Liz  pointed out what I consider one of the fun things about looking for lace patterns for top down garments - you have to turn the Stitch Dictionary upside down! When you knit starting at the top, the lace pattern will be upside down when the garment is worn.
As I'm knitting the lace looks like this.

When worn, it will look like this. A subtle change but one you have to take into consideration.

In the top photo I seem to see the pattern the holes make and in the bottom photo the line of the stitches is more prominent. How about you, what do you see?
deb

Ta, da, one and a half pattern repeats worked so far.

It's HOT or at least it is for some part of every day. Oh, right, it's summer, got to get over myself! It is coming along.
- deb

I'm trying some lace inserts for the sides of the vest. I've settled on 4.

I'm liking the second, third and fourth stitch patterns. But I'm going to try working the second one from the top. It's pretty and will go from 14 to 18 sts quite easily without changing how it looks. In this pattern the underarm cast on will be either 14 sts or 18 sts and that's where the stitch pattern is going to go. All the stitch patterns work great at 14 sts but the other three would take quite a bit of twitching to get the same affect at 18 sts.



I have my fingers crossed that this one will work fine and look terrific. Here goes . . .

There may be a vest theme going here. I'm working on my redo of the green vest in worsted weight. I'm almost to the Great Divide. I've made a couple of small changes and am now ready for some lace work.

The green vest has ribbing down the sides. In the blue version I'm going to work a lace pattern down the sides. This is the fun part, looking through stitch dictionaries on a sunny afternoon. Do you have a favourite lace pattern that's 14 or 18 sts wide? I'll be strolling through Barbara Walker's Treasury books looking for something fun.

Deb

Julie from the Knittingatlarge ravelry group  has published a vest pattern just for plus-sized women (48" - 64" finished). Carnation Vest 
I have been reading her blog for quite some time and owe her, and the women who participate on her site, a lot for all help I have received about knitting for the plus-sized woman.

She said she could design a sweater a day in her head so I hope we'll see some more.
Deb

TNNA was great. You'll be glad to know that the knitting industry is ticking over very nicely. Store owners seemed happy this year and interested in what's new. The book seemed to get some interest, yay. Now that we're back we spent all day Thursday editing the Plus book. We're that much closer to getting it to the printer.

Meanwhile back at the ranch I've started a second vest.

My calculator is resting for a moment. It's been working hard figuring out all the numbers for the vest in worsted weight. I've already knit the Heavy Worsted version (see previous post). I've decided I'm going to write this pattern in two weights: Worsted Weight and Heavy Worsted weight. Your choice. This gives you two weights of yarn to find the exact colour and texture you want. And I get to knit two vests, yay, one summer (already done) and one winter (planning ahead).
-deb

It's summer and with a road trip coming up, it's time to cast on a sock.

Starting something new is always fun. I do love the top-up sock.

We're off to TNNA (The National Needlework show), a trade show for people in the bizz is on this weekend. A long day of driving to Ohio but lots of time to work out our plans for the coming year.
Deb