Beads?!

Favorite Scarf Ever. Pattern info via Ravelry.

I know nothing about beads. Not completely true. I know that beads are round-ish and have holes so they can be strung. Relevance? Well, a while back I bought some van Gogh inspired sock yarn at my LYS. (Translation: local yarn shop) Click here to see original post. Later, when I was in another yarn shop, having neither the yarn nor a picture of it on my phone, I stumbled upon matching beads at a trunk show. I like trunk shows and when there is a bead trunk show at a yarn shop...   

Here's a pic of the yarn and perfectly matched beads.

Anyway, the scarf has been finished and blocked for a while, meaning May 24th. So, after a metaphorical nod to my friend procrastination, I decided there’s no time like the present to add the beads. I’ve never added beads before, but I have added fringe, should be easy, right? 

Ready for beaded fringe

Not so fast. Due to my lack of knowledge regarding beading along with my disdain for most things math, I paid no mind whatsoever to the diameter of the holes in relationship to the size of my yarn. In other words, the yarn was too large to simply string through the beads. And, the beads were too large to loop and crochet. Thus, my dream of adding beaded, crocheted fringe was not to be. Sigh.

Beads attached to yarn and ready to become fringe.

Again, not so fast. After mourning the demise of my dream for a respectable 5 minutes or so, I dried my eyes and set about making this work. I mean, the beads and yarn are a perfect match. I ended up tying/rigging the yarn with regular thread and using a sewing needle to thread/force the yarn through the bead. I attached with a crochet hook and voila! 

Queue the happy-ending music and roll the credits: beaded fringe.

I'm very happy with the results. Thanks for reading. I'd love to hear about your project challenges and how you overcame them! ~ Christina

The Perfectionist and the Lifeline: A Story with a Happy Ending

Once upon a time a perfectionist named Christina decided to knit a lace shawl. She had once again bought sock yarn that was far too beautiful to hide inside shoes, and she had given up wearing glass slippers long ago. So, Christina set off on a quest with her friends Ravelry and Pinterest, and before long found the perfect pattern. Click here: Pettine Shawlette. In no time at all her Visa card was back in her wallet, the pattern was downloaded, the swatch was completed, and her needles were clicking away. 

I wish you could feel how soft this yarn is.

But, alas, Christina was a perfectionist and would notice a stitch here or there that wasn't quite right, so she ripped her shawl four, yes, four times. "At this rate, I'll never finish," Christina despaired to no one in particular, for her family had learned not to respond to her random prattle whilst knitting. Christina pondered her dilemma. The yarn was so beautiful - what with its subtle, nuanced, natural shades, and baby soft texture; the pattern would so perfectly show off its beauty and sit so softly against her skin, but it was proving to be a frustrating knit. Convinced these two were a perfect match, Christina refused to give up. She knew her prince would ride in and, oops wrong story ... Christina was a resourceful, determined knitter and needed no prince. She thought through her previous challenging projects and then remembered lifelines. Yes, lifelines: the perfect solution! 

Lifeline: simply thread yarn (same or lighter weight) through a tapestry needle and work through the last completed row. Keep track of which row the lifeline is in. If you have to rip, just rip back to the lifeline and carry on. Genius.

And with that, she cast on again and clicked away happily ever after ;)

Braids, Parties, and Stoles

The bits and pieces of my Quinn Cabled Bag

I learned a new skill today: how to braid with 4 strands. The bag I’m making calls for a 4-strand, braided, i-cord strap. So... I did what every knitter does when faced with a skill she (or he) doesn’t know how to do yet: I surfed YouTube. How did people craft before YouTube? Never mind. That was a rhetorical question. Anyway, my Quinn bag and strap are completed and just need a Eucalan bath and finishing touches, like lining. The Quinn Cabled Bag by Yvonne Kao is a free pattern. You can link to pattern details here: Ravelry.

4 strands of i-cord before and during braiding.

Oh and here’s a link to the video on braiding 4 strands: YouTube. The video is very clear and easy to understand. Plus the narrator has a cute accent. 

This past Saturday, we threw a successful graduation party for my youngest, Shelby. It was successful in that the weather was perfect, the rented tables and chairs showed up on time, we had plenty of food and drink, the couture cupcakes were a hit, and most importantly we got to visit with family and friends.

Shelby - the happy graduate

Make your own nacho bar: a big hit!

Lemon raspberry mini cupcakes. Yum!

Did I mention she's going to Michigan State?

Lastly, I inherited a mink stole from my great aunt, Charlotte. It’s gorgeous and in perfect condition. Her initials are even embroidered inside and there’s a cell phone pocket. Okay, I’m fairly certain that originally the pocket was not intended for a cell phone. Then again, maybe, just maybe, Aunt Charlotte was a visionary.

Aunt Margaret and me modeling our gorgeous furs!

Happy summer to you. Thanks for reading! ~ Christina