So you tuned in eager for the results of the Great Lace Debate. Results you’ll get, with a bit of a twist.
It seems that I ignited quite a controversy, borne of my ignorance. It rages on, with a life of its own, not only here on the blog but in side e-mails. Who knew ya’ll had such strong opinions about lace? (And, to be fair and more accurate, who knew ya’ll knew so very much more about it than I ever could?)
I’m tempted to let it go on – and it might anyway, with this unruly bunch! Joking aside, thank you all so much for the great suggestions, hints, tips, and thoughtful discussions of what might work best for me and why.
Nonetheless, there is a clear winner, vote wise, and that is Forest Canopy. I’m going to have to think some more about whether I should really use my lace weight yarn on this, given potential yardage and other issues that could, according to those I trust, land me in a ditch in a fetal position. Others I trust swear it will work. Nonetheless, I will knit Forest Canopy and I plan to get started by this weekend. (And I’ll like it, goshdarnit.)
Here’s the twist. And it’s twisted, let me tell you!! We’ve had a write in vote, weighted very heavily because it was submitted by the Ultimate Lace Knitter, with some help from her devious assistant who is also a Goddess of Lace. (Let’s not even talk about how they want to change the whole Forest Canopy thing into something else – OK?) So I also offer you the “lace gunner option” for this knitalong: Icarus (Ravelry link).
I believe we managed to break every single one of the rules for this contest, and we’ve wound up with multiple options. Impressive, no?
Oh, and I’m going to knit Icarus, too.
Start your engines, everyone…
13 Comments
March 25, 2008 at 6:09 am
Ahhhhh, the vernable Icarus. Perfect choice. Let us all know when you start that one – I’ll KAL. I have some Kid Silk Crack here just waiting to go…
March 25, 2008 at 6:39 am
Will you KAL the Forest Canopy? I’d like to try. In my turtle-like way.
March 25, 2008 at 6:59 am
Heee, the devious ways of lace knitters… Icarus….
those last few soul sucking rows of Icarus (but in a good way, considering the shawl itself, completed)
and no, I’ve not ‘knat’ it yet but it’s still on my List.
March 25, 2008 at 8:16 am
WHEE! I haven’t done Icarus yet. Both good choices. I’ll KAL both with you. I have yarn for which ever you start first. Just note (they even say it on Rav) that you’ll probably need more than your 880 yards.
” the yardage in both of Interweave’s printed versions is underestimated for the average knitter.”
That Cookie was trying to make it a Lace Leaf, wasn’t she? I’ve done both, so I’ll put my mob boss mask on. Yes, it’s similar, but I found FC easier to follow. Let’s put it this way… I’d knit a FC again, but not a Lace Leaf – just because of the pattern.
March 25, 2008 at 10:34 am
Shows how much the evil Stacey knows. I voted Flower Basket. Repeatedly.
March 25, 2008 at 11:49 am
So let me see, first we knit Forest Canopy out of something fingering to sport weight. Then we knit Flower Basket, yours out of the KP, mine out of whatever. Then we knit Icarus out of the Iris/purple I’m sending (I should have enough for 4 of us Stacey) and on this one we include the beads. By then it’s next year and we should new choices, right?
March 25, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Do you have a LYS with handpainted yarn? If it were me: I’d go there and find yarn in colors you love, that feels nice to touch and calls your name and asks to come home with you; it could be fingering (sock) yarn, or sport, or DK, or worsted weight. Any of the above. You’ll love knitting Forest Canopy so much more if you have yarn that makes you happy and is easier to knit, and makes a decent-sized project without a gazillion extra repeats. And the Forest Canopy pattern works great with hand-painted/hand-dyed yarn.
That’s just what I would do! But you can totally knit Forest Canopy in a cute little laceweight neckerchief too.
Just tell me which you’re doing when you decide, so I can knit along and (figuratively) hold your hand from across Wisconsin, but not literally, even if we were closer, because then we couldn’t knit, after all. More like, ‘got your back, babe’.
March 25, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I happen to have the flower basket shawl pattern due to the ultimate evil one who calls everyone else evil.
We’ll have a three-fer KAL. WHOOO!
March 25, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Joan’s Year Of Lace, right here, right now.
Love it!
March 25, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Okay, I’m in for FC. Now to figure out the yarn. I won’t over commit to the others *quite* yet.
March 25, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Icarus? Whew!
So how long is this KAL running for?
March 25, 2008 at 8:59 pm
How evil can I be when I’ve been labeled a minion of Joan’s? Not that I mind, but still…
Where’s that handy button, Nora?
/only slightly evil
March 26, 2008 at 7:33 am
Icarus is lovely. And wonderful.
In my hands, it sprouted all sorts of extra “feathers” and beads, but in normal knitters’ hands, it’s an easy knit ’til you’re about bored, and then finishes with a flourish of feathers. Excellent choice!