A Project You Can Help Me With

Some of you know that I recently got "engaged" to my wonderful partner, Lee. We are already committed to each other in our hearts, and that is what really counts, but all sorts of little things that are driving me nuts helped me decide to go against my "anti patriarchy" urges and commit to each other in the eyes of the law as well. Romantic, yes.

At some point we will have a ceremony as an excellent excuse to dress nicely and have a party. There is no date set, but since we are back in the ranks of the two income families, we can plan, at least. And I want to plan to make myself something nice to wear.

I have a vision of me in a dark red silk dress with something lacy and knitted over it, like the item in the photo only white (what IS that pattern??). I am thinking a lace cardigan (perhaps with short sleeves) or a shrug, or maybe a shawl if the dress has sleeves (I will not bare my arms in public!). So, I am soliciting pattern suggestions. Requirements: lightweight, light in color, knitted (though, sigh, I have seen some nice crocheted stuff in Lacis), lace, natural fiber.

Obviously, I need to look in all my books, too, but am afraid I have mostly shawl and scarf patterns. Ugh, I foresee spending a lot of time going through old Vogue, Interweave, Knitters' and such, too.

Suggested Patterns

(These are gleaned from my research, comments to this post, email suggestions and Ravelry suggestions. THANK YOU to all.)

• Lacy Sugarplum shrug from the upcoming Interweave Knits Holiday Issue (scroll down a bit). Also suggested is DragonSkin wrap from the same issue.
• The Horseshoe thing from the new Magnits
• Serrano from Knitty, but with pearl buttons instead of hooks and eyes
• Peacock Plumes (in a lighter yarn maybe?)
• Lace cropped cardigan (another one with pointy sleeves)
• The really nice 3/4 sleeve item in the picture for this post, which I found by searching images and don't know where the pattern is.
• Added 10/4: I Do from Knitty--a wedding shrug in lace, suggested by Elaine in comments.
• Added 10/4: Starlight Cashmere Bed Jacket from Wild Fibers, suggested in comments.
• Added 10/8: A lacy jacket that might work in a thinner yarn.
• Added 10/16: This Diamond Lace Drops cardigan from Fiddlesticks is also very nice.
• Added 10/16: And Caress, another Fiddlesticks one, with a very wedding-like shape.
• Added 10/16: Antique Lace, a vest-like lace thing.
• Added 10/16: Tulip Shrug, a big lace shrug.
• Amended 10/26: A Girl's Best Friend, a gorgeous beaded shawl from Jade Sapphire, suggested in comments, which was a HARD pattern to find. We thought we found it, but we didn't.
• Added 10/19: Diamonds and Pearls, suggested by Yvonne
• Added 10/19: Ole Bolero, from Fiddlesticks, suggested by Jody
• Added 10/19: Venus Vest, from Fiddlesticks, suggested by Jody (I like this for everyday too)
• Added 10/19: Cropped Jacket with Lace Edge, from Fiber Trends, from Jody in comments
• Added 10/23: Enchanted Lace Jacket by Joan Schrouder (if I could find it)
• Added 10/25: Shawl-Back Shrug in Highland Silk from Elann, found on Beverly's Flickr page.
• Added 10/26: Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend. What Gretchen found in comments to top post, hoping it was the A Girl's best friend shawl. Also nice.
• Added 10/27: In Love with Lace Enchanted Jacket by Joan Schrouder, from the lace knitting email list. BEAUTIFUL
• Added 10/30: Lana Grosa Gala Jacket from Barbara Anne in comments. (English instructions are in the second half of the PDF.)
• Added 11/7: CeCe from Chic Knits (I found this accidentally on Ravelry!) this may be a winner!
• Added 12/29: Cobweb Wrap --faroese style.
• Ideas from LoneStarStateKnitters:
• Lacey from Knitty
• Wisp from Knitty
• Ideas from LaceKnitters:
• Bamboozled Cropped Lace Cardigan from Crystal Palace
• Kid Merino Basket Stitch Lace Cardigan from Crystal Palace
• More jackets from Crystal Palace
• Kid Merino Lacy Shrug, also from Crystal Palace

If you have a favorite dainty wedding-like shoulder-covering item, or run across anything as you are looking through the web or your own pattern stash, reading email, or looking through Ravelry, feel free to drop me a comment and let me know what you saw. I will continue to search and evaluate over the next month or two, so don't feel compelled to speak now or forever hold your peace, tee hee!