Garter Lace Challenge

I am a fairly good lace reader, if that lace is stockinette based.  If you are not a lace knitter, this means that the lace patterning is done on the right side and usually that side is knit-based, and the wrong side is purled back.  In this way I can intuit where I am on a pattern if I have not memorized it, and I can do repairs if I drop a stitch, unless it's a very challenging pattern.

I am not good at garter lace. Garter lace is lace in which both sides of the work are (yes) knit.  With the horizontal bars facing both ways, I have difficulty figuring out where I am even when I haven't made a mistake.

(And don't even ask about lace with patterning on both sides, I have a lovely shawl in hibernation fitting that description!) 

Being an Evelyn A Clark fan, last year I fell in love with her Wild West Shawl, with it's representations of western motifs and buffalo, done in garter lace. I purchased some Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud, then did an about face and decided to use some of my handspun singles BFL instead.  Here's the result

and here's where I blogged about it. I wound up doing it as a stockinette lace, because I got lost.

I've decided to restart with the Alpaca Cloud, and try as garter lace.  This is lace weight which I have really not used before.  I need a swift, don't I??  Sammy's looking surprised that I don't have one...

I started it, and had difficulty seeing and feeling it.  Offering to withdraw my membership from the "Lace is My Bitch" ravelry group, I restarted it, doubling the yarn.  Much better.  I can feel it and see it better now, which helps me know what my stitches are doing.

I'm not a huge fan of brown, but for this shawl it's only fair, and it will look smashing with a big turquoise pin, no?