Friday, December 30, 2005

Scarves... LOTS of scarves...


... are what I've been making most of December, even after Christmas was over....

The basic instructions are from www.crochet.about.com: http://crochet.about.com/od/easy/ss/easysknyscarf.htm

My changes: ("first generation mutations")
Larger hook-- I used an "N" aluminum hook
"Fancy" yarns, worsted and bulky weights
Did without the fringe (I don't like it)
Shorter length-- I made them about as long as I can stretch out my arms.

Sample combinations:
Lava: Lion Brand “Suede” in black/recycled sari silk (from The Hunger Site store) (not shown)

Midworld: Caron “Jewel Box” in emerald/ Lion Brand ”Fancy Fur” in Spring (top)

Retro: Bernat “Eye Lash: in blush/”Suede” in black (not shown)

Fantasy Fox: “Jewel Box” in jasper/Lion Brand ”Disco” in Mr. Brown (bottom)

(2d generation mutations)-- switched R 1, 2, 5, & 6 sc rows to "sc, ch 1" pattern (sc done in ch 1 space, sc below skipped).

Ashes-- Lion Brand"Suede"/Bernat "Boa" (2d from top)


Spring Garden-- white chenille (unknown brand-- bulky,on a cone) /Patons "Twister" in Fruit Loops (3d from top)

Celtic Night-- "Jewel Box" in amazonite/"Fancy Fur" (black eyelashes with green and turquoise blobs) (not shown)







Sunday, October 23, 2005

Jade & Coral Necklace, with instructions


A substantial necklace.... Focal piece is about 3" long. Directions, and "ingredients" for making this necklace are in "Comments".

04-07 $75

The latest finished piece- neckpieces modified from a Japanese pattern for Swarovski crystals. My piece has some Swarovski in the stations, but I've substituted malachite and cloisonne for others in the original instructions, and substituted a cloisonne pendant for a focal crystal contruction. Also: reduced number of stations/shortened necklace.

05-34 Camillia $75

Friday, October 07, 2005

Sow's Ear Purse instructions

Sow’s Ear Purse
The yarn was made with recycled sari silk scraps—available from several on-line shops. I got mine through one of the “click to donate” sites—I think the “feed the hungry” one, but it may have been one of the others. These seem to be legit donation sites—and donating is “free”; you just click the “donate” buttons, and advertisers pay for the clicks. Profits from the site shops also go to support the charities. I used less than one 8.5 oz ball.

Other materials:
Mini-canvas bag (from Michaels; intended for fabric painting or other applied decorations).
5 buttons, and a few 8/0 beads
Large holed beads—Indian glass pony beads, a few Czech glass rings, 1/0 seed beads, a fertility symbol
2 key rings
1 snap lock
GSP line to sew on buttons and to reinforce strap (I used 14# test Spiderline “Fusion”)

Size “K” crochet hook

I didn’t really have a pattern—kinda made it up as I went along, but the basic directions are as follows:

Chain a length about 2/3 the width of the bottom of the bag.

Sc along both sides of the chain, with 3 sc in each end chain. Sc around, adding increases at ends until you have a flat oval the size of the bag bottom.

Sc without increasing until the sides of the bag are almost the height of the canvas bag (spiral up, rather than step up each round). At the center front, center back and the center of each side—chain 1, skip one sc, then continue with sc. Do one more round in sc.

Crochet rings in place at sides in next round. Do one more round and end at center back (sl st, cut yarn and pull yarn tail through).

String beads on yarn. Attach yarn at back, 1 st away from where right hand side ring connects. Do 1 row plain sc to other side, stopping 1 st from left-hand ring. Turn.

**Ch 1. Do one row sc, slipping a bead in every few st. Turn.

Ch 2, dc across, stopping at next to last sc of row below. Turn.**

Repeat ** to ** until you have a triangular flap that reaches almost to the bottom of your purse. Ch a short loop, then sc around loop, then up the side of the flap, around the front of the purse opening and down the other side of the flap. Sl st, cut yarn, pull tail through and weave in.

Turn canvas bag inside out. Sew 4 buttons along the top edge—1 at each side, 1 center front and 1 center back. Make a short shank with seed beads for each button. Sew last button to front of crocheted bag at point where flap loop sets.

Insert canvas bag in crocheted purse, slip buttons through ch-1 holes.

Make strap:
Hold ends of yarn and GSP line together, tie to one key ring. Make a slip knot around the ring, then ch st until the strap is “long enough”.
Crochet 2 st around swivel end of snap lock, ch 1.
Sc back to ring, 2 st around ring, 1 ch st, sc back to snap lock.
Cut yarn/GSP line, leaving about 4” of a tail, pull through and end. Wrap around swivel ring of snap lock, tie, then weave into strap.

Conjecture 4 Art Show

Panel 2

Conjecture 4 Art Show


This is the first time I've set up using panels, rather than a table, for display.

The panels are 4' x 4' pegboards (on a 2x4" frame), and arranged in "bays". I got two panels-- the ones I used were right under a light.

Most of my jewelry was mounted on pieces of ceiling tile, using T-pins and jewelry u-pins. I have a "bin" that holds my business cards. I had planned to use a certain size of hook to hold up the displays, but those hooks did not fit the art show's peg boards, so I had to use bulldog clips to hang them instead.

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Credit Card Scam: aka Indonesian Scam

A fellow beader and blogger gave permission to quote her; please go to her blog site to read the full report, especially if you do internet sales:

>>...In Indonesia, they are very sophisticated; one of the ways they get CC numbers is to run random computer-generated numbers with expiration dates until they get some that go through. They put through charges for tiny amounts that people won't bother to contest, and if the charge goes through, they know it's good. So do watch out for penny amounts showing up on your credit card bills....

Susan Midlarsky, Happy Artist
Aspiring Arts
http://www.aspiring-arts.com
Blog at http://www.aspiring-arts.com/blog/blog.html
http://www.cafepress.com/aspiringarts <<

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Eclectic Beadery

Currently, the Eclectic Beadery site is "down", in preparation to change the host. New site expected to be up by July 1.

Please visit my other "shops" in the meantime!

Kaytee

Sunday, May 29, 2005


Green Goddess Necklace Posted by Hello

MOP brooch Posted by Hello

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Sow's Ear Purse

A crocheted purse made with recycled sari silk yarn. I just turned this into the Home & Hobbies division for the San Diego County Fair, along with a necklace and an elaborate bead "tassel".
I didn't use a pattern as such for the purse-- just made it "big enough" to cover a pre-made canvas bag, left holes to use as button holes and then mad a simple flap and strap.
Instructions are currently posted on my Yahoo group. I'll try to "cut and paste" them to this blog....
Kaytee
www.simplexities.net

Sow's Ear Purse Posted by Hello

Monday, May 23, 2005


Fringies Posted by Hello

Another step....

One more "baby step" on the way to a "real website".

First step was starting a Yahoo group, then registering a domain name. Then transfering the registration to GoDaddy.com.

Last week was a "starter page", set up with GoDaddy's "Website Tonight" option. Now, a blog. Since this one allows posting pictures, I may skip the next planned step of getting a picture hosting site.

Still struggling with Front Page 2003... my first experience with web-building software. Not fun, very frustrating. "Help" is rarely helpful, and the books I've got seem to assume I'm an idiot who already knows about how to set up a webpage and/or use Front Page of an earlier incarnation....