The alert among you will know that telltale wigglywoo yarn. That’s an unravelled Agave tank. Bums! There’s a line of purls between each lace panel, and that’s where you work your increases, so as the top tapers outwards, the vertical purl lines become purl panels. I had worked three repeats of the lace pattern before I realised I had alternated knits and purls on those vertical lines, resulting in garter lines. Figuring that it would look a bit funny when the panels widened, I decided to cut my losses and start over.

I can't bear to see the scars

But when life gives you lemons, make a silk purse. I like this pattern a lot, so it’s really no skin off my nose to start over and keep practicing the lace pattern. Plus I got to spend an enjoyable fifteen minutes or so dithering about and positioning the knitting on a chair — patting the lace, garnishing with cherries — for photography purposes. What more could you ask in life?

BACKLIT DRAMA