Estonian Starflower Lace Square Free Knitting Pattern
There is something quietly magical about Estonian lace. It carries with it centuries of tradition, a language of loops and yarn-overs that was passed down through generations of knitters on a small Baltic island called Haapsalu. When you sit down with your needles and begin working an Estonian starflower pattern, you are joining a lineage of makers who understood that functional fabric could also be breathtakingly beautiful. This free knitting pattern brings that tradition into a modern, approachable format — a lace square that works up into a lovely standalone piece or becomes a versatile building block for larger projects.
Whether you are making a dishcloth, a blanket block, a decorative coaster, a shawlette panel, or simply practicing your lace skills, this Estonian Starflower Lace Square is a pattern you will return to again and again. Let’s walk through everything you need to know — materials, abbreviations, techniques, the full written pattern, and tips for blocking and finishing.
What Is Estonian Lace?
Estonian lace has its roots in the city of Haapsalu, Estonia, where fine lace shawls have been crafted since the early nineteenth century. Unlike some lace traditions that rely heavily on beads or bobbin techniques, Estonian lace is knitted entirely with two needles. Its defining characteristic is a pattern element called a nupp — a small, bobble-like cluster of stitches worked closely together — but Estonian lace is also deeply associated with airy, geometric, and floral motifs created through strategic yarn-overs and decreases.
The starflower motif is one of the most recognizable shapes in this tradition. It radiates outward from a central point like the petals of a flower, creating an almost three-dimensional visual effect even when the fabric lies completely flat. The interplay of eyelets and solid stitches makes the flower appear to float on the surface of the knitting, and that is exactly what makes it so captivating.
For this pattern, we are working the starflower motif in a square format. This makes it extremely adaptable. You can knit a single square as a decorative element, join dozens of them for a heirloom blanket, or frame one in an embroidery hoop as textile art for your wall.
Materials You Will Need
Before you cast on, gather the following:
Yarn: Approximately 50 yards of fingering weight or lace weight yarn. For a crisp, show-stopping result, choose a smooth yarn with minimal texture — wool, cotton, or a silk blend all work beautifully. Avoid anything too fluffy or with a strong halo, as this will obscure the lace detail. A classic choice would be a single-ply or lightly twisted merino in a light or white color, which allows the pattern to read clearly. Darker colors work too, but the lace detail can be harder to see as you work.
Needles: US size 2 (2.75mm) to US size 4 (3.5mm) depending on your tension and desired drape. Lace knitting generally benefits from going up a needle size or two from what the yarn label recommends, as this opens up the eyelets and lets the fabric breathe. Use whichever material you prefer — wood, bamboo, and metal all work, though many lace knitters prefer the slight grip of bamboo.
Additional tools: A yarn needle for weaving in ends, blocking pins or blocking wires, blocking mats or a foam surface, a stitch marker for the center of the square, and a spray bottle filled with water.
Gauge: Gauge matters less for this pattern than for garments, but as a general guide, aim for approximately 28 to 32 stitches over 4 inches in stockinette on your chosen needles. After blocking, your finished square should measure approximately 6 to 7 inches on each side, depending on your yarn weight and needle size.
Abbreviations and Special Techniques
This pattern uses standard lace knitting abbreviations. If you are new to lace, take a few minutes to practice each technique before beginning the full square.
k — knit
p — purl
yo — yarn over (wrap yarn forward between needles, then over the right needle to create a new stitch and an eyelet)
k2tog — knit two stitches together (a right-leaning decrease)
ssk — slip, slip, knit (slip two stitches knitwise one at a time, insert left needle through their front loops, and knit them together; a left-leaning decrease)
sl1-k2tog-psso — slip one stitch knitwise, knit the next two together, pass the slipped stitch over (a central double decrease that leans neither left nor right; this is the heart of the starflower center)
k3tog — knit three stitches together (a right-leaning double decrease)
sssk — slip, slip, slip, knit (like ssk but with three stitches; a left-leaning double decrease)
RS — right side of the work
WS — wrong side of the work
PM — place marker
SM — slip marker
A note on yarn-overs in lace: a single yarn-over adds one stitch and creates one eyelet. When you work two yarn-overs in a row (a double yarn-over), you will typically drop one of them on the return row to create a larger eyelet and keep your stitch count correct. This pattern uses both single and double yarn-overs.
A Note on Reading This Pattern
The pattern is written row by row. Right side rows are odd-numbered, and wrong side rows are even-numbered. On wrong side rows, unless otherwise instructed, purl all stitches and drop the extra loop of any double yarn-over. This means if you worked a double yarn-over on the previous row, you will purl into the first loop of it and drop the second loop off the needle.
If you prefer working from a chart, you can easily chart this pattern on knitting graph paper using standard chart symbols. Charts can sometimes make the visual logic of lace easier to follow, especially when you are learning a new motif.
The Free Estonian Starflower Lace Square Pattern
Cast on: Using a stretchy cast-on method such as the long-tail cast-on, cast on 47 stitches.
Foundation Row (WS): Purl across all 47 stitches.
Rows 1–6: Border Setup
Row 1 (RS): K3, yo, ssk; repeat from to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 2 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 3 (RS): K2, k2tog, yo, yo, ssk; repeat from to last 3 sts, k3. (47 stitches — the double yo adds then drops)
Row 4 (WS): P3, p1, drop extra yo loop, p2; repeat from to last 2 sts, p2.
