize and knit quickly once the repeat is established, and it works in virtually any weight of smooth yarn.
19. Coronet Edging
A stately pattern that creates a series of small crown shapes along the outer edge. It was commonly used for table runners and dresser scarves in the 1920s and 1930s and has a period charm that suits vintage-inspired projects beautifully.
20. Cloverleaf Edging
A sweet, rounded pattern in which groups of three eyelets arranged in a triangular formation suggest the shape of a clover leaf. It has a more casual, pastoral quality than some of the more formal patterns on this list and suits baby items and summer projects particularly well.
21. Arrowhead Lace
A bold directional pattern in which yarn overs create pointed shapes that angle consistently in one direction, giving the edging a sense of movement and flow. It pairs exceptionally well with shawls and wraps where a directional quality in the border reinforces the overall design.
22. Josephine Knot Border
Named for the interlaced knot form sometimes associated with Empress Josephine, this pattern creates a series of interlocking loop shapes through a combination of cables and yarn overs. It sits at the intersection of lace and cable knitting and suits heavier yarns well.
23. Smyrna Cross Edging
A geometric pattern of cross shapes arranged along the edge, worked in a combination of regular knit stitches and small eyelets that outline each cross. Its regularity and symmetry make it highly satisfying to knit.
24. Grand Eyelet Edging
A simpler pattern in which a single large eyelet appears at regular intervals along a border of stockinette or garter stitch. The simplicity is its strength — it is elegant, easy to execute, and works in almost any weight of yarn.
25. Princess Lace Edging
One of the most elaborate patterns on this list, the Princess Lace Edging combines multiple elements — leaf shapes, diamond meshes, and pointed tips — into a single deep border that makes a strong statement. It demands patience and careful attention to the pattern, but the result is the kind of edging that makes people stop and ask where you found the pattern.
Choosing the Right Edging for Your Project
Faced with twenty-five options, you may be wondering how to choose. A few principles can help.
Consider the weight and fiber of your main project first. Delicate edgings worked in fine cotton or laceweight wool suit items made in similar weights. A heavy worsted-weight blanket calls for an edging in a similar weight, even if that means working a relatively simple pattern at a larger scale.
Think about the formality of the finished object. Household linens and heirloom gifts generally suit the more architectural, symmetrical patterns — Diamond Mesh, Torchon, Queen’s Lace. Wearables and baby items often benefit from softer, more organic patterns — Vine Leaf, Cloverleaf, Shell.
Think also about your experience level. If you are new to lace, start with something that uses only yarn overs and knit-two-together decreases. The more complex patterns involve central double decreases, nupp stitches, short rows, and sometimes picking up stitches from one piece to join it to another. Build your skills progressively and each new pattern will feel like an achievement rather than a source of frustration.
Finally, consider blocking materials and time. Every lace edging benefits from blocking, and some — the very fine, cobweb-weight ones — are barely legible until they are blocked. If you cannot commit to the blocking process, choose a pattern that has enough visual definition to read well unblocked.
Getting Started: Materials and Tools
Most vintage edging patterns were designed for cotton crochet thread or very fine wool, worked on needles we would describe as US 0 or 1 (2.0–2.25mm). Modern laceweight and fingering weight yarns are excellent substitutes, and many knitters find that fine merino or silk-merino blends are easier to work with than cotton for their first lace projects.
For tools, a set of fixed metal needles in sizes US 0 through 3 will cover most lace edging patterns. Some knitters prefer bamboo or wood for the grip they provide when working with slippery silk or rayon blends. Blocking mats and T-pins are non-negotiable if you plan to take lace edgings seriously — the difference between an unblocked and a blocked piece is often the difference between something that looks like a mistake and something that looks like an heirloom.
A small bowl of water, a towel for pressing out excess moisture, and a quiet hour are all you really need. Lace blocking is far less intimidating than it sounds and becomes second nature very quickly.
Keeping the Tradition Alive
There is something that feels important, even urgent, about learning and practicing vintage lace edging patterns. They represent an enormous accumulation of human ingenuity and aesthetic feeling — years of women sitting by windows and at firesides, figuring out how a particular arrangement of holes and threads could become a leaf or a shell or a crown.
When you work a vintage pattern, you are not just making something beautiful for yourself. You are maintaining a thread of continuity with all the people who made it before you, and you are keeping alive a form of knowledge that is vulnerable to being lost. That is not a small thing.
Start with a simple pattern. Cast on and see what happens. Block it and hold it up to the light. Feel the pleasure of having made something fine and precise with nothing but yarn and two sticks. Then choose another pattern and begin again.
The revival is already underway. You are part of it.
