Year of Projects update 27th January

Last week I shared some pictures of my progress on the Crest of a Wave Baktus I've been knitting. Here's it's current state:

I've finished!! I cast off yesterday morning, with 9 grams of yarn left to spare. Charly has suggested it would be perfect for hexipuffs, but I'm not quite sure I'm ready to dive into that scale of project! I know a few other knitters who have already fallen down that particular rabbit hole, so when I get a chance I might send these leftovers in one of their directions - I think this yarn would look gorgeous as hexis!

Of course, I've not had a chance to block it yet - I was busy yesterday out shopping for bridesmaid dresses. So perhaps next week, although I'm not promising anything as next week is set to be the busiest week of the year so far work-wise; I may not have any spare evening to craft in at all.

Which would be a shame, as I have cast on another project from the list, using up another of my gorgeous stash yarns.

1000 yards of heaven

Once again, I am combining gifts to create a fabulous project. The yarn was a birthday present from two of my friends and the pattern is from the book Jamie got me for Christmas. It's the Light of Earendil shrug, and it presents me with some new challenges!

For starters, it's got a provisional cast on. I am not getting on well with provisional cast ons in fine yarns. When I did it with chunky yarn, it was ok, but I've struggled to do it with 4ply and now lace. I managed to get this one done ok and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will be fine when I come to start sleeve 2!

Secondly, it's knitting with laceweight yarn. I tried this before with the Easy Lace Stole at the start of our first Year of Projects. I really didn't get on with knitting such fine yarn. I had more success crocheting with it, when I made my Jane Austen Shawl, so when I was given this skein of Fyberspates for my birthday I thought it would be fine, I would just find a crochet pattern to use it for. I didn't think I'd end up falling in love with a knit pattern that calls for laceweight!

Thirdly, it involves beads. I've not used beads in my knitting before, and this project was almost stopped before it even started when I realised I just didn't own a crochet hook tiny enough to get through the holes in my beads.

1 kilo of seed beads

I flailed around in the house yesterday evening until I hit upon a workable solution - I'm using one of those cheap needle threaders you get in sewing kits. I'm four rows in and so far haven't had any problems getting the beads in position.

This is going to be a frustrating knit, especially once I reach the sleeves proper and have to start knitting in the round as well! Juggling DPNs as well as the beading could be too much for me. But the finished object is going to be so pretty it's got to be worth it!