Lace Again, Still, Forever

You've been fooled, not intentionally, not by me, but because you are under the mistaken impression that I know lace.  You think I have been knitting lace for a long, long time and that I am some sort of an expert.  I hate to burst your bubble, but my first real lace project (besides a YO in a sock or scarf) was Charlotte, second was the Flower Basket Shawl.  If you check my FOs, or you have been reading here for sometime, you know I have knit several more lace items in that last year.  Lace has become the essence of the process for me….now.

A few years ago our local knit guild decided to study lace. Many knitters were using steel pins with yarn that was more like thread.  It was beautiful, but it didn’t look like fun.  The guild also brought in a teacher,  Sandy Terp, who taught a class on how to read lace.  She also taught a class on Cableless Cables, so I signed up for both.  The lace was way over my head, as there was no context for me to visualize what to do. I had no lace knitting to my credit.  The class went something like this.  "If you decrease with an SSK before a YO you will get a hole that…blah, blah, blah." My head was swimming. (The cable class was fantastic and I haven't used a cable needle since.)

Shortly after I started to blog  Sandy (our Sandy) started a Charlotte Along.  The colors of Koigu enticed me to dive in despite my fear of lace.  Koigu, size 6 needles (with sock weight yarn), I had to try.  It was a struggle in the beginning just to get the hang of the chart, but soon I had it down pat and did just fine.  As Sandy Terp had predicted during the class, once I saw the lace work and could read how it all went together, there was no need for markers. In fact I learned quickly that markers obscure the lace and make it hard to see the pattern.

When the beautiful silk yarn (Fyberspates) arrived from my Better Pal, I just had to start something with it, as I had just finished the ultimate lace project of my knitting life. The book  Three-Cornered & Long Shawls arrived at the same time and my first thought was to knit something from this book. I looked at the gorgeous pictures and read the translation for the shawls that were attractive to me (most of them are fabulous!). They were a bit intimidating.  Most of patterns say to cast on hundreds of stitches, either with a long tail cast on or by using a provisional method, as you pick up stitches for the edging.  Now I know how to cast on tons of stitches with the long tail method, but I'm not fond of picking up provisional stitches.  What if you drop one! (See, I am a novice at this.)

The easier pattern seemed to be the Diamond Fantasy that other bloggers have finished, so I cast on for it. Remember, I have only knit a few shawls and every single one had a 'purl back' row.  That means you only need to follow the chart on the front of the shawl and can 'rest' by purling back. With DFS every row is different AND, what I didn't pay attention to in the beginning,  you need to read the chart from both sides.  Front side chart is read from right to left and back side chart is read from left to right.  I could see that, but remembering it and doing it took a little practice and three tries to get it right. It looks like it was worth it.

Comments

[Teri]

Margene, that is very pretty. I like knitting lace too. Once you get the pattern in your head the process can be very relaxing and it's so fun to see the pattern open like a flower in bloom. I look forward to seeing your finished Diamond Fantasy.

[Kathleen]

simply goregous. sandy terp is awesome. she and my mom have known each other for quite some time.

[Kim]

Lace has been my favorite form of knitting for a very long time......and you have some of the nicest lace going ;-)

[Elizabeth]

Just beautiful! Looks like you have the technique down pat now. Can't wait to see the finished piece.

[Sara*]

Oh it's BEAUTIFUL!!!

I can't wait to see the finished project.

You're much braver about lace than I am ... I'd love to knit a shawl ... but other things keep me back. Oh well.

[Teri]

That is going to be one beautiful shawl. You've given me the lace bug, too!

[PumpkinMama]

What pretty yarn. I've yet to tackle a pattern with "work" to do on both knit and purl sides. Yours is looking good, I look forward to watching it grow.

[Bliss]

Yum!

