The next mystery revealed

If you haven't heard the latest buzz, there's a new mystery knit along happening right now. It is called Mystery Stole 4 and the designer is Georgina Bow.

I have completed two clues and feel there's enough to show in some photos. I really like how this is knitting up and how it feels, and I think it is going to be a lovely stole when completed.

First the yarn:



And yes, those are beads sitting next to the yarn, because the stole is beaded in at least the first two clues. The yarn is Knit Picks Shadow in lace weight in a color called Lost Lake. The beads are size 6 seed beads in a color called Tortoise.

The stole is going to be rectangular, and it is symetrical in pattern. So it has been suggested that each clue can be knitted twice, for each end, and that eventually a clue will be knitted to connect these two ends, with a grafted seam in the middld.

So here's a photo of the two different ends, each on their own circular needles, each with it's own ball of yarn.


It's taking me twice as long to knit as the clues are being released (clue 4 of 6 was released this weekend). However knowing that I am doing both ends makes me feel like I am ahead, in the long run.

It's hard to really show off the beauty of lace, when it is still on the needles. But this final photo is a close up of the beading and lace stitches. See how the designer has the beading and lace playing off each other. I am so happy with how it looks!



This was my first knitting project that used beads. The designer recommended knitting the stitch and then placing the bead on that stitch. That makes the bead sit in that same row. If you place the bead while the stitch is still on your left and needle, and then knit the stitch, the bead sits a row lower. It really doesn't matter in the overall design, but the knitter does have to be consistent and do it all the same way. I am placing the bead after I have knit the stitch. I have a tiny crochet hook that will pass through the bead hole, and I can load four beads on the crochet hook. After I knit the stitch, I pick up that same stitch with the very tip of the crochet hook, pull it taunt, and slide a bead up off the hook and onto the loop of the stitch. The I put the stitch back on the right hand knitting needle. It sounds very fiddly, and it felt that way at first, but I really did get a nice rhythm going. Seeing the beads on the knitting is very encouraging and so I enjoyed adding more. In fact, the next two clues have no more beads, and I am a bit sad about that. I believe it probably is a good thing, design wise though, since beads running across the back could be uncomfortable.

So give me another month of so, and there will be pictures of the finished stole. I am really curious how it will be joined.