just a quickie post!
Since I'm planning on closing up my shop to take a (MUCH NEEDED) mental health break, I would love to just sell everything in my shop before I go. So everything is marked down 20%, balms, jewelry, clearance, pendulums, everything! Free shipping deal still stands too! Visit My Shop for full details.
Thank you!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
how I came to be so stringy
That's stRingy, not stin-jee!
I can remember being very very young (between 6 and 8) and seeing a little booklet at Woolworth's drug store. It had these pretty pictures on the cover and inside were instructions for crocheting and tatting and possibly some other technique too, but it was those 2 that really caught my eye. It cost perhaps 75 or 85 cents. My mom bought the booklet for me, no doubt after much pestering on my part, but no thread, hook, or shuttles. I studied and read and re-read that book, determined to somehow figure out these mysterious words and create something as pretty as what was on the cover.
We didn't know anyone who did any needlework of this type, so I didn't know anyone I could ask, and without materials of any kind, I couldn't have made it if I had figured it all out.
So the book was put away, lost, etc...
Flash forward to 1994 and I find at the library a book by Lacis about beaded purses. Bead CROCHET purses. My mind is set afire again and my fingers start to itch. I had taught myself to knit the year before, but I found it fatiguing after a few rows.
I found a book that had lefty instructions for crocheting and went to it. THIS WAS EASY!* I taught myself to crochet using #5 pearl cotton, a 2.25MM hook, and added beads immediately, size 11 seedbeads at first, later I graduated to yummy sparkly Delicas which are still my beads of choice. Everything was pretty straightforward at first, beads evenly worked into a crocheted background. I liked seeing the color of the thread along with the beads, gave some contrast to increase the sparkle factor.
The past few years I've seen an article or 2 about needle tatting and was intrigued, but never quite got around to learning. I was busy with getting my jewelry business off the ground. Back in May I fell and hurt my right foot and really couldn't walk or do much of anything, so of course I was seized with a mania to learn needle tatting after finding TotusMel's video.
I literally was at Hobby Lobby about an hour after I saw the video, I hobbled (because I still couldn't walk well) to the thread aisle and found the needles. I also saw this as a good excuse to pick up a few more skeins of that lovely pseudo-handdyed DMC pearl cotton too.
I got home, put my aching foot up, and set to it. The first motif sorta sucked, but I understood how it worked and was doing it! I'm getting better at it too yay! The vintage thread haul, comprised of mostly size 70 tatting thread, scared the crap outta me at first (I really was thinking it was size 10, like Cebelia size 10 tee hee) but I've now tried the bitty threads and survived.
Exhibit A. I think it will end up a bookmark. I do love split rings for some reason. I need to get a proper learn to tat book because I still cannot read a pattern, I'm better at looking at a finished object and figuring it out that way. And I want to graduate to doilies!
Of course I'm crocheting, here's my latest edging pattern. It's from Piecework magazine, they've had some awesome crochet articles lately! I entered the first Crochet Challenge they had back in May, I'm listed in the latest issue as a contributor and I'm quoted in the accompanying article, so I can die happy!
My love of Piecework is its' own post someday though. And so I continue crocheting tiny lacy mostly useless things to this day, I'll never tire of making pretty things.
* My grandmother on my mother's side does crochet, but I didn't have much contact with her as a child, since it was so easy for me to learn perhaps my ability is genetic. It seems to skip a generation because though my mom can literally sew ANYTHING, makes dolls, quilts, clothes, etc. she's never been inclined to crochet or knit, says she doesn't like all the counting.
I can remember being very very young (between 6 and 8) and seeing a little booklet at Woolworth's drug store. It had these pretty pictures on the cover and inside were instructions for crocheting and tatting and possibly some other technique too, but it was those 2 that really caught my eye. It cost perhaps 75 or 85 cents. My mom bought the booklet for me, no doubt after much pestering on my part, but no thread, hook, or shuttles. I studied and read and re-read that book, determined to somehow figure out these mysterious words and create something as pretty as what was on the cover.
We didn't know anyone who did any needlework of this type, so I didn't know anyone I could ask, and without materials of any kind, I couldn't have made it if I had figured it all out.
So the book was put away, lost, etc...
Flash forward to 1994 and I find at the library a book by Lacis about beaded purses. Bead CROCHET purses. My mind is set afire again and my fingers start to itch. I had taught myself to knit the year before, but I found it fatiguing after a few rows.
