Friday Eye Candy +

The Eye Candy:

Look at this great Sweet Nothing from Amy!


Isn't it gorgeous? I love the colors she used!

+ answers to some of your questions!

Charm asked of the Copper colored Baby Georgia yarn: "Is it just the photo or does it have gentle color gradation, sort of a hand dyed look?"

It is just the photo! The color is actually dyed quite evenly, but the sunlight was falling across it and the yarn has a slight sheen that makes it look a little hand dyed when the light reflects just so.

krissuthe asked (also about the coppery yarn): "Wonderful yarn color - would you mind sharing the colorway name / number?"

It is Crystal Palace Baby Georgia in color number 9016 "Sahara" - it is a coppery terra cotta in real life. It is mercerized, but it has a much more matte look to it than other mercerized cottons I've come across. I love it! I wish they hadn't discontinued it. :(

Re the sock, Marina asked: "Love the short bursts of colours. Cute! Does he have clothes to match?!"

Yes! He has some pretty wild cycling jerseys. :)

I'm thinking the second sock, plus another full length pair, will be good projects for the slog-along.

Happy Friday!!!

Questions and Answers

...but not necessarily in that order. :)

First, thank you all so much for the kind comments on Sweet Nothing!

Several of you had questions. Sally asked if I would make her one. Absolutely! In fact, I will knit several for you if you will knit my Beadwork cardigan for me. Not only will you have cool knitted jewelry, you will have my undying devotion, as well. I even have the yarn in stash. And I'll provide the materials for the jewelry too! What a deal, eh? ;)

She-Knits asked if the choker was quite fragile and needed to be bent back into shape. Hmmmmmmm. It does bend, as the wire is a small gauge, but as long as you don't crumple it, there's really nothing to worry about. The fact that it is knitted makes it quite flexible. I have had mine kicking around for awhile and I haven't had to bend it back into shape at all. (p.s. go look at her cool felted bag!)

Kathy was concerned that one needs courage to knit with wire and beads. Not at all! The wire I used is lightweight. As long as you don't pull hard on it and don't try to keep a tight tension, your hands will survive quite nicely. Try it! It's fun!

Susan asked if we are twins separated at birth. Yes. Yes, I do believe we are!

Now for my question! I have put aside Peacock Feathers for the moment in solidarity with my twin Susan, who, at last report, has not received her yarn. Of course, while I'm waiting for Susan's yarn, I'll need to knit something summery. (Hey! Quit laughing! It's a perfectly reasonable story!) I think I've decided on Campanula, but not on the color. Here's the problem. I lerve this pattern, but I'm not a very frilly person. Jewelry is about all I do to pay homage to my girlieness. I have a sample of a great copper color and want to use that, but I think it would look best in the cream, which might look too frilly for me. I'm not sure that I would wear it in cream. Then there's the dark purple.... What do you all think? Is the copper too out of character with the pattern? Here are the choices all lined up next to the pattern picture.

Another possibility is CeCe by Bonne Marie Burns in peach (with 3/4 length sleeves).

I'm not that much of a peach person, though.

The last possibility is Sitcom Chic (another pattern by the amazingly talented Bonne Marie), in this strange green yarn that I love.

It's almost screaming yellow. Perfect!

What to do?! Limited knitting time but so many possibilities. Of course, two of these (Sitcom Chic, CeCe) I could knit from stash. You know what that means, don't you? I'll have to knit Campanula!

Sweet Nothing

I feel terrible that it has taken me so long to get this pattern up, but here it is finally, just in time to celebrate spring and summer! If you have any questions about it or corrections, please let me know. If you would like tech help, come on over and join my baublesnbeads group at Yahoo, and ask away! Enjoy! :)

SWEET NOTHING
a knitted wire and bead choker by Rosemary Hill


FINISHED MEASUREMENTS/GAUGE
Measurements are taken after pulling fabric into shape; exact gauge is not critical for this project as the finished fabric will be stretched to measurements given. Measurements below are for a piece three stitches in width and 56 rows in length.

Width: 2 cm/almost 1 inch
Length: 30 cm/approx. 11.75 inches

MATERIALS
Beading wire, 34 gauge [24 yards/22m per spool]; silver: one spool

1 set 4mm/US #6 needles Bamboo or birch are recommended, and you may find it easier to use two double-point needles rather than long straight needles.
6mm glass beads: 56 (buy a few extras in case you drop some)
size 11 seed beads: 280 (buy extra!)
12mm by 6mm glass teardrop beads: 2
organza ribbon - 12 mm/0.5 in. wide: 1.22 meters/1 yd + 1 ft (provides for a little extra)
super glue (for ribbon ends)

PATTERN NOTES
I used two double pointed bamboo needles because they are short and not very slick, and I found it very easy to manipulate the wire. I had no problems losing stitches. You can use any needles you like, though.

Beads are placed at the end of each row. To place the beads, knit the last stitch of the row, turn the work and then slide beads up the wire until they rest against the last stitch worked. Start the next row.

To make working with the beads and wire easier, you can place the spool of wire into a small ziplock bag, approximately 2 x 3 inches and close the top around the wire. Do not use a larger bag, as this will encourage the wire to kink.

Beads will slip around on wire when piece is finished. If you want to prevent this (I didn't), grasp the beaded loop and give the wire a twist.

PATTERN
Pre-string beads on wire in this pattern: *5 seed beads, 1 6mm bead* repeat between *s until all beads are strung.

Piece is knit in garter stitch (knit every row).

Using the Backward Loop technique, cast on 3 sts. Turn and knit one row. *Turn work. Slide 5 seed beads and 1 6mm bead into place against last stitch worked. Knit row.* Repeat between *s until you have knitted 56 rows. At this point, the fabric will probably be shorter and wider than specified. Stretch it to given measurements and check that it is the proper length. If you are happy with the results, bind off and cut the wire. Weave in wire ends, being careful to wrap the ends around themselves and trim close.

FINISHING
Stretch rectangle to proper dimensions, if you have not already done so. Weave ribbon through center stitch of piece down entire length of choker. Try choker on, tying the ribbon to secure. Cut ribbon to desired length, plus 3 inches on each end (used to work easily when tying knots below teardrop beads). Remove choker and string one teardrop shaped bead on each end. Secure each bead with a knot in the end of ribbon. Trim ribbon close to knot and saturate with super glue or other fray check.

The fine print: Copyright 2007 Rosemary Hill. This pattern is for personal use only and may not be sold or knit for profit. Thank you and enjoy!