I have been preparing to begin knitting a Shetland style lace stole.  It is a process!  The yarn is fine – I believe is qualifies as “cobweb.”  And the patterns are intricate.  So, I have been swatching.  And practicing.  And auditioning needles (ended up stopping by The Dancing Ewe in Ellensburg to buy a 2.50 Addi Lace Turbo circular needle on our way to Spokane on Friday!). 

The construction technique I have chosen cleverly begins with the center section cast on provisionally with waste yarn.  One knits the center section, continues with one border section, then returns to the provisionally cast-on edge and works from there to make the other border.  Both borders conclude with bound-off edges.

So, I used pearl cotton to cast on (and will use it for a life line too!).  I discovered that my smallest ring markers are still too bulky.  So, I crocheted a dozen markers from the same pearl cotton.  They look like little polliwogs!

Of course, I had to figure out how wide to make the piece (15 inches) and how many stitches I need to cast on (125). 

The center section will be “Spider Webs, Spiders, and Diamonds.”

The borders will be “Bird’s Eye Pattern” (aka “Spider Lace” and “Ring Lace”).

The border pattern is particularly challenging – but since I will be working the center section first, I figure I will be very familiar with the yarn, needles, and charts by the time I get to the border (I admit I have not done a flawless practice bit of the border pattern yet…).

I think I will add an edging after I knit the stole – but have not chosen a pattern yet.

The patterns, construction techniques, and all sage advice for this project come from Sharon Miller’s Heirloom Knitting.

I am excited and eager to get going!  And after all the prep work, I think I am ready to start.