[Cara]

The DFS is pretty much a purl back row shawl - it's just the side borders where you have to knit and only the very last section has two YOs and a decrease. Are you into the second (main) chart yet? It becomes very easy. One thing to remember, especially if you put stitch markers in for every 12 stitches, is that you'll have to move the marker over on the rows that have the PSSO as the 12th stitch.

Seriously - this pattern will be nothing for you! Fun, fast and oh so pretty in that yarn! Can't wait to see it all finished up!

[Teresa C]

Two things. One. That is going to be stunning!! Two. Try the crochet chain provisional cast on. It is my favorite and I don't usually lose any sts when I use it.

[claudia]

Indeed, very pretty. I'm still looking for the right yarn for one of those Three Cornered and Long Shawls.

[Jan]

Margene, that is going to be one jazzy shawl! It'll be fun to watch its progress.

[wool winder]

Looks like you've got it now. It's beautiful so far!

[amanda]

looks as though you've found your groove. so far, so lovely!

[Carole]

Hey, I just bought that DFS pattern the other day. I have some Cherry Tree Hill that I thought I might try with it. Or I might buy something new when I go to the Boston Knit Out on Sunday. Ya just never know. ;-)
I bought the book Lavish Lace when I was with Norma on our wild shopping spree. It has some really beautiful patterns - mostly scarves but they could be widened into stoles.

[Joan]

In my book you ARE a lace expert!

[Trudy]

You are such an inspiration! I did the FBS after I saw yours and loved doing it. Now I'm thinking of doing the Evelyn Clark shawl in the new Wrap Style. Later on, I want to figure out how to substitute other lace patterns in that same shawl pattern, but I would need to chart it all and that's a little beyond me now. Maybe with time.

[Janine]

That is such a beautiful colourway and it suits the pattern so well - I'm turning green over here! :-)

[Beth S.]

Laceweight silk, sigh! I haven't yet had the pleasure.

And I'm going to have to get that shawl pattern; it's really pretty. Sivia Harding is brilliant. :-)

[Miriam]

Damn your enabling woman! I wasn't going to knit the diamond fantasy shawl! ARGH!

[JessaLu]

Beautiful!

[Snow]

I've knitting a lot of lace in the last year, but I'm absolutely addicted to stitch markers -- very thin, tiny Goodie rubber bands for baby hair or the sort the orthodontist gave to my daughter years ago, in fact. I can read my knitting and tell where I'm supposed to be, but it's soooo much easier to tell where I've gone wrong if I've got stitch markers in place. And I can't use bamboo needles. They have a weird fingernail-on-chalkboard effect for me, and I don't like anything but my Addi Turbos.

[Julia]

Oh my gosh, it's beautiful, but I am going blind just thinking about trying to do that. I like lace, but I don't at all feel the need for that much challenge. But do tell us how it goes.

[Cassie]

I think the rule in laceknitting is that it DOES take three tries before you get it right. It always does for me.

Your DFS looks beautiful.

[Alison]

Beautiful colors! Can't wait to see the progress. I use markers sometimes, it depends on the pattern. I made my own beaded stitch markers, so I like using them even if I don't really need them. Those colors are wonderful!

[Judy H.]

Gorgeous!

[angela]

Beautiful, Margene.

I have a nice, beautiful hank of Helen's laces in about that color...and it's been living in my stash for over a year now. I have been *waiting* on it to speak to me and tell me what it wants to be. Unfortunately, I can't hear it over the screams of the sock yarns in my stash. Soon. Soon. Soon.

angela

[Sneaksleep]

I'm going to do my best to resist the DFS temptation until I've finished my own Hanging Vines and another lace shawl pattern I have waiting in the wings. But you and your gorgeous yarn are making it really hard. Thanks.

[Lauren]

I started lace with Charlotte(s) too and now whenever I've tried knitting with laceweight, I find myself craving that sportweight Koigu for more heft.

