I used a total of 656 beads by outlining the swirls from the center to the edge, and then two of the lacy edge sections between each of the main swirls.

~~~~

Nerd Wars dissertation project for Tournament 11.

Proposal posted here.
Check-in posted here.
Completed Project posted here.

~~~~

My proposal/Completed project submission:

Rav Handle: JaimeLouise
Team: Precious
Craft: Knitting

Summary of the project:
I will knit a fingering weight shawl with beads.

Pattern: Vortex Shawl
Project Page: The Big Spiraly Shawl of Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey…..Stuff
Yarn: Quaere Fibre Sparkle Sock in It’s Bigger On The Inside

Category: Nerdology
When I got this yarn, I knew it needed to be a shawl that could somehow be tied into Doctor Who. (Waves Hi to Team TARDIS) The colorway is inspired by the colors seen in the control room of the TARDIS over the last several years.

When I came across the pattern for the Vortex Shawl, I knew it was the perfect one. While there are vortices in space (as can be read about here), which can easily relate to Doctor Who, the series has created its own special vortex: The Time Vortex. It has also been called the Space-Time Vortex. It’s the medium that the TARDIS and all other time-travel machines use. It’s basically a wormhole in time and space, said to have been created by the Time Lords as a multidimensional spiral that connected all points in space and time. It has been depicted in many ways, but in recent years it’s mostly blue. Therefore, I am representing it by outlining the spiral pattern in the shawl with blue beads.

Time Justification: I aim to use as much of the 876 yards of fingering weight yarn that I have, so this will be a decent-sized shawl. I’ll also be including lots of beads. While the stitch pattern is much easier than what I’ve done in the past, I’m hoping that it means this shawl will take up a little less of my knitting time each month to allow for completing at least one shawlette for challenges each round that have been sitting in my queue for quite some time. Yes, I’m one of those who must do ALLTHETHINGS.

Team Spirit Tie-in: The colors of my shawl are very much like the colors of the Army of the Dead that Aragorn calls upon for help in The Return of the King. Their “misty” appearance is also sort of like the cloudiness of the vortex in the title sequence of Doctor Who.

~~~

Written Description of My Process: This was a fun shawl to knit! I used almost all of my second skein of yarn. Looking at what I have left, I probably could have knitted another round before binding off, but I wasn’t too sure at the time so I decided to play it safe and bind off while I was sure I’d have enough left. I decided to use an alternate border using instructions from this project, and tips from this one. Looking at it now, I probably would add more beads in the border if I could do it over. I still love how it turned out, though!

Earburns: Melrose, winemakerssister, everknowledge