Springtime is lace time. The weather blows hot and cold – the time for chunky wool is over but it is nice to have a little something to keep shoulders warm. Silk and wool combinations are warm for the chilly times but light and airy when the sun comes out. Add to that a stash full of single skeins of yarn, and lace is the place where my needles stray.unfinished

My latest effort is inspired by the colors of the season. The fresh green on the tips of the firs and the showy colors of the camellias, lilacs, rhododendrons and azaleas – they are all on display right now. Reywa yarns has some beautiful yarn of yak and silk that inspired me to make a Rosemary (Romi) Hill shawl – Moon Shadows. The shawl uses two colors of almost exactly the right amount. With added beads to give the shawl some sparkle and weight, it makes the perfect springtime confection. Lace work patterns often involve charts to guide the knitter. Romi’s patterns include stitch by stitch written instructions and charts – both are clear and easy to foldrying lacelow. There is usually an inherent rhythm to lace knitting, especially Romi’s. My needles never caught on to the beat with this one but I can’t complain about the result.

One of the thrills of lace is how it looks like a heap of tangled of yarn until it is finished.  Nothing else transforms as dramatically. Look at that little pile of knitting on my lap as I completed the last rows. To finish the shawl, it must be sohyacinth shawlaked until it absorbs the water fully, rinsed and lightly wrung, then pinned out to the correct shape. I use a mattress in our spare room as a blocking spot (if I can keep my cat from stretching out on top of the drying shawl) as it allows me to work at about waist height. The result is a shawl that sparkles and hangs beautifully, showing off the spectacular design.

I love working on lace and a new shawl is already on my needles. It takes a little patience but the result is always stunning and always useful. This time, it is also a visual memory of our spring.

Quick lichen update – One jar has changed to a deep purple but I think I will wait until the full 3 months are up before I worry about the others. So far so good.

Toby and Azaleas