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I like embroidering small projects, I’ve decided. It’s interesting to see how one stitch behaves as a feature. Below are some small pendant/brooches that I’ve finished. Their size is somewhere between a 20cent and 50 cent coin – perhaps a 40cent coin? I’ve called them time suckers because they take quite a bit of time to complete, considering their size. But I’m trying to back them nicely, cover the seams with a decorative stitch and not use any glue. Just the self imposed limitations that seem entertaining to me.
Welcome to my little piece of blogland. It’s rejuvenation time! It’s time to reconnect; with people, with fibre, with the artistic spirit…but primarily it’s time to have some fun. If I had made New Year’s Resolutions those are some of the things I may have committed myself to.
But I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions, however for the past couple of years I’ve participated in “One World One Heart “- a blogging event run for bloggers by Lisa of A Whimsical Bohemian , so I’m going in for the ride again. You might like to join me and check out the list of bloggers participating and giving away unique door prizes on their equally unique and varied blogs.
My own blog is just a little expression of one part of me – it’s something that I do for fun and as a record of my arty/crafty explorations. Not many people in real life know about this blog – it’s a secret that I share only with others who might be young-at-heart and non-judgemental. For as I get older, (I can’t believe I’m considered middle – aged!), I seem to feel younger and somewhat more introverted. The world seems larger and more complex and I am more interested in it’s workings, and the inner workings of its inhabitants.
I haven’t settled into the world yet. I’ve had a variety of jobs over the years ranging from actor to teacher, social worker to telephone cleaner. (In case you didn’t know, there are companies that hire out people to other companies for the express purpose of wiping down and disinfecting office telephones – I lasted about a week in that one). As you can see I’m still searching for a job that values my special skill set!
In the meantime I craft, create and write down stories
I have a couple of items I’ve made as door prizes for OWOH 2011
First up is this baby/toddlers/dolls felted hat.
I knitted it last year, from a pattern that I wrote myself. I loved it but it just didn’t look right. I decided to felt it, (or full it – to be more technically correct) and I think it does work better as a child’s hat. Now I don’t have children so I don’t know exact sizes but the circumference inside the brim where it would sit around the head is around 38cm/15inches . It might also make a good dolls hat – for those among you who make art dolls and such. As it’s felt, you can cut it to make holes for ears and pigtails too.
Secondly, I’d like to offer this hand embroidered brooch. If you don’t wear brooches – it might look good as a badge on a hat or bag.
So all you have to do to be put in the drawing is leave a comment on this post with an email address or link back to your own blog – just some way that I can contact you. You can leave a comment anytime up until 17th February midnight. After that comments will close and I’ll do a drawing for the hat and brooch. Please indicate in your comment if you don’t have a use for the hat and I’ll just put you in the drawing for the brooch.
Best wishes and roamings through blogland.
A few months ago I did have the thought that I should make some gifts for Christmas. “It would be thrifty and more personal”, I reasoned. How did it happen then, that I have nothing home made to give? It’s really very simple, I got distracted.
Firstly by the Icarus shawl. (Even though it’s just a mini Icarus)
Because it seemed absolutely imperative that I knit myself a shawl for the 40 degree days directly ahead of us. I do really like it though. Initially I thought I would dye the white to match the green, but now I like it as is. I’m not sure if you can see but I knit the last two rows in a similar green so it sort of ties in. The green is my handspun and hand dyed alpaca, courtesy of Tauret.
Then I thought that I absolutely must design an embroidered cuff because I’m trying to figure out the best way to attach findings to embroidery so that it can move beyond brooches. This one uses hooks and eyes – I wonder if somebody makes sterling silver hooks and eyes?
Ever noticed how hard it is to photograph your own hand? Especially when that hand has rather short, stubby fingers and, since you don’t have a digital camera, you are actually using the camera function on the video recorder.
Ahhh…That’s the one! The cuff uses feather stitch, chain stitch, lazy daisy stich and palestrina stitch for the side seams. It has little glass beads between each “flower”
The other day I was travelling to Sydney by train and was probably meant to be making some sort of Christmas gift, but I discovered that I had no pockets in which to carry my ipod. Fortunately I had a crochet hook, some cotton and some newly aquired crochet skills thanks to my friend and excellent crochet teacher, Salihan.
So I whipped up an ipod cosy whilst two bemused teenage girls looked on and talked about me while I worked not one foot away from them. It seems that crocheting makes one deaf. Not that they were rude. It was just quite strange to be talked about in the third person by someone sitting directly opposite me.
Thanks for teaching me to crochet Salihan.
I’m going to participate in the One World One Heart Blog Event. It is being coordinated by Whimsical Bohemian. Basically a whole lot of crafty bloggers are joining the gypsy caravan by giving away some item. I’m going to give away this hand embroidered brooch…made by yours truly. 
And..
I’ve just completed this beaded choker which I’ll also do a drawing for. It’s made from Japanese glass sead beads. The black are matte beads, the blue – irridescent and the green – opaque.
Just thought I’d put in a picture of it on so you can see what it actually looks like. But it is not for me, it’s for one of you…I only put it on quickly for the photo. Though now I think I might make one for myself too 
To win either the brooch or the necklace all you have to do is leave a comment on this post by 11th Feb. I will do a random drawing and announce the winner on 12th Feb. Please make sure that I have some way of contacting you though, i.e. that your comment links back to your blog or that you include an email address in your comment. WordPress links to blogs but not automatically to emails. There are a few people who have already left comments without a link back to a blog or an email address. I ‘d really like to be able to contact you if you are one of the winners.
This is all in an effort to link up with other crafty people around the world. There are so many wonderful drawings on others blogs so do make sure you check them out. I think I’ve managed to make this a sticky post so it should stick around up the top here.
