I've been saying, "Someday, I am going to knit a nice lacey little doiley," and also, "Someday, I'm going to get myself a set of blocking wires," and "Someday, I'm going to knit something out of my Lace books by Marianne Kinzel ," and don't forget, "Someday, I'm going to find a use for that big block of styrofoam in the office closet - you know the one that falls on my head every time I open the closet door? Yeah, that one,"
Well... "Someday" is today!
A friend of mine is the curator at the Bessemer Historical Society Museum, a brand new museum which is just setting up. She asked for a knitted doiley for one of the exhibits - so - why not! I started knitting!
I knitted the Azalea pattern out of Modern Lace Knitting, and it was much MUCH easier than I thought it would be. In fact, it was so enjoyable that I cast on for another doiley - a pattern from Yarnover.net.
Take a look at how many pins are necessary for blocking this doiley? EIGHT! Actually, I could have done it with only 6, but I pinned down the ends of the wire for a prettier photo, lol. Without the blocking wires? It would have taken a jillion pins. I *knew* that I wanted a set of blocking wires, and wow, they are really nice, and makes blocking such an easy thing I know that the pattern doesn't show up very well against a white tea towel, but use your imagination - it is a really nice little doiley, lol. A little light starch; a styrofoam block to pin to; life is good.
Which reminds me - have you read the book, Life is So Good, by George Dawson? If not, then run to your nearest library and read it. It's such a wonderful book. You should read it. Really, you should.
Want to know what I've learned, today? Cotton doiley yarn is completely unforgiving of tension irregularities! Aarrgghh! I just took my doiley off of the blocking wires, and put it on something black, and ... well ... maybe I ought to knit a few more, just to get it right, lol.
Ooooh, so pretty!
ReplyDeleteVery nice! I'm in the same "I'm going to knit something from one of the Kinzel books Real Soon Now" folks. :) If only someone would give me as good a reason to knit one as you had!
ReplyDeleteWhat yarn did you use? Some kind of cotton, yes?