Must stop experimenting…
I didn’t realise how much of a short attention span I must have, there’s me, complaining about my boys and their severely short attention spans and it turns out they must take after me. This keeping a blog thing has made me realise that I’m great at getting ideas, often turning them into reality (either by mistake or design) but what I am incapable of doing is following them through with further progression - its always onto the next idea.
So no more! I have ‘experimented’ with my last new idea, I am only going to explore ideas I have already set in motion, like this one I started yesterday…
Its made from scraps of Amy Butler fabric I’ve had for a while, a bit of an old dress, an old shirt and a favourite but broken necklace, and of course a bit of crochet, a double shell trim that I extended to fit the flap.
I boxed the corners and lined it with interlining to give it some stiffness so it retains its shape. I’m now envisaging a whole range of them, all the same shape but with different fabrics and crochet bits SO I’M NOT GOING TO LOOK IN OR WRITE IN MY IDEAS BOOK. I’m going to work on this for a while, and my curtain ring jewellery, I think that can go a lot further too.
So it is written down I am only going to work on those two ideas, although its half term next week so If I manage to do anything it will be a miracle!
On a last note, the latest issue of that fab magazine Beads and Beyond has a tutorial for my Miyuki earrings. Those flowers are what I made that evening necklace and my beautiful green bracelet from as well - ooh - another idea I need to pursue…
Clicking and clicking
With hooks and mouse! First off today a bit of experimenting - with cassette tape, (an old Prodigy one from my long distant carefree youth…) I’ve had this idea to make oversized chains for a while but hadn’t come up with what material to use. While doing a bit of cleaning (we’ve got visitors coming) I saw a plant pot cover I’d crocheted in video tape a while ago, it was going to be a bag but it was too noisy - but perfect as a glamerous pot cover! One thing lead to another and they need a bit of fine tuning, but what do you think? And do you think The Prodigy would approve?
Next up, I’m going out! I know, can you hear the fanfare too? Anyhow, I got this gorgeous dress in the sales, bright emerald green, quite 50’s in style. I thought perfect occasion to wear my new glamerous necklace I made, the one with the wire flowers… but it doesn’t go.
So I made a bracelet that does!
Finally, I’ve also been spending, but not too much, honest! Thanks to the Craft Neutral Challange I’ve only bought some jump rings this year, eveything I’ve made has been from my stash, and that includes several necklaces, bracelets, earrings, scarflettes and gloves! And after all, we have to support the wonderful craftspeople we have!
So, after browsing through researching some of my favourites shops on Folksy I saw these gorgeous brooches by the amazing artist Amy McCarthy
They are recyled beer bottle tops filled with various found objects like shells, bits of old jewellery, shards of glass and set in resin. I think this one is my favourite
or maybe this one
Check out Amys other fabulous glass products in her folksy shop!
My stunning new necklace!
You know when the planets aline, the sun is shining, the boys actually listen (okay, scrap that last bit) but when everything works out exactly as you imagined it but better…
Okay, so no one has a green neck but it was the best thing I could display it on, and It doesn’t work so well on the clear vase.
I crocheted 8 flowers in wire, using 2 beads for each stitch on the petals and used the tail ends to stitch them together. It is so light and soft and molds to your neck shape perfectly. I love it - can you tell!
Romantic Bracelet
14th January 2010
Ta-daa!
My latest tutorial - Vintage Lace, a bracelet worked in wire with freshwater pearls, and on the front cover too! (If you squint!) I love this bracelet, it looks complicated but like all good things, is actually quite simple.
So if you fancy a go get the latest Beads and Beyond Magazine, and if you do, let me know, i’d love to see how you get on!
Log Cabin Crochet (and a pie)
11th January 2010
You know when your doing something, then you get an idea you just have to try right away?
I was having a productive day, working on my next submission for Beads and Beyond magazine and it was going well, then I ran out of thread for the last bit. Can I get any more - can I ******. Admitidly it was old, but for heavens sake, why do maderia have to regually change their codes and colours? So I got out my wool to just wollow in the beauty of the colours (everyone does that, don’t they?).
As I was making the pie for tea, filling was left over coq au vin from last night (makes the best pie, really rich and tasty) I started mentally putting together colours, then using the edge of the rolling pin to nudge them in groups, then I washed my hands and the pie got a bit side tracked.
But how exciting is that little bit of crochet!!
A bit of freeform crochet
31st December 09
Just a brief one today, I wanted to show you what I had a go of yesterday. My wonderful mum and dad got me a brilliant book ‘Freeform Crochet and beyond’ by Renate Kirkpatrick, as well as some new hooks and wool, but more about those later.
I finally got to play a bit yesterday. The pictures are really good, Istruggled a bit with the explainations though thats probably due to my left handedness - but there are some great idea’s and starting points. It’s certainly stimulated lots more ideas for me.
