My first Susanna shawl (altho it actually turned into my 2nd, b/c I got an Annis done in between clues), my first attempt at beads.

Susanna released the first clue on 9.10.11, which is my DH’s & my 35th anniversary. We were away for the weekend, so I wasn’t home to get her clue as soon as it was released, but got at it as soon as I could once home.

My yarn is from when KP did the Kettle yarn in 50 gram skeins, so the tonal changes don’t match too well even tho the same dye lot. After getting some advice from the KAL thread, I’m using the more solid looking one for the lace part and will use the more variegated one for the stockinette portion.

9.11.11 - Did a gauge swatch b/c my yardage could be close and she gave an unblocked stockinette gauge so very easy to figure out. I need a size 8 needle instead of 7 since I’m using fingering weight yarn instead of lace. My SPI is good (5), my RPI is only 7 instead of 8, but that should hopefully mean I’ll use less yardage than she did and will have enough to finish. NOTE - in hindsight, should have used a 7 throughout. MAYBE I wouldn’t have run out of yarn then.

Used a K hook to do a crochet cast on, put markers for each pattern repeat as I cast on, plus it helped with counting so many stitches!!! I’m using the Oral B Super Floss Method for my beading, went very well for my first attempt.

Row 6 done with lifeline in place!

9.16.11 - Pic posted of what I did while waiting for clue #2! :-) 1 bushel of tomatoes turned into spaghetti sauce. Will share most of it with my kids/grandkids, who won’t eat store sauce b/c “it’s not Grandma Jan’s”!

9.22.11 - Finished clue #2, loving the process, but am concerned about yarn usage, have already used up almost 1/2 my yarn. And when I calculate length cuff to cuff, I’m coming out to 72” - BEFORE blocking at all. That’s way too long (pattern indicates blocked length of 55”), even tho I’m getting the gauge specified in the pattern. Am waiting for advice from Susanna in one of the threads. I’m thinking I’ll have to frog and start over with a smaller needle and/or do less chart repeats.

9.23.11 - I have been assured by Susanna (and others) that this edge needs to be very long b/c it’s the rounded outside edge of the shawl (circumference?), that the 55” is what will end up being the diameter. She measured her outer edge (blocked of course) and she said it’s about 85”. Ok, I’ll rest easy now. No frogging. Altho I think I will switch to 7’s on row 25, where she’d indicated would be a good place to do so (once that clue comes).

9.27.11 - Clue #3 is here! Decided to carry on with the 8’s. I have found a couple skeins available here on Rav stash so can buy more if needed. Had to add second skein at about row 25 and there is a very definite change in the color. Which I guess means I’m going to have to learn about over dyeing to make it match once it’s done. And hope that in the process it doesn’t dye my beads too.

9.29.11 - Working my way thru Clue #3, but am concerned about a “jog” in the YO’s on some of the other knitter’s finished clue #3’s. Susanna checked her pattern/chart and could find no errors and is thinking the jog will disappear with blocking, but I still have concerns about it. Will put a lifeline in on row 32 and then may wait for clue #4 before I carry on. Not sure yet if I will just knit as is and trust the blocking to fix or try to tweak the pattern for my own satisfaction. Am still hoping she’ll have an “aha” moment and come up with a solution.

10.01.11 - Susanna came up with a fix! :-) Happy camper am I! I had to tink back 2 rows b/c her fix started on row 31, but it was so worth it. No jog at all now, a beautifully complete diamond. She said the jog was b/c she had 4 decreases per chart repeat in one row and that pulled it out of line, so she recharted the decreases to spread them out and it worked perfectly. Waiting now for clue #4 and casting on my first Annis. I have 25 grams of yarn left.

10.11.11 - Well, I’m in a pickle. I ran out of yarn with about 29 sts on either side of the short row gaps. I did switch to a size 7 needle for the short rows and had 15 grams of yarn when I started them. Trying to find some more yarn here on Rav, the stashes that I’d thot would work for me haven’t so far. Either sold or used, even tho stash says otherwise. So I keep looking. Looks like this may sit awhile.

10.13.11 - A Raveler has bailed me out - a skein of yarn is on its way! :-)

10.17.11 - Yarn is here. Back at it! :-)
10.19.11 - Bound off (with an 8), soaked, blocking! :-) Looked at dye today, I think this shawl will need some help getting colors evened out. Checked out Wilton’s cake dye, but totally lost as to what I need to do, the purple looks way too light and I have no idea how to combine colors to get the eggplant I want. Have had an offer from another Raveler to overdye it for me if I send it to her. Am seriously considering doing that.

Total yarn weight - 121 grams
Unblocked - 16” X 47.5”
Pinned - 20.5” X 64” My cast on was plenty loose, I didn’t have to block hard at all.
Blocked - 18” X 61” 12” straight edge (Waaaay bigger than it’s supposed to be, I think I should have used 7’s for the whole thing.)