Versatility

Versatility
Originally uploaded by Project Pictures

I made good progress on Versatility. It helps that I'm using 10.5 needles and bulky yarn (some say aran, some say bulky--but my gauge is on track and that's good enough). The Manos del Uruguay yarn is gorgeous, and has the bonus of having been purchased on sale. I was on a felted hat kick for a while and thought I'd keep going, but fell off that wagon for a while and this yarn languished in the stash.

Now it has new life, but I have to tell you the bobbles are just not working for me. I don't like knitting them (even though I've taught myself how to purl backwards so I don't need to turn my work as I go). I don't really like how they look on the project in person, although I do like them in the finished project pictures. I've decided on a mod and today I frogged back to the row just before the bobbles.

Instead of bobbles, my project will have beads where the bobbles should have been. I hit up three stores hoping to find some glass pony-beads. I have plastic ones that are lovely, but they're.. well.. they're plastic. They have that little ridge from being molded and despite being pretty in color, they aren't nice to touch and I want good "feel" to go along with this yarn. I have one (just one) glass pony bead and I have no idea where it came from but today I set out to find more in the hopes they would complete this project.

First up on the docket this afternoon was Azillion Beads. I love the name and they do have very pretty beads, but they are all bored to accept jewelry wire and not much else. Next up was Ben Franklin Crafts. BF has been good to me. They have nice sales and a shockingly nice yarn department. They also have an extensive bead area, but again nothing much but jewelry beads (but wow, what a selection of those!). I did find some clear beads very similar to pony beads, but they just didn't speak to me.

Last on the list was Michael's. Michael's has recently moved across town (and actually into the neighboring town) into a much bigger and newer store. It's nice to walk in to lots of space and light. Some have complained that with that increase space and light there should be more YARN. And actually more of anything other than scrap-booking supplies. Still, there's quite a nice craft selection and yes.. pony beads. The same plastic ones I already had. So sad. I wandered the aisles in desolation, cheering on my two children who had behaved like the troopers they are, toddling along with crazy mommy looking for beads.

Versatility Beads
Originally uploaded by Project Pictures

But there, on the end-cap, something sparkled. What was this?? Pretty and... was the hole big enough? My goodness! I'd found the perfect bead. It was much like a pony bead, and yet nothing like it. They are metal and have good heft, a pretty design, and nice touchable smooth edges. Seventeen in a pack.. five packs available for (calculating in my head 20-rounded-up-from-17 times 5 packages is 100 minus 3-the-difference-between-20-and-17 times 5 packages is 15) a total of 85 beads. But didn't the designer say there were 106 bobbles in the pattern? Surely that can't be right.

I bought them all anyway and came home to count up on the chart. She surely did say 106 bobbles in a conversation, but I count (drum-roll please!) 84 total!!

So tonight, I will be putting in a row of these beads and hoping they will be as pretty in the project as I think they might be. Cross your fingers with me!