Anyway I had to have a little go
Crochet wings (lazy j stitch)
Bullion Knots
Spiral surface with loops
My sample square. I worked another lazy j stitch but carried on to make a flower and attached them all to a simple treble background. I love the raised sections of the lazy j stitch, though I think I ‘ve worked them ‘differently’ and the spiral without the embellishment is gorgeous, but the simple addition of the frill is a great idea. I have loads more I want to try - but the raised sections have certainly got me excited!
Upcycling
26th November 09
Mad busy at the minute with replenishing depleating scarf stocks (which is great news, but not for my fingers) and trying to finish my entry into Folksy Upcycle Christmas Competition.
Its a great idea, take something from a charity shop and upcycle it! There are some great judges, Wayne Hemingway MBE and India Knight among others so i’m very excited! You can see other entries on Folksy - and here is a little taster of what i’m creating….
What do you think?
What to do next?
24th September 09
Obviously, not with life in general, that’s an entirely different blog, if I rambled on about that question I’d be here for ever…
I mean I’m being super efficient and have finished several things off and have nothing in particular lined up for next week - scary and exciting! Right, bragging first, here is my wonderful scarf
isn’t it gorgeous! Its soft to touch, vibrant to look at.
And I finally took a picture of a jumper I was working on from ‘Inside Crochet’ magazine. I don’t know which aspect I love most, that it fits, I like it, it cost £6, the sleeves, it fits (did I say that already?)
Well, tomorrow I’m busy at school, but unbelievably, yes, really, I’m going out - at night! So I’m going to make a pair of earrings, strangely I don’t possess any black ones, but after that, oh, and I finished and posted my button jewellery swap, so I’ll post some pictures when I know Gemma’s received it. I also posted my 6″ squares for the CrafterooStitch It project I’m doing. Its a fab idea, we, that’s the royal we, (I’m too far away) are creating a sort of blanket, to be used as a back drop at craft fairs. Each person works 2 squares in any practical medium, 1 with their name, the other decorative. What do you think?
So, back to the ‘big’ question. If I’m being practical, which isn’t a word often associated with me, I’d remember that I have a few partially started projects. If I’m being honest, I’d say I want to work on the idea I got at the beach the other day from those mussel shells.
Procrastinate - vacillate, shilly-shally, me.
Busy, busy, busy!
17th September
I am rubbish at this blog keeping aren’t I, could you imagine if I kept a diary? The diary itself would be a beautifully handbound book with lots of inviting crisp white pages, I would sully it with enthusiasum on the 1st of January, probably with a list of what I intended to document, and it would go downhill from there…
However, I do have valid excuses, the boys are back at school so its getting into the routine of clubs, I only got the time of 2 of them wrong, 1 by an hour, the other by a day! And I have just finished a hugely exciting, though for the time being very secret, project that if it comes off will be FANTASTIC!
The other project that has been keeping me busy is also secret, though for a different reason! I’ve signed up for another swap over on incy wincy stitches blog
and I am very excited! Ive been partnered with Gemma from jimjam sandwich and her stuff is beautiful! I love her use of fabrics and delicate embroidery, look at these
and she has a 15% discount in her folksy shop for National Cupcake week, I’ve got my eye on that blue one!
I’ve had great fun making Gemma’s jewellery, her favourite colours are teal and cerise, and i’m really pleased with what i’ve done. Its an idea i’ve had trundling through my head for a while, and I think i’ll do some for my shop, but I can’t post any pics, it’ll spoil the supprise!
A world without computers - part 2
31st August 2009
We are back from our wonderful holiday in France, where we discovered secluded coves and snorkeled over oyster beds, explored old romantic ruinous castles, sailed on the salt marshes, ate mussels by the sea and drank wine by the bottle! It was wonderful, and if my camera hadn’t colluded with the computer to delete all, yes all our photos, I could have shared them with you…
But, onwards and upwards, we have our memories! I got a lot of crocheting done, I completed the cushion I was making out of the squares I received from the Granny Swap, all have been sent and received so I can show some pictures of what I set and luckily the ladies liked them!
I can’t show you the pictures of the ones I received unworked, as the camera (not me obviously!) lost them. But off Ali as I mentioned in my last post, I got the gorgeous blue and cream squares, along with a beautiful button that i’ve made into a necklace, I’ll post a picture another time, and some delicious chocolate. The other squares in the perfect blue, green and orange colours (I swear Marie must have been through my things as the colours are what I would have chosen) were off Marie, along with a fantastic parcel of matching corsage, mini bag containing tea and chocolate and an already utilised notebook. As you can see the squares went beautifully together and I didn’t want to spoil them when I joined them. So after much thought, I crocheted some miniature granny squares to join them. I think it really works, I hope the original creators do!
It goes perfect on my favourite chair! (If you click on the images it will make them bigger).
A detail, showing how I joined them.
Before this post becomes a ramble, and before the boys really do break something upstairs i’ll sign off, but i’ll be back with more pictures and ideas in a few days, when serenity rules again, and the boys are back at school.
