Finished! Only two hours before I had to be all dressed up I weaved in the last thread. Before I say anything else: I hereby declare that this was my last time EVER doing deadline-knitting. I am getting too old for this. Knitting is supposed to be fun, to be relaxing - and to be very honest this was not! I realize that the joy of knitting, for me is just as much the process of making something - as enjoying the finished object. The process of finding a project, the yarn (thank you B.! for directing me to this shrug and for suggesting the perfect yarn substitute!) - the process of looking foreward to casting on, the actual casting on and seeing how the knitted fabric turns out.... This should be done at an apropriate pace - a pace that allows the enjoyment - this is what knitting is about!

Yes. Having said all that - I also must say that I really like the finished object. (And the party was great!):

details:

yarn: Baby Silk (20 % silk, 80 % alpaca) from Du store alpakka. Aprox. 6 1/2 skeins, 50 g each.

needles: Addi turbos, circulars; 3,5 and 4 mm.

beads: Güttermann small size black glass beads. 240 beads.

pattern source: Debbie Bliss' cathay book.

The Baby Silk was a perfect substitute - it knits up to a lovely, smooth, firm but yet soft, drapey and a little bit shiney fabric. I also have some DB cathay to make me a more summery version - and believe it or not - I think I will enjoy that! - in a bit slower manner...The cathay, I believe, will be a bit more firm knitted up.

And guess what! - there are no beads in the body ribbing! If I had a whole extra week and two tons more of patience than I posess - I might have done it - but to thread on more than 1000 beads and knit them - no way!  So that leaves me with the 120 on each cuff:

The shrug (and I) also have a back:

I have problems standing still. Hence the blurr. Problems standing still with itching fingers. It's official: I'm knitting socks. (Duck and cover).