Thread & Thimble
Title page of Cornelia Mee’s Exercises in Knitting, the book that prints the Vandyke edging instructions
Source illustrationAbout this imageThe source gives written rows for this edging but no illustration of the edging itself. This is the book’s title page.

Historical pattern · Modern adaptation

Narrow Vandyke knitted edging

An eight-row lace repeat that forms a narrow pointed edge. The source terminology is translated in the modern steps.

Advanced2–4 hours, editorial estimateWidth and length depend on thread, needles, and repeat count
Open in your studio

Before you begin

Materials

  • Fine smooth yarn or thread suitable for lace
  • Knitting needles sized for your yarn
  • Tapestry needle and scissors
  • A swatch cloth if you plan to attach the edging

Quick reference

Abbreviations

K
Knit.
P
Purl. The source calls this “seam.”
YO
Yarn over: bring yarn over the needle to create an eyelet.
K2tog
Knit two stitches together as one.
Double YO
Wrap yarn around the needle twice. This makes two loops, which are worked as two stitches, one knit and one purl, on the next row.

One step at a time

Step-by-step instructions

6 steps
  1. 1

    Read the repeat before casting on

    The 1846 source names pins No. 21 and linen thread No. 9. Those labels do not identify a modern needle size. Choose a smooth yarn and needles that show the eyelets clearly. The source gives no gauge or finished width.

  2. 2

    Cast on eight stitches

    Cast on eight stitches. Keep the edge relaxed. The first row begins immediately, so leave a yarn tail long enough to secure later.

  3. 3

    Work rows one to four

    Row 1: K4, YO, K2tog, YO, K2tog. Row 2: slip 1, K3, YO, K2tog, double YO, K2tog. Row 3: YO, K1, knit the first loop made by the double YO, purl its second loop, K2, YO, K2tog, YO, K2tog. Row 4: slip 1, K3, YO, K2tog, K4.

  4. 4

    Work rows five to eight

    Row 5: YO, K6, YO, K2tog, YO, K2tog. Row 6: slip 1, K3, YO, K2tog, double YO, K2tog, double YO, slip 1, K1, pass the slipped stitch over, K1. Row 7: K2, knit the first loop of the next double YO, purl its second loop, K1, knit the first loop of the following double YO, purl its second loop, K2, YO, K2tog, YO, K2tog. Row 8: slip 1, K3, YO, K2tog, K7.

  5. 5

    Check the stitch counts and start the next point

    Count each double yarn-over as two loops. The live stitch counts after rows 1 through 8 are 8, 9, 10, 10, 11, 13, 13, and 13. Turn the work, then bind off five stitches at the start of the next row. Work the first six loops to bind off five. One worked loop remains on the right needle and seven stitches remain on the left, eight in all. Leave the worked loop on the right needle; it counts as the first knit of row 1. Knit the next three stitches from the left needle, then work YO, K2tog, YO, K2tog across the remaining four. This is the repeat setup used here for the source’s “Cast off 5 stitches, and repeat from first row.”

  6. 6

    Finish and assess the edge

    When the edging reaches your chosen length, bind off and weave in the ends. Block gently if the yarn allows. Pin a short section to a fabric scrap to see whether its points lie as you want before sewing it to a finished item.

Modern adaptation. Check materials, measurements, and gauge before beginning.

Historical pattern · Modern adaptation

From Exercises in Knitting

Cornelia Mee · Third Thousand, David Bogue, London, 1846.

Original heading: Narrow Vandyke Edging · “Narrow Vandyke Edging,” printed p. 29

Read the original wording and adaptation notes

Original wording

Pins No. 21, and linen thread No. 9. Cast on 8 stitches. First row:—Knit 4, make 1, knit 2 together, make 1, knit 2 together. Second row:—Slip 1, knit 3, make 1, knit 2 together, pass the thread twice round the pin, knit 2 together. Third row:—Make 1, knit 1, knit the first half of next stitch, seam the other half, knit 2, make 1, knit 2 together, make 1, knit 2 together. Fourth row:—Slip 1, knit 3, make 1, knit 2 together, knit 4. Fifth row:—Make 1, knit 6, make 1, knit 2 together, make 1, knit 2 together. Sixth row:—Slip 1, knit 3, make 1, knit 2 together, pass the thread twice round the pin, knit 2 together, pass the thread twice round, slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped one over, knit 1. Seventh row:—Knit 2, knit the first half of next stitch, seam the other half, knit 1, knit first half of next stitch, seam the other half, knit 2, make 1, knit 2 together, make 1, knit 2 together. Eighth row:—Slip 1, knit 3, make 1, knit 2 together, knit 7. Cast off 5 stitches, and repeat from first row.

What changed for this modern edition

  • The modern directions translate “seam” as purl and “make 1” as a yarn-over. This is an editorial interpretation of period terminology.
  • The source twice wraps the thread around the needle in rows 2 and 6. The modern directions count each pair of wraps as two live loops and work those loops as knit and purl stitches on the next row, following the source wording in rows 3 and 7.
  • The row and bind-off sequence is counted above, including the live loop left by the five-stitch bind-off. It has not been physically sample-knitted, so check a short swatch before using the repeat on a project.
View the original source illustration
Title page of Cornelia Mee’s Exercises in Knitting, the book that prints the Vandyke edging instructions
The source gives written rows for this edging but no illustration of the edging itself. This is the book’s title page. This is a scan from the historical source, not a finished-project photograph.

Public domain in the USA. Rights status can differ outside the United States.

View the digitized book at Project Gutenberg

The title page says “Third Thousand” and gives 1846. This is the named edition, not a claim about the first edition.

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