The Old Shale stitch has a rich history, rooted in Shetland lace knitting, which became widely popular in the 19th century. Often mistaken for the Feather and Fan stitch, both are classic lace knitting stitches that create beautiful wave-like patterns, adding a delicate touch to projects.
This lace pattern is formed by a simple combination of knit, purl, decrease (K2tog), and yarn over (YO) techniques. With just 4 rows that repeat, it’s as easy as pie!
Classic Old Shale stitch
Cast on a multiple of 18 stitches
- Row 1 (RS): Knit all stitches.
- Row 2: Purl all stitches.
- Row 3: (K2tog) three times, (YO, K1) six times, (K2tog) three times; repeat from * to end.
- Row 4: Knit all stitches.
Repeat Rows 1–4
Popular Old Shale Variations
Over time, knitters have developed many variations of the Old Shale stitch by changing yarns, colors, stitch counts, and additional techniques. In this article, I share 4 patterns, all of which require casting on a multiple of 18 stitches.
Pattern 1
Use stockinette stitch for the plain rows instead of garter stitch.
Row 1 - RS: Knit.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: *(K2tog) three times, (YO, K1) six times, (K2tog) three times; rep from * to end.
Row 4: Purl.
Repeat: Rows 1-4.
Pattern 2
Row 1 - RS: Knit.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: *(K2tog) three times, (YO, K1) six times, (K2tog) three times; rep from * to end.
Row 6: Knit.
Repeat: Rows 1-6.
Pattern 3
Row 1 - RS: Knit.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: *(P2tog) three times, (YO, K1) six times, (P2tog) three times; rep from * to end.
Row 4: Purl.
Repeat: Rows 1-4.
Pattern 4
Row 1 - RS: Knit.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: *(P2tog) three times, (YO, K1) six times, (P2tog) three times; rep from * to end.
Row 4: Knit.
Repeat: Rows 1-4.
Related Patterns
