Hocus pocus...Crocus Pocus

I know that I disappeared again. Sample knitting was under way and I can't blog about that. That hit a wall when I ran out of yarn. :-( More is being sent, but now I'm free to work on other projects.

I'm test knitting this for Susan over at Sunflower Designs. This is her latest shawl and it's called Crocus Pocus. I was so happy that I had suitable yarn and beads on hand. I probably should have used smaller beads due to the weight, but I still like the way it turned out in the end. The yarn is Schaeffer Anne in Billie Holiday. I was concerned about a superwash yarn blocking, but this blocked wonderfully! It didn't try to spring back or curl while I was making it pose for pictures.

Every single bead was placed on by a crochet hook. There is one row where every other stitch is beaded and I thought that one would last forever. I was concerned about the weight of the shawl, but it is comfortable and it stays on your shoulders. This is the shawl that you want to wear on a windy day. Nothing will blow this off of your shoulders. ;-)

If you look at the full size photo of the edging, you can see that I had to mix in another type of bead. I ran out of the transparent rootbeer and mixed in some iridescent iris beads. It's not too obvious, unless you're looking for it.

Details:
Pattern: Crocus Pocus by Sunflower Designs
Yarn: Schaeffer Anne in Billie Holiday (approx. 105 gms used)
Needle: size 4 (3.5mm) Knit Picks Options
Beads: 8/0 transparent rootbeer and iridescent iris (approx. 180 gms used)
Hook: size 11 (1.05 mm)
Final size: 70 inches across the top and 32 inches down the center point
Start: April 12, 2008
Finish: April 15, 2008