About this time last year, my stepdaughter, Jamie, came to NM so we could research THE perfect place for her wedding. Somewhere in those days, she asked if I would consider knitting her a lace shawl for the blessed event. I agreed, excited and honored. Then...well...then I proceeded to put it on the back burner until last fall.
By late fall/early winter, I suggested a pattern she might like and sent yarn samples. She made her decisions and I set the five skeins of Rowan's Kid Silk Night yarn aside, next to my desk at work...and there they sat until about a week ago.
The pattern is from Rowan Magazine 41, and is called "Anice" (designed by Sharon Miller). I think Monte told me that this would be easy. Having survived knitting Charlotte's Web Shawl last year (a most miserably written pattern, IMHO), I felt this would be a breeze.
So the Princess of Procrastination (self-proclaimed, I will admit) started it a couple of days ago. I started in the evening, under a small Ott lamp, with the white yarn on white Denise needles with the white magazine on my lap underneath. WRONG. After doing the first seven rows of the border over twice, I gave up and started over last night on wooden needles (much better) and no magazine in my lap. For the border pattern, I called on the same trick that saved me while knitting Charlotte's Web...I wrote out each pattern row on an index card. Armed with my Kacha Kacha and my cards, I managed the bottom border with only one error.
I've decided to make note of my progress here each week, so I will be accountable to you for my progress. I have so many memories of being up all night working on school papers I waited until the last minute to do...I'm in fear this could end up in that same category.
Since I'm not a seasoned lace knitter, I welcome any suggestions you have for tricks to make this a success. ---Martie
10 comments:
I can't help but laugh - one of the gals in our knitting group got married last Saturday, and another gal in the group was up until 2am Sat morning knitting her gift! So it's not just you!
My only suggestion is rewards for progress - chocolate is my reward of choice!
Right on, Connie! My kinda knitter! I'm going to town tomorrow, I'll stock up...
The sheep say go Martie! They recommend Fruit Loops (the sheepie chocolate!) for treats--bwaaahahahahaha!! Good Girl!!
Oh wise sheep...I fear I bought Paul Newman's Ginger-O cookies instead...but alas, there's always the next trip to town...baaaaaaa
you are very brave!~~of course you know that i would just knit that puppy~~~weave in some handspun and call it a shawl~~anyway i am sure you get it done and it will be beeeeuuuutifulll
Yes, well, uh...if this was por moi, I would definitely do that... :0) In fact, I'm thinking my next lace project will be freeform, with no intent of making a pattern...just whatever feels good...
I may have said the pattern was easy but that did not include that nasty word discipline. Don't worry I'll keep nagging.
Please do. I need someone to keep me moving forward...especially like now, when I really would rather be spinning...
Hi! You have all my sympathies and all my encouragement. If you can tear yourself away from your knitting (and I shouldn't be suggesting you procrastinate any further) you can see my wedding shawl story on my blog (heck, that is about all there is to my blog!). Hope the knitting part goes smoothly for you now, and I hope you get to block it in the daytime (instead of the dead of night, like some of us).
Karen: I saw your shawl...you did that in a month???? WOW! I bow to you!!! I love the part about you finishing it at 2:00 a.m. and blocking it just before the wedding morning...you're my hero!
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