Checking in :o)

Hi everyone -

I'm happy to be joining in on this KAL. I think the shawl is absolutely gorgeous, and I ordered my kit from Wooly Wonka Fibers in the Buckwheat Honey color. I can't wait to get it.

Happy knitting!

Lisa in Mississippi

swarm

Ok, so I've started the "swarm" section 2x now, and am about to start on the 3rd try; each time I keep dropping a stitch. I'm following the chart now because the written instructions don't seem to be for every row...How are other people doing w/"the swarm?" Any tricks to help?

Warm Hello!

I just wanted to drop in and say Hello to everyone.

I placed my order as soon as Anne posted it was for sale, and I'm eagerly waiting for my kit to arrive! I ordered the Tupelo Gold kit, and I'll be using my KnitPicks Options needles.

I'm currently working on MS3 and had plans of casting on for Morning Glories Wrap, but it looks like it'll be bees instead.

I can hardly wait to get started!

Nice to meet all of you,
Tara

Hello from the Pacific Northwest!

Hi! I received my Tupelo Honey kit last week, and I'm really excited about this shawl. I have a bunch of other projects on the needles, and am spending a lot of time on Ravelry, but I cast on yesterday and worked the first few rows. My Addi Lace #5s are "tied up" with Mystery Stole 3, so I pulled out some older needles and it's slow going--they aren't pointy or grabby at all by comparison. I don't think I can wait until MS3 is done before continuing (especially since I'm only on clue 2), so there may be another pair of Addi Lace needles in my near future.

I'm really looking forward to seeing all of the different versions of the shawl here on the KAL!

Cast on

Quick question.
The Bee shawl is my first...and when casting on I did some research and did a long tail cast on.
Since surfing on Ravelry, I noticed that everyone else cast on with waste yarn.
Did I cast on wrong, or will this be a problem for finishing.
I would hate to rip...

Shawl Knitter in Louisiana

Hello,
I live in Zachary, Louisiana, where you might think shawls are redundant. Unfortunately, many of my friends seem to be "hot Mamas" who really crank the air conditioning to the frigid range! I carry a shawl most evenings.

My Tupelo Gold Bee Fields Shawl kit has arrived, but I am currently knitting away on Clue 4 of MS3, as I suspect many of us are. I'm sure I won't be able to wait until the end of MS3 to at least wind up this beautiful yarn.

Hello from Alabama

Hi everyone - I have been anticipating the release of this shawl since the first photo that Anne posted while designing this shawl. I have ordered the kit in the Tupelo Gold color and am waiting for it to arrive. Since I was unable to order it right away I am still waiting on the email to tell me it is on it's way.
I am currently working on the MS3 and 3 other shawls. This does not include my other WIPs either. I will be using my KnitPicks Option needles to knit this shawl which will include some juggling as I am using the needle tips that I am pretty sure I will need on the MS3. That is the one thing about the options that I love. I will be able to work on both projects since I have another cable I can use and just switch the tips around depending on which one I want to work on.
Well I am off to try and get caught up on MS3 (I still haven't finished clue 1 due to having to frog and restart.)

fairly buzzing...

As of right now, there are 41 of us with another 10 or so who've been sent an invitation! Anne's design truly seems to have struck a chord with people. For every one of us here on this knitalong, there seem to be literally hundreds who are 'buzzing' about this shawl. I'll resist the urge to use any more bee metaphors...

This bookmark was sent to me by a friend who was visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC in 1975. It is a detail from a Chinese hand scroll from about 1000 A.D. and is called Roses and Bees. Oh, yes, and because we're knitters ~ the yarn it's resting on is Fleece Artist Merino Sock yarn in Gold.

Let The Buzzing Begin!

Hi from CA!

I got my Tupelo Gold kit this week and my Jenkins circulars (ebony & pink ivory) and am looking forward to knitting this shawl. I'm a little nervous - life lines and all those YO's! I'm trying to practice on another MUCH simpler shawl and it's not going well. I'm hoping to gain from some of you experienced lace knitter's expertise!!

Thanks for the invitation!

Sew, I Knit 1, Purl 2

Intro

Hello all,
I am happy to join this group! I have already placed my order and am looking forward to getting my supplies so I can get started on this KAL. I love Ann's stuff and this should be lots of fun!!
Rosalia

Hi from CT

Hi,

I am so happy to join this group. I have loved watching the Bee Fields shawl progress on Anne's blog. I have the kit coming in the Buckwheat Honey color and I can't wait.

Howdy!!!

