My Knitted Veil is finished

I just finished blocking this last night. I wasn't sure about having to follow two sections of a chart, but it wasn't so bad--thanks to the magnetic strips marking my spot. I was worried about stopping at any point in this shawl. I had to be very careful how and where I set this down. There was patterning on every row. I was worried about the size of the shawl. I followed the pattern, but used thinner yarn and smaller needles. The shawl was small before blocking, but grew a lot. There are more pictures on my blog.

Here are the details...
Pattern: A Knitted Veil from Victorian Lace Today
Yarn: Hengyuanxiang (2 balls)--This is a laceweight, superwash wool yarn from Shanghai.
Needles: size 2 Knitpicks classic circular
Unblocked: 21" x 57"
Blocked: 31" x 77"
Started: 2/15/07
Finished: 2/27/07

Opera Fichu

Hi all!
I'm new to the group - just wanted to post that I'm knitting the Opera Fichu from VLT - I'm using it as my "starter" lace pattern. I really want to make the Hexagon Shawl. That will probably be my summer knitting project, with lots of socks to ease the stress.

Opera Fichu

Hi all!
I'm new to the group - just wanted to post that I'm knitting the Opera Fichu from VLT - I'm using it as my "starter" lace pattern. I really want to make the Hexagon Shawl. That will probably be my summer knitting project, with lots of socks to ease the stress.

Opera Fichu

Hi all!
I'm new to the group - just wanted to post that I'm knitting the Opera Fichu from VLT - I'm using it as my "starter" lace pattern. I really want to make the Hexagon Shawl. That will probably be my summer knitting project, with lots of socks to ease the stress.

Opera Fichu

Hi all!
I'm new to the group - just wanted to post that I'm knitting the Opera Fichu from VLT - I'm using it as my "starter" lace pattern. I really want to make the Hexagon Shawl. That will probably be my summer knitting project, with lots of socks to ease the stress.

An introduction, and the requisite question

Hi everyone,
I'm so glad to be a part of this KAL, it will help tide me over at the office til I can get home and work on my shawl! I am making the large rectangle in spider net and using Louet Sales Kid Mohair in champagne. I just cast on Monday night, but so far its going great and I am loving the yarn. It is literally lighter-than-air. Funny how knitting something that is "barely there" is so incredibly satisfying!
Deciding what would be my first project was a really tough choice. I was leaning strongly toward the half hexagon, but decided against it because I couldn't figure out exactly what the six cast on stitches do. The first row of the pattern is just a YO and a pink square ("do not work at end of RS or beginning of WS row for half hexagon") and I know there are two garter sts required at beg and end of rows - so 1) do the six cast on sts include the four garter sts, or do I have to co 10? and 2) irregardless of the garter sts, what do you do with the other cast on stitches? Are they knitted to bracket the YO of the center section to separate it from the other two? I realize this is probably painfully obvious to many of you but my brain can't quite get around it. Your help is much appreciated.
I will post photos of my spider net soon - I just moved and can't exactly locate my camera. But somehow, I managed to easily find VLT, the yarn, and my needles!

Another newbie here ;)

Hi my I am so pleased that I have been accepted to join this KAL and love the VLT book . I have had it a while but just couldn't make up my mind which to start with. I decided in the end to do Melon and have done two of the repeats. I do have a query though & I don't know if I am misunderstanding the pattern but on the 1 3 & 5 row the first stitch says 'slip st purlwise, with yarn at WS and then on the 2 4 6 its the same. Is this right or do I knit it on the ? as if I do that the first stitch on the RS doesn't get knitted at all.Should I knit it on the right side ? Hope this makes sense .
Other wise the pattern is plain sailing and I am making it in a heavier cashmere/silk weight than the KSH but on the same needle size and in an ice blue shade . Will take photos when I have done a few more repeats but I am busy trying to finish a pair of socks before the weekend and then I can give Melon the attention it deserves. Looking forward to seeing how every one's shawl turn out

