Wednesday, June 24, 2009

I'd Like to Use a Lifeline

... actually I wouldn't. A lifeline is there if you get in trouble, right? According to Mirriam-Webster it is

"a line used for saving or preserving life."
In other words, it's good to know it's there, but having to use it means you're in trouble. Now the new definition of a lifeline (or new to me, anyway):

a strand of fiber threaded through a row of a knitted project so that, if the
knitter gets lost or makes a mistake, can unravel back to that row and begin
from there, rather than the very start.
I've heard that dental floss is recommended for this purpose. So I decided to use a lifeline in my first lace project: a square for an afghan. I knew that it would be best to use a thicker floss, so I went through the tiny floss containers from the dentist. Fine, extra fine, super fine... the only standard width floss I have is mint. So now I have minty-fresh lace. Eh! How can that be bad? Happily I never had to frog back to the lifeline, but it sure was nice to know it was there. Did I mention the minty-fresh part?