We all want to be winners...

But, for the Knitter's Pride Interchangeable Needle Set, there can only be one!

 

And that winner's name is Miriam P! I'll be shooting you an email this afternoon! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Stay tuned for an wonderful giveaway later this week: a signed copy of the book, "Pheobe's Birthday"

Beyond K2tog / ssk

I was pleased to write up a great tutorial on the many joys of decreasing for the Creative Knitting Blog. You'll learn all about the different methods of left-leaning decreases, as well as how to decrease 3, 4, or even 5 stitches at once in various directions, all with beautiful, clear photographs.

Go check it out!

Giveaway Tuesday!

My kidlets started school this week and it has me SO EXCITED!! My wee baby, who just turned five last week, began Kindergarten, while my charming 7 year old entered the 2nd grade. I savor them while I have them, but freely admit that I have been craving having some days to myself so I can concentrate on pattern writing! They are just as excited as I am, though -

And because I am SOOOO EXCITED, I figured you'd enjoy a little excitement of your own! Let's have a drawing for your very own Knitter's Pride Interchangeable Circular Needle Set! WOOT!

PLEASE NOTE: RAFFLE IS OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY. RAFFLE ENDS AUGUST 27th, at 11:59pm. To enter: click "log in" on the Rafflecopter Display below. You can log in with your email or your Facebook account (I need your email to let you know if you've won, but it will NOT be used for any other purpose). You have to leave a comment on this blog post in order to be entered, but you may tweet about this post or follow my Twitter account for two extra chances. :) When you have left a comment on the blog post, just click the "+1 Do It" button on the Rafflecopter Display and then "I left a comment." This last step must be completed to be entered. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Introducing the September Cowl

 

I'm thrilled to introduce a new design for you guys! With Fall just around the corner, you need a sophisticated, pretty, and SIMPLE cowl design for your knitwear wardrobe. September answers each of those needs.

I had originally envisioned the piece knit with a bulky yarn, but after swatching for a bit, I discovered that the lighter DK weight gave it a much lighter feel and was gentler on the body.

 
Flecked with easy cables for a lovely texture and beautiful style, this cowl is suitable for just about all types of yarn. Because it is worked in the round, it is quick to knit! The pattern includes both charted and written instructions, so there isn't any guessing - a great beginner introduction to cables, yet fun enough for the intermediate knitter.

$2.99

 

Here's the pertinent data:

finished measurements
32 ¼” / 81.25 cm cirfumference, 18” / 45.75 cm length

yarn
600 yds / 503 m DK Weight CYC #3
Sample shown in: SMC Select ‘Extra Soft Merino Opera’ (136 yds / 125 m per 1.75 oz / 50 g ball; 96% superwash merino, 3% polyester, 1% polyamid): Natural, #05325, 5 balls.

needles
Size 6 US (4 mm) 24-inch circular needles. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain correct finished
gauge.

notions
Cable needle, tapestry needle.

finished gauge
21 sts and 30 rows = 4” / 10 cm in September Stitch. While gauge is not critical to the finished piece, it does affect the amount of yarn used. Adjust this in your planning.

$2.99

 

I hope you enjoy this little piece. AND! Because I am so deeply grateful for your support, you can purchase the cowl for a limited time price of .99 cents (regular price is $2.99). No coupon is needed; the discount is taken off in your cart. The sale price is only good until Sept 3rd, so buy before then! Thank you so much!

Free Patterns!

We all love free patterns and I am thrilled to have joined together with Classic Elite Yarns to do just that!

A few weeks ago, we released the Ennis Cowl - soft, supple, and with a beautiful texture, this design is one of those instant gratification projects; you can probably finish it in an afternoon! The yarn, Solstice, is wonderfully smooth and round, making for an easy knitting flow. This was definitely a fun piece made even more awesome with the materials, so I hope you get a chance to knit it soon. Fall IS just around the corner and you'll need to keep that neck in warmly in style.