Anne

New Member

I am so excited to join this knitting group as we all "like very strongly", the word "love" has escaped me at this point due to errors in the pattern, "Victorian Lace Knitting Today"; no, love still applies despite the errors. Tomorrow is my birthday, and I will be ripping out the border I started on the cherry leaf pattern shoulder shawl. A huge "Thank you" to this list for pointing out the error in the border chart. I am using Fiddlesticks Country Silk in different shades of purple, blue and tan. The shawl will be so nice to use this summer. Actually, the corrected border pattern is working out fine; I need to fine tune my needle size so the border is the same as the shawl. Two years ago I knit my first shawl, a lacy Pi shawl with an online knit a long. It was a project I couldn't put down. Then, last year, I knit the Norwegian Folk shawl from the book "Folk Shawls". I look forward to working with this group in our adventure in lace. We lived near Cambridge many years ago, and I love the photography in the book, and the memories besides the wonderful knitting ideas.

My first knitted-on border

I don't know why I was so nervous about this. After a few false starts, and a moment of hilarity when I realized I was going in the wrong direction, I found my rhythm. The pattern is easy (I'm making the leaf and trellis rectangle on p. 54) but with only 20 stitches per row, it's not too boring.

I started working with two DPNs but switched to a 16" circular (Lantern Moon Destiny in rosewood - love it!). It's much easier to handle and I don't have to worry about a needle flying out of my hand.

I'll post a pic once I get a little further along. Do not fear the knitted-on border. It's fun!

Melon melon, who's got the melon?

That doesn't sound quite right somehow. LOL

What is right, though, is that I'm making lovely progress on my Melon shawl, and enjoying every minute of it. I'm approaching 1/3 done on the central panel already.



More info on my blog. :-)

the demise of the three cornered shawl

Oh the pain. I just completely frogged the Three Cornered Shawl I've been working on for days. I had about 6" complete and discovered I had somehow ended up with two more repeats on one side than the other. There was no saving it, so I ripped it all out.

Good thing I did too as I discovered with the Handpainted Yarn lace weight I was using and the full 624 stitches, the shawl was 9.5' long...without blocking! It would have been enormous!! I have cast on again, this time omitting 7 repeats on each side for a total of 468 stitches. I think this will be a better size. And this time, I did away with that silly e-loop cast on...what a nightmare! I used a regular cable cast on instead and it seems fine.

I am also working on the Maltese shawl which is lovely in a coral color. My first venture into knitting with no rest row, so I can only work on it at certain times of the day!

I also finished the Shoulder Shawl in Cherry Leaf pattern...a complete joy to knit!

I'll have photos soon! Back to knitting!

Unlucky clover

Soooooo.... I started the clover pattern shawl, as previously noted; I finished 11 loooong rows, and started on a 12th; and then my darling daughter, who had decided it was extremely important that she have more Doritos right now*, yanked on my needle and caused me to drop and mangle about 20 stitches.

Well, I have not the skills to repair the mess that this created. Amidst the storm of bitter tears which ensued (all mine), I ripped out the whole thing and wound it back onto the ball. The three cornered shawl in clover pattern will have to wait until I gather up my courage to tackle that monstrous cast-on once again. When I do, you can bet that I will use a different cast-on method- perhaps the knitted cast-on, or the similar, but differently worked, crochet cast-on (both to be found in Montse Stanley's Knitter's Handbook).

* In her defense, she is only 3 years old and has severe social and speech delays, so I couldn't really get mad at her. I even got her Doritos... though I can't say I wasn't sobbing bitterly at the same time.

I'm a new poster so I'll do a quick introduction. I live in Seattle with my son and my husband and though I do a lot of "textured" knitting, this will be my first attempt at lace. I'm really looking forward to it.

I'm spinning my own yarn for this project, which will be the shoulder shawl on page 134. I have been doing it all on a drop spindle, a "Tiger" from Cascade. I chose the project not only for the pattern which is easy enough to not get frustrating and difficult enough to keep me entertained but also if I run out of yarn I'll simply use it as a head shawl. I finally finished plying the second hank, it took me six hours, and I'm still spindling the third hank, which usually takes me about a week or so. And then I start (maybe this week?!).

