What's the Buzz Wrap

I have visited our local art museum, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (Mia) since I was a child. One of my favorite events is Art in Bloom. Each year, hundreds of florists choose their favorite works of art & create matching floral arrangements. One of my favorite paintings is Tempest in Yellow by Dorothea Tanning because all the yellow feels so springy. In 2017, a florist used a vase with hexagonal texture that captured the movement & fractured look of painting. Little did I know that neat vase had a more significant meaning. A volunteer overheard me oohing over the design and told me it also represented the beehives on Mia’s rooftop! Even cooler, not only does Mia sell the honey harvested from the hives, the bees help keep the local area healthy & increase the overall bee population.

My What’s the Buzz wrap is a visual thank you to all the people working tirelessly to save the world’s bee population. The color palette and textured stitches represent the fall and serve as a reminder: we may not always notice or appreciate bees, but they play a huge role in pollinating our food crops and help keep our ecosystems healthy.

Stitches & colorways used:

• Quatrefoil (flowers): Autumn Rainbow
• Honeycomb: Pollen
• Lacy leaves: Golden Delicious
• 2 color linen (represents pollen): Pollen & Dancing Queen
• Beehive: Tree Bark

I have adjusted the pattern to include more repeats for the 2 color linen section so the wrap will be larger than the original size of 83" x 23"/211 cm x 58 cm. Size may also vary based on needle size, yarn and blocking method.

• Lace (k2tog, ssk, yo)
• Cables (1/2 LPC & 1/2RPC)
• 1 to 5 increase: (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1) in one stitch
• 5 to 1 decrease: slip 4 sts purlwise, p1, slip 4 sts over one at a time
• Slipping stitches/mosaic knitting

• US 6/4 mm needle, 20"/50 cm cable, or size to obtain gauge (can also be knit on a 24"/61 cm cable)
• US 6/4 mm cable needle or DPN (or size needed to obtain gauge)
• 4 ring stitch markers
• Darning needle
• Locking stitch markers (optional)
• Waste yarn for lifelines (optional)

GENERAL INFO

• Please do not alter the project or use a different yarn weight without getting my permission
• You are allowed to bring the pattern in to your LYS if you need help.
• Try to stick to the deadline as best you can. I know things are crazy right now, so please let me know ASAP if you have any issues. I'd love to discuss a solution with you instead of having you immediately drop out of the test.
• Must block finished project
• Complete survey/feedback by specified date
• Check email & YarnPond regularly for updates
• Email me with any questions or concerns (rasmusknits@gmail.com)

YARN INFO

• Must use a sport weight yarn. Any brand, fiber & price range is okay, but I would suggest using a wool blend for best results.
• Notify me of  the yarn you're planning to use before starting
• Lorajean of Knitted Wit is offering a discount code to testers. If you'd like to purchase from her, please send her a PM on Instagram for more info.
• Must use a shade of yellow/gold/orange for honeycomb and linen section & a shade of green for leaves section.

RAVELRY INFO

• Must create a Ravelry project page & link to pattern (see tester code listed below)
• Must post finished project on Ravelry with photos & all useful info (yarn used, final yarn amount, needle size, finished project size, test notes etc)

PHOTOS

• Must provide at least 3 photos of finished wrap that may be shared on my social media or Ravelry pattern page when released (full project, close ups, being worn, etc)
• Photos need to have clean backgrounds & good lighting
• You do not have to be in the photo, but if you use a family member or friend, make sure you have their permission. Taking photos without your face being visible is okay too.
• Please don't submit photos of the wrap on a pet as one of your 3 photos.
• You may post teaser photos of the project on your social media profiles. If you are on Instagram, please tag me @rasmusknits & use the hashtags #whatsthebuzzwrap #rasmusknits

As a thank you for testing, you'll get a free copy of the updated pattern & the wrap is yours to keep. You will also be added to a list to be notified of other tests before anyone else.

The designer has created the following milestones, in order to keep track of progress during the test knit. By marking off each milestone as you complete it, you can easily keep the designer up to date with your progress.