Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Help - which beads?

I feel like the little engine that could. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. I've finished the first chart (A) of the Spring Things Shawl. I'm still behind schedule but I still hope to make it.

Now I just have to decide which beads to use. The young woman for whom I am knitting the first one of this shawl (I've already got plans for at least 1 more) for her wedding has square crystal beads on her wedding dress. I hunted a while back (somewhere around repeat 3 of Chart A) and couldn't really find the "perfect" crystal bead so bought three "not perfect" ones and tried them today in a sample of the first section of Chart B. I can't decide for sure which I like best.

If you have an opinion, please share it. The cubes in the middle are, I think, closest to what is on the wedding dress but I'm not sure what I think about them in this shawl. I think the clear with silver on the right is out but I'm not sure between the pearlized rounds on the left and the crystal cubes in the middle. The cubes have a nice opalescence or something which isn't showing in this photo (and this was the best photo) and they match the dress beading more closely I think. But I have to admit if it were for me I'd go with the pearlized rounds.

I'm going to cogitate for a few hours while I do something else and then if anyone has offered opinions I'll read them before deciding what to do. It's tempting to leave the sample laying around and see what the young lady herself says since I'll see her tomorrow but I kinda wanted this to be a surprise when all finished. Plus I'm not sure I can delay until tomorrow night since I am already behind and I think it's going to take me several hours per repeat of Chart B (and C and the edging at this point) to knit the rest. Which makes it unwise to dawdle much. Or be indecisive for that matter but somehow that isn't enough to make me just grow up and pick one.

5 comments:

Frieda said...

I really like the pearlized beads on the left , but as this is intended as a wedding shawl , I'd go with the centre beads. I'd be inclined to go with the pearlized ones if the bride was wearing pearls or had some on her dress. Just my thoughts.

Anonymous said...

I like the center ones too.

Anonymous said...

I like the ones in the center.

Anonymous said...

All of them are pretty but if the square one match the dress better then go with those.

Really I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.

Ronni said...

Thank you so much ladies. I've found some bicones that will be better than the cubes. They have the same crystal look as her dress down to sort of square reflections of light but they will fit within the pattern better. The cubes are just a tiny bit too big. Of course, the bicones have a smaller hole so I have to find a smaller than 14 crochet hook or use a floss threader to get them on but a floss threader will work and so I'm happy.

I'm really enjoying this shawl. Even the "problems" are fun.