Dipping my toes into the lace pool

Question is, will it be the shallow end or head over teakettle jump into the deep end.  I've only worked one "true" lace project.  That was the shawl I made for Kristin's wedding and it turned out so well and I loved it.  While I've worked on lace type projects (Girasole and the Hemlock Ring Blanket) they use regular yarn and so don't have the intimidation factor for me.  During my previous crafting lives I loved to get books on the history of craft.  I have some absolutely beautiful books on embroidery/samplers.  At the end of an out of state trial I worked that consumed nearly a year of my life, I bought a linens book that still just takes my breathe away.  And tucked onto my bookshelf I have a lace book.  It is called History of Lace.  I toyed with finding classes on making lace with all the clacking bobbins and watching it transform into amaizing ribbons of lace.  Who knew many years later I would create lace using knitting needles and laceweight yarn.

A friend of mine is going through a rough patch personally, so I thought I would make her a prayer shawl.  I debated about doing something simple and fast in order to get it to her quickly.  Then I remember my Knitted Lace of Estonia book.  I paged through it, loving each item.  I kept going back to one pattern and decided that is what Liz needed.  A delicate simple rectangular shawl.  My stash provided the yarn necessary and so after a week this is what I have.

And I love it.  It is not without a few mistakes but don't we all have some glitches in our lives?  I'm hoping it will be finished in a couple weeks.  And I hope Liz can feel the comfort when it is wrapped around her shoulders.

As far as whether I'm dipping my toes in the shallow end or going headlong into the deep end of the lace pool?  I guess we will judge that later in the year.  I do have some suri baby alpaca to spin...laceweight should be easily achieved with that....spinning?  lace?  spinning lace?  sounds like heaven to me.