Duchess is Done!

I finished this a couple of weeks ago and have been wearing it and enjoying how pretty it is. It is just what I wanted. Love the yarn, love the color, love the pattern. Love, love, love. This pattern is such fun. If you like doing lace work I highly recommend. It is just enough challenge to be fun, but not so tough that it is frustrating. That, to me, is an ideal pattern. I did end up blocking this twice. I wasn't content with it the first time, I wanted the lace to really be wide, if that is the right way to put it. I wanted it to really show, and be as big as possible. This is the first time I have used blocking wires on a project and was so glad to have them. It made it so much easier to stretch and keep the shape at the same time. I think my favorite part of this shawl is the scalloped bottom. So pretty!

Almost half way there

I feel like I am making good progress on this one. For some reason shawls are easy for me. I am really looking forward to getting this one done. I just want to see it when it is all blocked. I think I will have to take the plunge and get some blocking wires. From what I have read online this one requires some pretty serious stretching! I have made the largest size. I can't wait to see just how large that is!

Duchess Damask

I have heard a bit of a clamor from my fan(s) about not blogging for almost a year, so I am going to make the attempt. I often think about doing it, but somehow never quite get to it. So I think I will start with where I am, and if I have time, work my way back. Over the past year I have become a bit obsessed with hand dyed fingering weight yarn and the idea of making shawls. I have made a couple and really like them, but I saw one that a talented young friend made and felt that old familiar feeling of obsession lurking in the wings of my mind. It wasn't long before it took center stage in all of my knitting dreams. This is a pattern that was love at first sight. I knew I had to make it and I knew it had to be eggplant and I knew it had to be big. I believe when all is said and done it will answer to all of those requirements. I have been making good progress, considering that each row is 300-something stitches. I did hit a snag about 2 weeks ago. I was off by one stitch. One stitch that I simply couldn't find. I looked and looked, not wanting to take out the over 1200 stitches one by one, but after two weeks, I bit the bullet. I'm almost there and hopefully have just undone whatever it was I did wrong... When you are knitting lace, especially something like this, is simply not allowable!