Saturday, April 17, 2010

THE BEES

Discovering Anne Hanson's designs was akin to opening the windows on a bright spring morning.  Suddenly the knitting was flooded, no - AWASH in possibility and delight.  Lace, especially, had never held any appeal before tripping over Knitspot patterns.  But that is all behind me now - and it seems as though I have lace projects tucked away in every corner.  Remember, UFO's are a REAL problem around here.  


One pattern in particular has captured my heart - ' Honeybee Stole'.  
This is Wooly Wonka lace merino - the softest, buttery color.
I've been working on this piece for a very long time.  Because I was arrogant clueless, I ignored Anne's directions to do a provisional cast-on.  (collective blogger gasps!)  Yes, that's right.  I was so excited about the yarn and the pattern that I cast on in my usual fashion and started knitting lace . . . aaaahhh.
Also, I neglected to use the fiber life line.  So when the inevitable struck, I had no where to go - no safety net to drop into.  I was out on my proverbial lace limb ALONE.  As I struggled to retrace my steps, the stitches literally wiggled off of the needles and disappeared.
It was a bad day.  Because this pattern is knit in two pieces and joined at the center, the provisional cast on IS a necessity.  (Never question authority when it comes to lace knitting!)  I am left with a beautiful first half of the Honeybee Stole which ends on I-don't-know-which-row.  This is a problem.  So I bagged it.  One wants to believe in resurrection, but there is a real possibility that this stole may never be completed.  Perhaps one of these days I will be lucky enough to sit with a Lace Guru who can lead me out of the woods!  Until then, it feels like a sewing and quilting day!





4 comments:

Bea said...

uh oh. I'm sorry to hear that. That shawl is really really really lovely in that yarn.

t does wool said...

sorry to hear all that.
beautiful knit...maybe you need a few days and will get it back out ;)

Paulina said...

There has to be a way to pick up the original end and begin in the new direction. I cannot believe that there is no solution here. I think if you carefully unstitch that beginning row you will have a raw row. I am certain of it. I am going to try it. I am certain you can do this. You can't just let it sit. I have to admit that dealing with so much pain this past winter, I spent a lot of time laying on the sofa and did not knit as much as I would have liked to. So I am not as far along on my stole as you. You put me to shame. Now I will have to make a push to finish mine. It is so beautiful. Plus, I had ordered extra yarn so that I could make mine wider. I should iron mine so I can see how beautiful it is. Yours is so pretty. Every once in awhile I bring it to knitting class to show my students who are always encouraged to begin a project like this. Knitting lace is not so difficult. It is a matter of getting off the computer and sitting with your needles. Don't you think?

Anonymous said...

Wait! Wait! Wait! Why couldn't you join the two pieces like you do a shoulder seam. Who's going to analyze that closely? It's gorgeous and you need to finish it.