Starting at the beginning

I was lucky enough to see the trunk show at Stitches East and loved the Wide Triangle. While perusing the yarn at the market, I even bought the same yarn in the same color to make my very own. Here is what I have so far:



I am using glass beads from one of the big box stores in a coffee color. You can see a few more pics on my blog and read about my first Russian join.

I will definitely be making more of these patterns because they are all so great. I already have a few yarns earmarked for future VLT projects.

I've decided

It's the melon stitch scarf on page 146, in a black mohair blend. I hope it's not too hard on my eyes, I've been avoiding black for that very reason, but my mum has requested black and what that woman wants that woman gets.

Got a few little things to finish first, and then I'm off. Estimated cast-on date 8th December.

Anybody else decided yet?

Alpine

I wanted to put up a picture of the Alpine Knit Scarf I am working on before it is finished - as I have only three repeats of the diamonds left to do. This is an artistic representation type picture - the sun was going down and it was really bright. :-)

This is a really pretty pattern and is a lot of fun to knit. It is definitely not boring - I am only now getting bored of the pattern and it's nearly finished. It says it is "experienced" lace, but it really isn't hard, and the edging is done all at the same time, so there is no picking up stitches at the end or any construction type aspects to it. I can't wait to block it, I think it's going to be gorgeous.

The yarn is Jade Sapphire 2-ply cashmere, which I think is my favorite yarn to work with. I am making another shawl from this book for my mom for Christmas, but I'm not sure which one yet. There are too many options!

The Alpine is a gift for my boss' wife for Christmas. She has been asking for a lace shawl from me since last May, but I haven't had a good reason to spend $100 on the yarn to make her one, so now is the time. I couldn't bring myself to use anything besides the Jade Sapphire - it is too nice to work with, and makes the most luscious fabric.

I can't wait to see everyone else's projects on here! - nat

Joining up

Hello all! I've been fondling my copy of VLT for a few weeks now, and I'm still trying to decide what I'm going to make with the 2,000+ yards of rich red Merino Oro I had in my stash. I'm leaning toward the "curved shawl with diamond edging," which I've seen several of you mention already. I'm in love with the stitch pattern for the body of the shawl - so unusual and pretty! I haven't tried swatching it yet, though, so no promises.

Looking forward to seeing more completed projects! That hexagon shawl below is stunning.

New lace knitter

Good morning! I'm going through my copy of Victorian Lace Today for the, ohhhh, 20th time....at least. Now that my order of Zephyr from Sarah's Yarns has arrived, I can get serious about which gorgeous lace piece I'm going to knit first. It will probably be the Melon pattern stole in the Curry color of Zephyr. Or maybe the Leaf & trellis bordered rectangle on page 54...or maybe the Victoria Shawl on page 154 in Indigo Zephyr.....or.....well, you see my problem. Too many shawls, so little time. Maybe if I give up sleeping...

Arachne

New here

Hi my name is Kyrie and I just got the book also. I bought it on a whim and have found it to be the most helpful book I've bought so far. I really love the way they have written out the instructions with the harder stitchs. I can't start anything right now, because I have to finish the socks I started for Christmas.

Anyway I'm really excited to be part of this group and have been inspired to hurry with the size 11 1/2 socks I'm making. Right now I'm down the to arch...so maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel yet.

Hexagon Spider's Web Shawl

Hello, my name is Alison and I am insane. I got this book a couple days after its release and I fell in love with a lot of the shawls, but for some reason the huge, Hexagon Spider's Web called to me. I told myself that it would be lovely in some of Webs coned alpaca silk. I'm in a purple phase, so I was thinking eggplant. I placed my yarn order and got the yarn and started the shawl. I worked on nothing else and realized, hey, I have a holiday party coming up and this purple will go lovely with a silver dress. So, I figured out exactly how many rows I had to knit each day in order to finish and block by December 2 and tried to do at least one more and neglected housework, husband and kids, but I did finish.

More details and specs on my blog. I do love this shawl and I love the book and will probably do tons more in the book, but hopefully not at such an insane pace. I can't wait to see what else everyone is working on!

How to Join?

This is just a quick post to clear up some administration issues.

In reading the posts on this KAL blog, I have stumbled across a couple of comments asking how do people go about joining. This has proven to be problematic because often there isn't an email address attached to this comment and I have trouble contacting the person.

So to clear up any confusion I have decided to reiterate the joining instructions here. If you would like to join this KAL, please send myself and Stephanie an email to victorianlacetoday AT gmail DOT com with you name, blog address (if you have one) and your email address.

We will then send you an invite and add you to the participants list.

I hope this helps make thing a bit clearer for people wanting to join.

Hello

Hi, I'm Brenda and I am somewhat new to lace knitting, and I want to make almost every project in VLT. But, due to my lace newbieness, I've decided to make the first wide-bordered scarf in that section (p.80) with the highly descriptive name of "Scarf." Wednesday I received my order for a skein of Sea Silk in the Berry colorway. It is really lovely, and the dim light outside makes taking a good photo of it impossible at this time. But, I hope to cast on soon and post some photos.

I am very glad Catherine and Collette are making the Curved Shawl because I think that is gorgeous and it would be my choice for a second project. I look forward to seeing everyone's projects!

