I’m so excited to share this with you all but it’s not quite dry. I removed all of the blocking pins so that I could share some teasers.

Handspun sample for this shawl project with glass beads and 1.00mm crochet hook.

This started out as a labour of love. I really wasn’t sure I liked it, let alone wanted to see it through to see if I would eventually like it. I wasn’t under any illusions I would actually love it.

Pattern :: Multnomah Shawl by Kate Ray

Yarn :: Hedgehog Fibres 50/50 Merino + Silk, handspun

Needles :: 4.00mm circulars

Beads :: 6.00mm glass beads, gold

While I was knitting, I didn’t want to get too excited about the pattern and yarn. I think of all my handspun projects thus far, this yarn has to be one of my favourites so my hopes for a shawl that would showcase the yarn adequately felt unattainable. But I think this shawl pattern actually accomplished that! The beads also help it to shine and add a bit of interest.

I added 5 pattern repeats because I wanted to use up as much of my yarn as I could – I have about 5 yards left!

I placed the beads on the wrong side, between each yarn over. As a result, each feather and fan repeat has 5 beads. I used this tutorial from Knit Picks, which I’ve used before but never actually finished a beaded shawl before! There’s a first for everything :)

The beads add a substantial amount of weight to the shawl so blocking was extremely easy. They also pull the yarn-overs open beautifully.

Do I love it? Not sure. I want to put it on and see how it wears. From a purely gorgeous-yarn-gorgeous-pattern-lovely-beads perspective? I love it. It reminds me of all our winters in Tofino, BC, exploring along the miles and miles of beach in stormy weather.