Year of Projects 3: 2nd February update

Not much to report this week, I'm afraid! While I have been busy designing and making and doing things, none of it has been for projects on my list. I do have an almost-FO to share, as Ishbel came off the needles last week and is currently chilling out on the blocking board.

The lace section has opened up beautifully, and I am already glad I decided to do the extra repeats. Will hopefully get a proper shot of it with the beret once it's dry, and share that next week.

With that done, I have turned my thoughts to what I should knit next. Common sense tells me to pick up existing WIPs and finish those first, but the lure of a new project is far too great. Luckily, I can do both at once!

Just over a year ago, I started knitting this shrug from my Knits for Nerds book. Just under a year ago, I put it down (not that many more rows in than in the picture above!) and haven't touched it since. The combination of laceweight yarn and beads, and reverse stockinette, and needing to start working in the round at some point (laceweight and DPNs? Sounds horrendous!) meant that I never wanted to knit it. It's a shame, because it's a gorgeous pattern and the yarn is to die for (Fyberspates Scrumptious lace in a wonderful shade of purple).

I picked it back up this morning, and thought "there has to be a better project for this yarn and these beads". I spent half an hour browsing the pattern database on Ravelry, and found this shawl pattern: Chunari. It's free, it's very pretty, and having looked at the pattern, it's pretty straight forward. Rectangular means my stitch count is never going to get to silly levels (as it would if I knit a triangular or circular shawl), and I don't think it will be too difficult to figure out a nice way to add the beads.

Decision made, the shrug was frogged and the yarn is now waiting to be given another chance. I may cast on this afternoon during the rugby!