Lace is ideal summer knitting.  I think I could happily sit on my deck and
knit my lace pieces until September!  Our
summer weather has finally arrived and I am delighted.

Although I had feared that the initial nupp-less part of the
Lily-of-the-Valley shawl would take me days and days to complete, I seem to
have flown through it and began the nupps (with some trepidation and a little
last-minute practice on my swatch) on July 4^th. 

I am pleased to report that they look pretty good.  I am getting the knack of the k1-yo’s (making
7 stitches from 1 stitch) – making them loose enough to work the purl-7 tog on
the following row.  Sometimes they are on
the tighter side, sometimes on the looser side. 
But I have learned how to manage either way – and, hopefully, I will
become more consistent.  By grooming the
looser nupp stitches, I have been able to keep them smooth (no dead
spiders!).  And the tighter ones still
build up to a respectable nupp.  Surely,
the color variation in the yarn helps, too. 
So, even if there is some difference when I am working them, it seems to
be slight in the final appearance. 
Surely, the color variation in the yarn helps, too.

The Gull Pi Shawl edging progresses.  It is a big, beautiful, dramatic edging – and
a lot of stitches!  It is fun to work and
gratifying.  Just a lot of stitches.  And a long way around the circle shawl. 

I have been knitting lace patterns (though not on
lace-weight yarn) for a little q’mitl.  I
swatched the edging last night:  Ocean
Waves in a variegated linen yarn.  The
body of the yarn (worked on small-ish needles) makes lace that practically
stands on its own – like a confection!

Summer.  Lace
Knitting.  Happy.