Glass Beads

 

Recently I went to the Spring Knitting and Show at Olympia, it was costly to get in (£16.00 at the door) and I think this put me off buying yarn (shock! horror! I only bought a few skeins of pure silk that were a super bargain @ £1.00 each) plus my credit card malfunctioned and the pin don't work (mmmmm...... the universe also sending me a message no more yarn buying you need to use what you have!..) So my budget was much smaller, but that was good.

I did find a very good bargain at beadtime's stand, they had nice glass beads and metal charm packs. I wish I had bought more at this stand, I only got one pink and one green glass bead pack and a couple of metal charm packs. It was only when I returned home and opened the packs I discovered how nice the glass beads were. I decided to make a necklace with the pink and some of the green glass beads. I used a pink copper 0.8mm wire I already had (bought from jewellerymaker ages ago on a large reel, it took several metres of wire to make but there's loads still left) and decided to use my one step big wire looping pliers (made by beadsmith) instead for a change. I don't know why I don't use these more, it makes looping so easy. I added a little photo how to above on using them :) I think the pink wire compliments the glass beads and am happy with the results.

Jewellery Jigs

 At Christmas I treated myself to some jewellery jigs. They are quite cheap so I was not sure if the results would be good, but I was pleasantly surprised. They were very easy to use and gave good results. Here's a few pic of one of the earring wire jigs. I'll post more results soon.

Viking Knitting

Been doing a little bit of viking knitting this week, its not really knitting more a weaving technique that looks like knitting. I usually use very thin wire (0.2mm/ 28 gauge) and twist the strands together to make a rope or plait, but this pretty purple thicker wire (0.6mm/ 22 gauge) had been sitting in my workbox for far to long and needed something nice to be created with it and was just flexible enough to work with although my finger are not so happy just now. I made the results into a bracelet with the help of some end cones and a T-bar clasp.

Items in progress

I have been working on a few patterns this week, mainly re-making items to see if the written patterns make any sense.
I write the pattern and then don't look at it for a few months (some of the patterns have been living on the computer for the last year eeek) than when I remake the items hopefully I will find any mistakes. Sometimes friends also make up patterns for me to test them.
Filet wire and bead jewellery
Curlicue roses - cushions, bags and pouches nearly finished (at last)

Candle cage

The candle cage is an all in one piece made on the loom with a crochet hook (I posted a pic earlier of the loom).

The light sparkles off the glass beads and looks pretty in real life, but it is so hard to photograph. Its a small cage for a tea light candle. The wire was hard on the hands so I will have to play some more with different wires to see if they are easier before making a larger item.

Looms

I have been playing with wire and glass beads, testing out some looms. I am trying (I'll see when I finish) to make a candle cage, this is what it looks like so far.

Free crochet patterns available from www.nezumiworld.com

Dolly Bobbins

I have been playing with dolly bobbins or french knitting (it has lots of names) You can use a crochet hook or knitting needle. I used wire and glass beads and am very happy with the results, so will play a bit more. I hope to get a larger frame soon (psss....I am trying out a lightweight frame for a company soon, I have been told it comes in two sizes and has metal spikes or nails which would be perfect for wire) and will try the techniques out on that maybe make a wire and bead bag :)

Crocheted beads and wire

Saturday was the Knitting and Crochet Guilds London group crocheted and knitted wire & beads day. A very nice group of ladies attended.
We made beaded chain stitch bracelets, played with crochet beaded tubes and wire & pearl bead buttons. Everyone was enthusiastic, took notes, asked questions and shared ideas.



A big THANK YOU to Helda (of heldsland above) who kindly helped assist me and to Eleanor and Winifred for organising the day plus room and much needed refreshments.

Making beaded tubes
and buttons

Photos from the day and no I am behind the camera hidden :)

Excaped Butterflies

I made these butterflies in the summer. I love butterflies and the summer seems to really start when you see them fluttering about. There’s something magical looking about them. I wrote the pattern out, tested it then deleted it from the computer by accident. Lost one butterfly in the garden (tiny garden no idea where it went)taking some photos and the photos looked bad too. Another disappeared when I was showing them to a friend at a coffee shop. The bag with lots of different colour samples I have put away so safely I can on longer find it (a bit to safe). One of the last butterflies (not in the bag) I lost last month at the Alexandra Palace Knitting and Stitch Show, it dropped out of my bag when I was buying some yarn (like I needed more yarn…). Now I have to remake them all again. Luckily I had photographed making each part of them for the pattern. I hope this batch do not escape.