Ennis Cowl

Just this past Tuesday, Esmeralda Shawl was released and it is probably one of my most favorite projects right now! Sanibel Yarn is DREAMY to work with - soft, multi-tonal, and with beautiful hits of shimmer. It was easy to dream up a beginner design that showed off this yarn it it's proper glory. This project will NOT disappoint. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Esmeralda Shawl

When you get a chance, sign up for the Classic Elite webletter to get beautiful FREE patterns delivered right to your inbox.While you wait for next week's edition, you can always head over to their blog and ready a bit more about... ahem... ME! I was honored and thrilled to be interviewed for their Designer Spotlight. Don't laugh at me TOO much. Wink. 

The Buzz about Halos of Hope

Who will you SAVE or SHAVE?

I've recently come to learn about an organization called Halos of Hope, started by this amazing gal, Pam Haschke. Her goal, as a stage-3 cancer survivor herself, is to make sure that people going through chemotherapy have a soft sense of comfort, knowing that someone out in this great big world loves and cares for them. She, and other volunteers with the organization, collect thousands of hats to send out to cancer patients who have lost their hair.

Pam Haschke, Founder, Halos of Hope

Many of you know that these efforts to assist cancer patients hold a dear place in my heart - cancer reaches all of us, without question. I've had family members battle cancer, some who have won and a few who have lost, and each notice is like a wound to the heart. My own sister runs the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's marathon every year, raising funds for the treatment of blood cancers. And I've watched a dear friend, perhaps one of the strongest women I will every come to know, shave her own head in a show of solidarity for her 2 year old daughter battling Leukemia (fyi: that sweet girl is now 6 years old and cancer FREE!). In fact, if you want to get down to the knitty gritty, an estimated 1.6 MILLION new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed THIS YEAR (and that estimate doesn't even include minor, non-invasive cancers). The point, my dear friends, is that someone you know is going to need support, love, encouragement, and strength to fight, even in the smallest of ways. And we can certainly make a step, however simple, in that direction.

How about we start, right now, by shaving the heads of some Fiber-luvin' Rock Stars!

XRX and Halos of Hope are partnering up for a fun, yet increasingly important fundraiser called the 'The Great Halos of Hope Buzz.' (that's a mouthful, I know). Benjamin Levisay of XRX, Mark Moraca of Kollage Yarns, and Drew Emborsky of Crochet Dude are ready to get shaved - for only $10 a vote, will you choose to save them or shave them? {I'm voting to SHAVE Mark! Haha!}

Go vote, share, re-post - you have until Oct 13th! Your help will ensure that many, MANY more hats go out to people who need them. And they will need them. You have my personal thanks for all you do in the cancer battle.

Winners Announced!

We have two winners from the giveaway on Monday!

Congratulations to ....

GILLYWEED! 






And to....

NE-KNOPKA!









I'll be emailing both of you for your mailing address! Yay!

And on a side note, for future giveaways (oh YES, I have MORE to give away in the coming weeks!! Just you wait - you will squeal over the awesomeness!!), I might be utilizing a different route such as Rafflecopter or something - there have been Blogger related issues that prevented some from commenting {sad face}. But, don't let that stop you from commenting and participating on the blog. Wink.

Designs for Kollage Yarns

I had the great pleasure of designing two pieces for Kollage Yarns' Fall pattern lineup! Buy, knit, and enjoy!

Hayden Shawlette

Stunning cables, rich texture, and a pattern written for two yarn weights result in a project that you'll want to knit again and again. I, personally, love this design and hope you do, too. 

Ashland Pullover

Don't be intimidated by the use of fingering-weight yarn in this sweater. It results in a delightfully light piece that is perfect for those warmer early Fall days. Beautiful cables and eyelets panel up the front, while simple shaping and quick sleeves create a sophisticated fit. 

What is even more awesome about Kollage is that their square needle products are now 100% American made! I was given the chance to try out their needles at TNNA and I am super impressed.

Kollage is the inventor of the square knitting needle and are constantly seeking to improve the experience for us crafters. These needles have a beautiful pewter-like finish, fantastic points that are perfect for lace, and a nice smooth join (very smooth, actually) between the needle and cable. They do tend to cause tighter stitches, so you might explore using a needle size larger than you are used to. I encourage you to talk to your yarn store for a demo!

June TNNA and Giveaways!

It has taken nearly a week for me to recover from 'The National Needleworks Association" (TNNA) June trade show and for good reason! Parties, fashion shows, meetings, lunches with friends, walking the floor - it sure takes a lot of energy. Here's my own little re-cap of the show (followed by a giveaway, so keep reading!)...

