I'd like to save I've been knitting lots. But truth be told, it's been more like swatching lots. So let the semi-long story begin. I never really paid attention to the Hanami Stole when people started talking talking about it until the one day I clicked through to look at the pattern. I was entranced! But I couldn't commit til I found the perfect yarn. I wanted something pink, but not cotton candy. I definitely wanted something with depth that would stay in the pink cherry blossom-esque color tone, but also nothing to mature or jewely. Enter Yahaira. She saved the day with her yarn.

Pureknits bamboo lace in the mulberry colorway, as perfect as could be. So away I went. For someone who's such an avid swatcher when it comes to garments, I almost never swatch for lace or socks. It's coming back to bite me in the butt right now. For socks, I'll start the cuff or toe, and if I don't like the gauge, I'll rip and start over. For me, that's the equivalent of swatching. For this lace project, I just cast on and kept stretching it to see if it came close to the finished size. First I started out with 3.25mm, too big. Then I tried 3.0mm, still too big. Then 2.5mm, nope. Then bumped way down to 1.5mm. Too small now! Keep in mind here, I've each time I've knit at least 6 rows of the initial garter stitch border and then maybe 1/3 of the pattern repeat. I finally grab my 2.0mm thinking it's the perfect size and knit a full pattern repeat. Measuring tapes usually don't lie and now this wasn't even coming close. I decided to block what I had just to see. Still no bueno.

And what do I have, yes, another big swatch. Time to grab the 2.5mm again.