Got a sudden wild hare to knit some more of these 1920-ish Duchrow patterns.

I’ve been on the Arachne lacemakers’ email list since the 1990s, and the wonderful phrase “The color wears the lace” is something I read there. It vividly sums up the way we see changes in color much better than a knitted (or tatted, or bobbin lace, or crocheted) pattern.

Which is another way of saying, I should have known better than to use an ombre thread for this pattern, but the outside of the ball didn’t have the strong contrast between purple and white that I found in the middle. Drat!

Someday I’ll have to reknit it in white or a solid.

Das Tellerdeckchen - Nr. 6 Deckchen auch mit Perlen zu arbeiten
(The plate doily - Doily worked with beads)

Original directions call for sewing silk, fine knitting needles, and 224 rose-colored and 320 green beads.

See beading directions below.

Cast on 8 stitches, knit 1 round, then follow chart I (Typensatz I) rounds 3-41.

In the plain rounds 2-12, knit only once into the 11 (double yarnovers).

In the plain rounds 14-40, purl and then knit into the 11 (double yarnovers).

In the plain round 32, knit each of the twelve stitches of the 12 x YO from Round 31 through the back loop (twisted, ktbl).

Round 41 is a crocheted cast-off: Take two or three knitted stitches off at a time as indicated and crochet chains of 5 stitches in between groups of knit stitches.

The finished work is pinned out and blocked.

Beading directions: Before starting work, string first the rose, then the green beads on the working yarn. Work through Round 26 without beads.

In Rounds 27, 29 and 31 and the plain rounds 28, 30, and 32, work a green bead into the first and last stitch of each chart repeat, marked “r.” In the plain rounds, work the stitch with the bead twisted (through the back loop).

In Rounds 33 and 35, work all 14 stitches (including the 12 from the 12 yarnovers) with green beads. Knit the plain rows without beads.

In Rounds 37 and 39, over the green beads, knit these 14 stitches with a rose-colored bead.

The finished star appears decorated with eight dainty beaded flowers.

Key:

r Knit
r. (r with a . - Rounds 27-39) Knit with bead
$ Knit through back loop (twisted)
11 Double yarnover
a Slip 1, knit 1, PSSO
3 Slip 1, knit 2 together, PSSO
g Knit 2 together
12 x umschlagen 12 YO (Round 31)