Waves, Shells and Peacocks

Every so often I decide to knit a doily with variegated thread, an idea that sends some people into spasm. I think that a good result is entirely likely if you match the thread and pattern properly. This one is Waves and Shells from Gloria Penning's "Knitted Heirloom Lace II." It's also design 5, Peacock, in Christine Duchrow's Leaflet 62.

The details:

• Thread: Clark's Big Ball, size 30
• Needles: 2.25mm
• Finished size: 13 inches in diameter

More Duchrow

I find the Christine Duchrow patterns fascinating. This one is in Volume I of the Lacis series, "The Knitted Lace Patterns of Christine Duchrow," Leaflet 25, design 1. I knit it with Clark's Big Ball thread, size 30, ecru, on US1 needles. It took one full ball (550 yards) and part (a quarter?) of a second ball. It is approximately 28 inches in diameter.

Duchrow's instructions call for three purl rounds before the bind-off. If I were doing this again, I would purl a round, knit a round and purl a round before the bind-off to reduce the curling. As with several Duchrow patterns, the bind-off instructions in this one are vague; all she says is to bind of in chains and picots. I crocheted off in groups of three stitches with a five-stitch chain in between.