Entrelac knitting, with its distinct basketweave appearance, can seem intimidating, but it's a wonderfully satisfying technique to learn. This detailed guide, based on the Sapphires and Pearls blog tutorial for an Entrelac Wrap, will walk you through the process from casting on to binding off, ensuring you can create your own beautiful piece even.

What You'll Need

To get started with your Entrelac Wrap, gather your knitting supplies:

  • Yarn: You can use any yarn you like. The sample in the tutorial uses different colors to help you see the distinct sections more clearly. If you're new to entrelac, using contrasting colors is highly recommended. If you're already somewhat familiar, feel free to use your preferred yarn.
  • Knitting Needles: Use needles appropriate for your chosen yarn.
  • Printed Tutorial: It's helpful to have the written tutorial handy as you follow along. You can find the free pattern for this wrap on the Sapphires and Pearls blog.

Understanding the Basics of Entrelac

Entrelac is built in tiers, typically involving three main types of knitted sections:

  1. Foundation Triangles (Base Triangles): These form the initial row of your entrelac fabric.
  2. Right Side Rectangles: These are worked on the right side of your fabric, building upwards from the foundation triangles.
  3. Left Side Rectangles: These are worked on the wrong side of your fabric, filling in the gaps and connecting the sections.
  4. Right Side Triangle: A triangle worked on the right side at the beginning of a tier.
  5. Left Side Triangle: A triangle worked on the wrong side at the end of a tier.

The key to entrelac is a series of turns (short rows) and joining stitches (decreases) that connect each new section to the existing fabric.

Getting Started: Cast On and Foundation Triangles

For this sample pattern, you'll cast on 20 stitches.

Creating Your Foundation Triangles (Base Triangles)

You'll create four base triangles for this sample. Each triangle in this pattern is built with 5 stitches. The process for each triangle involves short rows where you work a specific number of stitches, turn your work, and then knit back.

For each Foundation Triangle:

  1. Row 1 (WS): Purl 2 stitches. Turn.
  2. Row 2 (RS): Knit 2 stitches. Turn.
  3. Row 3 (WS): Purl 3 stitches. Turn.
  4. Row 4 (RS): Knit 3 stitches. Turn.
  5. Row 5 (WS): Purl 4 stitches. Turn.
  6. Row 6 (RS): Knit 4 stitches. Turn.
  7. Row 7 (WS): Purl 5 stitches. Do NOT turn. (This completes the first base triangle. The next step begins the next triangle.)

Repeat this sequence to create your second, third, and fourth base triangles. After completing the fifth purl stitch of your fourth base triangle, you will have four finished base triangles on your needles.

Building the First Tier: Right Side Triangle

Now, you're ready to start your right side triangle. The tutorial demonstrates switching to a new color yarn here to make the process clearer. This triangle will be worked on the right side of your fabric and attached to your first base triangle.

  1. Begin by knitting 2 stitches. Turn.
  2. Purl those 2 stitches. Turn.
  3. Knit into the front and back (kfb) of the first stitch.
  4. Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk) the next stitch from your right triangle with the next stitch from your base triangle. This attaches the right triangle to the base triangle. Turn.
  5. Purl your stitches. Turn.
  6. Knit into the front and back (kfb) of the first stitch.
  7. Knit until you reach the last stitch of your right triangle.
  8. Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk) the last stitch from your right triangle with the next stitch from your base triangle. Turn.
  9. Purl your stitches. Turn.
  10. Knit into the front and back (kfb) of the first stitch.
  11. Knit until you reach the last stitch.
  12. Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk) the last stitch from your right triangle with the next stitch from your base triangle. Do NOT turn after this final ssk.

You should now see your right side triangle attached to the side of your first base triangle.

Right Side Rectangles: Picking Up and Joining

Now you'll create the first tier of right side rectangles. These will be worked by picking up stitches along the left side of your base triangles. Each rectangle in this pattern will also have 5 stitches.

The tutorial mentions a neat edge for picking up stitches. To achieve this in your right side rectangles, you'll slip the first stitch knitwise of every right side row.

Picking Up Stitches:

  • Look along the left side of your base triangle (the one the right side triangle just attached to). You'll pick up stitches along this edge.
  • Count and pick up and knit 5 stitches along this edge.

Working Each Right Side Rectangle (Repeat for all four):

  1. You've just picked up 5 stitches. Turn your work.
  2. Purl those 5 stitches.
  3. Turn.
  4. Slip the first stitch knitwise.
  5. Knit until you reach the last stitch of your rectangle.
  6. Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk) the last stitch of your rectangle with the first stitch from the next base triangle to connect them. Turn.
  7. Purl your stitches.
  8. Turn.
  9. Slip the first stitch knitwise.
  10. Knit until you reach the last stitch.
  11. Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk) the last stitch of your rectangle with the next stitch from the base triangle. Turn.
  12. Purl your stitches.
  13. Turn.
  14. Slip the first stitch knitwise.
  15. Knit until you reach the last stitch.
  16. Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk) the last stitch of your rectangle with the next stitch from the base triangle. Do NOT turn after this final ssk.

Repeat this entire process (picking up 5 stitches and then working the rectangle as described above) for the second, third, and fourth right side rectangles, connecting them to the subsequent base triangles.

  • Note on SSK: The tutorial mentions slipping the first stitch knitwise and the second stitch purlwise before knitting them together for a neater decrease. While slipping both knitwise is also correct, experiment to see which method you prefer for your SSK.

After completing the fourth right side rectangle, you'll notice that your base triangles have straightened out and are now seamlessly joined by the right side rectangles.

Finishing the Tier: Left Side Triangle

The last step for this tier is to create the left side triangle. This will be worked on the wrong side of your fabric and will attach to the left side of your last base triangle.

  1. Along the left side of your last base triangle, pick up and knit 5 stitches.
  2. Turn your work.
  3. Purl 2 together (p2tog).
  4. Purl your remaining stitches to the end of the row. Turn.
  5. Knit all of your stitches to the end of the row. Turn.
  6. Purl 2 together (p2tog).
  7. Purl to the end of the row. Turn.
  8. Knit all of your stitches to the end of the row. Turn.
  9. Purl 2 together (p2tog).
  10. Purl the last stitch. Turn.
  11. Knit the two remaining stitches. Turn.
  12. Purl your last two stitches together (p2tog). Do NOT turn after this final p2tog.

Your left side triangle is now complete. Although it might appear to "hang out" a bit, it will pull into place and straighten out as you continue with the next tier of wrong side rectangles.