shaping a lace pattern...

i was working on this pattern for a few weeks http://www.interweave.com/knit/TSC/P...rmaid_Mesh.pdf
and after muchn heartbreak and starting over again and again i finally
got the fabric into a lovely place and reached the shaping part. i
completey messed the shaping up,oh i don't know, three times? i put
the yarn away in anger for a year. but i want to start again! i love
this sweater and i have so much yarn for it that i bought! can
someone give me some preactical tips for how to shape a lace pattern?

On Apr 30, 4:34 pm, wrote:
someone give me some preactical tips for how to shape a lace pattern?

For a complex pattern (lace or otherwise) I often chart the shaping
section before I work it - it helps me to envisage it and to stay on
track once I'm started. So take the pattern chart and a coloured
pencil, work through the pattern shading out the decreases for the
edge (or neck etc.) - this will show you where to start the pattern on
each row.

Don't work on complex stuff unless you have some calm, quiet time.
It's very hard to concentrate on a complex pattern and have a
conversation or watch the kids etc.

You will get this pattern sorted I'm sure and you'll be so elated when
you do. It's lovely by the way - good taste!

VP

On 29 Apr 2007 23:15:45 -0700, Vintage Purls
wrote:

On Apr 30, 4:34 pm, wrote:
someone give me some preactical tips for how to shape a lace pattern?

For a complex pattern (lace or otherwise) I often chart the shaping
section before I work it - it helps me to envisage it and to stay on
track once I'm started. So take the pattern chart and a coloured
pencil, work through the pattern shading out the decreases for the
edge (or neck etc.) - this will show you where to start the pattern on
each row.

Don't work on complex stuff unless you have some calm, quiet time.
It's very hard to concentrate on a complex pattern and have a
conversation or watch the kids etc.

You will get this pattern sorted I'm sure and you'll be so elated when
you do. It's lovely by the way - good taste!

VP
The only trick I can see is that the pattern says that the lace
pattern is knitted on the right side rows and the shaping is done on
the wrong side rows. I do love the pattern - good luck!

Alison

Alison wrote:

On 29 Apr 2007 23:15:45 -0700, Vintage Purls
wrote:

On Apr 30, 4:34 pm, wrote:
someone give me some preactical tips for how to shape a lace
pattern?

For a complex pattern (lace or otherwise) I often chart the shaping
section before I work it - it helps me to envisage it and to stay on
track once I'm started. So take the pattern chart and a coloured
pencil, work through the pattern shading out the decreases for the
edge (or neck etc.) - this will show you where to start the pattern
on each row.

Don't work on complex stuff unless you have some calm, quiet time.
It's very hard to concentrate on a complex pattern and have a
conversation or watch the kids etc.

You will get this pattern sorted I'm sure and you'll be so elated
when you do. It's lovely by the way - good taste!

VP
The only trick I can see is that the pattern says that the lace
pattern is knitted on the right side rows and the shaping is done on
the wrong side rows. I do love the pattern - good luck!

Alison

That is a beautiful design.

I totally agree with what VP suggests as I too have found the easiest
way with lace stitches is to chart them.

One other thing I do at the end of each row is to check back across
that row to see that every "knit 2 together" has a corresponding "yarn
over" so that you neither lose, nor gain, stitches across the row. It
takes a little extra time but is easier (and less dispiriting) if you
can pick up any mistakes as they happen - having to unpick more than
one row is soul destroying.

Good luck with finishing the tunic and it'll be lovely to see some
pictures when you have succeeded.

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