Love Affair With Lace

"Knit on, with confidence and hope, through all crises." Elizabeth Zimmerman (1910-1999)

I love this quote. Not only does it apply to knitting crises, but doesn't knitting help center us during the many storms of life as well? It certainly does me. Can't we all pick up a piece of knitting and have memories flit through our minds the moment we touch it of the season of life we were in during its creation?

While cleaning out the closet in my office a couple of days ago, I ran across several articles of "unfinished business". Suddenly it occured to me that every single item was lacework in the making that had been abandoned. After giving it some thought, I realized I have a tendency to create knitted lace when I'm smooth sailing through life due to the fact it requires a little extra concentration. If life gets a little hectic or bumpy I'll set aside the project and start something new. All the while I tell myself I'll get back to the lace soon.

I have such a passion for lacework that I'm convinced the word LACE is part of my love language! Of course I have completed many of these items over the years. However, I took some pictures of a few things that are still waiting for my undivided attention again.

This is the beginning of a cardigan in the softest baby alpaca/silk yarn I've ever felt. It's absolutely heavenly! I started it about a year ago but it got shoved to the background because it's for me. I seldom ever knit for myself. I think, however, I will pick this back up through the winter. (Hopefully!). Technically I guess this is more an example of texture than lacework, but it's still some serious
"unfinished business"!




And below is a little collection of projects still on the needles. Notice the blue piece in the background. It's the front of a shell I was making for myself two summers ago. The back is totally done and this piece only lacks a few more rows . Maybe I'll get around to it for next summer!
On the left is the very beginning of a shawl (who knows if that'll ever grow!), and to the right is a sock stopped just at the beginning of the heel. One sock is done for crying out loud! You'd think I could force myself to finish the other one.

And this last shining example of my occasional lack of ability to stay on task is one I finally gave up on and reconfigured.
It started life as a wanna be shawl and ended up being a rose instead. When I ran across it I just bound off where it was and twisted it into a flower and- Voila'!- not a total waste after all. Sometimes we just have to set ourselves free!