A quick hello

I just wanted to drop a quick hello to all. I am very excited about this book and expect to make many projects from it. Just like a previous poster, I will be doing the Curved Shawl first, and in a color similar to that pictured in the book. I have a hank of Alpaca With a Twist in Ruby Slippers that is screaming at me to be used! However, I work retail management and the next few weeks will be busy, so I don't know how much knitting I will get done. After the holidays, I plan on doing a lot. Thanks for letting me be here, I think we'll all have lots of fun!

Excited!

I can't wait to get started! The book is one of the nicest photographed knitting books I've seen. There are so many beautiful patterns I know I'm going to have a hard time choosing which to do. Notice, I didn't say 'which one to do'. Surely there will be several that will be required for me to do.
Good luck everyone!!

We have buttons...

Thanks to the generosity of Marsha and Janice, we have some wonderful KAL buttons which you can all use. (But please save them to your own server).

If anyone still has some ideas for KAL buttons that they want to submit, please feel free to do so. The more the merrier as far as I am concerned and I like people to have choice.

This is good! Things are starting to all come together. Now if only my book would arrive.

New Member

Hi, I just joined and wanted to introduce myself, my name is Colette. I bought VLC early in Nov with the B&N gift card I received for my anniversary. I love this book, there are so many projects I have earmarked I wasn't sure which to start first. I finally decided on the Curved Shawl because I had the perfect yarn for it - I am making it in Cinnabar Zephyr, it is almost the same color as the shawl in the book.

I can't wait to see what everyone is knitting!

Greetings!

I doubt that I have ever had some anticipatory excitement about a knitting book before this one, and thankfully, I am not disappointed.

Knitting lace is probably my most favorite type of knitting - okay, maybe second, if socks count. So many of the patterns in this book are destined to be on my to-do list!
Finally, I can begin to use my stash of lace yarns..............

Looking forward to this KAL! Hopefully, we can find any pattern errors, and avoid needless head mashing and hair pulling!

We need a button, though!

Hello All!

I am so glad to have found this KAL! What a wonderful, gorgeous book. I have been lace knitting for about two years and can't seem to get enough. Other than socks and currently scarves for the Red Scarf Project, lace is all I knit. Total obsession. I have been reading the book over and over to decided which project to start and with what yarn. I guess this is half the fun-planning and dreaming. Greetings to all. Happy Victorian Lace knitting!
Sue J.

Hello everyone

My copy of Victorian Lace Today arrived yesterday. I pre-ordered it from Amazon about a month ago - wow - what an amazing amount of research went into writing it!

It is much more than just a pattern book, I would so love to be able to see all those historical knitting pattern (called 'receipts' back then) books in real life, wouldn't you?. I love how the writer has really tried to find out what these women did for a living, whether they were rich or poor, career women or aristocratic, whether they made any money out of the publication etc., etc., etc. It made me so proud of those knitting pioneers, knitting from this book will be more than just knitting, it will be a historical statement.

And the photography! Such wonderful stately manor gardens, interiors and architecture - it really made me miss the time when I was living in England.

The other great thing is the size of the projects. A lot of rectangles and scarves mean that we're not looking at six months of knitting, like some of the shawls in a gathering of lace - which means you can knit more projects in less time.

There is one little thing that makes my brow furrow a little reading this book. The location is unbelievable, the photography outstanding, the lace is truly gorgeous. But the the models may have been styled by Richard Simmons - ugh - they are typical to me of the knitters review's style - frump in polyester. They look like they may have been borrowed from the love boat wardrobe department. And what's with the daggy fringes and long bobs? It certainly ain't Rowan in this regard, even though they must have taken a cut in the product placement department, so much ksh!

Still, it's not enough to put me off loving so many of these projects, I'll definitely be knitting a lot of these scarves/wraps for next winter.

Looking forward to seeing what we all choose, I'll let you all know further when I make up my mind fully.

Happy selecting!

Great idea!

I received my book last week and can not stop looking through it!. I am a looooong time lace knitter and have many a book :)
What struck me about this book is the beautiful pictures, the lovely patterns and the price! It is almost unbelievable to have this beauty with every single page in color, including the patterns for that kind of money. To whom ever made this possible: Thank you!
I have black Zephyr that is just itching to jump on the needles. The hard part is what do I start with?

Button request

Well I'm imagining that this KAL will take a bit of time to gain momentum as people either buy or order and wait for their books to arrive. However in the meantime does anyone out there have enough tech savvyness to design a really cool KAL button. We would be happy with all submissions so that we can give people a choice.

If you can help us out, email us your creation to victorianlacealong AT gmail DOT com.

Welcome

Hello Lace Knitters!

I hope you're as excited as we are about the new Victorian Lace Today. The patterns are fabulous and the book itself is a work of art. I don't know about you, but there's just something wonderfully classic about lace, yet it is still contemporary enough to have a place in today. As the weather turns cold in the northern hemisphere I love a lace wrap for the office or that special evening out. And a lace scarf is always gorgeous under that winter coat. For those of you living in the south (like Ms Jacqueline), this is the perfect time of year for throwing your favorite lace over your shoulders before heading out to dinner and a movie.

We are imagining this knit along as an ongoing thing where knitters can post for advice or thoughts on patterns and yarn or just share their stunning projects. As with any KAL, it is what all the participants make it. We want this KAL to be something everyone can enjoy so therefore there is no time limit. Start knitting today, next month or next year and finish your project when it suits you. Lace should be savoured and enjoyed.

We're so glad you've decided to join us. Have a great time and good luck choosing your first project (personally, that's going to be the hardest part).