Blocking a Lace Shawl

I finished my pink alpaca shawl this week. It's always fun to take a project off the needles so you can see what it really looks like. I was amazed at the size of this shawl! Deciding where to block it took a little thought, but I finally decided that the best place was a large mattress the kids play on. Even that was scarcely big enough--I had to wrap the shawl around the edges when I pinned it!The shawl before blocking. Here are directions on blocking lace from Knitpicks.
I dampened the shawl, then rolled it in a towel to squeeze out the extra water.
Many minutes and 145 pins later, the shawl was stretched out and pinned to the mattress at each scalloped edge. I issued stern injunctions against jumping or stepping on said mattress, and the shawl was ready to dry.

Have you ever picked up your knitting or crocheting project, only to spend the first few minutes figuring out which row of the pattern you're on? These bracelets, which work like an abacus, are a handy--and pretty--way to keep track of your rows. (I'm currently on row 126 of 154 on my pink shawl.)

You'll need:

• 9 large beads (to count 10s)


• 9 medium beads (to count 1s)


• assorted small beads to space out the counting beads and make the marking loops (I used green beads for the loops, and two sizes of pearl beads for the spacers)


• clasp


• clear beading thread


• stretchy beading cord

Using some of your smaller beads and the stretchy beading cord, make two marking loops; one for the 10s and one for the 1s. Make sure the loop is large enough the beads can pass through easily, but not so large that they'll slip through accidentally and throw your counting off. Tie the loops with very secure knots.
Attach the clear beading thread to one half of the clasp using a half hitch. Make sure the two ends of the beading thread are of even lengths.
Begin stringing the counting beads, separated by the small beads, onto the two threads. You will need more spacing beads between the 1 beads than between the 10 beads. Try to space them so that the two strands are of even lengths. Don't forget to slip a marking loop onto each strand!
If you have used all of the counting beads but the bracelet is too short for your wrist, string more beads onto both threads at once until it's the right length.
Tie the threads securely to the other half of the clasp. Pass the threads back through several beads before you cut the ends off.
There you have it--never loose your place in a pattern again!

Pink Alpaca Knitted Lace Shawl

I try to make sure that I always have some kind of bring-along project started: knitting, embroidering, crocheting, tatting...

This fall, just before a long car trip, I found myself without a project. Mom's stash came to the rescue!
She had on hand three skeins of Alpaca Cloud yarn (in "peppermint heather") and the Rona Lace Shawl pattern. I like the pattern--it's not too simple, and yet not frustratingly hard. I've been working on the shawl on and off for the last two months, and soon it will be finished--I'm looking forward to seeing what it will look like once I take it off the circular needles and block it.