I'm also getting a Rio Grande Wheel, and I'm looking forward to spinning more laceweight on it for projects, and not just because it won't take me weeks just to spin the yarn!

Nobody else

seems to be working on my current shawl.

I chose the "Stripes and Torchon Lace" on page 158.
The shawl is a present for my best friend's birthday in March.

As for this picture I had done 16 pattern repeats so far. I guess that's about half-way done.



I'm using merino lace from Uru. Knitting is a real fun and I like how it is turning out so far.
But I can't believe that this

ever will be a pretty shawl...

Started a new one (three-cornered shawl in clover pattern)

Apparently I'm thoroughly addicted to lace, because I've started my third project from the book. This time it's the "three-cornered shawl in clover pattern," in KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud, Mist Heather.

The cast-on for this was a doozy. You cast on for the entire lower edge of the shawl at once - 624 stitches. Using the loop/e-wrap cast-on, which has very quickly become my least-favorite knitting operation, by a mile. The very first row calls for some increases and decreases, but after about 10 minutes struggling with it, I said NO WAY to that, and just purled the first row (which will be wrong-side) so I'd have some structure to work with for that first patterned row. Probably this is a heinous crime, but there was just no chance I was going to work across all those crazy loops trying to do decreases. Just purling them all was nerve-wracking enough for me! (Maybe next time I work a lace pattern calling for this cast-on, I will try a different cast-on altogether.)

There's still a boatload of knitting to do on this of course, but I think I'm into the rhythm of it now. Further updates as events warrant.

Need help - Scarf w/No. 20 Edging

I'm on a cruise ship in the middle of the Caribbean, with my Scarf with No. 20 Edging project. I photocopied the directions so I wouldn't need to bring the book. I finished the first border, and the instructions say to bind off the border, putting the last stitch on a holder. Then turn the work and pick up the slip stitches along the straight edge, returning the stitch from the holder as the last stitch. My question is this... does "pick up" mean JUST "pick up", or "pick up and knit". I did not cut the yarn at the end of the first border, so when I pick up the stitches, I'm starting at the opposite end. That makes sense if I'm just 'picking up' stitches, because I'll end with the stitch that has the working yarn attached, and be ready to work the next row. But if I'm supposed to 'pick up and knit' (using a piece of working yarn and pulling it through the existing stitches), then I need to cut the yarn and start with a fresh piece. Since I didn't copy anything other than the pattern page, I can't refer to the appendix to see which they mean. If anyone can check the book and put me in the right direction, I'd be very appreciative.

Also, I'm wondering in either case whether I should work through both strands of the slip stitches, just the front, or what. If I'm only 'picking up', and not doing 'pick up and knit', I'm thinking that it might look best to just pick up the front strand of the slipped stitch (I'm picking up from the right side). Any suggestions? TIA.

So Much Yarn, So Many Patterns

So little time in the day to knit.

My DH and DS got me the book, and a bunch of lace weight yarn for my birthday back in December, and I finally finished other lace projects that were in progress.

First in line will be the Alpine Lace Shawl, in KP's Alpaca Cloud Midnight. Seeing everyone elses versions of this has shot this shawl to the top of my "to knit" list.



After that will be the Cap Shawl, in Misti Alpaca Baby Alpaca. This will be my first circular shawl, and I'm excited to learn this new (for me) method of shawl construction

Black yarn!

Wow is Kidsilk Haze ever black. LOL It's like a hole that absorbs all light and won't let any get by. It's stunning. I haven't ever knit with this yarn before, and I'm totally loving it. Amazing how well it fuzzes out when it's knit, compared with how it looks on the ball.

I'm knitting the Melon shawl from the cover. Except for an occasional yarn over and knit 2 together it's a simple purl across the back, which is perfect for this dead-of-night black yarn. I've only knit triangular shawls before, so this is a real change for me. Enjoying it so far. Nice to have simple, straight-forward rows.

I have one other photo, a shot where you can see the whole thing so far, in my blog.

