Just a few of the pendants I've been working on for an upcoming craft show at the end of the month. Currently listed for sale on my website (until the day of the show)!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
And The Cobbler's Children Had No Shoes
I started the project pictured about a week ago. It called for 18 stitch markers. Now, in my lifetime, I have probably made at least 500 stitch markers, in two different styles, and infinite colors, which I usually sell in sets of 6. I sold a ton of these before I was ever even a knitter! I did not want to pull any out of my inventory, and I wanted to start this project NOW! So I grabbed my new box of pretty paperclips my husband gave me at Christmas (before you worry about HIM, you have to know that I was thrilled with these!) and started slipping them onto the needles. They marked my place, so they served the purpose, right?
Wrong! First of all, I got some serious laddering at each marker. For those non-knitting readers, laddering is when you get a space between the knitting stitches that shows the yarn between them like the rungs of a ladder. The ladders were caused by the fact that the paperclips are so large and cumbersome, and the yarn is very thin. In this case, I was thinking I would live with it, because the pattern called for me to drop those stitches anyway, so it would not show in the end product.
But then yesterday my friend Karen mentioned that she and her mom had gotten a chuckle out of the fact that I was using paperclips. Then I got a message from my knittting mentor, who also happens to be one of the owners of The Shops at Fabian House, where a nice assortment of my stitch markers are available for sale. I guess I was hoping she would not notice and I would just not take that project to the shop. Well, um, she noticed alright!
So this afternoon after I finished making some jewelry to fill orders, I made myself this large set of stitch markers. They are on sterling silver wire, and I made 8 each of three different shades of blue, which are also different shapes and sizes.
Wrong! First of all, I got some serious laddering at each marker. For those non-knitting readers, laddering is when you get a space between the knitting stitches that shows the yarn between them like the rungs of a ladder. The ladders were caused by the fact that the paperclips are so large and cumbersome, and the yarn is very thin. In this case, I was thinking I would live with it, because the pattern called for me to drop those stitches anyway, so it would not show in the end product.
But then yesterday my friend Karen mentioned that she and her mom had gotten a chuckle out of the fact that I was using paperclips. Then I got a message from my knittting mentor, who also happens to be one of the owners of The Shops at Fabian House, where a nice assortment of my stitch markers are available for sale. I guess I was hoping she would not notice and I would just not take that project to the shop. Well, um, she noticed alright!
So this afternoon after I finished making some jewelry to fill orders, I made myself this large set of stitch markers. They are on sterling silver wire, and I made 8 each of three different shades of blue, which are also different shapes and sizes.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The Good Stuff
Tara has lately been on a use what you have kick, and I have to agree with her that it is a great idea. For some time, I have been collecting supplies for techniques or materials I want to try, and then either getting in a rut where I just do what I have always done, or being afraid to touch said new materials, wanting to save them for something "special".
I decided I need to get over that, to not let materials or techniques intimidate me any more. To that end, this morning I woke up and frogged (ripped out for the non-knitters) 2 feet of scarf that I was knitting too tight and started in on a scarf on huge needles, which will incorporate my very first cables! I have been avoiding patterns with cables, thinking they were too hard for me because I have not been knitting very long, but you know what? They are easy!
I am going to work on some pillows this afternoon, incorporating little experimental pieces I was saving like they were 6 inch squares of gold and fabric combinations I keep thinking about, but never get the nerve to cut into. I have had a box of pillow forms in the corner of my bedroom (oops, I mean "sewing room") because I was determined to make pillows, but intimidated by them at the same time. (Why? Didn't every middle school girl of the 70s make some kind of pillow as her first project in home ec? I had made myself whole outfits by that point, but I still had to make that pillow!)
I invite you, readers, to use what you have, even the "good stuff". What are we saving it for, anyway?
I decided I need to get over that, to not let materials or techniques intimidate me any more. To that end, this morning I woke up and frogged (ripped out for the non-knitters) 2 feet of scarf that I was knitting too tight and started in on a scarf on huge needles, which will incorporate my very first cables! I have been avoiding patterns with cables, thinking they were too hard for me because I have not been knitting very long, but you know what? They are easy!
I am going to work on some pillows this afternoon, incorporating little experimental pieces I was saving like they were 6 inch squares of gold and fabric combinations I keep thinking about, but never get the nerve to cut into. I have had a box of pillow forms in the corner of my bedroom (oops, I mean "sewing room") because I was determined to make pillows, but intimidated by them at the same time. (Why? Didn't every middle school girl of the 70s make some kind of pillow as her first project in home ec? I had made myself whole outfits by that point, but I still had to make that pillow!)
I invite you, readers, to use what you have, even the "good stuff". What are we saving it for, anyway?
Monday, February 1, 2010
New jewelry listed to my shops!
Just added to my Etsy shop and website.
Some cute polymer clay sea inspired pendant and earring sets
I've hand marbled aqua and white polymer clay and made it beachy with impressions of real starfish, seahorses and seashells. Accented with gold craft paint and 14k gf bail, beads and ear wires.
And another "use what I've got" challenge-
Made with more of my favorites- turquoise and Hill Tribe fine silver beads, including the adorable fish pendant. Adjustable from 20-22 inches.
Some cute polymer clay sea inspired pendant and earring sets
I've hand marbled aqua and white polymer clay and made it beachy with impressions of real starfish, seahorses and seashells. Accented with gold craft paint and 14k gf bail, beads and ear wires.
And another "use what I've got" challenge-
Made with more of my favorites- turquoise and Hill Tribe fine silver beads, including the adorable fish pendant. Adjustable from 20-22 inches.
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