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Pondering ways of making inroads on my yarn stash; things that I do and don't want to make. My own thoughts, plus suggestions from kindly folks on Mastodon.
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Crafty Plans for 2025
Jan. 27th, 2025 12:24 amHello peoples! I spent a lot of time today rearranging my computer desktop to change the way my social media stuff is organised. Hopefully one of the consequences of this is that I'll stop neglecting y'all on Dreamwidth.
But, on to the proper topic of this post - 2025 Goals for Craft stuff (as distinct from goals for my entire life). I figure that since it's still currently January, I can get away with not having posted this, like, on New Year's Day. Though one advantage is that I've actually completed a few of these goals already, in this month of January! I don't really want to call these "New Year's Resolutions" because that seems too burdensome. But it's fine to make plans, yeah?
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That's probably enough to go on with.
Best and Worst Gifts to Give a Crafter
Dec. 15th, 2023 11:50 pmInspired by How to buy gifts for coffee people, I'd like to create my own guide to giving gifts to crafters; that is, people who are enthusiastic about some particular craft, with mentions of some specific crafts but also craft hobbyists in general.
( Terrible gifts )
( Tricky Gifts )
( Good Gifts )
So what do you think? If you're a crafter, what have been your worst/best gifts to receive? Have you ever owned a pair of folding scissors which were well-made and comfortable to use? If you're not a crafter, but you know one, what experiences have you had with gift-giving? Are there interesting craft supplies near where you live? Or in places you have been?
Leave a comment, yeah?
There is a kind of compliment I am given that makes me sad for the people giving it. "You are so talented," they say. "I could never do that."
Gah! Don't say that! Just... don't. Don't even think it! You can, you can, you can so do that. Don't give up before you even start!
(Do not make the bird sad.)
Why do people fail to even try? Three excuses, and two real reasons. ( Read more... )
Knitting Purple!
Mar. 3rd, 2019 11:13 pmI have actually made progress on the needle-knitting front, in a most unexpected way. I'm knitting Continental with Norwegian Purl, RIGHT-HANDED!!! This is totally weird, because I am left-handed. I'm not exactly sure how it came about, but when I was making Knitting Isn't Only About Needles I found myself doing the needle-knitting demonstration right-handed. And it worked, sort of. So I investigated further, with more YouTube tutorials. Continental knitting - how to cast on, hold the yarn and adjust the tension was a bit long-winded, but I found the information about how to hold the yarn to be quite helpful. And it was a kind of a breakthrough, now that I think about it, because before then, I just couldn't figure out where to put my fingers, I was all thumbs trying to do needle-knitting, it just wasn't working for me! But this method of holding the yarn was quite simple (though different from how I hold it with crochet) and I found I could control the tension quite easily, just as I do with crochet.
Then I stumbled across Norwegian Purling, and that, while tricky to get at first, made purling so much easier too.
I can knit! I can knit! I can knit! (sing this to the tune of "You Can Fly" from Peter Pan).
And it isn't awkward at all. My hands are like "Hey, you're doing stuff with both hands, we're cool with that." Go figure.
So I'm making a bag for myself out of purple tube-style polycotton. I expect by the time it is done (and I don't have to frog the whole thing again like I did three times before, because I kept on changing my mind what stitch-pattern I wanted to do) that my muscle-memory will have been established. Yay.
Then I stumbled across Norwegian Purling, and that, while tricky to get at first, made purling so much easier too.
I can knit! I can knit! I can knit! (sing this to the tune of "You Can Fly" from Peter Pan).
And it isn't awkward at all. My hands are like "Hey, you're doing stuff with both hands, we're cool with that." Go figure.
So I'm making a bag for myself out of purple tube-style polycotton. I expect by the time it is done (and I don't have to frog the whole thing again like I did three times before, because I kept on changing my mind what stitch-pattern I wanted to do) that my muscle-memory will have been established. Yay.
State Of The Knitting
Feb. 20th, 2019 09:25 amDoes anyone know why "knitting" starts with a silent 'k'? (goes and looks up knitting) Ah, it is related to "knot". Middle English. Doesn't explain why the 'k' became silent, though. Oh well.
So, I have decided to forget the needles and explore knitting with two hooks. This is different from "knooking", which uses one hook and a long trailing string or ribbon. Instead, you use two (Tunisian crochet) hooks and position them like knitting needles, only they have hooks on the end. This is apparently quite common in Portuguese/Turkish/Egyptian/Peruvian knitting, though they also have specific techniques which involve looping the working yarn around the back of one's neck, which I don't really feel like trying at this point. Maybe at some other point.
