All Lace All the Time; Distractions

I've been knitting a lot of lace lately.

You might remember the Shetland Skies circular shawl. In addition, I'm on the last of four lace designs intended for publication. I've loved doing them, but each of them has been on progressively finer yarn -- which is pretty scary when you think that the first two were worked with sock yarn -- and the last is starting to feel like a Herculean task. It's worked with true laceweight cashmere, at a gauge of abut 8 sts an inch, even on bigger needles. It's a circular shawl and I'm at round 54 of 97 of the final tier before I work the edging. I love it, don't get me wrong, but it's taken me about three times longer than I expected.

(One of the crew remarked today that I was looking a bit like a zombie, knitting as I walked, dead-eyed.)

At the same time, there is another deadline piece in the wings, picked up when I have an idle moment (hah!), not very lacy, but still triangular.

And as is the way when you're trying to be monogamous with a project (or two), there is always a distraction around the corner.

Blame Jennifer for this distraction.

It's no secret I love Noro. I've got some of it in my sock yarn stash. And it's no secret, also, that I have more sock yarn than I will ever need for actual socks.

So, sometimes, I like to use sock yarn for things other than socks. (Lace, for example, I use a lot of sock yarn for lace. Reference the Shetland Skies shawl again.)

I was admiring a shawl that Jennifer had crocheted out of my current favourite colourway of Noro Kureyon Sock, 242.

"Oh, it's so easy," she said.

"And quick."

"Here, let me show you."

And 10 minutes later I had the start of a crocheted shawl.

Am trying to be very very focused and not work on it.

It will be my reward.