There is a range of very fine yarns available for lace knitting and it's worth knowing something about the different weights in order to choose the one suitable for your project.

Most famous of all are the wedding ring Shetland lace shawls, which are so-called because they are so fine that they can be drawn carefully through a wedding ring. Only very specialist suppliers stock the yarns required for these projects which take some care and expertise to produce a good result. If you want to learn to knit with the gossamer yarns for the very finest knitted lace, it's a good idea to practice with cobweb weight Shetland and graduate to fine sewing thread before you try to work with the gossamer weight. In addition, the hands should be kept in good condition so that nails should be snag free and the skin not too rough. Tradition has it that the Shetland knitters who were skilled enough to make these items did not do the heavy household chores which roughened the hands too much to allow for such work.

Most knitters who make the fine lace shawls and stoles will work with the next weight up, cobweb weight yarns and lace weights. Fine mohair can work well too and there is a surprising range of yarns available at this weight. Lace weight yarn produces enormous yardage per ball or skein so you will not require as much yarn as the same item made with a heavier weight yarn would require. In fact, some vintage patterns from the 50s and 60s use what would now be termed lace weight yarn at a tension of 36 stitches per 10 cm on size 2 3/4 mm knitting needles - this is in the thicker range of such yarns which can often knit in standard stocking stitch at a tension of more than 40 stitches per 10 cm. Naturally, very fine needles are required for such work but these are available again from specialist suppliers.

Most laceweight shawls and scarves though are knitted on thicker needles - the finer weight yarns would be knitted on anything from a 3 mm knitting needle upwards and the yarns such as the Rowan Kidsilk mohair can be knitted on heavier needles still, such as 5 mm.

Lace knitting usually has to be blocked by washing the item carefully when finished and pinning out on a flat surface such as a carpet or bed to get the final effect but the end result is well worth it!