Back Again

The computer arrived yesterday afternoon about an hour after I arrived home. So nice, as someone needed to sign for it. Surely did miss my toy. Yea for fast service!


I've started on the mystery stole 4. I am dredfully slow. Still on clue number 1 and clue number 3 arrived today. Doing both ends at the same time, so each "row" is forever long, I timed myself on the row, both sections takes me 40 mins. The "way back" is a purl row for the most part and no beads, so much faster. I think the final estimate on the bead count is aprox 1000. Yikes! Hope that I have enough. I was told that each of the tubes I purchased had about 800 beads. I surely hope that number is correct. I am keeping the ones that won't slip easliy onto the crochet hook in a separate baggie. Just in case there isn't enough, I will see about getting one of those bead borer thingies. Or begging to borrow one at the shop where I purchased the beads as I won't be using beads enough myself to really warrant the purchase of one.

It is an interesting process, but is a bit tedious. Each of the beaded stitches is done individually, the beads aren't threaded onto the yarn in advance. I am using the smallest crochet hook I own (1.25mm- I believe) and size 8/0 beads. Oh... and I need to wear magnification glasses so that I can see the buggers. The beads are amethyst colored, and are a higher contrast with the yarn than I originally intended. (I was thinking about a barely there beaded look) However, I believe that this will be a good thing. I didn't end up purchasing the beads until after I had the first clue and could see how important a role that the beads were to play. Going to be a pretty piece. I will have to purchase clothing to wear with this stole. I don't have anything that would do it justice.

To bead the stitch, you first knit the stitch you wish to bead, then slip a bead onto the crochet hook. Slip the bead up past the hook. Grab the stitch you just knit with the beaded crochet hook, pull it (the stitch) taut, and slide the bead onto the stitch and place the stitch back on the needle correctly oriented with the bead below (obviously) the needle. Did I mention that this is a slow process? And that the pattern calls for nearly 1000 beads? I think that this stole will be a long time in the making as I really don't have vast amounts of time to knit and there are a gazillion things I wish to knit. Don't look at my Ravelry listings.... that is not nearly updated enough. I don't seem to have much time for that, can't knit and play on Ravelry.

Photos soon!