Will my lace really block to the right size?

[iowaorganic]

I am knitting myself a swallowtail and I just finished the budding lace repeats and it is tiny. I am using fingerling and size 4s- and my guage is right- but I am having a very hard time believing that this will actually be big enough for me- let alone my little DD. Also- I have quite a large ball of yarn still- I think it should be taking more? Yikes- I just don't want to go to all this work and have it be a tiny tiny shawl. Anyone with some encouragement?

[sapphire_chan]

You could try pinning it out and looking at it to reassure yourself. All those little holes really crunch stuff up from what I've seen of friends' work.

[cristeen]

I did a lace shawl for my grandmother, and I swear, it looked like it was the right size for the dog while I was knitting it. But once I got it wet and stretched it out, it really was big enough for an adult.

[iowaorganic]

Ladies- you have made me slightly more confidant. Still nervous though- it is NOT mindless knitting. I don't mind frogging mindless stuff- but when you have to concentrate the whole time.....

[ribbon]

If you're on Ravelry, check out the "Blocking: Before and After" thread in the forums, enter it into the forum search. I guarantee your fears will be relieved. The amount those things grow is amazing.