I found a book that had lefty instructions for crocheting and went to it. THIS WAS EASY!* I taught myself to crochet using #5 pearl cotton, a 2.25MM hook, and added beads immediately, size 11 seedbeads at first, later I graduated to yummy sparkly Delicas which are still my beads of choice. Everything was pretty straightforward at first, beads evenly worked into a crocheted background. I liked seeing the color of the thread along with the beads, gave some contrast to increase the sparkle factor.
The past few years I've seen an article or 2 about needle tatting and was intrigued, but never quite got around to learning. I was busy with getting my jewelry business off the ground. Back in May I fell and hurt my right foot and really couldn't walk or do much of anything, so of course I was seized with a mania to learn needle tatting after finding TotusMel's video.
I literally was at Hobby Lobby about an hour after I saw the video, I hobbled (because I still couldn't walk well) to the thread aisle and found the needles. I also saw this as a good excuse to pick up a few more skeins of that lovely pseudo-handdyed DMC pearl cotton too.
I got home, put my aching foot up, and set to it. The first motif sorta sucked, but I understood how it worked and was doing it! I'm getting better at it too yay! The vintage thread haul, comprised of mostly size 70 tatting thread, scared the crap outta me at first (I really was thinking it was size 10, like Cebelia size 10 tee hee) but I've now tried the bitty threads and survived.
Exhibit A. I think it will end up a bookmark. I do love split rings for some reason. I need to get a proper learn to tat book because I still cannot read a pattern, I'm better at looking at a finished object and figuring it out that way. And I want to graduate to doilies!
Of course I'm crocheting, here's my latest edging pattern. It's from Piecework magazine, they've had some awesome crochet articles lately! I entered the first Crochet Challenge they had back in May, I'm listed in the latest issue as a contributor and I'm quoted in the accompanying article, so I can die happy!
My love of Piecework is its' own post someday though. And so I continue crocheting tiny lacy mostly useless things to this day, I'll never tire of making pretty things.
* My grandmother on my mother's side does crochet, but I didn't have much contact with her as a child, since it was so easy for me to learn perhaps my ability is genetic. It seems to skip a generation because though my mom can literally sew ANYTHING, makes dolls, quilts, clothes, etc. she's never been inclined to crochet or knit, says she doesn't like all the counting.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
hibernation hiatus
I was going to wait a few more weeks, but now is a good time too. I'm going to be closing my etsy shop for a few months. I don't think it will be longer than 3 months, but it's possible. It's also very possible that I won't be selling my items on etsy.
As much as I love it there, it's also a bit of a drag. It has become SO HUGE. The jewelry section has always been incredibly bloated, but really it's become so massive. I'd like to find a place to sell my work where I "fit in" a little more. Maybe I'll just post new things here on my blog and people can buy from here! helfway kidding
I'll be spending the winter months resting and working. I definitely want to sell all the balms I have made, I like to keep those fresh. It would be awesome and extremely helpful financially if I could sell the jewelry too.
I'm simultaneously super sad and quite relieved by this decision. I could write a great deal more about all the various aspects of it, but I just don't feel like it.
I give myself a few weeks before I'm back planning projects, just this morning I had a new balm idea. I just need a break to get myself feeling good again.
I have the bestest customers on etsy! I have huge gratitude towards everyone who's ever made a purchase, or even thought about it :) Thank you.
As much as I love it there, it's also a bit of a drag. It has become SO HUGE. The jewelry section has always been incredibly bloated, but really it's become so massive. I'd like to find a place to sell my work where I "fit in" a little more. Maybe I'll just post new things here on my blog and people can buy from here! helfway kidding
I'll be spending the winter months resting and working. I definitely want to sell all the balms I have made, I like to keep those fresh. It would be awesome and extremely helpful financially if I could sell the jewelry too.
I'm simultaneously super sad and quite relieved by this decision. I could write a great deal more about all the various aspects of it, but I just don't feel like it.
I give myself a few weeks before I'm back planning projects, just this morning I had a new balm idea. I just need a break to get myself feeling good again.
I have the bestest customers on etsy! I have huge gratitude towards everyone who's ever made a purchase, or even thought about it :) Thank you.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
SNS Sale quickie!
