Lace, finally...

Lace knitting is not a typical project for me.  I suppose it's because it can sometimes have an appearance of old fashioned to it.  Lace knitting is also challenging -- rows tend to be varied, repeats must be followed, and dropped stitches (by accident, mind you) can be a nightmare.

(Valley Yarns Southwick in Nantucket Blue)

But as any dedicated knitter knows, challenges are a good thing and eventually the knitter who aspires to greater and greater skills knows, lace is inevitable!

I need to make one final end-of-year teacher's gift and I want to also use my last skein of Valley Yarns Southwick (which I have grown to love knitting with).  For this particular teacher, a lacy cowl is just the right thing -- not because she's old fashioned but because she's fashionable. 

This is the Noble Cowl, a fairly intricate lace cowl that has a good deal of openwork throughout.  I think it's really pretty especially as a cowl and while there's no remembering the pattern (for me at least), I'm managing to keep the pattern in tact.  What I think is so wonderful about lace patterns is how the knitter can see the design develop, row by row.

I am now almost half-way through the pattern and so far, so good.  A leaf motif is developing, and I'm feeling confident that more lace is in my future.  Now, of course, when you read the notes of other knitters who have made the noble cowl, they comment on how easy this pattern is.  Hmmm, I guess I chose the right one to start with!