The quest for lace

I have become obsessed with the need to learn how to do basic lace patterns. The concept is simple enough: do an equal number of k2togs and yo's in a row, and arrange the holes in some sort of pattern. But I keep starting and then ripping out. And I keep wanting to try a new idea. Usually I only work on one project at a time (monogamous knitting) but somehow lace has made a yarn harlot of me. They do say lace is seductive!
I am not even talking about lace-weight yarn, though that's probably next on the slippery slope!

At the moment I am trying:

Berocco worsted weight wool-alpaca in colorway Pesto (which I love!) in a super-simple lace with all purls on the back:



Fingering weight sock yarn by SeeJayneKnit in the pattern that was driving me crazy from Ann Budd's book of basic patterns. Turns out there was an error in the chart! I photocopied the corrected chart and pasted several together to make sure that the holes would line up, and I think it's working. I might rip this out and try it again a little wider:



And last but not least, more sock yarn, this time from Claudia's Handpainted Yarns, in a pattern that doesn't quite deserve the name lace, but is captivating nonetheless. It's from Morehouse Farms, and consists of knitting fine yarn on size 11 needles, garter stitch, starting with 3 stitches and increasing with a kfb on each row. This one needs a new needle to finish, which is on order from knitpicks. I'm running out of space on this stubby needle, and I think the stitches will flow more smoothly on the metal needle.




Pattern here: http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/knitting/knit_a_handy_scarf_with_case.php