The Amazing Lace Introduction

Last fall was my first visit to the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival. Saturated by the splendor of every fiber imaginable, I wandered for the umpteenth time though the yarn stalls. In a little basket near an exit I spied just three little skeins of Top of the Lamb sports weight wool in the color Stone. I could not leave without this treasure.
Yet the yarn languished until I saw the Flower Basket Shawl. A perfect match, I thought to myself. I cast on immediately. Whoa, what was this? A temporary cast on. Sixteen tries later it looked okay enough to start the first lace section. Markers and lifelines, who needs them? I was going to follow the chart (while watching old but intriguing X-File episodes.) Within one hour dismay set in and I frogged it all. I dropped something, picked up something. Who knew? I waited a day and tried again. I was on the third set of repeats, congratulating myself, when something happened again. I tried to find the mistake, but no luck and I rewound the yarn. Now, for The Amazing Lace, I am trying again. Flower Basket Shawl is my partner. I’ll be good to her because I’ve learned my lesson. I'm using ancient red plastic needles that grip the yarn, size 9. I’ve got a lifeline in every ten rows. I’ve got a marker in every ten stitches. Ten by ten, I’m going to win this lace.