Mystery!

Apparently all it takes is a happy mystery to get me to post, even though there is this stack of pictures I took last weekend, so high it's practically toppling. (Well, it's all relative, isn't it).

This arrived in the mail today, from Interweave Press, from someone I don't think I know, and there was no note.

Just this scrumptious (less blue, more purple) skein of superwash merino in s ziploc bag.

Kind person, whoever you are, please tell me why you did this as I'd love to be able to thank you. I didn't think I'd been that good lately, or done something kind for which I should be repaid, and I'm pretty sure I didn't buy it, or even ask for it.

Last Monday, as well as I used my time off (no fireworks, lots of beading and knitting), I didn't have quite the success I like.

I saw a thing that gave me an idea of a use for cube beads that may not have been lame.

Eh. Didn't care for the 8ºs, wanted some faceted bling, and came up with this.

Kind of OK but those rondelles were a bit awkward. Perhaps faceted beads along the outside circumference, where they'd be more visible.

I guess so, but those 8ºs just don't do it for me.

Kinda-sorta better, but still not hitting the g-spot.

So I started a necklace.

The focal is this fabulous oilslick of colour over black, and it's lovely and all, but it's not speaking to me in the dulcet tones of desire, so it's languishing too. Plus I did a crappy job with the wire holding the very heavy focal.

So I made a pendant.

The rondelles are gorgeous, a sort of blue-green stoney wash over a black base, but I picked my seed beads poorly: highly contrasty seeds would have made it sing instead of snore. It's not objectionable, but it's most definitely not eye-catching. It's the sort of thing you'd wear to a party at which you really don't feel like talking to anyone there.

I did make Peg earrings to go with a necklace she bought a few months ago, so flush with my success, I attacked a plan for beaded links that could be formed into a chain.

I'd made one ages ago and thought it had seemed like a good idea at the time, and perhaps it is, so I made another (the one on the right) and even though it's serviceable and not terribly difficult, I think it might me rather irksome to have to make the next one intertwined with the previous one, as it's not a question of doing the whole thing and then in two brief steps, joining the ends so that TA-DA! they're magically linked. Rather, you make a very floppy chain, carefully join the ends, and then go around and around, adding embellishment to strengthen it, and with every stitch, your thread wraps around one of those evil fringe beads which are desperately needed because otherwise blah.

So I made a pendant.

At this point, I'm out of opinions, except I'll reiterate that I really love my new yarn.

Thanks, mystery gifter!