Two shawls going on

I've been knitting on two pieces from Victorian Lace Today. During the day, I work on the Syrian Shawl in Kidsilk Night in the Macbeth color. The yarn is too dark and fuzzy to see well by lamplight, so I work on it by day next to a window. Since I've added the wide point lace edging in place of the one in the pattern, this is a long term project. Very worth it, though.

By night, I'm working on the Scarf with Number 20 Edging in Louet Kidlin Pixie in the Colorado Spruce color. I love this yarn in all it's colorways. I may do something wider in the center section of this pattern, however. It's a fast and easy knit, once you get on to the chart and the rows are short....so far. I have a couple more photos on my blog.

Fine tuning those needles

I know everyone has their favorite needles to knit particular projects with. For lace I alway like to use bamboo. Angela commented on her post last week that she takes sandpaper to hers to be that good point on them, then coats them with clear fingernail polish.

I personally use a fingernail file, it gives me the control that I want so I don't get too excited and take too much off. The bottom one in the picture is the one that I've filed and the top is how it came out of the package (these are Clover). You can see it's a subtle thing, but I now have a better point on my needles to help pick up those wonderful lace yarns. I don't put a finish on mine since I read somewhere (heck if I can recall where) that fibers, i.e. wool, alpaca, cashmere will put their oils back into the needle as you knit with them. I found this to be true. I'm not leaving a rough finish on the needles to cause problems with snags and it doesn't take long for the oils to do their thing.

I am Proud to present..........

Project: Alpine Knit Scarf - pg. 36
Yarn: Jade Sapphire (Cashmere)
Color: Blueblood Red - Color way #4
Yardage Used: 1000 approximately (2 ½ skeins)
Needle: Size 4 bamboo
Adjustments: The pattern calls for 37 repeats of the middle section and I did 43
Blocked size: This blocked out at 23x80 (perfect)

I can not tell you just how much I love this. The color is breath-taking and I think I've finally gotten you a good look at the color in the early morning sunlight.

I attribute the blocked width to the yarn and the length to the increased repeats.
Would I do this pattern again - ABSOLUTLEY!

Confused - And a Question

First off, I've finished the Alpine Lace and it's currently blocking......I hope you have a picture for you to see in the next day or so.
Ok, so here's where I'm confused and I have a question........I've started on my next project...The Double Border Scarf on page 104. I get that you are not working the same row on each side of the scarf as you knit it....but what I don't get is this for example......as I'm working, say row 1 of the twenty row repeat....first border side I'm actually purling (row 2 on Chart B) for the first 25 stitches.....next 8 stitches I'm purling (row 2 Chart A)...ok....with me so far......now for the next 25 stitches, I'm doing row 1 of chart B.....here's the confused part.....am I purling row 1 (because I AM on the WS) and do I go left to right on the chart or right to left?
Has anyone done this scarf yet or can anyone help me read the instructions.....I've even tried looking at the photographes in the book and I can't tell really if when I'm looking directly at the scarf is the right side (first 25 stitches) knitted and the left side (last 25 stitches ) purled..............I'm SOOOOOO CONNNFFUUUSSSSEEEDDDD!!!

Jaeger Alpaca 4 ply

I've been lurking for a while, watching what everyone else is making and trying to decide which shawl to knit first. I have decided to use some Jaeger Alpaca 4 ply (deep purple) that's been in my stash for a while, and I've just had some KnitPicks Options needles through the post today. All I need now is the pattern ;) At the moment, I'm leaning towards the Large Rectangle in spider net (page 24) or the Melon pattern (page 146). Before I start, I'd be interested to know if anyone has an opinion on the suitability of this yarn (i.e. do you think it'll be too thick/thin?)

A Milestone! and a question...

I've finished the center panel of the large leaf and trellis rectangle on p. 54. Woohoo! Now I'm ready to start my first knitted-on border, and I'm mildly puzzled by the directions.

I get the lace cast-on part - I'm doing the crochet chain version - but shouldn't there be a setup row? I'm trying to imagine what happens when I finally finish the border and unzip the crochet chain to graft the ends together...I'm concerned there will be no there there, if you know what I mean. ;-}

Any advice from more experienced hands would be much appreciated.