Hi Everyone - I just wanted to drop a note and say hello. I'm patiently awaiting my kit in the gold color. I'm off to pick up some lace addis today for it. I can't wait to see everyone's progress. I've been knitting a long time, but lately have been on a serious lace kick. Just last weekend I took a class with Patsy Z - the spinning guru - on learning to spin my own lace. However, when I saw the tupelo gold color I just knew, for me, that was the color for my bee shawl.

Madame Purl

Another newbie :)

Hello,

I'm Eva, from Luxembourg. I ordered my kit a little over a week ago and will probably get it in 2-3 weeks. I'm really looking forward to knitting it.

Cheers Eva

http://sweetpea16.wordpress.com

(yet another) new member

Hi everyone,

I'm Kat and I'm in South Carolina.

I'm really looking forward to knitting this pattern - I just need to get a couple major lace projects off the needles first.

I didn't order the kit, as I already had (IMHO) the perfect yarn in my stash:

This is Claudia's Handpainted Silk Lace in (appropriately named) Honey colorway. I bought this yarn this spring without any idea what I was going to do with it. When Anne started designing a pattern with a bee motif, I immediately thought of this yarn. Must be fate

New member

Hello,

Punkin here. I live in Southern Oregon. I ordered the kit in the Buckwheat Honey colorway, and I understand it is in the mail and should be arriving soon. I am very excited about this project and look forward to knitting along with all of you.

ready to beegin

my kit arrived in the mail yesterday. this afternoon i bought some #5 addi lace circulars, and wound a skein of my buckwheat honey yarn after i got home from work today. i am making my obligatory swatch this evening, and plan to cast on tomorrow after i get home from the farmer's market.
i loved watching the creation of this shawl on knitspot, and i'm looking forward to seing everyone's creation here.

dana

New Member

Hi, All.
I'm still waiting for my kit to arrive (I got the honey color), so I don't have much to say yet. I've never done a KAL before, but I'm looking forward to watching everyone's progress on this one. I love this pattern!

Hi, everyone! I'm excited to be a part of the Bee Shawl KAL. I received my kit last week and hope to cast on this week-end. Joyce T.

I've been awaiting this shawl's release!!!!

Hi all,
I'm Diane in Michigan. I'm very excited to start this shawl. I can't wait to shop for just the right yarn. I'm new to lace knitting. I recently finished the Luna Moth shawl. I'm working on the MS3 and will also be doing the Hanami KAL. The tips and help that I've received from working along with others while we knit our shawls has helped me so much. I think I'm going to attend Midwest Stitches while visiting my son in Chicago so I may get my yarn at the show.

This will be so much fun!!!!!

New Member

Hello Everyone!

I started the Bee Fields about a week ago and can't put it down. I'm loving it! and almost finished with the Bee Hive section. Can't wait to get to Swarming Bees!!
I'm using a 100% wool in fingering weight on 6's. Not the softest yarn in the world and wish I had ordered the kit. This is what I had in the stash though.
Also, the pic doesn't show the true color. It's really a medium apple green and not this light.
Have to go now and finish the Bee Hive section!
Terri

Hello to all

I just wanted to say hello to y'all Bee-ettes.

I just wanted to buzz in here and introduce myself.

My name is Patty and my user name is Stitchesinpink. I'm currently knitting the MS3. In fact, this stole is my first lace project. We have been getting along rather well together, so I thought I'd give this beautiful Bee Shawl a whirl.

Thanks to Cara January One at I read about Oregon Red Clover Honey yarn. It's Blue Moon's Laci yarn and I can't wait to see it in person. Oh, I guess I should say that I ordered it today.

So my yarn is on it's way and I am going to order my pattern.

Now I wait.

Stitchesinpink

New Member

Hey Everyone!!

My name is Ness and I am from the Napa area in California.

I am so excited to knit this shawl. I just ordered the new Blue Moon Orange clover honey or whatever it is called (the color is just. just. DROOL) and I think it will look so amazing in this pattern.

So woohoo!!

I am excited!

New member

I'm very excited to join this KAL. I need to finish the second half of another lace scarf I'm making, and then it's all Bee Fields for me! I'll be using Conjoined Creations' Pastimes Too laceweight soysilk in Willow - an almost solid yellow-green.

Beginning of Bee

Hi Ladies, I can't wait until everyone gets their kits to see the progress. I dyed my own yarn for the shawl and have started.
Here is a picture of last week's progress...it is a bit bigger now but not much.I am really enjoying seeing the pattern unfold!

Warm Hello from San Francisco, CA

Hi Everyone,

Just joined and saying a quick hello! I'm patiently awaiting for my kit to get started!

