09-29-2019

Finally cast on correctly during Cards final game of the season. I’d originally cast on using US7s, and did not like the fabric. Also changed the cast on number - cast on 93, and inc every end on rows 2-4 for the i-cord. Completed Row 24 and stopped for the night. I figure I have at least half of a leaf to go before the blue starts to bleed into the yarn, maybe more.

09-30-2019

Completed up thru the end of Row 36. 3 rows into the first blue thread, and just to the end of the small feathers. I think I’m only going to bead the spaces between the feathers and the outside of the tips. If I wanted to outline the feathers, I’d have to put the bead either on the SSK/SSSK K2TOG/K3TOG sts or the returning purl sts.

10-04-2019

Just completed Row 44. The long feathers have started. Will be adding beads on purl side to edges of the feathers starting with the middle, and working my way out as I work down the length of the back. I think I’ll bead the spaces in between the tips as we get there as well, to add some weight.

10-10-2019

The beads have begun! Started on (WS) Row 46. Will continue just on middle feather for 3 repeats, then extend to adjoining feathers every 6 rows until all feathers are outlined.

10-11-2019

About halfway into the second blue blending strand. I believe I’m on the row to extend the beads across 5 feathers now. First expansion section will be 15 repeats, second 10, third 5. I have MORE than enough yarn for this, and I’ll need the expansions to get the beads all the way out to the end feathers. I am using 4/0 clear silver-lined glass Czech beads from Michaels. 6/0s would have been too small, I think.

10-13-2019

Welp. The 4/0 beads are not going to work. I’ve almost used 2 tubes of them so far, and I’m just part of the way thru the second expansion. Because they are an odd size, they are almost impossible to find - Michael’s seems to be the only local source, and the only on-line source is wholesale. And of course I didn’t put in a lifeline. I’m going to check out 2 more Michael’s stores tomorrow, and if I can’t get enough of them I’ll be ripping the work back to start of the first expansion.

PLAN AHEAD FOR PROBLEMS, PEOPLE.

10-15-2019

FROGGED. Sigh. Rewinding that much cotton was like wading thru ramen! I need to work on the gift afghan for a little bit, so I’ll cast on again in a day or so. THIS time, I’ll be using 6/0 silver-lined crystal AB beads. I’ll start all of them at once, tho, none of this stepped addition. Oh, yeah, and lifelines. At least at the start of the long feathers. I knew I should have put one in.

Also debating adding another feather on each side. Again, I certainly have enough yarn.

Note: Joann’s had some 4/0 s/l as well, but I didn’t know if they were going to match the Michaels beads. Even clear beads from different sources have a different shade of silver. It’s weird, but it’s true.

Live and learn. Good thing this one is for me!!

Also, about frogging something with beads, if you strung them on as you knitted: Put the item in a ziplock bag and then start ripping. The beads will pop off but stay in the bag, working their way down to the bottom as the item gets smaller. Then you can put them back into their storage tubes or whatever. I think I only lost 2-3 beads with this technique.

10-21-2019

Doing some rewriting of my extended directions. I’ll be adding 2 feathers per side instead of one, staying with the US5, and starting the beads as the long feathers start, all at once. I think that’s probably right around Row 33. All beads will be added on WS row.

10-23-2019

Restarted!! Version 3.

11-15-2019

I’ve been picking at this since I had another time-sensitive monster to finish first, and then I was tinkering with the Calash…anyway. This has become my night/game knitting project. The beads have started - I bought several tubes of them, but I think I’m going to have get more for this one. I need 54 beads per WS row to edge the feathers, and there are going to be 53 WS rows that need them. That’s 2862, and there are about 325 +/- about 15 beads per package, or about 9 packages, I think I have 7, so back to the store I will go. This time, however, they are 6/0 crystal silver-lined AB, and are way more popular than the 4/0. Purchased at Joann’s, in the cylindrical tubes. Michael’s has the square tubes.

I have completed 39 rows, 4 WS rows have been beaded, and all the feathers now are getting beaded at each side edge. I did put extensive placement directions into the altered PDF as to where they went to start, as not all the feathers had established sides at that point. Beading began on Row 32. Center feather started with a single bead at the top, and the side feathers started with 2 beads on the long side (it’s offset, take a look at the pattern) before starting them on the shorter sides. I’ve competed 2 WS rows with full beads at this point.

Tonight’s knitting was 5 rows in 3.5 hours. The slowdown is the bead placement - it’s turned out that the knit row with the inc and dec for the feathers is now running much faster than the all-purl WS!! Ah, well.

11-17-2019

12:45AM: Up to Row 46. It takes about 40 minutes to do a WS row with the bead placement, and then 20 to come back across on the RS.

That makes this 80 row shawl - 146 extended - into a slow burn. Heh.

Just got to the second addition of the blue thread. Onward!

11-17-2019

The lifeline has been set, and the first expansion has begun.

12-22-2019

Second lifeline set on Row 53. Second expansion started. A little over 2/3 of the way through the 4th tube of 6/0, so about 1300+ beads already placed.

01-19-2020

First lifeline removed and reset on Row 59. Third expansion started. Going to repeat rows 59-60 7 times instead of 5.

It’s getting heavy!

04-27-2021

I hit a pause on this right at the beginning of the pandemic, and worked on a whole bunch of others before unearthing this project. Will need to go find all my beading tools (tray, hook, reading glasses, etc.) before starting this up again. I have a couple of other projects I’d like to finish before diving back into this one, tho.