"Elizabeth, your Granny Neumann, my sweet Mom, inspired me to do this veil. She was knitting lace 60 years ago when no one had heard of it and passed her art on to me. This lace is called 'Kuntstricken'; in German it translates to 'Art Knitting'. I've remained passionate about my lace knitting for almost 70 years and this veil is a culmination of all those years of knitting.
It was knitted from the center out, beginning with 8 stitches. I didn't have a formal pattern, just used my most favorite Shetland Lace patterns and designed as I went. My concern was that I hadn't added enough stitches to the rows and it wouldn't stretch out properly, but it did! I used #70 tatting thread and a #1 needle. The final six inches were 2400 stitches per round. I started a year ago and of course, it wasn't all I worked on, but it was always by my chair beckoning to me to finish! I had withdrawal angst when it wasn't there waiting for me anymore!
Wear it with all the love I could knit into it and although it will reside with you, it would thrill me if another beautiful Penning girl would like to wear it too. You can be the Keeper of the Heirloom. Your Uncle Danny made the box and Aunt Geralyn lined it, so there's love all around.
May you always be in love as much as you are right now. It can only grow if each of you think of the other first."
