 |
| Shadowscapes Tarot |
Well, I've survived to the end of the week - there were some touch and go moments, but a good bottle of red wine from Belo helped me stumble through them.
I had finished the Lily Go MKAL earlier in the week, then washed and blocked it, which hugely improves its appearance just as the Eviller Twin said it would (she finished ahead of me). It is a striking design which I think needs all the squillions of beads to really 'make' it:
Those striking lines definitely look like lightning, don't they ?
I had two 100g skeins of 4ply superwash in the colorway 'Mallard', a lovely rich teal which I obviously have problems photographing, from Gorgeousknits on eBay, which actually weighed in at205g, and I have 87g left, a minimum of 300m or so: plenty for some kind of small project.
The silver-lined beads which I bought from Nicola at Chromabeader .... not quite sure how many size 8/0 beads I used as I have been simultaneously using them for the Tru Wuv shawl, but somewhere in the region of 40 to 45g, I reckon; and for the size 6/0 ...I have 11g left of the original 50g. I think that counts as squillions, don't you ?
The blocking was quite painstaking .... see all those loops ? which made me glad I'd stuck with the medium size shawl.
The designer is friendly and approachable, with a friendly group on Ravelry - I'd definitely consider doing another MKAL if she did one.
 |
| World Spirit Tarot |
For some reason, I feel like I am plodding through this MKAL - perhaps it is that general 'Iwishitwouldhurryupandbedonenow' thing, or maybe it is rather that I haven't had much time to dedicate to it this last week - Belo has been convalescing at my house after a minor operation. But I dodged out of attending the kids' rugby yesterday and did all my housework instead, meaning that today I can devote at least 4 hours of daylight time to getting on with this shawl ....
Here it is after Clue 3:
All I have left to do of Clue 4 is the final 2 rows and the picot bind-off, which I shall do as soon as I have been to the little park - a lady has just called to tell me where she has left Sebastian's collar for me, after it came off a couple of days ago ....
 |
| Tarot of Durer |
Remember I told you I had chosen to make the medium size of the Lily Go 'Lightning Thief' MKAL ? Even that involves 1242 size 8/0 beads, apparently. After Clue 2, this is what it looks like:
And a close-up, just for effect ....
And since it's Monday, I should tell you of my rookie mistake - while I wait for the next clue, I can't start on the next in my special series of 6 shawls for 2015, because like a complete dodo I forgot that I'd need to ball the skein of Drops Laceweight I bought to replace the disappointing Violet Green Merino Lace which I shuffled off donated gifted to my Eviller Twin. Anyway, I have a ballwinder (oh yes, I've made ALL the jokes) but no swift, so I need another person to hold the skein, but there's only me and Sebastian here.
I'm also on the hunt for white or ivory laceweights available without hassles in the UK; silk and alpaca and/or blends thereof are most welcome as is anything else on the luxury end of the scale - if you have any suggestions or recommendations for yarn and websites, please let me know ....
 |
| AnnaK. Tarot |
So it's another grey Monday, very blustery and somewhat mild - but heavy rain is forecast just in time for the school pick-up, and will remain right through walking to Cubs. Yaay.
Instead of being miserable, let's focus on something new and interesting and mysterious instead - the Lily Go 'The Lightning Thief' MKAL, for which the first clue was released last Thursday - I had already posted about being ready here. You'll be happy to know that with age I am sometimes maybe getting a bit more cautious, which means that this morning I ordered some more of the size 6/0 silver-lined crystal beads, just to make completely sure that I shan't run out. I also ordered some more size 6/0 ivory Ceylon beads, which I definitely would run out of on another current project ....
Seeing the quantities of beads required by the pattern is all well and good, but when you begin to see them actually on the knitting, and you only have 28 rows so far , it brings home how many there actually are .... a bazillion. Or so.
I like to start shawls on straight needles because I find it easier, but I'll be switching to circulars soon, not only because of the amount of stitches, but also because it's easier to see the flow of the pattern.
If you're participating in a MKAL, pop the link in the comment section below ...