[Laura]

Mmm. What pretty yarn. Now I feel like less of a novice. I figured out a while back about the front/back chart thing when I was doing some swatches looking for a baby blanket pattern to use. And it definitely was confusing at first! Somehow I think having a background in music helps a person read patterns and charts. Or it seems like it should! :)

[Zarah]

Wow, those are beautiful colors. I'll be interested to see how they fall as the shawl gets wider (pooling, striping, etc.) I like hearing about your learning process. I think I need to take a class on knitting w/o a cable needle, too.

[regina]

My goodness, that's gorgeous. As always, your knitting (and your humility) continue to inspire. Can't wait to see the finished object (no disrespect to the process, but you know...)

[Heather]

I loooove that yarn! Ooooooh. So pretty.

[Juno]

I'm saving Diamond Fantasy for a day when I have intestinal fortitude - as my first knitted lace (as opposed to lace knitting).

You'll be using thread and steel pins in no time, for sure.

[Wanda]

Gorgeous colors.

[Ma Hatfield]

Oh, wow! That looks stunning, absolutely gorgeous.

[mamacate]

It looks lovely, and Cara said everything I was going to. You only do anything on the wrong side at the edging, and you'll internalize that in no time. The only thing to worry about with that shawl is to not freak out if the starts of the new diamonds don't look quite right. They are. And when you're about halfway through the diamond, they will miraculously start to look normal. If you can trust Sivia, you'll be fine. Stephanie and I have agreed that the answer to that is to knit it while drinking margaritas. Worked for me. :)

Hey, it's not time that creates expertise, it's effort and focus. I say you've got all of the above going for you.

PS: Hyrna Hergorbar is similar to FBS in its construction (starts off with a provisional CO of 8 sts IIRC). There's a wee bit of fiddling on the wrong side when you purl-knit the double yarn-overs, but otherwise it's not hard. Some of those shawls in that book are SO not happening for me. Anything that tells me to pick up and entire border is going to have to give me a good reason. Grin.

[Angela]

Wowza - Diamond Fantasy is one of those magic patterns like the FBS and Hyrna Hergowhatsits - They always look good!

[--Deb]

I love knitting lace. But even more, I love BLOCKING it. That magic is worth however many months I spent knitting whatever it is. It's such a rush!

[eyeleen]

Beautiful! I love the colors.

[katie]

Oooooh. It's loverly!

[ann]

lovely Margene! I am looking forward to following your progress!

[Norma]

Better you than me, girlfriend!

[Norma]

P.S. I'll make it a spectator sport, ok?

[Debi]

I see you took your own advice, M! Gotta have the lace!

And it's true, great minds do think alike...I planned my next lace project to be...The Diamond Fantasy Shawl! I got the pattern last week but I need to finish up some holiday gifts first....can I get my lace fix vicariouslyu thru you? :)

[Birdsong]

You are right about the process when it comes to lace... the unfolding is what makes you keep being drawn into more lace. I just joined a (way too) active Yahoo group in order to take part in the free Shetland Lace workshop this month... let me know if you want the details. Are you using a lifeline? Like markers, putting one in at intervals can help you get oriented if you should get "lost".. you would use a tapestry needle and something like crochet cotton, and slide it through every stitch at the end of a successful diamond, say, and then know that if you have to rip back vertically, there is the spot where you had it right. Hope that is clear?! I just love the color combo.

[Tracy]

Simply gorgeous! Jeni will be thrilled.

[Liz]

Looks like you're off to a great start. :)

[Jeni]

That is absolutely beautiful! Let me know when it's finished, I can't wait to see it!
Jeni
Fyberspates

[julia fc]

I was lucky enough to have dinner last week with two such diamond lace shawls, and they are really really lovely. The vertical line weaves over and under the horizontals, and the whole thing is just gorgeous close up. Have a blast.
(no sock book for me, I am on a diet, but stockinette is such a lovely thing to settle into. I have no plain stockinette at the moment, I need to cast on for one. A girl needs something she can talk and knit at the same time for pete's sake)