Sophronia's Finished Bee Fields

I finally finished mine last night! Here are a few pictures. For more info, please visit my blog at www.sophroniaandthepeacock.blogspot.com.





I have enjoyed being part of this knitalong! Thank you so much AnnMarie, for graciously hosting it. Good luck to all who are still working on their bees!

Done!

BeeFields done:-)
I signed up for this KAL quite some time ago, but haven't done more than following everyone's progress, drooling over the beautiful shawls you've all made. Then AnnMarie "threatened" to close the blog, and that gave me the push I needed to start this.
It's knitted in RørosLamullgarn ,100% wool, 50gr=250m,colour #48, (a dark red/plum) knitted with Knitpicks options circular needles, 4mm (they can also be bought here if you are in the area...)
Started on April 2nd 2008, finished on April 14th,2008. I followed the charts, becaus I find it easier to see the pattern in a chart than just written. It worked out fine. The shawl is bigger than intended...2.3m along top edge, and 1.15m from neck to bottom point. It's definitely not a tv-knit...but not as difficult as I imagined when I first got the pattern-lol-all those pages nearly freaked me out:-)
More details on my blog.

Thank you, AnnMarie, for hosting this KAL. It has been great fun following

the knitting, and seeing all the pretty yarns you've used.

Take care, and have fun knitting:-)

Marit

plans for the blog

My reason for considering removing the blog was the real decrease in activity here. I use Sitemeter to monitor the amount of traffic and, even considering the number of readers who stop by without posting or commenting, things have been very slow here for months.

As the blog administrator, I feel a responsibility to keep an eye on things. As the person who started this, with the blessings of the designer, I also feel a responsibility to respond to questions and comments, so I try to check in at least every other day.

I would like to keep this blog going as a resource for those who are knitting or planning to knit any of Anne Hanson's 'bee'-themed items, so I won't delete the whole blog but I've made a change in the settings.

I've set the blog so that only members can comment, so I don't expect that we'll be getting any more questionable comments that I'll have to delete. And I will ask that any posts be related to the 'bee' designs. Most of us have blogs or web pages of our own and we can go wild there with off-topic stuff. :)

Like a lot of others, I still haven't knitted all three of the designs. After finishing the shawl months ago, I turned my needles to other projects and finished up a ton of UFOs and WIPs. I'm looking forward to the end of the school year and weeks of downtime. Summer for me has always been prime knitting time and I'm looking forward to finally knitting the Marie Antoinette socks and overdyeing the yarn for the Honeybee stole.

So...knit on and blog on! :)

all good things must end?

When I started this knitalong blog last summer, I said that there was no official start date or end date for the KAL. I promised that I would keep it going as long as there was sufficient interest in keeping it alive. Given that there've only been a handful of posts since the beginning of this year (and several of those have been mine), I think that maybe it's time to de-activate the blog.
I'll keep it going for another few weeks to give everyone time to copy out any posts or information that they would like to keep for future reference, but, unless I hear from a swarm of you that you would like to see the blog continue, I'll just delete the whole blog by the end of April.
It's been fun and I think we really did help each other through the knitting and cheered each other's accomplishments. I want to thank you all for being a part of this! :)

Bee Fields Shawl

Hey, this Woolyworks and I'm new to this blog. I purchased the shawl pattern and have read completely through it--whew! 18 pages of pattern is just a little mind boggling. I've knitted a lot of shawls and yet this one is hard for me to wrap my mind around. I think it's because there's not a large schematic to show me where I start and where I end and the charts are just little snippets of the whole. I'm solidly grounded in geometry and the way this pattern is written makes my knowledge a little useless. OK, so I'll have to learn to knit from text rather than charts, but it can't be rocket science, can it?

I'm sure that when I get past the setup section I'll get a picture of it in my mind, but for now, I'm feeling more than a little lost. That's pretty sad for someone who's been knitting for as long as I have. Maybe this is the challenge that I've needed to get me off of dead center. Let's hope so! Here I go!

