Here are a few pictures of my very first knitted lace project:
This yarn is a wool/acrylic blend, which is good for me since straight wool makes me itchy itchy itchy! It’s called Country by Naturally Caron.
This has been a great little pattern–especially for people like me who thrive on instant gratification (as in, “Oh, boy! I just finished another row in less than 30 seconds!”). Here’s a link to the pattern: http://www.krazyawesome.com/knitmonster/easy-leaves-scarf.html
Obviously mine isn’t finished yet, so not blocked yet and not looking like the original yet either.
The second work in progress is a lace shirt from a Doris Chan pattern. This is a fitted shirt and will have a broomstick lace collar (if all goes as planned).
I’m not sure which one you’re talking about, so I’ll briefly discuss them both. The scarf is very easy. I’m a newbie lace knitter, so if I can do it, anyone can (I think). It’s only 21 stitches per row and for purl rows, you always k2 at either end and purl all the ones in the middle. Also, this pattern has a very distinct stitch in every knit row–the double decrease (see pattern for specifics), so I’ve been kinda using it as a marker within the row, which really helps me keep my place.
As for the crocheted fitted shirt, it has been fairly easy, too. It’s worked in the round from the yoke down using variations of one shell stitch. So far, it has progressed rather quickly with very few errors on my part. It’s from Doris Chan’s book Crochet Lace Innovations.
Thanks! Right now I have a love-hate relationship with lace. It’s gorgeous when all is going right, and it’s positively horrible when something goes awry.
Shortly after I posted this picture of the scarf, I messed up on it, and now I’ve got a big problem since I’m not very good at finding my place once I rip something out in knitting!
And the shirt isn’t going so well either. I’ve not been able to master broomstick lace for the collar, so I’m thinking I’ll have to come up with an alternative!
It won’t help with the scarf now but for the future, a lifeline is a great way to keep your place in lace work. If you need to rip out a mistake, you can always go back to the lifeline and know where you are. There’s a video under the Free Videos tab at the top of the page, Tips, Fixing Mistakes, lifeline.
Yes, I’ve used a lifeline before (and they’re great), but I just hated to mess with it on this short little pattern. I think I may have fixed my boo boo, however, even without the lifeline!