Row 5 (RS): Knit all stitches.
Row 6 (WS): Purl all stitches.
These six rows create a simple lace border along the bottom of your square and establish the rhythm of eyelet work before the main motif begins.
Rows 7–10: Transition Rows
Row 7 (RS): K4, yo, ssk, k6; repeat from to last 7 sts, yo, ssk, k5.
Row 8 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 9 (RS): K3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k4; repeat from to last 8 sts, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k3.
Row 10 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Rows 11–28: Main Starflower Motif Block
This is the heart of the pattern. Work carefully and count your stitches at the end of each RS row. You should always have 47 stitches (or the same number you cast on, if you have adjusted for size) after each RS row is complete.
Row 11 (RS): K3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k3, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k3; repeat from to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 12 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 13 (RS): K4, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k4, k4, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k4; repeat from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 14 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 15 (RS): K2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1; repeat from to last st, k1.
Row 16 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 17 (RS): K1, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k2, yo, ssk; repeat from to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 18 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 19 (RS): K2tog, yo, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso; repeat from to last 9 sts, yo, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, yo, ssk.
Row 20 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 21 (RS): K2, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; repeat from to last st, k1.
Row 22 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 23 (RS): K3, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k3; repeat from to last st, k1.
Row 24 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 25 (RS): K2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k3; repeat from to last st, k1.
Row 26 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 27 (RS): K1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso; repeat from to last 6 sts, yo, k3, yo, ssk.
Row 28 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Rows 29–38: Upper Starflower Petals
Row 29 (RS): K3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k3; repeat from to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 30 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 31 (RS): K4, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k5; repeat from to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 32 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 33 (RS): K2, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk; repeat from to last 5 sts, k3, k2tog, yo.
Row 34 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 35 (RS): K1, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k5, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso; repeat from to last 5 sts, yo, k5.
Row 36 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 37 (RS): Knit all stitches.
Row 38 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Rows 39–44: Top Border
These rows mirror the bottom border, creating a symmetrical frame around the motif.
Row 39 (RS): K5, yo, ssk; repeat from to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 40 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Row 41 (RS): K2, k2tog, yo, yo, ssk; repeat from to last 5 sts, k5.
Row 42 (WS): P5, p1, drop extra yo loop, p2; repeat from to last 2 sts, p2.
Row 43 (RS): Knit all stitches.
Row 44 (WS): Purl all stitches.
Bind off: Using a stretchy bind-off such as the k2tog bind-off or the Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off, bind off all stitches loosely. A tight bind-off will pucker your lace and resist proper blocking, so err on the side of too loose rather than too tight.
Blocking Your Estonian Starflower Lace Square
Blocking is not optional with lace. It is the step that transforms a crumpled, slightly sad-looking knitted fabric into the open, airy, clearly patterned piece you imagined. Please do not skip this step.
Soak your finished square in cool water for at least twenty minutes, allowing the fiber to absorb the water fully. Do not agitate it or scrub it — just let it rest. When you lift it out, gently press out excess water by rolling the square in a clean towel and pressing down. Do not wring or twist.
Lay your blocking mats on a flat surface. Unfurl the damp square and begin pinning it into shape. Work from corner to corner first, stretching the square gently to your desired finished dimensions. Then pin along each side, placing pins every half inch or so. For lace like this, the more pins the better — this is what gives you those crisp, pointed eyelet edges.
Leave it pinned until completely dry. Depending on your climate and yarn, this may take anywhere from several hours to a full day. When you unpin it, the transformation will be remarkable. The eyelets will be open and defined, the starflower motif will pop with visual clarity, and the fabric will have a beautiful drape that the pre-blocked square simply did not have.
Ideas for Using Your Lace Squares
A single square is a meditation on pattern and craft. But a collection of squares opens up an entire world of project possibilities.
Join four squares in a two-by-two arrangement for a beautiful face cloth or small decorative mat. Join sixteen together for a throw pillow cover. Cast on a much larger version by scaling up the stitch count for a single-piece table runner. Or work through an entire basket of yarn and create a stunning, heirloom-quality lap blanket made from individual squares seamed together using a simple mattress stitch or crochet join.
The starflower motif also translates beautifully into shawl design. You can knit two or three squares and join them into a simple triangular shawlette with a garter stitch border, or use a single square as the central medallion of a more elaborate shawl worked outward from the edges.
Tips for Knitting Estonian-Style Lace
If you are new to lace knitting, a few habits will make your experience much smoother. First, place a stitch marker every ten stitches across your needle so that you can quickly identify if you have dropped a stitch or miscounted. Second, keep a small notepad beside you and check off each row as you complete it — it is easy to lose your place in lace. Third, life lines are your best friend. Thread a piece of smooth contrast yarn through your live stitches every ten rows or so. If you make an error, you can rip back to your life line without losing all your work.
Take your time with the central double decrease. The sl1-k2tog-psso can feel awkward at first, but once you get the motion down it becomes natural. The resulting stitch sits perfectly centered between its neighbors and is worth the initial fumbling.
Finally, trust the blocking. Your lace will look uncertain right off the needles. That is normal. The blocking is what reveals the pattern in its full glory.
Sharing Your Makes
If you knit this Estonian Starflower Lace Square, please share your finished piece with fellow knitters online. Tag your photos and leave a note about any modifications you made — perhaps you used a heavier yarn for a more rustic texture, or swapped in a coordinating
