In which I lace up

I'm finding that whenever I think, hmm, I don't know why anyone would want to knit X, I usually end up wanting to knit it within a few weeks. This category has included, but is not limited to: socks, fair isle, entrelac, and mitered squares.

My recent reading of Eunny Jang's archives got me thinking about lace, and this afternoon during a rainy, quiet hour when both children were napping, I cast on for this shawl.

Before, lace seemed too delicate, too fussy; now, after weeks of man-socks-on-size-1s it now feels positively decadent, and a bit clumsy, to pick up size 4s.

I'm working, like Eunny says to, on learning to read the knitting, searching for understanding of the purpose of each stitch to the pattern rather than being welded to the chart. This is working pretty well so far, and now that I finally seem to have conquered my block of which direction k2togs point vs ssks...well, I'm in business.

I think this is a lovely pattern, and I'm working it in an alpaca/silk blend in "true red". I envision wearing it over a black turtleneck. I'm hoping the vivid color will temper any possibility of Jemima Puddleduck syndrome.