I'm having a Saturday Night Special sale! all regular priced jewelry and holiday lip balm gift sets are marked down 20% off! This goes til I wake up tomorrow morning.
enjoy!
enjoy!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Holiday Sale!
Tomorrow November 21st, I'll be having a Saturday Night Special sale. EVERYTHING will be on sale, jewelry, balms, even the new Gift Sets!
Check my shop tomorrow 4 pm Phoenix time. I'll have everything marked down, no revised invoices to wait for, and none for me to send :)
Have a wonderful weekend, I'm off to un-tat the mistakes I made (forgot a picot in a long expanse gah) using the gorgeous Tourmaline HDT from Yarnplayer, it is swoonworthily delicious!
Check my shop tomorrow 4 pm Phoenix time. I'll have everything marked down, no revised invoices to wait for, and none for me to send :)
Have a wonderful weekend, I'm off to un-tat the mistakes I made (forgot a picot in a long expanse gah) using the gorgeous Tourmaline HDT from Yarnplayer, it is swoonworthily delicious!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Holiday Gift Sets!
are ready in my shop! I spent a morning sewing this delicious organically grown hemp fabric into simple little reusable bags, they're tied with organic cotton yarn, well all the details are here. I only have so many of these and I wanted to make them available before Thanksgiving Day and "Cyber Monday" for early shoppers!
Enjoy!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
vintage tatting thread = LOVE
I snagged a huge and gorgeous lot of old tatting thread from Etsy!
Roland had to check it out, he approved of it. Acutally it's hard to keep him out of the box, he wants to curl up on the lumpiness, he can be weird that way.
I have a love of untangling threads, which came in handy, here's almost all of them, lined up neatly. The light wasn't great in the dining room.
I've got quite a bit of a very loud lemon yellow, mostly variegated, a few balls of solid yellow too. Lots of pinks, some very pretty orchid-to-cream variegated which I really love. There's some interesting yellow/purple thread too, which I initially wrote off as fug, then worked up a small sample and was charmed by it too! I expect I'll love the yellow soon, this will be unprecedented! Blogger only lets me upload so many pics, you can see more thread and sample pics at my flickr page, Vintage Thread set
The size of these is a mystery, most balls say size 10, but they are a fraction of the thickness of modern size 10 threads, perhaps Lily had it's own system? I was thinking some of them said 100, but it's actually 10. At any rate, they are extremely tiny, I haven't yet dared to try tatting with them!
This orange edging is finished except for some weaving in of ends, blocking, and of course finding fabric worthy of my crochet ;) I'm using these doubled with a 1.6MM hook. I try to line up the colors, but there's usually a bit of "phasing" which makes it more interesting to me. I have lots of this orange, so I might make enough for a pair of towels.
And, I started this minty green bit this morning, one of the balls is a bit yellowed, but I think it won't show doubled with a lighter one, and also could wash out.
All in all, I feel like I completely lucked out! I'll be on the lookout for more vintage thread.
Roland had to check it out, he approved of it. Acutally it's hard to keep him out of the box, he wants to curl up on the lumpiness, he can be weird that way.
I have a love of untangling threads, which came in handy, here's almost all of them, lined up neatly. The light wasn't great in the dining room.
I've got quite a bit of a very loud lemon yellow, mostly variegated, a few balls of solid yellow too. Lots of pinks, some very pretty orchid-to-cream variegated which I really love. There's some interesting yellow/purple thread too, which I initially wrote off as fug, then worked up a small sample and was charmed by it too! I expect I'll love the yellow soon, this will be unprecedented! Blogger only lets me upload so many pics, you can see more thread and sample pics at my flickr page, Vintage Thread set
The size of these is a mystery, most balls say size 10, but they are a fraction of the thickness of modern size 10 threads, perhaps Lily had it's own system? I was thinking some of them said 100, but it's actually 10. At any rate, they are extremely tiny, I haven't yet dared to try tatting with them!
This orange edging is finished except for some weaving in of ends, blocking, and of course finding fabric worthy of my crochet ;) I'm using these doubled with a 1.6MM hook. I try to line up the colors, but there's usually a bit of "phasing" which makes it more interesting to me. I have lots of this orange, so I might make enough for a pair of towels.
And, I started this minty green bit this morning, one of the balls is a bit yellowed, but I think it won't show doubled with a lighter one, and also could wash out.
All in all, I feel like I completely lucked out! I'll be on the lookout for more vintage thread.
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