I’m making the Frog Tree Alpaca Cape Cod Shell scarf 
as my first ever lace project.
There seem to be many more holes in the part that looks ‘solid’ in the pic above … but since I can’t get in really close to check, I have no idea how it’s really supposed to look.
I have about 4-5 inches done. How do I tell if I’m doing it right? I have read that lace looks like a big mess until it’s blocked, and I’m kind of feeling that that’s what I have. This is my first time doing K2tbl, as well as yarn overs. The good news is that I have the right number of stitches on the needles, but other than that, how do I check my progress? I’d like to put in a lifeline, but want to make sure that it’s perfect before I do so.
Thanks,
Ann
You can gently stretch your work across the needles to see if it resembles the picture. It should give you a pretty good idea.
I’ve been knitting lace for about 10 years now and I think part of the problem is that there is a lack of detail in the picture. The fact that you have the right number of stitches is good and if you are pretty sure you are doing the YOs and other stitches correctly then it should look fine once it’s blocked.
When I’m asked I ususally recommend wool or a wool blend to first time laceknitters because wool has very good stitch definition. Alpaca not so much. When I’m knitting lace with alpaca yarn I am usually disappointed in what it looks like on the needles too. However, keep in mind that once it is blocked it will look lovely. Next time try a wool or wool blend and you will see the difference.
I agree with Cala. I just finished a lace project and I didn’t think it looked that much like the picture. Once it was done, and I saw some pictures from people who also knitted it, I could see it was right.
Thanks. I’m just going to soldier on. If it’s wrong, well … it’s for my mother, so she has to like it, right?? 
