Now that I’ve changed the pattern I’m using for Mel’s lace wedding stole, I no longer have the desire to stick the Addi Turbos in my eyes. It has been smooth sailing, and I was even able to work on it while traveling this weekend.
Now I’m making myself paranoid that it’s not wide enough. I want it to be something she can wrap herself up in, like this. That is not the pattern I’m using though – I am doing a traditional feather and fan pattern. Problem is, it’s just a “here is how to do the pattern” chart – not a full pattern. I’m doing 4 repeats, with a garter stitch border on each side , for a total of 80 stitches. It is a lace weight 100% merino wool and I’m using a size 5 US needle. On the needles (unblocked, obviously) it reaches from Mike’s elbows to his shoulders. He’s my model right now since Mel is 5 inches taller than I am, so I figure if it is long enough for him, it will be long enough for her.
I’ve been told a million times that lace comes out much wider when blocked. Is that true? Anyone have any tips? (I could just block what I’ve done so far as a test, but … hmmm. That just seems too easy.) Maybe I’ll see if I can borrow some size 5 needles and use my spare ball of yarn to make a swatch to block while I continue with what I’ve already got on the needles.
13 replies on “Lace Love…”
I don’t have any tips (my mother might but since she’s in Egypt that’ll have to wait), but that stole is gorgeous. I can’t wait to see yours finished!!!!
Lace will block to much wider than in its relaxed state if you really pin it out with a wet blocking. If you want to avoid the wavey edge, either pin every few inches or use blocking wires. A stole is going to sit on one’s shoulders and I would think it should come down to at least mid-upper arm if not to the elbow. If you say that unblocked it’s wide enough to go from Mike’s shoulder to his elbow, you might be on target.
I recently blocked a lace scarf that turned out much larger after blocking.
Whew! Thanks for that Liz – that was exactly what I needed to know. Was it a wool lace weight yarn? I’ll go and look at your site to see if you posted it. I looked last night but didn’t find anything, but I may not have looked far enough!
I just posted a picture of the lace scarf. It was mohair/nylon yarn.
that’s so pretty!
I’m totally not looking forward to trying on dresses in the upcoming months. I just know I’m going to hate how I look in all of them. feh. I hate dresses!
I don’t know what all that knitting-mumbo-jumbo means, but I know however it turns out, it’s going to be gorgeous!! 😀
Girl, if you hate how you look in dresses, be a rebel – wear something you are comfortable in. After all, it is your wedding – unless you want to be in dress, you don’t have to be!
Yes Mel, it will be gorgeous! Now … I must go knit! 😀
I promised Boy I would wear a dress this one time b/c he’s always begging me to buy dresses. but I told him if he keeps pushing me, I’ll show up on the beach in jeans and a ratty t-shirt. 😉 my biggest problem is that I hate my arms. so I’m trying to find something with a cute wrap or jacket or something with short sleeves, but EVERYTHING is freakin’ sleeveless nowadays. argh.
Wo, I wish I’d seen this sooner. Poor girl, you don’t have to wear dresses. Not now, not ever. Nor do you have to wear sleeveless things or anything else you don’t want to. I only wish I’d realized this fact a lot sooner than I did, but maybe you can. I’m 55 years old, a woman, and just married for the 2nd time. I wore PANTS to my wedding, it has been over 10 years since I wore a dress and I promise you, I never will wear one again. NEVER. Don’t you do it either.
And don’t let people tell you you are not feminine or anything like that. You ARE feminine becayse you ARE a girl. Period. So anything you wear is feminine just because you’re wearing it. Nobody has ever taken me for a man, and I have NEVER lacked for boyfriends or male interest. Far from it. But I wear NO makeup, NO revealing clothes and NO dresses.
Dresses are immodest, revealing, and restrictive and/or hampering. In addition, they are unsafe. Imagine some fancy dress party and a fire breaks out. Yeah, all those stupid simpering females in their dresses will be tripping up, kicking off their impossible high heels risking danger to their feet, and expecting the men to risk their lives to save them bc they can’t run in their stupid dresses.
Imagine a rapist eyeing up his victims. Who do you think he’ll choose first: a simpering little sweetie in a skirt, or a confident woman in a pair of nice trousers?? Doesn’t take much guessing, does it?
No, do AWAY with dresses as an archaic and sexist garment that today’s women should not wear. EVER.
Uhm, ok, but … I loved my wedding dress. And I was making the lace wrap for another bride, as a gift. It’s ok if you have issues with dresses, but personally I like how pretty I feel when I’m all dressed up.
And for the record, I can run in a dress without any problems.
It’s a real shame that Chris two posts above and people like her think dresses are bad – despite what she claims very few people consider women in ladies sweaters and slacks as feminine as women in dresses and skirts – it’s really tragic that the fight was for a choice in what to wear not a bizzare lurch from one extreme to the other where dresses and skirts are seen as sexist and bad.
I’m the girliest girl you could ever meet – I’m always being teased because I like pretty dresses and perfume and flowers and so on – I don’t think that has anything to do with being a feminist. A feminist is someone who thinks that a female has the same rights and obligations as a male – which is an obvious truth, I would’ve thought.
Christine, don’t let the self-righteous pants people get to you. Obviously, people like “Chris” don’t know how powerful a woman in a dress can be!! Personally I love wearing skirts and dresses compared to shorts in summer (when the weather permits!) because it instantly makes me feel dressed up w/minimal work! If it makes you feel good, wear it – it gives more confidence in the way you carry yourself!