When my students express concern that some of the projects in my book feel intimidating, I respond by telling them that the knitting techniques I use are almost always those with which they are already familiar, requiring just two sticks and a string. It is often in what I DO with the finished pieces of knitting where the magic lives. I like to call it KNITTING MADE CLEVER. There’s an expression that says “No one wants to see the sausage made,” implying that the process is often less attractive than the finished product. But in the case of this bib-style necklace, “Meander II,” I thought it might be fun to show my fellow knitters the “innards” of this “sausage” before it became a finished necklace. The jumble of knitting you see in the “Before” photo is a VERY long, multi-color, knitted tubular strap with beads knitted in on both edges. This strap is then stitched together in a meandering switchback, like a road down a very steep mountain, with some wonderful turquoise beads stitched into some of the spaces. So you see? It’s all in the manipulation of the fabric: Knitting Made Clever! I’d love to hear what you think of it.

As a self-described “pathologically organized” left-brained person, I often joke about how much I would love to be able to come up with the occasional funky, less controlled design. Over on Craftsy.com, where I teach a class entitled Brilliant Knit Beads, I challenge students to try something new. So I decided that it was time to take my own advice. With lots of inspiration from the wonderful work my students are doing, I’ve taken a step in that direction with this new one-of-a-kind necklace called Andromeda. You can call this necklace a lot of things, but “controlled” would not likely top the list. It was so much fun to make, is SO much fun to wear and makes me laugh. I’m going to post this picture over on Craftsy as well. Let me know what you think! :-)

Wow, did my life change when I signed on to write Betsy Beads! And it has changed even more since the book was released in March. Rare are those leisurely days in my studio when I have lots of time and creative “head space” to play with my fabulous stash of beads, yarn and findings. More often I spend much of my time responding to email from friendly knitters, from kind folks inquiring about my traveling to teach or I’m actually preparing to teach somewhere around the country. Please know that I am NOT complaining. I know just how fortunate I am. But I also have a huge backlog of enticing ideas for pieces that are just aching to be realized. I often describe my knitter’s brain as feeling like an airport runway, with lines of planes (ideas) waiting to take off. So I am happy to report that one of those “planes” has achieved lift off. I had to work on it in fits and starts, grabbing bits of time where I could. I find the design interestingly reflective of how I am able to work these days. It is comprised of little fits and starts – individual, knit-wrapped beads embellished with wandering metallic thread. These, in turn, are connected by a meandering, tightly bead-knit pathway. If you’d like to zoom in on the details of this piece, you can also view it in the One-of-a-Kind Necklace Gallery. As always, happy to hear your impressions.