Leaf and Lace Set

I always like to have two baby sets on hand for gift giving, one suitable for a girl and one for a boy. Over the past several months two nieces have had babies, and with both babies being girls I have twice given away the girl set. The sweater intended for a boy sits and impatiently waits its turn while I knit yet another lacey set for a girl. (Lacey sets are more fun to knit anyway.) This set has no intended recipient in utero. I just like to be prepared.



This is the yoke section of a pattern called "Leaf and Lace Set for 3 Months" from an ancient old Beehive booklet, "Nursery Styles for 3 to 12 Months". I've had it since I was in my early teens. I see the pattern booklet has gone up to $3.25 USD. When I purchased it it was 65 cents Canadian.

This pattern has defeated me several times. I tried knitting it when I was around 14 years old, just for something to do, then later when I was having my own children I believe I tried to knit it each time I was expecting. Every time it ended in failure. I always got as far as the leaf design, and then one way or another lost the whole darn thing when I started on the lower, lacey part. I was a less experienced knitter back then though and seem to be doing fine this time. Never-the-less, THIS time I have run a "life-line" after the leaf yoke.

Each row in the lower lace part takes a LONG time to knit. There are 315 stitches in each row! Look how closely they are packed together on that needle.