Something New

I'm not a very experienced lace knitter. I've decided that 2009 is the year that I'll broaden my horizons - knitterly speaking. I want to do more lace knitting - with actual lace weight yarns. (I also want to do colourwork, but thats a different post all together). So in keeping with this thought, I decided to tackle the pattern 'Ishbel' by Ysolda. The few times that I've knit lace, I've kept track of the pattern repeats with stitch markers. So, I tried that with this little lace shawl/kerchief. But I was always coming up with the wrong number of stitches and my patterns weren't lining up. So, I did a search on Ravelry and discovered that since this pattern is started from the center back, and there are 4 stiches increasing on one side of the work and 2 stitch increases on the other side as the pattern grows outwards, then it is impossible to use stitch markers to keep track of the lace repeats. I wish I had realized it before I knit the lace 5 times or so. Seriously. One night I was actually dreaming about it, and counting yarn overs in my sleep.

Any way, it is now finished. Its malibrigo too!!! I'm certain there are mistakes in it. Probably only visible to me and experienced lace knitters. But, I love it. I will wear it. Even though purple isn't my colour. Amy says that is all the more reason to wear purple. I need to break out of my colour box.

And speaking of purple, I then went on to knit the Lacey Airy Scarf from Simple Knitted Gifts. Today there was a surprise party for Blair's mom. She is turning 50. I just got the invitation on Friday, so that left me with very little time to make something for her. Since this project was in the '4 hours or under' chapter, I thought I would give it a try. Now this is a very, very, very simple lace pattern. Actually, I'm not even sure that 8 yarn overs in a row will qualify as lace, but it is done in a lace weight yarn so, I'm calling it lace.