...according to Wikipedia, "a knitting technique used to create a textured diamond pattern. While the end result resembles basket-woven strips of knitted fabric, the actual material comprises interconnected squares on two different orientations."
And according to a knitter who was doubtful about entrelac at first ("all that knitting, turning, purling back, switching colors, changing angles, picking up and joining...") it means "a series of building blocks, one row leaning right and one leaning left."
Another site defines entrelac as "a pattern of squares where each square is knit at right angles to its neighbor. The resulting pattern resembles a basketweave pattern. In knitting books, the pattern is also called basket stitch, birch stitch, trellis, lattice stitch, woven lattice, and diamond weave." It comes from a french word meaning "ornament composed of interlacing figures."
I say entrelac means knitting that you never want to put down! I learned the technique at the retreat last weekend, and I absolutely love it! My work in progress is going to be a shawl, using 8 skeins of Noro Silk Garden, color number 268. I picked the color because it reminded me of Iona, but it also has all the colors of the misty mountaintop in North Carolina.
With this yarn, entrelac means "I have time for just one more square, because who knows what color it will end up being." It means "Maybe I can just finish up this row of squares before I stop." It means "I think I'll just spread it out in my lap and gaze at it..."
2 comments:
For you, I guess "what is entrelac?" is one of the answers (questions?) to the "Joy of Knitting" category! It's amazing how the colors are reminiscent of both the rocky coast of Iona and the misty mountains of North Carolina. Knit on!
Beautiful. I'm ready to learn anytime you are ready to teach!
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