Shutting down to new members...

Well it has been over 3 months since Stephanie and I first started this KAL. We have had a fantastic response from all of you girls and for that we are really grateful.

In addition, there have been some wonderful creations showcased on this blog.

However, the time has come for us to close down the blog to new members. Therefore, February 28th will be the final date that we will be accepting new members to the KAL. This is primarily due to time constraints in our personal lives.

We don't want our current KAL members to stop posting at all and would encourage you all to keep posting pics and project details. We also have no intention of closing down the blog anytime soon. With over 130 participants, I am sure there is still much to be shown and talked about!!

So if you know of anyone who wants to join the KAL, I suggest you encourage them to do so sooner rather than later!

In the meantime, happy knitting!

Scarf is complete

This is scarf (pg. 90). It was a very quick and easy knit. I especially like how I didn't have to cut the yarn at all to add the edgings. This scarf starts with one edging, then stitches are picked up to do the main section, and the other border is knit on perpendicular to the main section. This scarf only took around 45 gms of laceweight yarn. I still have half of the ball left of Cascase Silk. I followed the pattern except for doing 11 repeats of the center area instead of 6. As usual, more pictures and commentary on my blog.

Here are the details:
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Cascade Silk-Tropical Storm (approx. 45 gms used)
Needles: Size 3 Knitpicks classic circulars
Unblocked size: 10" x 73"
Blocked size: 11" x 84"
Started: February 9, 2007
Completed: February 12, 2007

What do I work on next? I think it might be another shawl from the book, but I haven't decided which one yet.

Scarf with the striped border from Weldon's 1890

This is the 'easy lace' scarf on page 80.

Yarn is Cherry Tree Hills Laceweight Cascade silk in the colourway 'foxy lady'. I used 1.6 oz.

The colours are beautiful, no?





After careful washing and a couple of wears, the silk has developed a sort of fuzzy halo. Not sure I like that.

I have a silk chiffon scarf that is just exactly the right length and width for wrapping the way I like, so I altered the pattern to match. It's about 5 inches wide and 72 inches long.

The join between the borders and the centre of the scarf is interesting. Mine is a bit wonky - it seems to droop down to one side. The one pictured in the book on page 81 droops down to the right - it might just be the angle of the photo. More likely that I have made a mistake in the joining, but I can't for the life of me see it.

Anyway, I enjoyed my 'easy'. Now for some 'intermediate' action with the Myrtle leaf shawl in Misti Alpaca lace. Best wishes from the purler.

Carolyn's Alpine Lace Beginnings

I've decided on using US 2 (2.75 mm) needles for this project, and am definitely going to need more yarn than I've got to finish it. I've got 9 reps of the leaf pattern done, and am only 12 inches (and 14 grams) into it ... lots of knitting to go!

The yarn I'm using is Graceful, from the Yarn Place. It's 100% wool, and is either 900 or 1200 yds/50 grams. The 'Blueberry' color shades from purple to blue, and I haven't gotten to the really purple part yet. I may get there by next Sunday ... it's a long repeat!

Today's post on my blog has a photo of the Alpine Lace, blocked for measuring.

Wicked black

I joined up a week or so ago after finally picking out the pattern I want to knit first from this incredible book. I love so many of the shawls that it was difficult to decide where to start. I limited my choice this time to only shawls that basically have no special patterning on the reverse side. I'll be knitting this shawl in black, so I wanted to make it as straight forward as possible.

Which one did I choose? Melon. I think it'll be wicked in black. So, that's what I bought. Rowan's Kidsilk Haze in Wicked, which is a jet black yarn. It swallows the light. I think it actually looks blacker out in the sun than it does under artificial light, if that's possible.



I love it.

Waiting to cast on until I finish up the afghan for mom, but that should be soon, at the rate it's going. Which is good. Because my needles are itching to get into this incredible yarn, and get going!

If you want to find out about my shopping trip with my friend Kristie, and see another picture of the yarn, it's on my blog.

