Based on many sources, including Judy Gibson's string & air experiments, I've been doing short rowed lace balls for quite a few years now. After the success of the pine paper shoes, I decided to use it for a lace ball.

These balls are knit pole to pole with short rows but the centre section is not short rowed thereby allowing the addition of a lace insert.

The photos to the right show, in sequence, show:

the unblocked, unsewn up ball

the sewn up, starched up ball drying over a helium grade balloon

the ball after drying and sacrificing the balloon for the lace

This one was my raffle prize for my work arts/crafts show. I did two others out of metallic thread for a charity silent auction and each netted 15 dollars -- not a bad result.

These really are a lot of fun