I'll be so glad to do socks with all of you knitters. I adore knitting socks and the Honeybee stole looks so exciting. I'm looking forward to more activity on this blog and meeting lots of you as we knit along.

new season, new look

With a nod to a new season approaching, I'm shaking up the look of the knitalong blog a bit. Activity here has slowed down, but we do have a new member who has just joined us. She's listed in the sidebar as Wooly Works. Welcome and happy knitting!
As for my 'bee' knitting, since finishing the shawl months ago I haven't been knitting anything remotely bee-related as I spent the last couple of months of 2007 on a self-imposed challenge to finish all projects on needles.
I accomplished that goal and then turned my needles towards heavier-weight projects, but I've been eyeing the Honeybee Stole pattern lately as well as Anne's sock pattern, Marie Antoinette, that has the same bee motifs as the shawl and stole.

Successful grafting

Shot with hp photosmart 735 at 2008-02-09

I think it came out very nicely. I embroidered a few stitches of chain stitch over the grafting to continue the line of the "spine" up to the border. Because this yarn blocks out so well, the difference in the tension between the knitting and embroidery should not be an issue, but I left the tail available so that IF I need to undo it, I can.

The shape of the lace wanted to dip in there in the center, so I went along with that and 'manufactured' a set of stitches on the left side to make everything balance

Add Another One to the Finished Pile!

She's done! I finished it about 2 weeks ago, but I had to wait until my body healed up to block it. C-sections & blocking lace aren't two activities that should be done together! Even yesterday was pushing it, but I couldn't wait. I also can't wait to knit another one of Anne's designs. Look to the blog for more details.
-Lola

Technical Question

I am about halfway through the Beehive section and am eyeing that center back provisional cast on with some trepidation.

I know that getting the graft just right will be critical to the success of this project. I think I'm going to go ahead and do the grafting now. If I totally mess it up, I will have "only" lost a few days of knitting time (all right, three weeks. But that's still better than months and a totally frogged project).

I'm looking for tips, techniques, pros and cons of doing the grafting now. Advice, please.

Finished!

This is probably the most beautiful, complicated thing I've ever knit. I love it!

See my blog or Ravelry for more if you want!

Thanks to my husband for taking pictures outside when it

as 2 degrees thismorning:)

another knitalong

I received an email from a knitter who has started a knitalong for another Anne Hanson lace stole design, Simurgh. She asked if I would mention the knitalong here. If you're interested in joining, pop on over to her KAL blog and take a look. :)

A finished Bee Fields Shawl

At last I've finished my shawl, four months in the knitting.

The yarn's from Wooly Wonka Fibers and was a pleasure to knit with.

More photos on my blog.

Dawn
I'm on ravelry as dawn

as the year winds down

I'd like to wish everyone a peaceful end of the year and a very happy and 'knitterly' new year! :)

Beatrice is complete

I finally and happily finished my bee shawl which I named Beatrice. I am so thrilled with the finished knit.
The shawl was an amazing learning experience and I am certainly looking forward to my next Knitspot shawl!

ETA: I have had several request for what yarn I used. Thank you!
I actually used my own hand dyed Sweet Lace in the Rose Hill Colourway that is currently a custom dye request colourway.

Bee in Field

I sort of work on this project in spurts. This time it was my plane knitting to and from my parent's house for Thanksgiving. I got the first 3 bees done. The photo shows 10, so I guess I must be getting close to the end.





I'm finding this section to be easier than the others, mainly because there is very little to do on wrong side rows, and even the right side rows are more logical than the bee section, at least to me. Besides, this pattern is my favorite of the 3 sections.

for all who observe it

have a lovely Thanksgiving. :)

Through the Swarm

Hi All! I'm still diligently knitting along. I've made it through the swarm. I'm seriously considering doing the petite as I'm really short and it appears shrinking. I'm probably 5'2 and 3/4" in the morning and shrinking throughout the day. Has anyone else done the petite yet and been happy (or not) with that choice? I just want to wear the shawl and not have it wear me. :) My only reservation is that it will throw off the beautiful symmetry of the three sections.
~Madame Purl

I joined this KAL a while back when it first formed, but have only got around to casting on my Bee Fields a few weeks ago. Then I posted to my blog, but forgot to post to the KAL blog.


