There’s a lot of reasons to knit the Heirloom Lace Jacket by White Lies Designs.
1. I have the pattern. I bought it at the first knitting convention I attended. I had seen it on line, but in person I was smitten. I asked Joan about it, and I think she said it had taken her the better part of a year to knit it, but that it was worth it.
2. I have some beautiful yarn to knit it in. When I was in NH this fall, I stopped by Harrisville and picked up some New England Shetland in the color Bermuda. I love the color, they have such great heathers that have all these subtle colors in them. Yum!

3. My stockinette gauge is right on. Not sure yet on the lace gauge.
4. I am familiar with the lace pattern, which I used before for my “Knit for the Cure” scarf. A coincidence, but what a lucky one! I should be able to tell pretty easily if I make an error and be able to correct it.
5. I am much more confident in what I can do, and not afraid of a little challenge. I think I have mastered everything needed for this jacket, so it should be a breeze. Famous last words, I know.
6. It’s lacy, and I am itching for the magic of lace.
7. I can knit from my stash. I’m not joining the great stash-along of 2007, but since I can, I might as well knit from my stash.
8. I like supporting a designer who supports me. Joan at White Lies Designs creates patterns for everyone, not just the twigs in Vogue Knitting, although she designs for them too! It takes a lot of work to scale up designs to larger sizes, because it’s not a straight multiplication of all dimensions, as I have found out when trying to do it myself. And we are not talking the Lane Bryant of knitting here, she makes beautiful romantic designs that any woman would love to wear.
Reasons not to knit it?
1. Pattern calls for sports weight, but I’ve got a 2-ply. However, I am getting the stockinette gauge spot on, and I like the drape of the fabric in that gauge. Plus, I live in Southern California, and a lightweight sweater is all that’s needed most of the year.

Oh, and please ignore that glaring error in the lace. It was late last night, I knew it was there but didn’t feel like fixing it since it was just the swatch. I wanted to get it in the bath to see how the yarn would look. I’m knitting it off a cone, so the yarn’s a bit rough until it’s washed.
2. My lace gauge doesn’t match the pattern. Now here’s a problem, maybe. I finished up my swatch last night and blocked it out with pins. I blocked the lace to within an inch of it’s life. After unpinning it this morning, it is still well blocked out, even in it’s relaxed state, but the gauge is much closer to the stockinette gauge than what it’s supposed to be, which is 30 sts/10cm.
Now, the pattern states the finished measurements “prior to blocking”. And when I look at the photo on WWD, the lace isn’t all spread out like I did with my shawl with enormous holes, it’s a little more relaxed. So what I have decided to do is to dunk my swatch back in the bath and I have spread it out to dry without pinning – so the yarn can relax and take it’s own shape. If I still can’t get close to gauge, I may just knit a smaller size, or write to Joan for advice. There’s also a yahoogroup out there called WLDknitalong where I might be able to get some help if I get stuck.
Hmm, the pluses far outweigh the minuses, so I’m going to do it, even if it means some more math. But hopefully it won’t.
… waiting for swatch to dry … waiting for swatch to dry … waiting for swatch to dry …