I LOVE this shawl!

Just Joined!

Hi Everyone!! I got my kit (in Tupelo Gold) last week and have been chomping at the bit to start, but other things on the needles must get done first - you know how it is!! I think this is a lovely shawl, and I am knitting Anne's Hypoteneuse right now, so I know her patterns are great.

Funny thing though, I am so scared of bees, haha, but I got a really cool jeweled bee pin to use for this shawl, cuz it's all about the accessories!!

Come visit me here!

Buckwheat Honey for Me!

thanks so much for letting me join in this KAL - I'm working right along on it and can't seem to do much of anything else!

Hi Everyone!

Thanks so much for letting me join. I love Anne's designs and am eager to knit this shawl with everyone. Thanks so much for starting this KAL.

New member

Just a quick hello. I have already received my kit in Buckwheat Honey. It is even prettier than it looked on the monitor. This is such a lovely design. I will probably be slow as I have limited time to work on a large project. But I'm tenacious!

DrL

patiently waiting...

While he still sports a sweet smile, my friend is showing some signs of growing impatience ~ notice the hands stuffed into his pockets. They're fairly itching to get started knitting the Bee Fields but, sadly, the yarn hasn't yet arrived. And though he's standing in clover, the yarn we're waiting for is the Buckwheat Honey...

of interest to lace knitters

Susanna Lewis's long out-of-print book is the subject of a post on Vicki's blog. It seems that we lace knitters might be able to have an impact on persuading the owners of the copyrights to this book to re-issue it. Please take a moment to read Vicki's post and send along an email to the Brooklyn Museum of Art. This is a very sought-after resource book and it doesn't make sense that it languishes, particularly given the energy in the knitting world. :/

just a hello

Just wanted to say hi, and that I'm very excited about this pattern! I'm using Knitting Notions Classic Merino Lace in the "Wildflowers" colorway; it's a gorgeous mix of goldenrod and red clover. And of course I'm using the lace Addis, which are wonderful thus far. I started a few days ago, and I'm on my 2nd "11-30" repeat of the beehive section. Can't wait to hear what other people are using and how the projects are going.

a word from annmarie

I just want to let everyone know that this is a stress-free KAL with no start-by date, no end-by date, no participation level requirements, nothing of the sort...we will be knitting each at her or his own pace, lending support and letting praise flow like honey as we go. So, with that said, if you're reading this and you were considering joining us but are reluctant to add one more stressor to your life, please be assured that you won't find any pressure here.

some thoughts on circular needles and knitting lace...

In her pattern, Anne recommends using knitting needles with a sharply tapered point. Since the Addi lace needles came out on the market, there's been a lot of discussion about them and other needles that lace knitters might prefer. Sivia Harding wrote a glowing review of the Addi's on her blog. Sally Rainey compared the Addi lace needles to the Knit Picks needles here, giving a slight edge to the Addi's. The Knit Picks needles are favorites for a number of lace knitters, and I've been using the regular Addi Turbos for years and have loved the smoothness of the join, which I find to be the best there is. But I've also used Inox Express and Inox Regulars (as well as Addi Natura bamboo circs) for many projects. Long before the Knit Picks and Addi lace needles were on the market, Inox Regulars, with their grey coating, were considered by Elizabeth Zimmermann and Meg Swansen to be the needle of choice for lace knitters because their points are noticeably sharper than those of the Express or Addi Turbos. The grey coating also provides a bit more drag which can be very helpful when knitting with slippery laceweight. Inox is still the only brand of metal circular knitting needle that Schoolhouse Press carries.

I will be starting the Bee Fields on a 24-inch Inox grey because I already have one, but I did buy a 32-inch #5 Addi lace needle the other day since I did not have this size already. I'll be doing my own side-by-side comparison when the yarn arrives and I begin the knitting. I may even do this beforehand since I've been thinking that I'll practice the set-up rows on some yarn that I have on hand already.

pattern errata

Anne posted this on her webpage:

"UPDATES
patterns will include all corrections up to the date of pattern purchase

7/19/07
in the set-up section, row 2 does not have a beginning bracket. row 2 should read:R2 (RS): BO2, k1, yo, sl1 k2tog psso, yo, k2, yo, k2tog, SM, [yo, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, SM], k1, repeat between brackets, k2, yo, k2tog, yo, sl1 k2tog psso, yo, k1, CO2"

beginning the bee fields shawl knitalong

This blog will be dedicated to knitting Anne Hanson's Bee Fields Shawl. If you would like to join, please send me a message at the email address in the sidebar.

accompanying photo used with the kind permission of Anne Hanson