Saturday, April 14, 2007

And now, back to our regularly scheduled Wren-

I finished Kiri Beaded from Hell last night. I was praying for some blocking magic, because it didn't look like much. I dampened it, and laid it back out for the second scan, but I see a hard, pinned blocking in her future. In the present state, she's about 19" deep, and about 40" wide, so I would like to open her up just a bit more.
On beading....I was a beading virgin. Let's just say I shoulda stayed that way. In the amount of time I spent adding beads, I could have knit an entire extra ball of Pharao in the scarf/shawl. My take on the whole thing?

1) I shoulda used brighter beads. Pearl white, assorted pale pinks, and a few metallics didn't give me enough ooomph for my efforts. Subtley is wasted on dolts like me.

2) Adding beads by the stitch (vs. stringing the whole mess) is time consuming, but either you string en masse, or you string by the stitch. For precise color placement, "by the stitch" can't be beat. And you don't need to fiddle with "I need 15 blues, followed by 17 pinks" and that kind of stuff, which would make me crazier than I am.


Having said all that, I have a like amount of Kelly Green Pharao that is waiting for white fiberoptic beads. The freaking Swallowtail WILL happen. I am obsessed with that idea.
Weekly Wren updates-
Grace is chugging right along. She's got a back and both sleeves done.
Benne is to the underarm decreases.
I can start ball of yarn #2. Whew!

9 comments:

Unknown said...

I think she is beautiful. How do you crochet on a bead? Curious minds want to know.

Libby

Joan said...

Beautiful, bets! I can see the beads perfectly. I'll bet they are very apparnt in person. What's wrong with subtlety, Miss Southern Bell?

junior_goddess said...

Hi!

Libby, I took a piece of beading wire, folded it in half, looped my thread thru, then sent the whole set up through each bead. I did a quick look, there's well over 150 beads on the damned thing. After all that effort, I think the beads should be a little more apparent.

Joan, I realize that the Northeast strives to make tweed our national fabric, but around here, rhinestones are a cottage industry, which makes me somewhat of a weirdo for being so subtle. In person, it's not flashy at all, because I really didn't use many metallic beads.

How is your local fundraiser going? I hope this brings in more than 20.00.

Having a Knit Fitt said...

No, really, it looks great. Maybe a transplanted Northerner will buy it.
Cate

LisaW. said...

this is beautiful and graceful and has "just enough" extra flair with the beads. Don't go overthinking it! If ya wanted to go for the big bucks on this...a Beadazzler and lots of highly reflective studs...but it wouldn't be a Kiri....I'd bid mightily for this just because of the gorgeousness of the beading. well done virgin beader :)

Anonymous said...

Bets,
It has the Tilli Thomas look for a fraction of the price. You can't beat that. I think it is lovely and will sparkle on a sunny day at an outdoor auction.
Amy

Anonymous said...

I think it's gorgeous, Bets. My beading project will be done with my trusty crochet hook. I just don't have the patience to thread anything onto yarn.

smariek said...

I think it looks great the way it is. You don't want to go for "overkill"...

Anonymous said...

A beaded Kiri! It's beautiful. Can't wait to see it after the second blocking.