It's Still Cold Here. Too Cold

The new job? Still boring. I really wouldn't mind if I actually had something to do.

So last week or the week before, I was wildly making these things with the Czech faceted rondelles and then I saw some stone rondelles that were almost the same size and wondered how well those would work.

Not so well really. However, they make nifty dodecahedrons. Dodecahedra? (My spell-check doesn't think so, but I think I prefer the latter pluralization).

I think a herringbone chain should fit through the holes.

Almost five years ago I went on what I hope will be the only trip of its kind: a Caribbean cruise on one of the big cruise lines. I liked being at sea well enough, but I thought the stops were a complete waste of time mostly, though I did like it when I could find a beach and hang, rather than be surrounded by tour groups. I think those Caribbean ports that cater to the cruise lines (some of them expect to accommodate up to eight cruise ships, each holding some few thousands of tourists, at one time. Ick) are all that is bad and wrong about travel, but that's another rant.

Anyway, at one of the stops (somewhere in Mexico, I think. It was unremarkable and distinguished by nothing except its shops. No local flavour to speak of), I picked up some jewellery. One of the pairs of earrings I wear often, the other not so often as they hurt my ears, and I've never worn the pendant.

Which really is a shame, as it might even be real amber. So I made a necklace for it.

And even though all my knitting time over the past week has been on my mitred squares skirt (for which I have no photographic proof, but it's true, I swear), at the request of my oldest, I took a few hours off to make her a merino hat.

She loves it.

It also looks way better on her than on me. Just as well, I suppose.

Hats tend not to be on my list of Things I'm Dying To Knit And Of Which I Can Never Have Too Many, but I have to say, for instant gratification projects they can't be beat. I wish I liked wearing hats. Let me rephrase that: I wish I looked better in hats.

My son won't let me make one for him, so I guess the above was my one shot at Hat Joy. Perhaps I could make one for her boyfriend...

And for LaMata, because I said I would, here's another pattern (and there will be more. I just have to start somewhere):

Anemone Spiral Pattern: $10 for PDF emailed to you

Materials

Size 11 seed beads (optional, 3 colours)

Japanese fringe beads

4x6mm drop beads

Clasp

Your favourite beading thread

Your favourite beading needle

It's embellish-as-you-go tubular netting which works up surprisingly quickly, perhaps because the pattern changes every ten rounds or so, which always makes things more interesting to me. There's something about completing one section and moving on to another that pleases me, related to why I know I will never knit another scarf ever in my life (I have only made one. It was a very unpleasant experience), nor shawl (ditto. Just the one) and most certainly never an afghan. That would surely be torture.

Anyway.

The pattern.

Fun, not too hard, quite a bit of counting (or otherwise keeping track of where you are), very fondle-able.

I have used Czech seeds because (a) I have so many and (b) I like them for this kind of beadwork. I think they work well in a more organic, tactile design like this one, and as they're a bit smaller than Japanese seeds, the project is just that little bit more delicate too. Feel free to use Japanese if you prefer, but I strongly recommend that you do not use cylinder beads. I think they look vile in this type of netting, but that's just my opinion.