I am so pleased!
Each month we present new colorways for the wonderful Galatea Lariat Necklace designed by Siva.
Kelly and Laura (of The Unique Sheep) are working with me -- they dye some stunning mini-skeins in 100% silk Marici fingering weight yarn. These are totally one-of-a-kind -- impulses of the moment by these amazing color artistes.
*****
Here is data about the pattern. Sivia has named this necklace Galatea. Here is how she describes it:
Galatea is a Greek name meaning “she who is milk white”. This neckpiece reflects that ideal in its simplicity and purity of form.
"Galatea is a graceful lariat neckpiece that flatters all body types and is easy and fun to knit.
"The center fringe beads can be anything you fancy… lampwork, ceramic, even semi precious stones. The spiral beaded cord design is a simple variation of I-cord. Beads are added by two methods: the fringe beads are strung onto the yarn and the decorative cord features crochet hooked beads.
"Bead requirements: about 220 size 6/0 seed beads; bigger beads such as lampwork, Czech fire-polished faceted rounds, or hand blown glass beads for center fringe.
"The cord requires a fingering weight yarn, and I recommend a silk, bamboo, or tencel blend yarn for softness and drape."
What we offer here are kits. Each kit will contain a tiny skein of yarn specially dyed by Kelly, each about 35 yards. Marici Fingering has amazing shine and luster. Some are a solid color; a few come dyed as variegated ones.
You will find on the drop-down menu your color choices, listed by the name of the yarn. Here is what we have put together for this month, in the order they are pictured to the right:
1.Blue in Marici. With it we played with a pearl look -- 12mm Light Blue crystal "Pearls" plus for the 6/0 beads either Aqua Lined White Pearl or Sky Blue Ceylon. They blend beautifully together.
2. Purple tone-on-tone yarn is an almost-solid with some variations of depth of hue and subtle shifts between red-violet and purple. With it we put 6/0s beads in amethyst lined crystal AB and 10mm Amethyst/Jonquil/Sapphire Chiseled Firepolish Crystals -- a wonderfully glowing melding of colors. If you click on the photo to the side here of the purples, you'll see the crystals in close-up.
3. Sunrise describes the Marici yarn with hues of turquoise and magenta and blue and purple -- stunning! We are keeping the 6/0s beads a simple Silver Lined Crystal AB to "go" with the amazing 6x9mm Firepolish Gemstone Donuts in Silver and Turquoise (named Bermuda Blue Gemstone by the importer). Click on the photo to the right for more detail. Wow.
4. Gold in Marici is a wonderful look. We added special 6/0 beads in duracoat galvanized finish-- a wonderfully metallic gold looking bead that will keep its finish and remain looking like a golden bauble. With it we put larger Mood beads. They vary in colors depending on the ambient heat -- they will change as you wear them and as the day's temperature changes. I have noticed that at room temperature they are mostly golds and browns but add a bit of heat and the pinks and greens and purples make their appearances (and as you wear them, your body heat will warm them). Click on the picture to see more of a close-up.
5. Mauve describes the berry-like Marici. The 6/0 beads are a delicate Antique Rose Lined Crystal AB and the special beads are Tensha beads from Japan. Each bead has a lovely flower drawn on it. It is done in a Japanese style of decoupage, in which detailed decals are applied to a base bead and given foil accents. Very special indeed.
6. Autumn is a wonderful mix of fall colors, with goldenrod and orange and green -- lovely! We have some special Mushroom Drops in an olive luster that look marvelous and enhance the look plus Gold Lined Peridot as the 6/0 beads.
Each kit will contain the pattern, one skein-ette of Marici Fingering, roughly 20 grams of 6/0 beads ( that is approximately 240 beads; a 24" cord requires only 220), and between four and eight of the larger special beads, depending on the size -- all as described above.
Don't forget to set the drop-down menu to your kit choice. The kits are listed by their yarn color.
The photo to the upper right shows them all as well as the original one that Sivia did.
You will need one of the very thin crochet hooks to add the 6/0 beads to the i-cord. Those we carry -- let me know if you have any trouble finding them. Sivia recommends size 3 (3.25 mm) double-pointed needles -- those are not part of the kit -- or size to get a gauge of approximately 32 sts and 24 Rounds = 4"/10 cm in the Spiral Beaded I-cord Pattern.
What a fun project!
Yarn 