A fichu, blocked

The fichu has been blocked. I did include a bit of starch in the blocking - adding about 1/4 cup to 6 quarts of the soaking water. I probably could have added more but I decided I'd rather err on the side of too little starch than too much. Some photos:

I think it turned out fine, but I'm not 100 percent happy with it. It seems to me as if the lace motifs look a bit 'squashed'; as if the lace would have been happier joined to fewer stitches along the neckband. (Or perhaps, knitted up at a different gauge - I didn't check gauge for this project.) Still, I'm reasonably happy with it, and I think my mom will be pleased.

New member with Melon-Stitch-Shawl

Hello everybody, I'm new to the group. Many thanks for inviting me.
Recently I started my first project from Victorian Lace Today:
The Melon-Stitch-Shawl.

When I held my own issue from Victorian Lace Today in my hands a few weeks ago this pattern was one of my favourites from the beginning. I didn't want to knit the border so I followed the advice from Jane Sowerby which she gives in the description of the big pictures on the double page 144/145 an added a few more garter stitches at both sides of the shawl.

To me this yarn with the wonderful light shades of pink, lilac and orange seemed to be made for the melon-stitch. It is "Venezia Color" from Lang in shade 162.

I look forward to spring and cool summer evenings when I'll wear this garment with a lot of joy, I think.

This is a closer shot on the pattern and if you like to have a look on my knitting blog and some more pictures you may click here. I look forward to your comments.

Keep on knitting! Greetings from Germany, Susanne

Beginner Sampler Shawl--complete!

I finally finished this shawl. The border was easy to do and easy to remember, but just really tedious. It was a 12 row repeat. I did those without turning the work. I got pretty good at knitting backwards after doing my entrelac shawl. This shawl turned out really big and it was difficult to get a good picture of it in one shot. You can see other pictures at my blog or clicking on the ones below and going to flickr.

I'm mostly posting because this shawl used up a lot more yarn that I expected. I'm not a loose knitter. I made this shawl with Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud yarn. I was planning on using up the 4 skeins that I had, but I ended up needing to buy a fifth. I used around 2/3 of that last ball of yarn. Here are the other details:

Yarn: Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud in Iris (approx 4.66 skeins used)
Needles: Knitpicks Classic Circulars-size 3 for the body and 2 for the border
Unblocked size: 85" x 29"
Blocked size: 92" x 35"
Started: November 14, 2006
Completed: February 8, 2007

Overall, I did enjoy knitting this shawl. I will knit many more from this book. I think that I will have to be very generous with my yarn estimates before starting another one. I have seen a few posts out there about needing more yarn.

Started... and completed... fichu

I kept meaning to post about this before I actually finished the harebell lace fichu, but I sometimes shun my computer for days at a time, so here I am with the fait accompli.

I guess it's not truly accompli yet, since I haven't blocked it. But here it is:

As with the curved shawl, I did have some struggles; the instructions aren't crystal clear as to joining the lace to the neckband. Also, when I transcribed the chart to print out and carry with me, I left out the last yarn-overs on rows 3, 9 and 15, so that led to a little head-scratching. But I did get through it, and I think it will look very nice once it's blocked. I'll be back with a photo once that takes place!

The yarn is Jaggerspun Zephyr Wool-Silk (color "Blueberry Heather"), which I really liked. It's got a nice sheen to it from the silk; it's easy to work with; the heathered colors are really nice; and it's pretty reasonably priced. Maybe a new favorite laceweight.

Also, I'm noticing a theme of matching the color of the project in the book. One of these days I'm going to have to break out of that.

Humble Beginnings

This is the beginning of the handsome triangle shawl pictured on page 32. I plan on using the ruffle edging in the back of the book. I am using kidsilk haze, color 604, which is actually a discontinued color. (Using up stash!) I started on bamboo straights, but I am switching to circulars. I sandpapered the ends of my needles to make them sharper and then used a double-coat of clear nail polish over the ends to smooth them. So far they have been working well for me!

Alpine Lace Scarf Finished

Here are a couple of pictures of my finished Alpine Lace Scarf. I knitted it much longer than in the pattern and it came out wider too. It's knitted in Posh Yarn's Sophia 2ply (lace weight cashmere). It's so beautifully soft. The middle section is slightly lighter colour than the ends. But the ends match beautifully colourwise.

