Tuesday, September 12, 2006

You know what I love about lace?

I love that moment when you realize what you're making will bear little resemblance to the thing hanging off of your needles. Here's what I'm working on right now.

Scrunched Lace

Here's my progress on Print O' the Wave; it doesn't look like much. But in the next photo, it's all pinned out on the back of my rocking chair.

Stretched Lace

I love it. I had to alter the pattern a little bit, mostly because I'm worried that I'll run out of yarn. I bought a 2 oz. ball of Zephyr a couple of weeks ago, so I've only got a bit more than 600 yards. Eunny says that the stole, knit in laceweight, will take around 800 to 900 yards. Obviously, I don't have enough, so I took out one of the 16-stitch pattern repeats and will knit 6 fewer 12-row repeats, which leaves approximately 80% of the original pattern. I'm also using a US 5 instead of the recommended US 4, because for some reason, the only size needle I don't have between US 000 and US 15 is US 4. Plus, I just got a Knit Picks options needle in a 5, and I wanted to try those sharp points on some lace (and they rock). The upside of that is that the lace will block out closer to the original dimensions, but I'm not entirely sure what the effect will be on yarn consumption. Any more experienced lace knitters out there who could offer up some insight? My guess is that I'll run out; I'd be prepared to cut out a couple more repeats, because I don't think the chances of finding more yarn are good, unless I want a different dye lot on the border.

Eh, even if it gives me a heart attack in the end, it's pretty.

In other knitting news, I've almost finished that cardigan. I've got to add sleeves and buttons, and that's it. I'd show you a picture, but no matter how you drape a single color stockinette cardigan over a chair, it's kinda boring. It's a gift for my roommate, Heather, but I can't get her to model it right now (2am) because she's diagramming some Greek and memorizing some Hebrew vocabulary. Definitely not the moment to interrupt with wool.

And last but not least, I'm sorry to anyone whose comment I haven't gotten back to. That's on my list for tomorrow, especially because my blogless lace swap pal, Lindy, deserves more than the little thank you I've given her for her package. I think she's psychic, because her gift included, in addition to all manner of lace knitting stuff, a huge pile of cooking magazines, boxes of tea, and a bag with a picture of the Little Prince. I love this book so much that I actually have two copies: one in English, of course, and one in Italian, because I always saw it at the bookshop I frequented in Rome. Of course, I don't have it in the original French, because I don't speak or read French. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it, if just for the illustration of a snake eating an elephant.

6 Comments:

Blogger Libby said...

Very pretty. I hate to tell you this, but no, it sounds like, you will not have enough yarn. However, "enough" is relative. However much you have is "enough," and will make a rather lovely piece of knitting.
Looks like you've been busy in Kentucky.

6:19 AM  
Blogger Pearls Mother said...

I'm glad you enjoyed your swap package, I had a great time putting it together.
You were my first swap partner!
I read all of your blog, which was how I knew about your love for 'the little prince'.
I found the bag in a local gift shop where I go to buy special gifts, I was actually there to buy a copy of the little prince for a friends new baby.
I now have a blog, just follow the Pearls Mother link.
Lindy

8:01 AM  
Blogger Tracy Batchelder said...

That pattern is so pretty! Maybe it could be a scarf, if you end up not having enough yarn to make the shawl.

10:24 AM  
Blogger Jillio said...

great work on the stole!
i have, oh, i don't know, five 16" size 8 circular needles? i performed a needle rescue mission one day to free some needles from WIP's that would never be and ended up with five. ask me where they are now, though, and i really couldn't tell you. kinda irks me right now as i'm dying to knit a hat or two.
aren't those knit picks needles awesome?! i don't care much for the interchangeable-ness of the options line (i'm more likely to lose something), but i do very much like the smaller size circs for sock knitting. revolutionary, i say!

6:32 PM  
Blogger Tonni said...

Lovely Print O'the Wave lace. I have this on my ever expanding "to do" list. Hope you have enough yarn for the project. Wasn't the Lace Swap was loads of fun?!

9:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Print of the wave is the most elegant pattern, and it is always so thrilling to see people put up WIP and blocked pictures of it. It is like a magician saying 'TA-DA'. :)

10:25 PM  

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