Lace Knitting Success------NOT!

After knitting about 12 inches or so on my handspun Samoyed lace scarf, I was hoping to be able to report that I was finally getting the hang of it. Unfortunately, I can't.

I suppose that I can honestly say that I'm beginning to understand the pattern and see how the rows fit together. I have it somewhat memorized and mostly know what to do next. I only have to look at the instructions to see how the row starts off. After that I can knit with no problem.

Well, I take that back. I do have problems. I'm still making occasional mistakes. I'd call them concentration mistakes because they occur when my mind has journeyed elsewhere. Somehow, I end up at the end of a row and realize that the pattern is no longer working. But! At least I'm catching them before I have a disaster on my hands.


It's a very old Shetland pattern called “Miniature Leaf.” It requires a multiple of 6 stitches plus one extra stitch, and goes like this:

Row 1 - *k1, yo, k2tog, k1, k2tog, yo* Repeat to last stitch, k1.
Row 2 – purl
Row 3 - *k2, yo, k3tog, yo, k1* Repeat to last stitch, k1
Row 4 – purl
Row 5 - *k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2tog* Repeat to last stitch, k1
Row 6 – purl
Row 7 – k2tog, yo *k3, yo, k3tog, yo* Repeat to last 5 stitches, k3, yo, k2tog
Row 8 – purl

Of course this is the Americanized version. The UK version refers to yarn overs as yarn forwards.

The place I usually mess up is the knit-3-togethers. I tend to somehow drop one of the 3 stitches. I am knitting on US5 needles and I do tend to knit tightly which doesn't help, I know.

At one time I thought I would never be interested in knitting lace. In fact I vowed I'd never do it. I didn't think I had the patience. I lean towards yarns that spin and knit quickly. Hence I am always in awe of spinners of fine yarns and knitters of lace.

I've been enjoying this project however, in spite of all the frogging I've had to do. I'd like to think that I'm becoming a more patient person, but I doubt it. More likely I'm just finally becoming interested in the challenges of knitting lace. And this yarn just begged to be knit this way.

Progress, I think, will be very slow. I will continue to put the project down when it frustrates me, and pick it up again at a later date, when time has worked it's soothing magic on me. It's just nice to report that at least some progress is being made.

© 2006 Leigh's Fiber Journa