Done Doily - Morning Glorys

My mother and aunt were both addicted to doilies, but my mother liked to crochet them. I was always impressed with the amazing doilies my aunt produced using her knitting needles though - I always wondered why she didn't crochet like my mother. Now I think that she actually didn't crochet anyway - knitting was her forte and if that meant she wanted a doily she had to knit it. So knit she did.

The doily here is one I made following the Knitalong provided by KnitterguyKev in my GLBknit list. He provided the pattern eight rows at a time and since in the beginning that meant knitting very little, I was somewhat impatient for the next week's pattern because I would finish the work very quickly. Things progressed though so by week four the rows were getting longer, the design a little more complicated and the challenge harder. And it did not do to make a mistake. Unknitting when one has done double yarn overs, and k3togs was more than a little difficult with the small gauge crochet cotton I was using.

This doily was knit using number 20 mercerized crochet cotton, and size 1, 2.25mm needles. A fine piece of work and when I was knitting something else and came back to these small needles it felt as if I was suddenly in the land of Brobdinag with Gulliver, attempting to work these tiny designs when I had such giant fingers.

In any case, I finished the doily on time, pinned it out finally and sprayed it with cotton starch today, ironed it out and it now takes pride of place on our side table. And I have come to an even better appreciation of the dedication my aunt made to her craft since her doilies were at least twice as big as this one, which is only about 9 1/2 inches in diameter, not including the crocheted chain edging.

I attempted to photograph it on the oak side table, but got a terrible reflection, so laid it out on my large ottoman which gives a much better view of the work. Thanks Kev, and congratulations to the other people who also finished, especially Renate who finished first!