The advantages of two-hook knitting:
1. It is much easier to pull the yarn through the loops with hooks than with needles.
2. One is less likely to drop a stitch, because you don't remove the stitch from one hook until you have the new stitch on the other hook, and also because it is less easy for a stitch to slip off a crochet hook than a knitting needle, because the hook itself tends to get in the way.
3. It is much closer to needle-knitting than one-hook knitting is, which means I should be able to follow directions meant for needle-knitting.
The disadvantages of two-hook knitting:
1. It is harder to put the hook into the required loop than a needle. This is the trade-off. One thing that happens is that instead of the hook going into the loop that I want it to, it also catches the loop below, which can be messy, confusing, and cause an unintended stitch-increase. This may get easier with practice. It may also be easier with pointier hooks, I'm not sure.
2. I haven't yet found any videos on YouTube that show this method of knitting.
So far, it's promising. Done a garter stitch swatch, and have switched over my current one-hook-knitting project to two-hook-knitting. Slow going, but practice should hopefully make somewhat perfect.
So, I have decided to forget the needles and explore knitting with two hooks. This is different from "knooking", which uses one hook and a long trailing string or ribbon. Instead, you use two (Tunisian crochet) hooks and position them like knitting needles, only they have hooks on the end. This is apparently quite common in Portuguese/Turkish/Egyptian/Peruvian knitting, though they also have specific techniques which involve looping the working yarn around the back of one's neck, which I don't really feel like trying at this point. Maybe at some other point.
The advantages of two-hook knitting:
1. It is much easier to pull the yarn through the loops with hooks than with needles.
2. One is less likely to drop a stitch, because you don't remove the stitch from one hook until you have the new stitch on the other hook, and also because it is less easy for a stitch to slip off a crochet hook than a knitting needle, because the hook itself tends to get in the way.
3. It is much closer to needle-knitting than one-hook knitting is, which means I should be able to follow directions meant for needle-knitting.
The disadvantages of two-hook knitting:
1. It is harder to put the hook into the required loop than a needle. This is the trade-off. One thing that happens is that instead of the hook going into the loop that I want it to, it also catches the loop below, which can be messy, confusing, and cause an unintended stitch-increase. This may get easier with practice. It may also be easier with pointier hooks, I'm not sure.
2. I haven't yet found any videos on YouTube that show this method of knitting.
So far, it's promising. Done a garter stitch swatch, and have switched over my current one-hook-knitting project to two-hook-knitting. Slow going, but practice should hopefully make somewhat perfect.
Knitting Blues And Greys
Feb. 7th, 2019 03:55 pmRight now I am writing this blog post, but just before now I was frogging my, um... 10th maybe... attempt to needle-knit. I am a crocheter. I can crochet. I can hook-knit with a crochet hook. But I thought I'd try learning needle-knitting because all the needle-knitters look at me funny whenever I mention hook-knitting. And because it would be easier to learn fancy stitches because nobody makes hook-knitting tutorials beyond the plain knit-and-purl. So I have watched multiple videos on knitting-for-crocheters and on Contininental Knitting (because Continental-style knitting is easier for crocheters to grok). And I bought a set of interchangeable needles from Ebay, because I thought value-for-money.
So.
( Read more... )
I know all the knitters in the audience will say "it's easy!" but you probably all learned it at your grandmother's knee. My grandmother wasn't a knitter, she was a mad-keen gardener, and so was my mother. So I was not able to learn from them. My sister can knit, but she lives in another state, so opportunities for face-to-face knitting-learning are few.
(sigh)
So.
( Read more... )
I know all the knitters in the audience will say "it's easy!" but you probably all learned it at your grandmother's knee. My grandmother wasn't a knitter, she was a mad-keen gardener, and so was my mother. So I was not able to learn from them. My sister can knit, but she lives in another state, so opportunities for face-to-face knitting-learning are few.
(sigh)
More on Aluminium Cuff Bracelets
Dec. 5th, 2018 08:54 pmA follow-up to this post -- I have figured a way around the scratchy edges, a way which may mean I end up using the 0.3mm thick aluminium after all.
The answer? Folding over the edges. For the thicker aluminium, that is a bit difficult, and it ends up so thick at the end that it won't fit into the bracelet-bender. But with the thinner aluminium, all the folding makes the edges stiffer, which means it actually does work as a bracelet.
Yay!
The answer? Folding over the edges. For the thicker aluminium, that is a bit difficult, and it ends up so thick at the end that it won't fit into the bracelet-bender. But with the thinner aluminium, all the folding makes the edges stiffer, which means it actually does work as a bracelet.
