Biggest Knitting Challenge of My Life

Alright I'm ready to unveil (sort of) my BKC. I'm 90% convinced that I'm ready to take this on. Unfortunately I can't post any photos here as the pattern hasn't been delivered yet, so there will be a few links, lots of text and some photos of the lovely yarn delivered to my office today because yarn is always nice to look at.


The BKC came about when I began toying with the idea of knitting my mother a lace tablecloth for Christmas. This led to a bit of pattern googling on Sunday afternoon where I stumbled across a pattern called Lyra by a man called Herbert Niebling. I don't think I'd heard about Herbie (if I can be so informal) before, but it didn't take long to discover that the man is a GENIUS when it comes to two sticks, some yarn and the liberal use of YO's. You can see samples of his design on this page . (Click on the photos to see the detail. Really, it's worth a mouse click to see the full glory.)



Now I've knit some lace in my time. Some of it can be seen on this blog. But suddenly, it seemed I hadn't even begun to knit lace. This stuff just seemed a whole other level. Then I stumbled across Rosemarie's blog, and she had knit such beautiful things -- including Lyra. That was it - in a short couple of hours Herbert Niebling, and Lyra specifically, had become an obsession. (And if you read the comments on my previous entry you'll see Rosemarie has kindly agreed to help point me in the right direction. Wahey! An expert on my side.)


I also discovered a Yahoo Group of knitters equally (possibly more) obsessed with knitting Niebling patterns. Wahey again!



Then the bad news. Getting a copy of Niebling patterns is NOT EASY. In fact this Yahoo Group is devoted to knitters trying to convince the owner of the patterns copyright to reprint them.



On Lacis.com there is promise of an upcoming book of lace patterns of the 'Niebling school'. So possibly Nieblings, possibly just good patterns in his style. But I wanted Lyra!!!!

One of the sites mentioned the crazy prices his patterns were getting on eBay and so I knew eBay it was.


Luckily for me - there it was - the holy grail. A copy of Burda magazine (in German)(but you can't have everything, and charts are universal) with Lyra in it! The auction was due to end Sunday night so I put in a bid and crossed my fingers. I was outbid twice so I put in my absolute maximum price, turned off the PC and tried not to think about whether I should increase it a smidge. just in case... I logged on the next morning and I'd won. Yippppeeee!!!

The pattern is on its way and should be with me shortly.



I would love to make this for my mother - I know she'd love it, and in fact, I think she might even cry. Also, it may help her come to terms with the fact that I am never going to finish tatting that tablecloth I started for her 20 years ago. (My mother has kept that 3/4 finished tablecloth in a trunk in her basement and we have a ritual when I visit where she takes it out and half jokingly, half hopefully asks if perhaps this year I'll finish it.)


Of course, that leads to my fear that I'll start Lyra....and never finish. Hmmm...



PS Yarn pictures are from top to bottom

• Posh Yarn Sophia laceweight, no plans
• Posh Yarn Silk DK, possibly another Sarcelle or Clapotis or.... similar
• Posh Yarn Silk DK, (ditto)
• Posh Yarn Sophia laceweight, possibly a Honey Bee Stole
• Lorna's Laces Sock yarn, socks

PPS Still no Wyoming visitors. Although I've learned that Wyoming has the smallest population of any State in the US so that may account for it. In any event, I'm determined that I will soon start a campaign to lure Wyoming-ites to this blog. Even if only for a second.