It's the Hemlock Ring Doily, which I've made twice before as a blanket so you could say I had some idea what I was doing when I began attacking this a couple of weeks ago.
Casting on in crochet cotton (Coats #20, inherited from RoseRed) is not fun but I managed it. And happily I went around and around until, lo and behold, I had a doily. Note, if you attempt it, look up the errata for row 35. It'll save you the night of ripping back I went through.
Doilies are fun. I'll make them again. Hell, I'll probably even start using them from now on, although not this one, because it's a gift in a swap I'm doing.
I just love love love, as always how you can turn this
into something beautiful just by doing this
Apart from the swap I'm doing, I also did this so I could have something finished for A Long Lacy Summer. My black lace shawl is still a work in progress and I suspected I'd be able to get this little love done on time. And I did.
Phew.
As for my thoughts on knitting lace, now that I've devoted the better part of a summer to it, I love it but I've discovered something important. Lace, to me, feels like luxury knitting. It's not the meat and potatoes knitting that I need to do in order to feel productive. Oh spot the Protestant Work Ethic Knitter in me! I need good, solid practical knitting in the form of cardigans, scarves, socks and the assortment of gift knitting I undertake. Lace knitting is wonderful, beautiful, creative knitting and I love it but I can't churn it out fast enough to feel useful.
I'm not about to stop though. No way.
Bells
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