A new beading project

I belong to a local bead group.

For the February meeting, there is a Mardi Gras beading challenge.

The meeting is next Sunday.

Originally I had planned to use a full size mask and entirely cover it with beads, but I just didn't get to it.

Yesterday the idea to do this came to me.

The plan is to use a finding I have that will make this wearable either as a pin or a necklace.

I'm using size 15 seed beads in just 3 colors -- green, gold and purple --- the colors of Mardi Gras, and I'll use a piece of leather in one of those colors for the back (I don't know which yet, 'cuz I haven't been in the box of leather yet to check it out, but I know I'll have at least one of them!).

Actually this is probably a better project than the original one was -- I could put this on my table at a show and possibly sell it, and because all of the materials came from that supplier that is hosting a design contest, I can enter it there to --- hey, that's THREE birds with one stone -- gotta love that

Meantime, the striped knitting has been set aside until a substitute tool arrives.

Let me explain.

The size 3 needles I have are LONG -- about 16 inches maybe -- which is a good thing and a bad thing

It's a good thing because they are actually long enough for when I get, oh, 80 stitches on there

It's a bad thing because I do most of my knitting sitting in my recliner, and it's almost impossible to manuver those long needles in the recliner without putting my shoulder at in very odd position and causing some pain -- and having spent most of the month of December dealing with a lot of shoulder pain, I don't want to go there again

So yesterday I called my sister --- my usual source of knitting rescue --- and ask her if she might have a size 3 circular needle that I could borrow for the duration of this project --- and she does, and she's going to mail it to me --- OH JOY!!!

Ok, so now I have a slot in my knitting rotation to figure out the pattern requirements for another Christmas project --- since this one is a "wearable", guage really does matter -- as does having enough of the same color yarn -- so I really do need to figure this out BEFORE I order the yarn. Oh yeah, and I'll be "blending" 2 or 3 different patterns (a pattern is just a suggestion after all), I need to do some extra calculating. It's just part of the process!!

Time to get to it!!