Jill Wright and I always travel to the show together because she's the best travel buddy I know! We arrived Friday, late afternoon, and after a ridiculously long wait for baggage, we hustled over to our hotel, dressed in our fancy clothes and masks (Jill rocked it, by the way), and bustled on to the Yarn Thing's Masquerade Designer Dinner, a fabulous event hosted by the infamous Marly Bird.

Jill showing off her stunning, handmade crochet mask.

 I can't even begin to list the number of people I got to chat with, but it was a fun evening meeting new people (and the food was YUM!). Marly and the sponsors loaded us up with FABULOUS goodie bags and swag! I will be testing and commenting on the goodies, so look for blog posts on those soon.

Speaker Marly Bird

Saturday, the show floor opened with just enough time for me to get to the fashion show! Sweet Georgia Yarns and I collaborated together on three pieces for the Fall lineup, all of which debuted in the show. I think they were quite well received, even with the stunning model being slightly "too" model-ly for the size of the sweater. Haha! Here's a sneak peek...

Shortly after the show, I was lucky to join some wonderful ladies for lunch: Jill, Sarah Wilson (yes, the famous Sexy Knitter!), Laura Lough, Corrina Ferguson, and Lee Meredith. I think we spent half the day chatting and goofing off.

The remainder of the day involved meetings with various companies, discussing designs and projects for the upcoming Spring/Summer 2013 season. Needless to say, my planner is jam-packed with work and I am officially desperate for school to re-start so the kids can be out of the way. Wink.

Saturday evening, I grabbed a cab with the amazing Sandi Rosner, Marly Bird, and Jill to head out for the Craftsy shin-dig over at Mouton. They treated us to cocktails and fancy snacks. Next, it was across the street to a cute little cafe (and I can't think of the name!) for dinner, joined by THE Shannon Okey, as well as Jill, Marly, Laura Lough, and Mikey & Daniel. That crowd SERIOUSLY had me laughing so hard that my throat was raw the next morning.

Sunday = MORE meetings, more work for the calendar, more walking the floor, more petting the amazing yarns for the year. Seriously, my friends, you are going to love the yarnie goodness coming out. Some of my favorite highlights were: Kollage Yarns' American-made square needles, the new Sock Report Magazine (what a stunning collection!), Sweet Georgia's Superwash DK and Cashsilk Lace, Shibui's Cima, Debbie Bliss' Paloma, Juniper Moon Farm Sabine, and ... gosh... there's just too much deliciousness to list!

Jill and I decided we were beat, so we ordered pizza in and spent the night with her teaching me how to crochet. It was lovely, but don't look for any crochet designs from me any time in the near future. Haha!

On Monday, I finished up with a few more appts, gratefully accepted swatching yarn from the amazing companies that I will be collaborating with this year, and then joined Marly, Marly's Mom (whom I affectionately call MM), and Jill for lunch. For dessert, I FINALLY got to enjoy some Jeni's Ice Cream (salted caramel in a cone) - DUDE!!! Where has it been all my life!? I was depressed not to be able to take some home to the hubs.

Then a cab, then a plane, and then home. Whew.

DRAWING IS CLOSED! Thanks!

So. You read all of that, I am sure. And now you want your prize. Right? The giveaway is for a TNNA Swag-Bag of your own containing goodies such as HiKoo yarn, Patons yarn, an audio book from Random House Publishing, Knitter's Pride circular needles, Susy Bates, Circular Needles, a Namaste Skinny Mini, Craftsy Stickers. And all packed in to a Namaste re-useable grocery-style bag. WOOT!

TNNA Swag-Bag Giveaway!

So, I'll host two drawings for two winners! Just leave a comment below describing your favorite yarn-related product! And if you share this blog post on Facebook (post a comment to let me know you did) and you will be entered TWICE! Have at it! The giveaway ends at 11:59pm on Friday, July 6th. Winners will be contacted via email for their shipping address.

New Yarn & A Giveaway!

I was browsing around the yarn store a few months back and came across this gorgeous yarn from Berroco. As it hung on the wall, it instantly made me think of the sea with its blend of colors and wildlife....

I bought two skeins with the thought of making a small project - cowl? Hat? But, she hasn't spoken to me yet and I am, thus, stumped.

