Backstory time: I bought this mill-end cotton weaving thread for dirt cheap on a whim one time while I was at the yarn store. There were a bunch of ratty-looking hanks laid out on a shelf, some a little dirty, all tangled. But it felt nice and I liked the colors, so why not? I managed to get it untangled over the course of a few days, and then I had to figure out what to do with it. What do you do with an entire pound of fine cotton thread?
My mind jumped to lace, as it usually does. Crocheted lace can feel a bit bulky and awkward, but I reasoned that the thread was so fine that it would negate the nature of the craft. And I was looking for a suitable Christmas present for my dear friend, who had gifted me a chemistry-themed sweater for a past birthday. She was the kind of person who might enjoy some fine fillet lacework. I got her approval on a shawl pattern and set to work in mid-October. Sure it was lace, but fillet crochet goes comparatively fast! The pattern was so easy to memorize! Surely I could manage in two and a half months.
I was wrong. So very wrong.
First of all, fillet crochet might be a fast type of lace, but it still goes pretty darn slow when you're using a .75 mm crochet hook! And even though the pattern was easy, it was impossible to concentrate on for more than an hour or two at a time. The stitches were so tiny they cramped my hand and tired my eyes. The shawl didn't get finished by Christmas. It didn't get finished by January or February either. I made progress at a snail's pace.
Then, summer came, and I found myself with an hour's commute by train. An hour where I couldn't really move, but I could very well put a podcast on and use my hands for their favorite task. I was determined to get it done by summer's end.
And now, I can finally say I've done it! It took an estimated 80 hours, and it's 7 months late, but it is done. And forgive me for being egotistical, but it is beautiful!
I mean, look at it! look at that drape, and the way the diamond pattern shows across the back! Is it perfect? Of course not! But let me tell you, a good blocking will hide a multitude of sins. No way I kept my gauge consistent over the course of 10 months, but thanks to water, foam, and straight pins, you'll only see the gauge mistakes if you're really looking for them. And besides, mistakes make the piece unique! They show how much personal effort you've put into a special gift.
I really think that this project turned out well. It's the largest and finest piece of lace I've made by far, and I hope my friend likes it too. It's currently sitting pretty in a cute box, ready for the next time I see her.
This has been a really fun project, and I'm excited to do even more lacework. I love the result so much!
... But maybe I'll take a break and try something in a bulky yarn first. 😅
No comments:
Post a Comment