CHINESE LACE

It has taken me several years to figure out that the adjective "Chinese" does not always refer to a country in Asia, but is often used as a synonym for "weird". This charming stitch pattern in Barbara Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns (page 285) has always intrigued me with its unusual little wiggle from side to side.

For this reason the pattern does not lend itself well to flat, straight garments such as scarves or dishcloths, unless the resulting zig zags are part of the design. It works best for garments knit in the round, so that the wiggles mesh together into a whole. It looks best with a light yarn so that the little holes (yarn overs) stand out well.

I must have been slightly insane, therefore, when I chose a fingering weight cotton ribbon to make myself a top with this pattern. Ribbon just doesn't work very well for lace. And to make matters worse, I held two strands together! I can only justify myself by explaining that I got the cotton ribbon very cheaply, and it came on a spool of FIVE POUNDS!

The pattern itself is an original design. I am pleased with the way it looks. I even added some very clever shaping to fit my, ahem, rather triangular shape.

The yarn was stiff, slippery, and hard on the hands. I realized early on that my choice of yarns wasn't ideal. It was not my favorite project. I put it down for long periods of time, so that it took me about three years to get it done. And the most incredible thing happened after I finished and blocked it... I GOT AWAY WITH IT! Click the photos to enlarge.



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