Making magic

There is always the point in any project where it all starts looking the same. This lovely lace looks a lot like it did the first day I posted about it. It is, only bigger. I expect to have all but the edging done this evening, and look forward to finishing and blocking tomorrow.

There is always a little bit of apprehension surrounding the knitting of lace, and the blocking of it. Perhaps not for everyone, but there is for me. Blocking lace is its revelation day. Any boo boos? Any heinous errors creep in? Any zigs when you should have zagged? Decreases leaning the same way? Yarn overs all open? The thousand and one things that a mass of lace can hide, a good blocking reveals the truth of it. Until I block, I'm standing on the tips of my toes hoping, wishing and crossing my fingers that all is well.

That little tension as you work might stop some people from going there, but lace patterns develop a rhythm all their own and can come to feel instinctive. After you really understand a pattern, you can move forward without counting every single row. You just have to let the rhythm of the lace work its magic.

These are the things that keep me working lace. This tension and rhythm dance side by side, weaving incantations, working their magic.

I'll block the sweet little Wisp too to see if I have more to knit on it.

In a weekend filled with work, the symphony, being the craft lady at a children's Christmas party, a staff party, it is enough.