a look at yarn

today I want to finish up my pictures (and show and tell) about different gauges and types of yarn used to create an item.

For me, The yarn size needed has always been open for suggestion. As long as you get gauge you are good. But, if I want a sturdy lace or a thin lace there are of course a difference in what I use

notice in the pictures above that this yarn would make a really good thicker weight shawl that would hold up to machine washing and hard labor and stand the test of time...you will see in the picture above how I do my last stitches. I don't thread them in until after I've finished blocking my project so that if I need more yarn to stretch I have it and don't have to worry about tightness in the yarn.

you will notice in the last picture my life line. Yes. I even do them with swatches. It helps me keep track of where I am in the repeat.

 unblocked v's blocked of the same yarn and repeat

 prime example of dk weight yarn v's laceweight yarn. Same pattern same number of repeats. Eventhough the curves of the lace don't seem as pronounced on the lace weight, I would prefer to knit this pattern in the laceweight simply because I love the delicate road you can see in the pattern, unless I was knitting for warmth in colder weather or something to hold up to machine washing (I never machine wash my laceweight yarn no matter if it says I can or not. I'm just  not that trusting of my machine)

in the 2 pics above you see how I use lifelines and stitch markers. I normally use stitch markers made of straws and opposite color of yarn, but this color of straw is all I had so there you go.

I  used a bright pink yarn to thread thru the last repeat of my 1st chart and that way if I need to tink back I don't have to do the whole thing over, just down to my life line. I made only 1 lace project without them, and I never made that mistake again....ever.