So, how about you join me in the first step of the design process and win a prize at the same time?

Leave a comment below telling me what I should make with this yarn and be entered to win a digital download of my Legato Shawl Pattern! You have until Wednesday morning, 9am MST, to share your thoughts. I'll make a random drawing around 10am, so check back here (this exact post) for the update! To boot, one lucky commenter may be randomly selected to win a copy of the finished pattern I make with it.... wink.

WINNER ANNOUNCED! Congratulations to Amy! I'll be emailing you soon with your free Legato Pattern! 

Deadlines!

I have NEVER missed a deadline ... until now. I started a baby blanket last month for my soon-to-be-arriving niece Eva, but then the darn girl had to actually be born on time and I am no where near done. You can blame all the paying gigs I've had (you won't see me complaining, though!). I think we have all been there, eh?

Miss Eva is absolutely precious and I cannot WAIT to meet her! She came out on her actual due date (just like my own daughter!) of May 14th. I am counting down the days until I can make it out to California for a visit!

 SO, while my blanket may not be finished, I console myself with the thought that a baby doesn't need a wool blanket during the summer months anyway. Whew! Gives me a little of leeway there.

 I'm using the lovely Berroco Ultra Alpaca (one of my favorite yarns and companies), with simple garter stitch and a pretty flecked eyelet pattern.

I *should* have this sweet blanket finished up before long, while Eva is still a wee babe, and then, because you know I can't resist, I am thinking of offering up the pattern for FREE to all of my fabulous friends out there.

Now, tell me about your current unfinished projects waiting around - I need to know I am not alone.

Yarn Thing Podcast

Yours truly was the guest of the Yarn Thing Podcast interview this past Tuesday! Marly sure has a way of making a gal feel giddy with excitement, so I was quite a bit nervous leading up to being "on air." Luckily, Marly is a born interviewer and made it feel as if we were chatting over a cup of coffee. Did you happen to catch it? If not, go back and give it a listen (as long as you promise not to laugh at me and my funny voice TOO much):

Click Here to Give it a Listen

 We chatted about how I got started designing and my new eBooklet "The Crescendo Collection." Marly is absolutely delightful - funny, generous with her compliments, and highly supportive. I'm lucky that she lives close enough to hang out with occasionally. But, the best news is that you have a chance to win a copy of my Crescendo Collection booklet!

Enter your special pass phrase (you DID listen, didn't you?) on either the Yarn Thing Rav Page or Marly Bird's Facebook page. Hurry, hurry! We'll be having the drawing in a few days!

I hope the interview inspires you to move forward with your dreams. Trust me - it is better to DO than it is to dream. And I am having TONS of fun doing it.

Consider this...

You can consider this my official announcement...

I have a BIG ol' project starting up and one that I am insanely crazy about. Think "Subversive Socks." A book filled with wonderfully, sassy subversive socks.

Now, normally, I am a quiet, unassuming kind of gal (wink, wink), so this type of project just might wig you out. Just a bit. But, oh, how exciting, too!

You see, I was once obsessed with socks, but soon, they all began to look the same. It was time for something bold and crazy to emerge. The ideas started pouring out and before you know it, I had enough to intrigue the folks over at Cooperative Press. End story? A fantastic book for 2013.

I am currently hunting for a few more designers to help round out the collection, so if you are interested in submitting a concept or two, keep reading...

Submission Themes: This is a book of socks that goes far beyond the mundane lace we’ve been playing with, pushing you out from behind the hats and baby blankets. And it is certainly not for the weak of heart. 

Check out my Pinterest Board for inspiration. 

I am looking for knit sock designs that invoke the inner bad-ass, that are bold and risqué, daring and sassy, and just downright raunchy.  Feel free to utilize lace, cables, fair-isle, and more to get your cheeky, independent point across. Explore new techniques and construction. Think powerful and brave. Think daring and in-your-face like the Roller Derby gals. Think about those favorite naughty words and phrases that your feet are itching to stomp out. Don’t be shy!

Level: Intermediate +

Deadline for Submissions: June 18, 2012

For more information on submitting, head on over to Ravelry for the submission guidelines.

Your Reference Section

I thought I would share a few little things floating around on my pages....

