2KCBW DAY 6

Is there a pattern or skill that you don’t yet feel ready to tackle but which you hope to (or think you can only dream of) tackling in the future, near or distant? Is there a skill or project that makes your mind boggle at the sheer time, dedication and mastery of the craft? Maybe the skill or pattern is one that you don’t even personally want to make but can stand back and admire those that do. Maybe it is something you think you will never be bothered to actually make but can admire the result of those that have.

Working in retail, I see a lot of the trends as they come in. A big once for the last several months has been Lace. Lace! Lace on collars. Lace peasant skirts. Lace scarves. Lace dresses. Lace everywhere! And I love it.

I have always loved the look of lace. I've a a secret, deep desire to knit a lace shawl for about four years, but one thing that consistently escapes me is the ability to knit lace. The closest I've ever come is the feather and fan shawl I made for my jazzpunk costume at Ohayocon, and since I was using a worsted weight yarn, I don't think it really counts. I think shawls are just about the most impractical garments out there (after thong underwear and six inch heels) but they're so PRETTY. I want one. Even if I never wear it, I want one.

I've tried several lace patterns in the past, both in the form of stitch patterns and also knitting patterns. They touted themselves as being "easy" lace patterns, and every single time I got totally screwed up and ripped it all out before the third row. I need a pattern that spell things out explicitly, because I hate charts. I find them hard to keep track of, and I hate always having to look up what the stupid little symbols mean, and trying to keep track of which row I'm on and which direction I'm supposed to be reading it.

So the lace and I are at war. We don't get along too well. Right now my plan of attack is to sneak it in bit by bit. A lace panel on a sweater. A lace pattern worked into a scarf. Until I work my way up to one of the huge pinwheel shawls I see in books.

Until that day happens, however, I'll content myself with my "cheater's lace:" yo, k2tog.