Yay!
I Can Has Symbolism
Dec. 5th, 2018 01:28 pmHello my Harry Potter loving friends, I am scratching my head. You see, I got this lovely idea for a "Golden Trio" necklace, but there are parts of it I haven't figured out yet. To wit, I want to make a central pendant with charms on it representing the three of them. Hermione is obvious -- it needs to be a quill or a book. But Harry and Ron I'm not so certain of. I'm thinking maybe a broom for Harry -- if I could find a golden broom charm somewhere, that is. Ron, maybe a wand, because he was brought up in the Wizarding World.
But if any of you have ideas of what charm-things would be a good representation of Ron or Harry, please share them!
But if any of you have ideas of what charm-things would be a good representation of Ron or Harry, please share them!
I Can Has Bracelet-Making!
Dec. 4th, 2018 08:14 pmI am Quite Pleased with myself today, because after a saga of bracelet experimentation, I finally succeeded! Well, 95% succeeded. Good enough.
Okay, so what am I rabbiting on about? As you may know, I am being all artisan-y with my own Etsy store Essence Of Eclectic (mostly jewellery). And I keep on trying new things.( Read more... )
Okay, so what am I rabbiting on about? As you may know, I am being all artisan-y with my own Etsy store Essence Of Eclectic (mostly jewellery). And I keep on trying new things.( Read more... )
Fascinating Differences
Jul. 14th, 2018 09:35 pmSo. I decided to try making a 10-strand flat Kumihimo braid for the first time.
( To explain Kumihimo... )
So.. back to my 10-strand flat Kumihimo braid. There's a good tutorial for it here. Since the tutorial used a square Kumihimo plate, that's what I used. After making the braid on the square plate, I'd figured out how it could be done on a Marudai, so I made another braid, using my usual light 25 gram spools (I have two sets of spools; small ones that weigh 25 grams and large ones that weigh 70 grams). The difference between the two braids was so remarkable that I wondered what would happen if I did it again on the Marudai, this time with 70 gram spools. And with the same yarn, of course. Again, there was a difference, but not so dramatic a difference.
Here, have a photo of the three of them:
( cut for photo )
I can only conclude that TENSION IS EVERYTHING.
( To explain Kumihimo... )
So.. back to my 10-strand flat Kumihimo braid. There's a good tutorial for it here. Since the tutorial used a square Kumihimo plate, that's what I used. After making the braid on the square plate, I'd figured out how it could be done on a Marudai, so I made another braid, using my usual light 25 gram spools (I have two sets of spools; small ones that weigh 25 grams and large ones that weigh 70 grams). The difference between the two braids was so remarkable that I wondered what would happen if I did it again on the Marudai, this time with 70 gram spools. And with the same yarn, of course. Again, there was a difference, but not so dramatic a difference.
Here, have a photo of the three of them:
( cut for photo )
I can only conclude that TENSION IS EVERYTHING.
Another Day, Another Video Fail
Feb. 5th, 2018 01:54 pm020 Shellac Cells?
This week I tried to make "shellac cells" (or "shellac lacing") following the method used by Annemarie Ridderhof here ( https://youtu.be/JUz97lBoOKI ) and here ( https://youtu.be/o10Z-_hnwJU ). Not having any encaustic wax, I tried doing it on bare wood. And I tried... and I tried... and I tried... and I tried...
The wood (actual wood, not MDF) was laser-cut 25mm (1 inch) disks purchased from here: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Timber-Wood-Base-Disk-Circle-Shape-3mm-Thick-10mm-to-100mm-Diameter-Earrings/222738298555
The shellac was made up from shellac flakes ( https://www.bunnings.com.au/feast-watson-250g-shellac-flakes_p1567019 ) bought from Bunnings a few years ago. Freshly dissolved in methylated spirits. No problems in dissolving it, there were no lumps or anything like that.
I am feeling very disheartened about this fail.
This week I tried to make "shellac cells" (or "shellac lacing") following the method used by Annemarie Ridderhof here ( https://youtu.be/JUz97lBoOKI ) and here ( https://youtu.be/o10Z-_hnwJU ). Not having any encaustic wax, I tried doing it on bare wood. And I tried... and I tried... and I tried... and I tried...