First is my "Errata" page. I loathe that I have one. But, it serves a noble purpose. It doesn't matter that you've had two tech editors and a few different copy editors review things, boo-boo's still happen. Not to mention, it gets annoying to customers to have to update patterns too frequently. So, the errata page is there for you and when I do make an update on a pattern version, I will note its changes there, as well.

Of course, I HOPE you see my newsletter signup. Until I can get my act together to create a Ravelry Group or a Facebook page, this is the best way to stay up to date on my designs, tester calls, subscriber-only discounts, and other fun tidbits.

And lastly, do explore my video tutorials. I have two - the Cable Cast-On and How to Untink Fisherman's Rib (that's a VERY helpful one!!). If there are videos you would like to see, let me know in the comments section... sometimes it is hard for me to know what beginners need.

For Fun

I thought I'd post a completely random photo that has nothing to do with knitting or fiber. But, it IS just as pretty!

I took my camera out to play while the flowers were blooming a few weeks back.

I started learning photography so I could take decent pictures of my knitwear designs - a purely utilitarian purpose. But, it became a fabulous obsession! I think I have read every photog book in the library, browsed the books at the store, and I continue to search incessantly on tutorials and videos online....

Tell me - what hobbies do YOU have outside of knitting?

Fave new thing!

I have friends in the knitwear design world who ask, "How in the world do you keep it all together?!"

Working the way we do, with varying deadlines, constant knitting, keeping track of submission due dates, contract knitters, yarn arrival, etc, etc, it certainly can get hectic. Add in the fact that I am a stay-at-home mom, first and foremost, with two kidlets who are constantly demanding my attention and a household that always needs tending and mending, and it can be exceedingly difficult to find balance. I recently found a planner that has helped LOADS and I believe that I have literally fallen deeply in love. Enough that I want to hunt down the designer to propose (though I don't think my current husband would find the humor in the situation).

The Life Planner is my {almost} all-in-one-keep-track-of-my-entire-life-so-i-don't-end-up-in-the-loony-bin planner. I've tried ipad calendars and excel trackers, but have discovered that paper, with its crisp clean texture, bright colors, and "reality" appeal, works loads better.

It comes with note pages, monthly calendars, special date calendars, and large weekly calendars. Not to mention tabs, pockets, free labels, page holder, and all while crafted to the perfect size for my small purse! And did I mention the STICKERS?!

I'm a color-coding sort of gal, so I write upcoming submission deadlines in blue, project deadlines in red, and personal appts in black. With all of the room in the weekly view, I also write my to-do list in pencil - things such as my daily knitting quota (I take a project, estimated how many rows to knit over a certain number of days and turn that into a target row count for every day), chores, errands, etc. I constantly jot down notes while I am out and about and collect business cards (they go in the handy zippered pocket).

This little bad boy stays with me at all times - when out, it hops into my purse and when I am home, it sits open on my counter to the current day. Now, I don't keep EVERYTHING in it. I am also a "list" girl, so I keep a notepad of lists - things I have submitted, pending payments, organizational goals, project goals, etc, etc. My "chore" list is from my Motivated Moms Chore Calendar on my ipad. I'll get into more of how I organize my day in another blog post soon, though. :)

If you love the beauty of the Life Planner as much as I do, head on over to Erin Condren's site for her current 40% off special.

48 hours left!

You have a little over 48 hours left to use the code SUMMERTOT for 50% off of Sorelle Felici! It ends at noon on May 4th, so share the code and get the kiddos in cute summer clothes this summer!

Sweetly Random Post

My beautifully wonderful friend Susan made these delicious little muffins at a recent knitting group meetup. Don't they just brighten your day?

So, I am curious - how often do you get together with your knitting cronies?

It can't get any better

It cannot get any better than this delicious yarn from Sweet Georgia. It just can't. Smooth, even yarn with colors that are reminiscent of vintage photographs. The owner, Felicia, is positively delightful and you can see how much she loves what she does. Luxurious fibers, an amazing palette, and a large variety of weights takes Sweet Georgia from 'indie dyer' to 'can't-resist-ultra-fabulous-indie-yarn-company." There, I said it. Take a peak - drool a little - you can clean up the keyboard later....

