Regarding the Houndstooth and Lace

I do love houndstooth fabric! Though once associated mostly with men's suiting, it's this classic houndstooth that gets me excited. And I have to admit it's actually the structure of the woven houndstooth that attracts me.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

I like the fact that "two over/two under... , advancing one thread each pass" creates this wonderful pattern. Come on! Any weavers and knitters reading this, you know how we love our grid variations!

In structure, the knitted houndstooth is not related to the houndstooth's woven origins at all. The knitted houndstooth is simply a lovely imitation, an homage to the houndstooth surface.

Variations and tributes to classic houndstooth have popped up all over the place this season, pushing it way beyond its staid reputation. If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you know I decided to pair the houndstooth fabric I machine knitted with lace, my push toward drama and frill.

Turning the drama down a bit, you can see the sweater a little better.

I used a wool binding at the neck. The cuffs and bottom edge are also bound. The tape lace is inserted between the main fabric and the binding. It's not the way I originally planned on attaching the lace, but I'll save that story for another time.

And in case you were wondering, yes, artisan knit houndstooth is still available in the shop!

O!