My first lace project

I started my first real lace project in April. It was the Knit Picks Spring/Summer Seasons shawl from 2009 (?) It was a kit order, and I believe sold out fast. You can look at it on Ravelry here. I ordered both the spring/summer and fall/winter. I just couldn't decide which I liked better.
I finished this near the end of June and just now got around to cleaning off my dining room table enough so I could block it. I'm hoping it dries by tomorrow night, so I can take it to my knitting guild meeting and show it off a bit. I'm just glad it's done.

Here are a couple before shots:

And during blocking.

It's always so remarkable how a lace project changes during blocking.

I also just got my very own swift.

As a thank you for helping with my church choir, they were nice enough to give me a $50 Visa gift card. I've had my eye on a swift for a while, just never had the funds. Well, I used that special gift card, from some very special ladies, to get me something I've been wanting, but couldn't justify. With my new found love of lace, I need to be able to turn my hanks of yarn into usable cakes.

This is some very lovely Alpaca Cloud, again from Knit Picks.

It will turn into a lovely birthday or Christmas gift for someone, depending on when it gets finished. Just in case she reads this, I'm keeping it a semi-secret.

Once my shawl is dry, I'll try to post a better pic of it in it's natural habitat.