Here she is.....

Children of Lir. Finished. I am beyond words. I really love it. I actually got all misty watching her dry. Which I did, for a good 10 minutes while DH watched Law & Order reruns. The horrible cramp I got in my legs whilst blocking was totally worth it

Specs:


Pattern: Children of Lir Stole, from Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls (Martha Waterman, Interweave Press)

Yarn: Lisa Souza Sportweight, 2 balls (some leftover) in Violet's Pink Ribbon

Needles: Clover Bamboo circulars, size 10

Measurements: before blocking, approximately 22 in. wide by 49 in. long; blocked to 26 in. wide by 72 in. long. Blocked with wires and T-pins.

What I learned: stitch markers between repeats is very helpful. Put in your lifeline before you screw up the first time. Don't knit lace while watching the Masters Tournament.

Changes I made to the pattern: used garter stitch for the borders instead of seed stitch. I slipped the first stitch of every row wyif to create a smooth edge. I also worked it end to end, rather than start in the center with the provisional cast on.

Smartest thing I did: wrote out each line of the pattern repeat on an index card. I then punched holes in and put them on a ring (I used a massive shower curtain ring because that's what I had handy) in order. This helped me keep track of rows, and I didn't get bogged down reading the pattern, which is not charted. I used a paperclip to mark the next row to do when I put the project away for the day.

Concluding thoughts: I really enjoyed this pattern. The results are smashing, and though it looks complex, the pattern repeat is really very logical, and do-able for someone relatively new to lace. The yarn is gorgeous - very soft and a joy to work with.