Getting what I asked for.............

aaahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Look at this! What a mess! Yes, I am totally getting what I asked for. More patience. Yes. Need more patience...much more. ::::sigh::::: The above mess is what comes from using too large of beads on too small of knitting. It looked bad...no, not bad, h-i-d-e-u-o-s! I knew when I knit the first bead the beads were going to be too large, but thought, I can make it work. Nope. They are size 15/0, but still way too large for knitting on 6 ought needles. This ball is the only ball of this thread I have, so I unraveled the whole lot, over a weeks worth of knitting, and am going to start over. Have already sorted out those beads and ironed the kinks out of my thread...so ready to try again

This time, I am going to use my antique beads, that range in size from 18/0 to 22/0~ very very small. I didn't use them in the first place because I liked the uniformity of the modern made Miyuki beads, and they came in so many pretty colors! The early tiny antique beads are so hard to come by, and so expensive...but I have picked some pretty colors, and going to try and try again until I do it! Above, you can see the larger Miyuki beads, and the amber color bead center front, is an antique one~ quite a bit smaller

With the smaller outer diameter, comes also the smaller hole in the middle, but I think my thread will pass thru at least once, which is all it has to do the way I knit. The rose color bead is the Miyuki, and you can see how small the antique ones are behind it~ they look like microscopic caviar.

Beads & More beads!!!
Aren't they beautiful? I love beads~ these are tiny! not as tiny as my 22/0 antique seed beads, but still really REALLY small~ they are size 15/0, about 25 per inch strung. These are modern made Japanese glass beads, and I chose them for my knitting because they have a bit larger hole for my thread to pass thru, and, they are all very uniform in size. Did you catch that, that I said knitting???? Yes, I really am that crazy

I have been working on the other side of my little knit Quaker pin ball, and have chosen a wonderful late 18th c design I will be working in beads for it. When knitting with beads, they are strung on first in order, so that whilst knitting, when you need one, just just slip one up and knit it in as you go~ I think the colors look so pretty, really nothing like what the finished design is going to look like~ what do you think my design is, by looking at the beads all strung ready to be knit???

Update on my lil knit Quaker Pinball...

FINISHED! YES!!
Well ok, this is just the first side, but still! I am most proud of it~ my first intarsa knitting e-v-e-r, and on 6ought knitting pins to boot! WOO HOO! Once I got past the first 5 rows or so, and there was a scrimp of something to actually hold on to, it got aLOT easier, and actually, I quite enjoyed it, very much so. More than I thought I would. I was only able to do a few rows at a time, then needed to take a break to let my eyes rest, I think I will look for a magnifier on a stand for my other half...which, in keeping with my insane tradition of always jumping in before I know how to swim....I think I should knit beads into the other side :) never done that before, but am quite excited to try. Ill let you know how it goes~

I hope you all try something you have never done before this year~ you may just find out that you love it, and wish you had tried it sooner~ I had always thought knitting a pinball would be too difficult~ but not so! You just have to go slow and steady, and eventually, you'll be finished. I am keeping notes of my time, and so far, for the first side, it took me 30 hours, 2 minutes to complete

Intricate Challenges.....


I am not the kind of person that makes 'New Year's Resolutions'....but I do like to identify my goals for the coming year at its start...and usually, I like to start some interesting something I have been meaning to get to, in January. I guess, with starting at the head of the year, in my mind's eye, I will have the next 12 months time to figure out my new whatever-it-is. One of my projects for this year, is knitting more period correct, 18th century fancy pinballs. Now the ones I did last year, were FABULOUS and I absolutely adore them~ and so do my children~ they have all asked me to make them one.....but being....well,me...... I want to make dollye size ones, with precious sayings and mottoes and beads knit into them. yaaaaaaa....right. sounds endearing enough? doesn't it? Above is my start, I am using size 12 DMC coton perle, on 6-ought (000000) lace needles. Evidentally, I have gone absolutely looney, and have a subliminal need to make myself go blind in the process.

I mean...good grief! WHAT THE HECK AM I THINKING????? These blasted needles are smaller in diameter than the straight pins I use for my sewing are!!! And this thread...size 12? My dental floss is bigger. Ohh well, I have started already, so will have to finish :) At least I will have one side done eventually~ how difficult it ends up being, will decide if I actually come out with a finished pinball, or a little framed what-not for dollys wall. The above picture shows 4 completed knit rows, and...gasp, as I am tracking my time, a bit over 5 HOURS of work so far.

post script~ if you read the commetns, you will see one of the little doilies my Mom crochet me so many years ago for the dollye house~ of coarse I still have it! Love You Mom! xoxoxoxox