I guess it was inevitable that I would knit a doily (did I spell that right?) but missalicefaye sending me that cone of delicious Habu that has a precious 155 yards on it, pushed me over the edge. She suggested perhaps a doily? Maybe from one of my new "languages not English" books? Lets face it kids, I'm old (at least I feel old) and have not really been knitting lace all that long. Cables were my thing for years and years. That and spinning in the 1980's when it was considered aberrant behaviour. It's only recently I dove head-first into the wonderland of lace. Before all this, my biggest lace project was from Gladys Amedro's beautiful book and that shawl has been gone for years to the aunt of a friend (I plan to make that shawl again and keep it this time). Still, in my knitting library I have always collected lots of books and magazines on Lace. Much of it I have never actually knit from except for the odd "shawl from a doily pattern" type of thing. I like to collect things I'm interested in and then I appear to reach a "tipping point" where I topple into a new activity or look at an old one in a different light. I think I've reached that point with the doilies.
See above a lovely little Italian lace knitting magazine that has no English translation or legend in it. I bought it at Lacis, of course and their knitting group is working from it. I discovered which pattern the group is working on from Sandy's blog. She had a great description of her day at the shop and great pictures! Anyway. I am up to row 32 of a 83 row doily and the nice part is that this pattern is not very difficult so I've been able to figure out the most common stitches. Every even row is a plain knit row so you get a rest from the pattern. Thank you Laritza for telling me about the plain knit row so I could loosen up the old sphincter and take a chance. The nice thing about the plain row is that you can move your row markers over when needed in that row. Now I know I have broken the rule I made about not starting something until I finish something, but come on. It's a doily. I don't think they actually count when they are so small, do you? Of course, I have no idea what I'm going to do with the thing once its done but if I was really practical I would not be knitting lace :-)
I'm using a cotton thread that I have used before but for the purpose of tatting. Flora HH # 50 in a pale variegated green. I am using US 0000 needles just for laughs. It's a nice break from the other projects. WRS is torture but pretty and very very slow, I'm almost done with one side of the edging for Boundary Waters so will post that some time next week I hope. I have a quarter of the border for Sampler Stole to go and then I will post before picking up the side edges for the edging. I put a hold on the Legends of the Shetland Seas until something is finished. Spider Queen and the Tea Shawl and my albatross the Peacock Feathers Shawl will all wait their turn.
Have a great weekend!
