Another Slowpoke!

Well, I just wrote a rather lengthy note with photos, hit publish and received an error message ;( Waaaa! So I will try again, and hope this doesn't appear twice!

Like "Catknip" and Maria wrote earlier, I am behind the rest of you, too ;) In fact I have only finished two repeats of the basket weave section. Here it is, not blocked at all, only stretched out for this photo. At this stage, it is only 16 inches wide but the wool will take a lot of blocking so I think I will easily be able to make 18 inches wide, though maybe not 19.



Can you see the faint difference in the knitting towards the lower edge of the my stole? That is a spot in my spinning where my yarn was finer and it shows. I am hoping it won't be so noticeable in the finished project, while being worn.

Here is a close up of the beads on the edge:



I love how they look, and glad that I decided to use them. At first I wasn't going to, but seeing photos of the rest of your projects I changed my mind!

One of the reasons I am so slow is that I am spinning my yarn, from my own sheep! It is 100% Corriedale Comfort Wool! You can see more photos and details of my stole at my own blog, Serenity Farms, plus a picture or two of the sheep who provide the fleece that I spin from.

I can't tell you how much I have been enjoying this KAL and the relaxing nature of it all! Many thanks to T&J!

My yarn

is the Ariel silk flamme from Natural Dye Studios in a dusky purple color (I think it was called "Heather"). I know it's not very "cherry," but it's a great color, and I think the slightly bumpy yarn will look nice in this pattern. I still need to get my beads, and I'm thinking about adding more to the pattern (so I'll be looking here for someone who has already figured it out to do the work for me!)

Beads, beads and more beads

I went to the Craft and Quilt Show in Melbourne on Friday and finally got to see beads... lots of beads. In fact I couldn't count the number of stall selling beads. I was amazed considering that the only beads I've seen till now have been in my local department store which has a few dusty packets in one size fits all and in the colours of bland, blander, blandest. Being confronted with so much choice I made the most of the opportunity. I intend knitting the Hanami in a pale pink yarn so I bought light pink, hot pink and sparkly white beads. I'll make the final choice on the day I cast on. Oh the luxury of being spoilt for choice! Maybe I could use two colours...?

Amanda
Kerrie, Australia