Lesson: Baltic Braid

This decorative braid is popular in both Lithuania and Latvia. It is worked by making three rounds with two colors, changing colors after every stitch. The first round is knit and the second two rounds are purled. On the purl round, the floats create the braid pattern. It is very important to pick up the new color in the proper position in order to create the braid.

Setup rnd: (K1 MC, k1 CC) around.

Braid rnd 1: Bring both yarns to the front. (P1 MC, p1 CC) around, always bringing the new color from under the old color.

Note how the dark yarn is being brought up from beneath the light yarn.

This will twist the yarns. Don’t worry. The next rnd will untwist them.

Braid rnd 2: (P1 MC, p1 CC) around, always bringing the new color from over the old color.

Note how the dark yarn is being brought up from over the top of the light yarn.

That’s it! Continue with your pattern.