The doily that will not end

[msmcknittington]

This doily will not end! It only takes me about five minutes to work from one wheat ear motif to the next, but there are 12 of them, so it takes me at least an hour to do a round. So. Excruciatingly. Slow. I'm on round 19 of 24, so I'm very close to being finished.

It's so big, too. The pattern called for size 30 thread, and I think I grabbed size 20 instead. Meep! Mom and I are trying to figure out what the hell I can block this one, because I think it's going to be close to 20 inches in diameter once it's starched and stretched.

Isn't it pretty, though? I wish I liked decorating with doilies, because I'd make myself one. I'm thinking about adapting the wheat and grape motif for straight crochet to put on a petticoat hem. Because wouldn't that be amazing and lovely and ostentatious?

Also, my order from Elann arrived today. I feel dumb for taking pictures of yarn from freakin' Elann -- it's not like it's super special or droolworthy or anything -- but I'm so excited about my new yarn.



The pink and the black sport weight is for reknitting those bicolor mitts I made in worsted weight. They are just too chunky for me to be satisfied with. They should be more delicate, and the sports weight should be light enough to do that, without taking forever to knit.

The burgundy is for my Butterfly dress. Oh, yay for laceweight! It's so soft and lovely that I want to cast on for a shawl or something right now. But no. I will wait until I can visit it the library and get the pattern (because buying the book that dress is in would result in me buying more yarn), and then I will make the pretty, pretty dress (once I figure out how to modify it to make it look best on me).

Comments

[devikat.livejournal.com]

So why not leave it at 20 rows or something... It's not like it isn't big enough, and it sure looks "finished".

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

Because my grandma would know! The grape and wheat motif is a fairly common one -- it's "traditional" -- so my grandma would recognize it and be all, "Why is half of it missing?"

Also, given that I've already put probably 20-22 hours in this, it would be dumb for me not to put in the effort of five more.

ETA: But I maintain my right to bitch about it A LOT.

[devikat.livejournal.com]

*sigh* Sadly, my doily education is lacking and as such I don't know the traditional patterns. ;o)

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

I don't really either, but I was poking through some 19th/20th century crochet manual and recognized a similar set of directions. Good enough to be traditional for me!

[newgarb.livejournal.com]

Maybe I've been hanging out at Brooklyn Tweed's site too much, but that doily? Would look freaking awesome in a worsted/dk tweedy wool. Mmmmmmm...Elizabeth Lavold's Silky Wool or, or, or Rowan Felted Tweed...oooo, must go have a lie-down...

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

Ooh, like as a shawl? That would be cool! And I would actually use that. What an interesting idea . . .

[bexi.livejournal.com]

Wow. I love that doily so much. I am so impressed that you made that!

[msmcknittington.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Becki! Like knitting lace, it's actually not that hard, just annoying and tedious. Blah.