So my Bee Fields about now about half way through the swarm section and I am just getting around to posting here. I love the pattern, the yarn (Claudia's Hand Painted Silk Lace), the whole project. We've only had a couple bumps, pretty much due to my total inability to set up the swarm section in a moving car. Once I got over that issue, it's been full speed ahead.

shawl models in short supply

I finished knitting the shawl last Friday and blocked it on Saturday, but late work hours have kept me from getting to the park for a lovely outdoor shot, so I resorted to the brass hooks on the back of the double doors and just hung the 'bee' as nicely as I could.

And here's a bit of detail ~

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Oregon Red Clover Honey

On to the swarm

I've been working diligently on my bee for the last week or so, and now I'm just finished with the first repeat of the bee swarm. I just love this pattern! I have to say, though, that these rows are taking forever. I'm hoping to finish it before January, when 2 new mystery shawls are starting (I signed up for both. Not sure what I was thinking...)

This picture isn't that great, but it's the best I could get with my camera yesterday. It's prettier in real life, promise:)

Newbie!

Just wanted to post a quick Hello. My name is Christine and Im just now getting into shawls, stoles and everything "big." I've been admiring everyone's beautiful Bee's and had to join. I need to commit to knitting otherwise my Christmas gift list will NEVER get done.

Im excited to get started!

Thanks for letting me join, Annmarie!

Christine

off the needles and ready for blocking

I finished knitting my bee fields shawl last night and will be blocking it today. It's raining cats and dogs here in NYC so it will probably take hours to dry. I'll post a photo as soon as I can take it outdoors for a nice 'autumnal' shot. :)

This shawl was a pleasure to knit, but I did find it more pleasurable to work on when I didn't try to knit on it at the end of a long and tiring work day, especially the last sections with the multiple yarnover bee motif. These fairly flew off the needles when I was well-rested but seemed very tedious to me when I was tired.

I had hoped to finish it in time to wear to Rhinebeck, but that didn't happen. I knew that the designer, Anne Hanson, would be at Rhinebeck and was hoping to show off my own 'bee'. I did run into Anne as I was leaving the fairgrounds on Sunday afternoon and we had a nice little visit. She admired the shawl I was wearing, Summer in Kansas from Two Old Bags, and we talked about knitted-on edgings and such for a while. She's lovely and it was very nice to meet her face to face after corresponding with her by email.

The yarn I'd originally ordered for the shawl, Wooly Wonka's Buckwheat Honey, has been saved for the Honeybee Stole which I'll start as soon as I get caught up a bit more on other projects. After living with this yarn since August, though, I'm thinking that I'll probably overdye it with a smidgen of Logwood Grey from Earthues Dyes to tone down its brightness just a bit. Although it's a lovely yarn, I don't usually wear such bright colors and think I'll get more use out of the stole in a color a bit more subdued.

Baby Steps

Although I joined this KAL some weeks ago, I didn't want to start a new project until my old ones were done. Well, the old ones are not quite done, but I plunged into Bee Fields this week anyway.

I am using the stash yarn shown, and it seems that I need to knit on size 3 (US) needles. After swatching with different sizes, I looked closely at your pictures and decided that this yarn on size 3s would be best--and it is close to the suggested gauge, but not exact.

I'll be done with the set-up rows tonight and then on to the first section. My winglettes seem a bit small, but I'm expecting they'll be more obvious when blocked.

Half Way

The first half of my stole is finished. I couldn't resist blocking it so I could really see what it looks like.



With the first half successfully completed, I anticipate no problems with the second half. Now I need to get busy and finish spinning that second package of Black Rainbow Glitter from Aurelia.

Here's a little close-up of a modification I am doing. I'm adding beads to the side and end edges. They are the "oil slick" colour, I think referred to as "dark aurora borealis", and they match the glitter in the handspun perfectly.

Also, instead of the "bind off loosely in knit" I'm using a great bind-off I learned when doing the Swallowtail Shawl. It makes for a very stretchy yet tidy edge.

