04-09-2016

Took the plunge! Printed all 31 (gasp) pages of the pattern and cast on today. Decided to go with the Hematite (black) beads for contrast rather than the pale gray or clear with silver lining.

Made it through chart A and 23 rows of chart B. Have a whole 8 beads placed so far! It’s not been difficult to work this up yet, but it does take concentration and focus. I suspect I’ll need to only work this on weekends when I have an hour or two of quiet time and not in the evenings after work when I’m tired. Fair deadline is end of July, so hopefully I allocated enough time!

04-10-2016

Finished chart B, and got through row 52 of chart C. Not a difficult pattern, just requires full concentration. The charts themselves are well done with indications of stitch counts and helpful hints along the way. No stumbles yet - primarily because the charts are so well done.

04-15-2016

Through row 68 of chart C. So far so good!

04-17-2016

Finished chart C, got about 1/2 way through chart D. Total row count is 90 complete. I am really enjoying this knit - including the beading! There’s something new and different at every point, and it keeps the rows flying by.

Sadly, I have business travel for the next two weeks and will not be bringing this project with me. So it has gone into a short hibernation.

05-07-2016

Goat shows, business travel, final exams, projects all done and finally able to get back to this! Up to row 110 (chart E) today. Truly enjoying the knitting with this - the pattern is very well written, it’s easy to follow as long as you count and read your knitting.

Just reached the end of the first skein of yarn at the end of row 110, will tie in the second skein during my next session.

05-16-2016

9 days since I last felt comfortable picking this up! But today I had a bit of uninterrupted me time and was able to finish chart E, and get a few rows into chart F. Hard to believe that there’s only one more chart (G) after that! Up to row 117.

05-17-2016

Finished chart F. Pattern says that chart F can be repeated again but that the second repeat hasn’t been test knitted. I was tempted! I have plenty of yarn and beads and time, and I am enjoying the process. But at the last second, reason grabbed hold and said I should stick with the “known” since this is my county fair entry for the year.

Chart G started, got through row 125. Only 19 more rows to go, but they are long rows. I don’t think I’m going to use nearly the amount of yarn planned or the amount of beads I picked up, but there is still a bit of knitting to go, so we’ll see!

05-20-2016

Finished through row 139 of chart G. The chart only has 1 more row to go. Figured I’d leave the last row and the bind off for tomorrow. Was rather sad to see this one end, and disappointed that I had so many beads and so much yarn left.

Looked ahead to the bind off directions and discovered that I missed chart H! So I have a whole chart to go, and at ~550 stitches per row going into it, I may actually end up short on yarn! (2 skeins in back-up, so not really but … . )

Yay that the project isn’t done, but a little bit of boo that I won’t get it completed this weekend.

05-21-2016

Made it through row 146 of chart H. Going to try to get through the last 6 rows of the chart tomorrow so that I can just spend the next million years working the picot border. LOL!

05-22-2016

Made it through row 150. The rows were longer than planned and I had less knitting time than planned. But only 2 more rows to go and then the bind off.

05-23-2016

Last two rows of the charts complete! Tucked the project away until the holiday weekend, maybe memorial day will be my holiday to get through the bind off?

Tied in the third skein on row 150. Have a ton of beads left, but in the 990 used only found 5 that were not able to be used due to deformities of the hole. Pretty good!

05-30-2016

Blocking!

06-03-2016

Finished, post-blocking photos up! Now I have to wait 2 months until I can enter it into the county fair.

09-04-2016

Update, we won first place at the fair!! Yay!!! It was so much work in the planning and the anticipation, but I truly enjoyed this project so it’s just extra special now that I have a first prize ribbon to go with it. But, how do I top it next year?