Pattern from history - Lacy diamonds from 1980

“Pattern from history” posts were born when my lovely grandmother gave me all (well, almost all) of her old pattern sheets. And it was many. She collected those years and years and I think it’s a fantastic reflection of knitting history of our little country.

To make this little bit personal, I try to put little bit history of Estonia behind the year of the pattern. And I try to add all that my grandmother can remember and can tell me.

I added “can tell me” because my granny is little protective of me – she shares what she thinks I can handle – I’m a sensitive nature you see 🙂

I love her for that, but I can’t always get the hole truth about all that have happened.


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Today’s pattern is from 1980 – 4 years before I was born. Estonia was still under Soviet Union. There was shortage of everything – food, clothes and  all the most basic things we’re used to now.

It was a year of another Estonian Song Festival which is huge for Estonians. First Song Festival was in 1869 with 845 participants and it is held every five years in July. In 1980, there were 28 969 participants. The tradition of the song festival was born along with Estonian national awakening and it has major symbolic meaning for our nationality.

If you want more information then here is an official site and if you want some visuals for what I’m talking about then I found a video on YouTube from 1988 (Singing Revolution – but it’s a story for another time).

Estonian Lace Explained

I was knitting this swatch and I had a feeling I have knitted something similar before. After searching through all the patterns I have, it dawned on me. Airy Silhouette from 1984 – almost same, only framed with “nupps“.

It’s modest, but still interesting.

Simple lace knitting pattern from 1980 - lacy diamonds

Pattern repeat is 8 stitches + 2 stitches;

Row 1: *k4, k2tog, YO, k2* rep to last 2 sts, k2;
Row 2 and all the wrong side rows: purl;
Row 3: *k3, (k2tog, YO) twice, k1* rep to last 2 sts, k2;
Row 5: *k2, (k2tog, YO) 3 times total* rep to last 2 sts, k2;
Row 7: *k3, (ssk, YO) twice, k1* rep to last 2 sts, k2;
Row 9: *k4, ssk, YO, k2* rep to last 2 sts, k2;
Row 10: purl;

chart for Lacy Diamonds from 1980
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This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Jo

    I love the old patterns, and to know some history from that era is wonderful. Thank you!

    1. PatternDuchess

      I’m glad, Jo 🙂

  2. Nilda

    What a treasure you have and how wonderful you are sharing them. I cannot say thank you enough.

    1. PatternDuchess

      I know, it’s better than gold 🙂

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