Taking care of my elderly dad is a lot more time consuming than I ever realized ... that, along with our adult kids coming home, then going away again ... and our youngest getting ready to head off to college in a month, well ... it's just a lot! I've not had time to keep up this blog or try my hand at all the projects that are bubbling up in my brain.
When I get a free moment at night, I have been experimenting with knitting lace. Above, is a swatch I've knit and blocked. I combined several stitch patterns from the Barbara Walker knitting treasuries. The bottom starts with the "Bumble bee" pattern ... then above that I've modified a tulip border pattern into a tulip center motif ... and I've put an open work trellis stitch on the sides. I'm excited about this design, because it's going to make a wide, airy scarf that will be perfect to dress up a plain shirt and slacks ... or even jeans, for a cool late-summer night out on the town. The bumble bee/tulip patterns are worked one after the other ... about 8 repeats in all ... the scarf will measure about 68-inches long after blocking.
I'll be posting the pattern soon ... and for anybody who thinks they can't knit lace ... well, think again! It's not difficult. There are just two things I think are important: FOCUS! and be sure to count your stitches every row.
More later! I promise!
