What is Latvian braid?

The world of knitting is amazing in its variety of techniques. Sometimes I feel like I need six or seven lifetimes to try them all. The technique featured here is known as Latvian braid. It uses two colors of yarn to create a braid that runs perpendicular to your knitting and the result is quite spectacular. The Latvian braid can be worked flat right after the cast-on to create a beautiful edge on a bonnet or worked in the round on mitts or mittens. It can also be used as a design element in the body of a piece, as seen in Beth Brown-Reinsel’s pattern featured in Knitting Traditions Winter 2011. Don’t get too concerned about your yarns getting twisted together as you work Latvian braid—this is part of the magic!

Working flat

Cast-on an odd number of sts. This version points this way >>>

Row 1 (RS): *K1 with MC, k1 with CC, rep from * to last st, k1 with MC.

Row 2 (WS): *K1 with MC, bring CC over MC, k1 with CC, bring MC over CC, rep from * to last st, k1 with MC.

Row 3 (RS): *P1 with MC, bring CC over MC, p1 with CC, bring MC over CC, rep from * to last st, p1 with MC.

Opposite direction <<<

Row 1 (RS): *K1 with MC, k1 with CC, rep from * to last st, k1 with MC.

Row 2 (WS): *K1 with MC, bring CC under MC, k1 with CC, bring MC under CC, rep from * to last st, k1 with MC.

Row 3 (RS): *P1 with MC, bring CC under MC, p1 with CC, bring MC under CC, rep from * to last st, p1 with MC.

Lativan braid worked flat

Working in the round

Cast-on an even number of sts. This version points >>>

Rnd 1: *K1 with MC, k1 with CC, rep from * to end of rnd.

Rnd 2: *P1 with MC, bring CC under MC, p1 with CC, bring MC under CC, rep from * to end of rnd.

Rnd 3: *P1 with MC, bring CC over MC, p1 with CC, bring MC over CC, rep from * to end of rnd.

Opposite direction <<<

Rnd 1: *K1 with MC, k1 with CC, rep from * to end of rnd.

Rnd 2: *P1 with MC, bring CC over MC, p1 with CC, bring MC over CC, rep from * to end of rnd.

Rnd 3: *P1 with MC, bring CC under MC, p1 with CC, bring MC under CC, rep from * to end of rnd.

Latvian braid worked in the round

The key to this technique is in the twisting of the yarns. As you work the second round, the yarns twist together, and the third round then untwists them. As the yarns twist, they lay over the top of one another below the line of stitches to create the braid pattern.

Have you used this technique in one of your own projects? We would love to see your projects and share them with our readers in PieceWork’s By Post column. Email your photos and stories here.

Katrina King just keeps learning in craft and in life. Along with lace knitting, she also has crochet, weaving, spinning laceweight yarn, embroidery, and tatting in her tool bag. You can follow her craft adventures at Threaded Dream Studio. When she’s not crafting, she can be found following sports, reading epic fantasy novels, and keeping up with her two daughters.