Play It Again, Sam

Day 137: "Play it again, Sam." I'm currently on my fourth iteration of this tatted doily, trying to find exactly the right combination of thread size and tension for entry in the Washington State Fair. I've finally settled on using an extra-fine needle and #40 crochet cotton (in progress above). The larger version in the image used #50, but the finished product feels a little too flimsy for a doily. Lace-weight crochet cotton is hard to find these days, fine work being dismissed by those who want the instant gratification which the heavier threads allow. On my personal scale, #20 qualifies as "huge" and I refer to #10 as "ship's hawser," to be avoided for anything other than pot-scrubbers and dishrags. Lace by its very definition should be as delicate and light as its intended service will allow.