Knit Estonian Starflower Lace Square Free Knitting Pattern
There is something almost meditative about lace knitting. The rhythm of yarn over, knit two together, slip, slip, knit — worked over and over until a delicate web of stitches emerges from your needles — connects you to a tradition that stretches back centuries. Estonian lace is one of the most beloved traditions in the knitting world, known for its intricate geometric patterns, its distinctive nupps, and its extraordinary beauty. Today, I am sharing a free knitting pattern for an Estonian Starflower Lace Square that captures all the elegance of this storied tradition while remaining accessible to knitters who are ready to move beyond basic lace.
Whether you are knitting this square as a standalone decorative piece, planning to join several together into a shawl or blanket, or using it as the centerpiece of a pillow cover, this pattern is a joy to work. Pour yourself a cup of tea, find a good light source, and settle in. This is the kind of project that rewards your patience beautifully.
A Brief History of Estonian Lace Knitting
Before we dive into the pattern itself, it is worth spending a moment with the tradition that inspired it. Estonian lace knitting flourished on the island of Haapsalu, a coastal town in western Estonia, beginning in the early nineteenth century. The women of Haapsalu developed an extraordinary style of lace work characterized by extremely fine yarn, delicate openwork motifs, and a signature smoothness of fabric achieved by carefully selected stitch combinations.
The lace they created became famous far beyond Estonia’s borders. Queen Victoria is said to have received an Estonian lace shawl as a gift, and the tradition has been celebrated and studied ever since. One of the most important figures in preserving and documenting Estonian lace patterns is Nancy Bush, whose book Knitted Lace of Estonia brought many traditional charts and techniques to English-speaking knitters around the world.
The starflower motif is one of the most iconic patterns in the Estonian lace vocabulary. It appears across shawls, scarves, and stoles in many variations, always recognizable by its radiating petal-like arrangement of yarnovers and decreases that creates a small, distinct flower shape against a background of fine netting. This free square pattern centers one full starflower bloom surrounded by complementary lace stitches, giving you the full flavor of the tradition in a manageable, satisfying project.
Materials and Gauge
Yarn: Approximately 100 to 150 yards of fingering weight or lace weight yarn. This pattern works beautifully in 100% merino wool, but a merino/silk blend will add extra sheen and drape. Traditional Estonian lace was worked in very fine wool, so if you want to honor the tradition closely, look for a single-ply or lightly twisted lace weight in natural white or cream.
Suggested yarns include Malabrigo Lace, Cascade Lace, KnitPicks Palette in fingering weight, or any lace weight you love and trust.
Needles: US size 1 to 3 (2.25 mm to 3.25 mm), depending on your gauge and yarn weight. For lace weight yarn, start with a US 2 (2.75 mm). For fingering weight, a US 3 (3.25 mm) often gives a lovely, open fabric. Lace knitting benefits from longer needle tips to help manage the frequent yarnovers, so circular needles or long straights with good points are recommended.
Notions: Stitch markers, a tapestry needle for finishing, blocking wires, and rust-proof blocking pins. Blocking is not optional with this pattern — it is transformative. The lace will look like a crumpled mess right off the needles and will open into something breathtaking once it is wet-blocked and pinned.
Gauge: Approximately 28 to 32 stitches and 36 to 40 rows per 4 inches in stockinette before blocking. Because lace opens significantly with blocking, gauge is more flexible here than in a fitted garment. Your finished square should measure approximately 8 by 8 inches after blocking, though you can easily adjust needle size to achieve a larger or smaller square.
Skill Level and Techniques Used
This pattern is rated as intermediate to advanced beginner. If you have worked a few simple lace scarves or have experience with yarnovers and basic decreases, you are ready for this pattern. You do not need to know nupps for this particular design, which makes it slightly more accessible than many Estonian patterns.
Techniques used in this pattern include the yarnover (YO), knit two together (k2tog), slip slip knit (ssk), slip two together knitwise, knit one, pass two slipped stitches over (sk2p, a centered double decrease), knit through the back loop (ktbl), and a simple cable cast-on for the decorative edging option. All wrong-side rows in this pattern are purled across, which keeps the chart reading simple and the wrong-side work straightforward.
Reading the Chart and Pattern Notes
This pattern is written with both written instructions and a chart description. Lace knitters often find charts easier to follow because you can see the visual shape of the motif as it develops on your needles. If you are new to reading charts, each square on the chart represents one stitch, each row of squares represents one right-side row, and the symbols within each square tell you what stitch operation to perform.
All wrong-side rows are worked as follows: slip the first stitch purlwise with yarn in front, purl to the last stitch, slip the last stitch purlwise with yarn in front. This creates a neat, chained selvedge edge on both sides of your square.
Abbreviations:
k — knit, p — purl, yo — yarnover, k2tog — knit two together, ssk — slip slip knit, sk2p — slip one, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over, ktbl — knit through the back loop, sl1 — slip one stitch purlwise, RS — right side, WS — wrong side, rep — repeat, pm — place marker, sm — slip marker.
The Free Pattern: Estonian Starflower Lace Square
Cast On: Using a long-tail cast-on, cast on 65 stitches. If you prefer a decorative picot edge, use a cable cast-on and work three rows of knit stitch before beginning the border.
Garter Border Setup
Rows 1 through 6: Knit all stitches. This creates a three-ridge garter border at the bottom of your square that stabilizes the lace and prevents curling.
Begin Lace Body
The lace body is worked over 53 rows, with all wrong-side rows purled (with slipped selvedge stitches as described above) and all right-side rows worked from the chart or written instructions below.