Merino Silk Aran

Cashsilk Lace

Superwash DK

I'm plugging away at Secret Project #1 using the Superwash DK right now. The stitch definition is amazing. My fingers would do a happy dance if they were the dancing kind. You can look forward to 3 designs from our collaborations before the Fall.

Dude.

Color me in love. Seriously. So much in love, that I have to rave over these for a little bit. Humor me -
Since receiving back in February, I've been putting my new Addi Lace Long Tip Clicks through the ringer and I just have to say that they have performed beautifully. The tips are sharp enough to handle just about any sort of cable or lace I throw its way, making specialty stitches (such as nupps) a breeze. The join, while not as smooth as butter, doesn't snag any of the finer yarns. This aspect, especially, is a big deal for me - I can't tell you how many hours I have spent trying to free a lace-weight yarn from other interchangeable needles that start to unscrew.... which points me to the best part of this set: the needles "click" into place - it connects so easily! AND it doesn't come undone!

I really debated whether to go with the shorter needles (and I might eventually get those, too), but I tend to work larger items that don't demand a smaller working circumference. So, when that hot pink cover looked at me, I couldn't help but get weak at the knees and say "yes." 

My one critique is mild - the oils on my fingers or the yarn (?) seem to wear the sizing information off of the cables and fades the stamp on the needles. Overall, not a big deal for me.

Its an expensive set, but at this point, I can proclaim that it is worthy! Haha! Find a distributor near you and give them a test.

Summer for the wee tots

With warmer air, blooming flowers, and those Spring showers, I know that Summer is just around the corner. If you are anything like me, you might want to get a move on knitting those warm summer items for the kiddos!

I have two patterns in my design portfolio that you might enjoy ...

SORELLE FELICI

buy now for $4.75

In fact, I am offering up this little number for half price! From now until May 4th, use coupon code SUMMERTOT for 50% off! That's only two weeks! Share this code to your heart's content, but only one use per customer. :) 

This sweet little tank was designed with my charming daughters in mind, two happy sisters who love playing together in the bright sun of summer. “Sorelle Felici” is pronounced ‘sor-rehl-lay fell-ee-chee,’ which is Italian for… you guessed it, Happy Sisters.

The tank skirt is worked in the round and then divided to work the front and back in rows. To be able to knit this top, you should be able to knit, purl, follow simultaneous shaping instructions, decrease, measure armhole depth, seam shoulders together, and know (or be able to learn) Twist 2 Front (a cable stitch).

SKILL LEVEL: Adventurous Beginner to Intermediate

SIZES
Child’s 18mo (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12)yr – Instructions are given in the smallest size, with larger sizes in parentheses. When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
This is a close-fitting tank, so choose the chest size that is ¾ to 1 inch larger than actual body measurement.
Chest: 19 ¾ (21 ¾, 23 ¾, 25 ¾, 27 ¾, 28 ¾, 30 ¾) inches
Length: 12 ¾ (13 ½, 14 ¼, 14 ¾, 17, 18 ½, 19 ½) inches

YARN
MC Green Strings by Sugarbubbie Invigorate Superwash Merino DK (100% superwash merino; 280yd/256m per 4oz/56g skein) in Chrysalis; 1 (1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2) skeins
CC Green Strings by Sugarbubbie Invigorate Superwash Merino DK (100% superwash merino; 140yd/128m per 2oz/113g skein) in Pink; 1 skein

NEEDLES & NOTIONS
24 length-inch length US 5 (3.75mm) circular needle
US F (3.75mm) crochet hook
Tapestry Needle

LUCY

I love this little top and it is a piece inside the FABULOUS book More Knitting in the Sun: 32 Patterns to Knit for Kids. In addition to my design, you will find ALL SORTS of cute knits for your kidlets this summer. The book is available on Amazon, as well as many local yarn stores, so be sure to grab a copy.

”Adorned with ruffles and a bit of lace, this quick knit makes a sweet top for your charming tot, and big girls will love it, too! The supersoft yarn and easy-to-wear silhouette will make it a favorite any day of the year.”

FIINSHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 23.5 (25, 27, 29, 30, 32)”
Length: 13 (14.5, 15, 17.25, 18.75, 19.75)"

SKILLS USED
 Basic increasing and decreasing, picking up stitches, simple lace