Something new...

Thanks for all your compliments on the Swallowtail Shawl! I'm really happy with it, and I promise, even though it's a gift, to take some modeling shots with it to post with the write-up (which is waiting for those photos). As soon as the shawl was off the needles I decided I needed to knit some more lace, so I cast-on for the Hanami Stole. I've been meaning to make this since early last summer when I first discovered the pattern, and I've had the yarn since August, but I'm just now getting going. It's good timing though, as the cherry blossoms are in full bloom here in Seattle! What I'm showing you here is just over one repeat of the first chart. I had some trouble with the beaded cast-on so I just did a long-tail and then added beads every other stitch on the first row. I think it looks acceptably similar and the beaded cast-on was really just too tedious to bear. Your eyes are not deceiving you - it is a bit lighter on the right. The yarn is a semisolid with variegations from fairly deep pink to almost white, and unfortunately it's pooling a bit, but I suspect it won't be that noticeable and as the lace pattern changes it will probably sort itself out. Fingers crossed!