Lace charts are a visual shorthand for what would otherwise be pages of written instructions. Once you can read them fluently, they're actually far clearer than written directions — you can see the shape of the lace pattern directly on the grid, which makes it much easier to spot when you've made an error. This guide starts from scratch and explains the most common symbols you'll encounter in commercially published lace patterns.
Pro tip: Always read a chart alongside the written key — symbol conventions vary between designers and publishers. Never assume a circle means 'yarn-over' without checking the key first. Print the chart large enough to make notes on, and use a magnetic chart holder or a sticky note to track your current row.
Step-by-step guide
- Read the key (legend) at the bottom or side of the chart before working any stitches.
- Identify the right-side (RS) and wrong-side (WS) rows — RS rows are usually read right to left, WS rows left to right, unless the chart specifies otherwise.
- Count the stitches in a single repeat and compare it to your cast-on number to confirm they divide evenly.
- Place a stitch marker after each repeat as you work the first row — this catches counting errors early.
- When you finish a right-side row, move your chart tracker up one row before turning to work the wrong side.
- After completing the full chart, check that your stitch count matches the beginning count — most lace rows should be stitch-count neutral.
The most common chart symbols explained
An empty square or a square with a dot means knit on the RS, purl on the WS — the background stitch. A circle (O) is a yarn-over, which creates a new stitch and an eyelet. A forward slash (/) is a k2tog (knit two together), a right-leaning decrease. A backslash (\) is an ssk or skpo, a left-leaning decrease. A filled circle or a square with an X is often 'no stitch' — a placeholder that keeps the chart columns aligned when the stitch count changes across rows.
Understanding yarn-over and decrease pairs
In most lace patterns, each yarn-over is paired with a matching decrease so the stitch count stays constant across the row. The decrease can appear immediately beside the yarn-over, or it may be placed several stitches away to create a directional lean in the fabric. When you scan a chart row before working it, look for these pairs — if you can spot them, you'll immediately understand the visual movement of the lace.
Working the wrong-side rows
Many beginner lace patterns have plain purl rows on the wrong side, which gives you a break from counting. In these patterns you only need to follow the chart on right-side rows; the WS row is simply purl all stitches (or is written out separately below the chart). More complex lace — particularly those with texture or reversible designs — will have active WS rows in the chart. These rows are read left to right, and every symbol's meaning flips: a knit on RS becomes a purl on WS.
Recovering from a lace mistake
Tinking (unknitting stitch by stitch) is much safer than ripping back in lace because it preserves the yarn-overs in their correct positions. If you must rip back more than one row, do it slowly to a lifeline — a length of smooth, contrasting yarn threaded through every stitch on a completed right-side row. Rip back to that row, pick up the stitches from the lifeline, and resume from there. Insert a lifeline every 8–10 rows when learning a new lace chart.