K2, *transfer the 2 stitches on the right needle back to the left needle and then K2tog through the back loop. K1 and repeat from* around.

Bee and Honeycomb

I'm well into the bee and honeycomb section now.



I'm hoping I'll have the time to completely finish this half of the stole before I have to put it down again. I'm allowing myself a few days working on it and then it's back to projects with looming deadlines again.

bee in field section 1

I should be finished with the Bee in Field Section 1 this evening and hope to get started on Section 2. I'm trying to have this shawl finished so that I can wear it at Rhinebeck. I've been sidetracked in my knitting by that pesky day job and by some other knitting projects that I'm working on. Here's a rumply, and a bit unfocused, shot of my bee.

All bunched up like this, those bees are looking more like spiders!

Last Row in the Bee & Honeycomb Section

I have a question with the last Row 6 in the Honeycomb section. Perhaps it's my print off, but I'm unsure of what to repeat during the middle section.

Do I repeat: p8, (p2tog) 9 times? Or do I just repeat the (p2tog) 9 times?

I know you all will have the answer. I'm excited, because this means I'm almost done with the first half of the stole!

-lola

Making progress!

I've done work on my Honey Bee stole, I've done only one repeat so far but it's looking very nice if I do say so myself.

I've put it aside for a few days while I work on my other stole, which is the "Secret of the Stole". They are both quite different. The "Secret of the Stole" is quite a bit easier than the Honey Bee stole.



I'm a glutton for punishment I working on 2 lace stoles at once and me who has never even done lace!

Chart reading trouble

I had cast on a couple of weeks ago for the triangular version of this shawl and then tried to start going on the chart for the setup section.

I am having trouble reconciling the written instructions with the charted ones. Just on row one alone it looks like:

Written Row 1(1st 6 instructions-row1-WS)=k1, p3, k2

Chart Row 1(1st 6 instructions-row1-WS)=No Stitch 2, k1, p3

Can anyone help me and let me know what I am doing (or how I am reading this) wrong? I am not an experienced lace knitter, but I did finish the MS3 using the chart only. I guess I got a little cocky.

I can see by all the lovely shawls out there that it is definitely something going on with me and not with the pattern.

Any help at all would be very, very gratefully accepted!

Thank you so much!
Connie in Palo Alto

Through the Swarm

The second chart is done. I'm through the "swarm" section of the first half of the Honeybee Stole.

Here's a closer look at that (unblocked) section.

Wovenflame

Here I Come

I finally made it to the Bee & Honeycomb section! I've really been looking forward to this part of the stole. That was until I was taking pictures. I won't post the ugliness here. I couldn't do that to the others. Right now, I'm just going to assume that no one will ever notice. Now if I can just keep my mouth shut...

Just a little while longer & then I can move onto Part 2!

Problem solved!

I'm happy to report that my knitting problem has been solved! I've had advice from Marlene and Annmarie and it helped a LOT!

Here's proof:



Now I can get started on my lace project, again!

Sylvie

Springtime shawl finished in time for fall!

The color of this shawl makes me think of spring. It is the color of the new leaves as they first come out on the trees in the Northeast, and it is the color that cheers us with the knowledge that winter is over and summer is on its way. (The color is actually lighter than it looks in this photo.)

This was probably the most challenging lace project I have ever undertaken, but because of Anne's clear instructions and excellent charts (after I blew them up enough to be able to read them) it wasn't as difficult as it appeared at first.

Here are a few tips for anyone just starting the Bee Fields Shawl:

• Be generous with stitch markers, whether you use pretty ones or the cheapo plastic variety or slices of drinking straws
• Use the needles with the sharpest tips you can find, especially for the Bees in Field section. I used Addi Lace Needles and can't imagine having done it without them.
• Follow Anne's instructions even when they don't seem to make any sense at all. She knows what she's doing.
  
• Lifelines are probably a good idea (though I didn't use them because there was no plain K or plain P row to weave the lifeline through)

Thank you Anne for your wonderful pattern!

(There is a little more info on my blog.)