Eureka!

Remember the tablecloth pattern from the Burda magazine? Remember the difficulties I was having at the beginning? Well, by dint of using the chart as a suggestion, rather than following it to the letter, and by peering at the picture with a magnifying glass, and by using my native wit and low cunning, I have succeeded in producing this:



This is round 23 and, while I hadn't at that stage reached the point where I could follow the chart blindly, I have certainly made some progress. I am now at round 35 and finally the chart actually corresponds to the stitches on the needle.

However, because the chart was so wrong at the beginning, I really don't trust it, so I shall be keeping a sharp eye out for any further problems.

Here's a close-up of the start:



It looks a bit wobbly (technical term) but I am relying on the blocking, that saviour of many a lace-knitter, to sort it all out. Fingers firmly crossed here.

I have also finished the back of the bolero thingie:



It is very hard on the hands, so I can only work on it in short bursts. It is also positively eating yarn - far from this being a project to reduce the stash, it will probably turn out that I will need to buy more yarn. Which means I have to go to the yarn shop. Which means temptation will be all around me.

Is there a 12-step programme for the yarnaholic?

Should I be thinking about joining up?