Lace addiction

I have a problem. I'm an addict and admitting it on the internet. I am now addicted to knitting lace!

Which is kind of funny, considering that I put off learning how to knit lace, thinking it was too hard.

I'm here to tell you ... it's not hard! Lace is just knitting with lots of yarn overs, knits, purls, and decreases. The hard part is learning the particular stitch, and once you do, it's rather easy and very very fun.

I am, actually, glad I waited. The key to lace knits is blocking. I was a haphazard blocker before I started selling on Etsy. Now I'm a rabid blocker (I mean that in a good way).















Blocking, for those not familiar with knitting, is what you do when you finish knitting your piece. You soak or moisten your finished object (FO), arrange in the desired shape (fixing odd stitches along the way), pin if needed, let dry, and voila! A beautiful, crisp knit item! (You don't have to block everything, but it sure gives your knits a lovely and professional finish.)

A lace FO is pretty ugly. It's a little clump of puffy knitting. Giving it a good soak, pressing out as much water as possible, and then blocking is crucial. Not just blocking, but stretching to show off the pattern well, and pinning in place. When it's dry, you have a thing of beauty!

Since I plan on turning out a lot of lace for Fall and the holidays, I invested in two things that are already making my life SO much easier. Truly, best investments I've made this year! But, you'll have to wait for tomorrow to find out what they are! (hee hee)