In which I fall in love with beads...

 

Another project I finished ages ago! Eventually I'm going to start taking photos immediately after blocking projects.



Haruni was my first big lace project with beads. I had paid quite a bit more than usual on the yarn, so I was determined to make something spectacular with it. I think I managed that one pretty well.



Even though I'm not particularly fond of intricate charted patterns, I actually really enjoyed working on this project. Not only do I love the pop the beads give, but the yarn, Schaefer Yarn Co's Audrey, was so smooth and lovely. The body of the project was easily memorizable, so it fulfilled my mindless knitting quota. I love, love, love the slight ruffly aspect that the edge gives it. The finished object is so soft and cuddly, but the beads and silk keep it from being overly warm.



I had plenty of beads left over at the end of the project, which means I get to use them again. My favorites are the almost tarnished looking one. I love those muted metal colors- chrome, silver, etc. The beads wen fabulously with the color of the yarn. I wound up using wooliekim and haramis' notes on the placement of the beads, because I'm nothing if not a follower. I'm still struggling to find decent notes on bead placement for my Laminaria, so I might be forcet of venture out of my comfort zone, but we'll see about that. I'll investigate more later...



My only disappointment with this project is the color- in the skein and in the ball, the yarn was this gorgeous mix of white, gold, and silver. Knit up, it looks almost dingy. You can definitely see the different colors in the close ups, but as a whole, the colors are too muted to really pop when they're thrown together in the pattern. I still absolutely adore this project, and the yarn (which I will be rushing out to buy more of, as soon as possible, yum yum!), but I was hoping for a little more oomph like in the skein. Again, I love this project, I love this yarn, and I love this pattern. As soon as I get a properly gorgeous yarn, I think I'll be knitting it again, but without the center increase pattern.