yarn.

Lace Knitting – The Rest of the Story

Guest Blogger Andrea, here.

For those of you who’ve been following Shannon’s saga as a student in one of our April lace knitting classes, you’re well aware that there has been a fair amount of drama associated with the entire process.  You’ve read about Shannon and Cindy’s contract with their Lace Knitting Instructor or LSI (me) and their high state of trepidation as they picked up their US 2 Addi Turbos, sock weight yarn and started in.  Ah, but there’s so much more to tell you about this saga – - – get a drink and sit back.

First, when I volunteered to teach a lace class I had no clue that it would evolve into two separate projects with five students.  When Shannon asked what the project would be, I brought in one of my favorite books, “Modern Victorian Lace” and pointed out a few scarf patterns I thought would be appropriate.  That was the moment when it started to grow beyond my control.  Cindy and Shannon decided what I’d chosen wasn’t appealing (they didn’t like “pointy things on the ends”), I said that as the teacher, it needed to be something managable for a first project.  I chose a pattern that they thought was passable and started on the sample. 

Then the mail came – and in it, the Spring 2009 Issue of Interweave Knits.  Shannon and Cindy discovered “Bettie’s Lace Stockings.”  They began clapping their hands and saying, “These!  We want to make these!  Teach us to make these!”  Keep in mind, only Shannon had made socks before and neither had much lace knitting experience.  However, if someone wants to jump off of a cliff and see if they can grow wings on the way down, who am I not to offer to serve as their spotter on the ground?

So we went ahead with both classes and I’m happy to report that everyone’s doing really well.  Shannon is learning she’s got a great capacity for the structure of lace and is really understanding the architecture of a sock.  Cindy’s got short rows (used in both the toe and heel) down and once we gave her stitch markers, she’s really smoked on the lace.  Gail (who joined late in the game) has a great toe started.  And the Proper Lace Class students – June and Janie – are doing great, too!  Despite the frustration and the frogging (thank goodness for lifelines), everyone’s learning how to read their knitting in new ways.  There has only been one needle impalement (accidental) and the drinking and cursing have been kept to a minimum.  Overall, I think it’s been a rousing success so far.

I’m so proud of everyone.

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