Stitch Count Note: The stitch count fluctuates on certain rows because of yarnovers and decreases that do not always pair immediately. At the end of every two-row sequence, your stitch count should return to 65.
Lace Row Instructions (Right-Side Rows Only)
Row 1 (RS): Sl1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 3: Sl1, k3, k1, yo, sk2p, yo, k2; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 5: Sl1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 7: Sl1, k3, k1, yo, k1, sk2p, k1, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 9: Sl1, k2, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk; rep from to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 11: Sl1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 13 — Starflower Center Row: Sl1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, [yo] twice, ssk, yo, sk2p, yo, k2tog, [yo] twice, k1, ssk; rep from to center 11 stitches, k1, [yo] twice, ssk, yo, sk2p, yo, k2tog, [yo] twice, k1, k2tog, yo, k4.
Row 15: Sl1, k3, k1, ktbl, k2, yo, sk2p, yo, k2, ktbl; rep from to last 4 sts, k4. (Work ktbl into each double yarnover from row 13.)
Row 17: Sl1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 19: Sl1, k3, k1, yo, sk2p, yo, k2; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 21: Sl1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 23: Sl1, k3, k1, yo, k1, sk2p, k1, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 25: Sl1, k2, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk; rep from to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 27: Sl1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 29 — Second Starflower Petal Row: Repeat Row 13.
Row 31: Repeat Row 15.
Row 33: Sl1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 35: Sl1, k3, k1, yo, sk2p, yo, k2; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 37: Sl1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 39: Sl1, k3, k1, yo, k1, sk2p, k1, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 41: Sl1, k2, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk; rep from to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 43: Sl1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 45 — Third Starflower Petal Row: Repeat Row 13.
Row 47: Repeat Row 15.
Row 49: Sl1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 51: Sl1, k3, k1, yo, sk2p, yo, k2; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 53: Sl1, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from to last 4 sts, k4.
Garter Border Finish
Rows 54 through 59: Knit all stitches across all 65 stitches, creating a matching garter border at the top of your square.
Bind Off: Use a stretchy bind-off. The Russian bind-off works beautifully for lace: k2, slip these 2 stitches back to left needle, k2tog tbl, k1; rep from until all stitches are bound off. Cut yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail, and pull through the last stitch to secure.
Blocking Your Estonian Starflower Lace Square
This step is where the magic happens, and I cannot overstate how important it is. Before blocking, your square will look dense and the lace pattern will be barely visible. After blocking, the starflower motif will bloom open, the yarnover eyelets will become distinct and clear, and the fabric will settle into its full, beautiful shape.
Fill a basin with cool to lukewarm water and add a small amount of wool wash or a drop of gentle shampoo. Submerge your knitted square completely and allow it to soak for at least twenty minutes. Do not agitate the fabric, as this can cause felting in wool yarns. After soaking, lift the square gently from the water and press out excess moisture by rolling it in a clean towel. Do not wring or twist.
Lay your damp square on a foam blocking mat or folded towels on a flat surface. Using blocking wires threaded through the edge stitches along each side, or working pin by pin if you prefer, pin your square out to the desired dimensions — approximately 8 by 8 inches, or slightly larger if you want a more open, airy fabric. Make sure the corners are square and the edges are straight.
Allow the square to dry completely before removing the pins. In a warm room with good air circulation, this usually takes between twelve and twenty-four hours. Once dry, remove the pins and wires and admire your work. The transformation is always stunning.
Joining Multiple Squares
If you are planning to make a larger project by joining several of these lace squares together — a blanket, a wrap, a table runner — there are a few joining methods that work especially well for lace fabric.
A sewn mattress stitch join worked through the edge selvedge stitches creates a nearly invisible seam that maintains the look of a continuous fabric. Work with a tapestry needle and a length of matching yarn, aligning the two squares side by side and stitching through the chained selvedge loops on each piece alternately.
A three-needle bind-off works beautifully if you leave the stitches of each square live rather than binding off, and then join two squares at their edges simultaneously. This creates a subtle ridge that can be worn on the right or wrong side depending on the aesthetic you prefer.
For a purely decorative join, consider working a narrow single crochet column between squares, which creates a visible grid line and gives the finished piece a stained-glass quality that is absolutely lovely.
Variations and Project Ideas
One of the pleasures of a lace square pattern is how versatile it is. Here are some ways to take this Estonian Starflower Lace Square in different directions.
Pillow Cover: Knit two identical squares and join them on three sides, insert a pillow form, and seam the final side closed. A 10 by 10 inch pillow form is a nice size target. Just adjust your needle size and yarn weight slightly to hit a larger finished square, or work a narrow border around each square before joining.
Framed Art: Yes, really. Block your square over a piece of archival foam or acid-free mat board and frame it behind glass. Lace squares in white or natural make stunning wall art, and this is a wonderful way to display a particularly beautiful project or to memorialize a sentimental yarn.
Baby Blanket: Join a grid of sixteen to twenty-five squares in a soft merino or merino-cotton blend for a heirloom baby blanket that will last generations. Choose a slightly larger needle and a fingering weight yarn to keep the fabric soft and drapey rather than stiff.
Table Runner: Six squares joined in a two-by-three arrangement make a lovely table runner. In a smooth, washable yarn, this becomes a practical and beautiful piece for everyday use.
Shawlette: Join four squares into a larger square, then pick up stitches along one diagonal and knit a simple garter stitch edging in decreasing rows to create a triangular shawlette shape. Simple and charming.
Tips for Success
Lace knitting has a reputation for being difficult, but much of that reputation comes from knitters working in poor light or without enough focus. Here are a few things that will genuinely help you succeed with this pattern.
Work in good light. Natural day
