I started this shawl for the Nymphaea Fall Shawl Retreat last year, and set it aside sometime after my last post about it in November 2018. Other design projects were calling my name. You can see my progress up to that point in the previous blog post, with lots of thoughts about color and beads.
So when the Bead Biz ladies asked if they could borrow my sample for their shows, I decided now would be a good time to finish!
I was already on the 10th repeat of the ZigZag Lace pattern, and that was about where I wanted to end up. There’s enough yarn left for at least another partial repeat, maybe a half? But deadlines are deadlines, so I finished the 10th repeat and went on to the edging.
I was planning to use the dove gray pearl beads on the edging, but the yarn in the Soft Kitty colorway was tabby striping, and the beads weren’t really adding anything to the story. So I ripped back and changed to peacock beads, to pick up the teal from the last repeat. I love it.
The finished shawl is so beautiful; can I really stand to let it out of my custody to go to west coast shows with Bead Biz?
Sure, as long as it comes back soon. The yarn is from Fierce Fibers, her Abyss base (with silk!) in the Surf and Sand gradient. I’m really pleased with how it turned out. Finally!
The original shawl was knit with a mini skein gradient.
The second shawl was knit with 2 435 yard semi solid skeins from Bumblebirch. (Lots of CC left over.)
And this third shawl was knit with a 650 yard gradient from Fierce Fibers, plus a 50g skein of contrasting yarn.
I love them all!
PDXKnitterati 
Beautiful.
When beading, I usually prefer to use a contrasting bead. What’s the point of doing all that work if it just blends in.
Me, too, but sometimes subtlety is good. If I want it to just look like sparkles on water, then same or clear bead. But this needed something to stand up against that tabby striping!
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Gosh – those are all gorgeous! The peacock beads are just the right touch for the edging – love them!
I am so, so happy with how this turned out. Which is really funny, because last month I set it aside in the bin of “never going to finish this.” I thought the teal was going to be too intense at the end, but it tones down nicely with the Soft Kitty edging!
It’s funny how projects work out like that sometimes!
These shawls are beautiful!