women of a certain age are like sunflowers; they know how to turn their faces to the sun.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

May Day

CROCUS POCUS

Size:
54" wide by 25" long
Materials: 437 yds. lHandmaiden Sea Silk, Mini Maiden, or other light fingering yarn - main color (Dandelion)
20 yds. contrast color (Periwinkle)
Size 5 (US) needles
2750 8/0 seed beads (Miyuke #1827)
74 Czech pressed glass bellflower beads (tanzanite and citrine)
Skill level: Intermediate - crochet hook beading and chart reading
Gauge: 5.5 st. = 1 inch

Could there be a better day to kick off the Garden Variety Collection than May Day?

I don't think so...

CROCUS POCUS HAS ARRIVED!

When I was young I would laboriously endeavor to render my very best May basket out of construction paper, crayons and scotch tape, then wander through our yard, plucking a tulip here, a daffodil there, some branches from our lilac bush, and a few dandelions just to be cheeky.

I would hang my homemade largess on the nearest doorknob, ring the bell and run. My mom always played along, poking her head out of the front hall with a theatrically bewildered look on her mug, declaiming loudly,

"Oh my goodness! SOMEONE left me a beautiful May basket. I WONDER who it could be?"

Mom was a good sport.

The crocus are in full bloom today, if not outside in my yard, then along the pathways of my imagination and the byways of the blogosphere.

What a great way to kick off a new month and the beginning of the blooming season!

All the info is on my sidebar; I got the seed beads from Foxden and the flower beads from a local source. I have found the flower beads many places on the web. Google "Czech glass bell flower beads and you should get lots of options.

Here are a few I found:

Embellishments
Fusion Beads
Fire Mountain

And while you're at it, give Knitty Noddy's sea silk and mini maiden a gander. I tell you, this stuff is too addicting to be legal!


And if crocus are here, you know what that means.

Can Iris be far behind?

11 comments:

Megan said...

Yeah for crocus pocus, I'm off to order the kit now. I've never used that type of yarn before so I look forward to trying something new. As for Iris holy cow wow! I love the pattern, the yarn, and the beads. I think I'm going to drool on my keyboard.

Judith said...

hi Susan! Crocus Pocus looks very pretty - I think!! Lovely colors but I can't tell what the lace looks like - so much variegation in the yarn is hiding the pattern. Semi-solid swatches (like Iris - gorgeous! can see the lace pattern!!) would be really helpful in deciding weather or not to get the kit.

Donna Lee said...

I am waiting for Miss Iris. I am in love (lust) with those colors. I think I could even learn to love beads.

Ronni said...

Iris looks gorgeous! I'm looking forward to seeing more of her soon. In the meantime, Crocus Pocus is about to leap into my shopping basket.

La Cabeza Grande said...

These are most definitely not your 'garden variety' shawls and wraps! Simply gawjeus, I must say. I'm particularly drawn to the colors and patterns in Crocus Pocus. What's a twin to do?

Knit and fall back in it said...

Those are all so pretty. I wish I could knit lace. maybe someday.

Alyssa said...

Beautiful! Both of them. I'm jealous. The color of the last one is amazing

Tina - omme i London said...

WOW - that's beautiful! Ehmmm... both of them LOL

Kristina B said...

What a stunning colourway on the second project...

wow.

And - those who haven't yet tried Mini Maiden: beware. Very hard to go back to anything else after the Handmaiden has you in her clutches. Consider yourselves warned. ;)

Ann said...

Love Iris - both the pattern & the gorgeous colors!

Anonymous said...

Amazing and beautiful work, Susan. So beautiful. Love that diva pose, too!