It's been worn several times over the weekend after blocking and before these pics were taken this afternoon.

Getting close to the end

Since I'm located in the south, it's not very often that we come up with an actual 'Snow Day'. But this past Friday we actually had one. So, with three days off in a row I made some use of spare time to get a little progress going on the Alpine Lace Scarf. I'm starting the 32nd repeat of Chart B (which calls for 37 repeats) however, I think I'll do a few more repeats to make it a tad bit longer. I've got another whole skein of yarn so heck, why not.

Shoulder Shawl in the Syrian Pattern

Yarn: 3 skeins of Douceur et Soie by Knit One, Crochet Too. A baby mohair and silk blend.

More information on my blog.

Finally decided.......

........what my next project from VTL will be. Didn't really fancy knitting the Syrian Shawl as I thought it looked a bit boring but I've got this gorgeous 4ply cashmere/silk yarn from Posh Yarn which I couldn't decide what to knit with so I tried it in this pattern and I lvoe it. Completely different look than in the book where it's knitted in KidSilk Haze on 4.5mm needles. I'm using a 4ply yarn on 4mm needles. But I think it shows off the colours well. My youngest daughter loves it and wants it. But its luxury cashmere/silk and she is only 8. So not sure if I'll risk giving it to her. We'll see.

I am NOT innumerate!

Just a little numerically challenged.

But I finally took a deep breath and did the math: my three skeins of Handmaiden Sea Silk won't be enough to complete the leaf and trellis rectangle on p. 54, because I am a Loose Knitter. Based on my progress to date, the center panel will require about 2.25 skeins, and the border will need roughly 1.75.

So I ordered another two skeins online. I'll use them for the border, in hopes that any lot differences in this hand-dyed yarn won't matter much.

Wow, I feel so much better. ;-}

Alpine Lace Swatch

I got the yarn I'm hoping to use for the Alpine Lace yesterday. I swatched it with 3.5 mm needles, and it came pretty close to gauge ... but I'm not sure if it's too open and spidery. How does one decide what needle size to use? I'll probably knit a swatch up on 2.75 mm needles today and see what it looks like, and go from there. I'd love to hear other opinions about sticking with the pictured results, or going for a smaller gauge!

A finished Cherry Leaf shawl picture is up on my blog.

Nordic Diamonds Scarf

May I present the beginnings of my newest lace scarf - Nordic Diamonds, which is the name I am giving this scarf, since, as has been noted before, the names in the book are unimaginative. The pattern for this scarf is on page 104 and is called in the book Double-bordered scarf. The yarn is Nordic Lite in a color called Nordic Mist. I have been enjoying knitting this, though I don't know if it will ever be one that I can knit without paying careful attention to.

Just joined

Hi I'm Jennie and I just joined the knitalong (after a bit of a kerfuffle with New Blogger). Here's a peek at my first VLT project - more melons, but in a surprising and unusual turn of events have shunned the ever popular green for this fabulous watermelonny pink/red combination - kidsilk spray in shade 576.

Although it's my first lace project, I'm really flying down the centre panel and despite the odd wobbly bit adore the shawl already!

Cherry Leaf edge clarification

OK, I belong to the KnitU list where Jane Sowerby has occasionally answered questions regarding VLT and, since XRX published the book, the moderator has some access to other people in the organization. I emailed the moderator and asked if there was another edging chart somewhere in the book that matched the edging in the picture since the chart referenced in the directions does not. Here is the response from the editorial staff via the moderator:

We did get the photos mixed up.
The chart on page 134 gives a single eyelet instead of the diagonal
ladder shown in the photo.
The edge of the border shown actually has the same yo, k2tog relationship as
the Melon Shawl and Melon border - page 146. This would require 2
extra stitches in the border for the paired eyelet border, so CO 13 stitches
instead of CO 11. Or choose another 12 row lace edging that you enjoy.

I guess that means that the exact edging is not charted out anywhere else but should look more like the picture if you do the paired eyelets. I hope this helps.