The wood (actual wood, not MDF) was laser-cut 25mm (1 inch) disks purchased from here: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Timber-Wood-Base-Disk-Circle-Shape-3mm-Thick-10mm-to-100mm-Diameter-Earrings/222738298555
The shellac was made up from shellac flakes ( https://www.bunnings.com.au/feast-watson-250g-shellac-flakes_p1567019 ) bought from Bunnings a few years ago. Freshly dissolved in methylated spirits. No problems in dissolving it, there were no lumps or anything like that.
I am feeling very disheartened about this fail.
Craft Fail
Jan. 14th, 2018 02:05 amWell, I just spent... a fair amount of time... ah, it is half past midnight... so about 2 1/2 hours... deconstructing all but three of the broaches and pendants I had made with glass cabochons and fluid-art sheets, because they were deteriorating. Some were going cloudy, and some were crazed with air-bubbles. (sigh) ( Read more... )
Being constructive construction
Jan. 13th, 2018 12:05 am013 Another Method of Jewellery-Making With Acrylic Pour Sheets - Part 3
I take the two sole survivors of the previous videos and turn them into earrings!
I take the two sole survivors of the previous videos and turn them into earrings!
Another crafty video continued
Jan. 11th, 2018 08:58 am012 Another Method of Jewellery-Making With Acrylic Pour Sheets - Part 2
The prototype experiment continues. Will acrylic pour sheets stuck to foamcore work as a basis for flat beads? Will I run out of Diamond Glaze? Will I make silly mistakes? Will this be an epic fail or can I snatch victory from the jaws of defeat?
Hello, is anyone there?
The prototype experiment continues. Will acrylic pour sheets stuck to foamcore work as a basis for flat beads? Will I run out of Diamond Glaze? Will I make silly mistakes? Will this be an epic fail or can I snatch victory from the jaws of defeat?
Hello, is anyone there?
Another Day, Another Video
Jan. 9th, 2018 07:36 pm011 Another Method of Jewellery-Making With Acrylic Pour Sheets - Part 1
The most common method of using acrylic pour skins (made from nothing but dried poured acrylic paint) or acrylic pour sheets (made by pouring acrylic paint on sheets of paper or plastic) is to cut out shapes to fit inside bezel settings, glue them in, and then cover them with a protective surface. This gives you a pendant or charm. In this video, I am prototyping a different method, which will create a pendant, charm, or bead.
Materials:
White Foam Core Sheet (you can also get it in black)
Acrylic Pour Sheet, made with Jo Sonja Acrylic Paint on Kodak Ultra Premium Photo Paper
Very wide double-sided tape
Judkins Diamond Glaze
Tools:
Scissors
Awl
Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine
Cutting die (lots of little hexagons)
Tell me what you think!
The most common method of using acrylic pour skins (made from nothing but dried poured acrylic paint) or acrylic pour sheets (made by pouring acrylic paint on sheets of paper or plastic) is to cut out shapes to fit inside bezel settings, glue them in, and then cover them with a protective surface. This gives you a pendant or charm. In this video, I am prototyping a different method, which will create a pendant, charm, or bead.
Materials:
White Foam Core Sheet (you can also get it in black)
Acrylic Pour Sheet, made with Jo Sonja Acrylic Paint on Kodak Ultra Premium Photo Paper
Very wide double-sided tape
Judkins Diamond Glaze
Tools:
Scissors
Awl
Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine
Cutting die (lots of little hexagons)
Tell me what you think!
We Hereby Interrupt Your Acrylic Pouring
Jan. 3rd, 2018 09:21 pmSee my UV resin fail for no reason! Problems with Lisa Pavelka Magic-Glos UV Resin
If anyone can explain to me why this happens, and what I can do to prevent it, PLEASE do so!
If anyone can explain to me why this happens, and what I can do to prevent it, PLEASE do so!
Another Acrylic Pouring video!
Dec. 27th, 2017 08:08 pmFluid Art Experiments in Black and White and Red and Blue
This one took me three attempts to render - it crashed the first two times, I don't know why, so I re-did the editing from scratch. And while I was at it, added some music to the closing bit.
This video is a continuation of the same session as the first video. I've just been breaking it up into smaller bits, because I think that fifteen minutes is a good length for a YouTube video.
So tell me what you think! Ask me questions! (And possibly even subscribe, if you do that kind of thing.)
This one took me three attempts to render - it crashed the first two times, I don't know why, so I re-did the editing from scratch. And while I was at it, added some music to the closing bit.
This video is a continuation of the same session as the first video. I've just been breaking it up into smaller bits, because I think that fifteen minutes is a good length for a YouTube video.
So tell me what you think! Ask me questions! (And possibly even subscribe, if you do that kind of thing.)
