Small Snowflake

So far this project really hasn't been too much work. It's one I started years ago and let slide onto the backburner indefinitely. So now that all the pieces had been cut before, all I have to do is grind them. (Mind you that's the part I like the least because it can be the most time consuming depending on how much excess glass you have to contend with.)

Part of what makes a great project great is your glass choice. Even the neatest pattern will not look that good if the glass choice is so so. In this case I used 3 different types of textured glass. One that is iridescent and resembles choppy waves, another that is completely clear but appears to have cracks or dents in it, and finally a highly textured clear glass that make it seem as those large rivulets were carved out of it. And if I do say so myself, I have a fairly good eye for color and texture ;)!

Stained Glass - Arise!

I've been meaning for some time now to work on my stained glass again. In 05 when my mother passed away I "inherited" many of her tools. Some of the things I got, like her electric pottery wheel, I have yet to be able to put to use. However I did have the luck and sense to get enough of her glass tools and supplies to be able to do something with them.

Stained glass has a way about it - glass tends to break along certain plains. Hand cutting curves is generally difficult. Certain cutter styles work for different folks. you should always keep an ample amount of oil in your glass cutter to ensure it works properly. Etc.

As for the making of pieces with this art, it's not really hard. You choose your pattern or design, then glass that suits it or the "look" you're going for. You cut your pieces in the shapes - as close as you can depending on the exact shape of your individual pieces, then grind them down to smooth out the edges. You select a tape size and color that is appropriate for your piece and tape the individual pieces. You put it all together and get solder happy (well not overly so, but you know). Granted I'm not taking you by the hand with the steps but that's pretty much it.

Stained glass is an art that once you understand the concept it really is practiced skill. As you begin to "know" the nature of the work and how it's done you can create beautiful pieces relatively simply and with little or no outside skill. However, as with most things you must practice.

Years upon years ago I took some introductory instruction, but hadn't touched it for awhile. After while I came back to it and worked on it doing three pieces in rather quick succession (a trained eye can quickly see the progression of quality of the art from the first piece to the last one). Now again I have the time and area to work with this beautiful art again and I fully plan on doing so. I'll be slowly but surely chronicling my efforts here for those to see. As with anything posted here, some of this will be sold and some may not. If you find something you really like or think of something you're interested in seeing let me know and we can go from there!

My Ugh-ly Afhghan - Part 1

For some reason I learned many other things before learning to make a granny square in crochet. I'm not sure why, as it's one of the most basic things there is in the craft, and the concept of making motifs and putting them together is one of the other basics of the craft.

So I decided to do some stash busting of some hideous hand me down yarns, namely some Red Heart Acrylic, in Lavender, Emerald Green, a Bright Sun Yellow, and some left over Impeccable Worsted in a super dark Navy Blue.

Perhaps had I not added the navy blue, it might have been visually tolerable. As it is it's a little much. But that's the point of this project, it's not meant to be "pretty" so much as an experimentation.

Part 1: Making the Squares...Thus far we have 1 solid colored, 4 round Granny square of each color. And we have started on the 2-colored ones.

A Fine Day for Filet...

...for filet crochet that is....

I woke this morning with bats on the brain. Did it help that I had a miniature "Batman" marathon last night? (And by the way I think I understand why some folks don't care for the latter 2 movies in the four - they do seem full of ridiculous quips, one-liners, and bad jokes/references; unlike the first with with one my girlhood crushes - Michael Keaton - that were much more serious and dark).

Ce la vie...

But away from my digression and back to the fact that I was rambling about bats!

I just HAD to mess around with some filet crochet today. Mind you I have heard of it, know what is, and am now as we speak understanding the finer points of it, thank you Debbie Stoller!

So I'm sitting here with some "scrap" variegated wool yarn, a "G" hook and making my first bat :D

*Pictures soon!* (also you can check me out on Ravelry here!)

Earth Meets Sea Purse

I started this project a bit over a week ago. I originally had seen the pattern on a yarn label and knew I "had to have it". I fretted over whether to buy the yarn or not just to get the pattern.

Then I got an order in from someone who wanted to use that brand of yarn. I crossed my fingers that she (who was buying the yarn and sending it to me) would pick up one with the label I wanted with it. Alas not.

So finally I broke down and seeing it on sale "splurged" for it. I bought a color I liked, but my real reason for buying the yarn was just to get the pattern. (An aside, just today I saw the pattern online so I could have saved myself even more money, ah well...)

When I started it I realized I didn't have enough yarn to finish it, but figured what the hey, I'll get as far as I can get and just get more. I was considering just keeping the finished product for myself, but a stroke of inspiration changed my mind. I had some left over yarn from my a custom order and those colors happen to be a wonderful "sea" color, while the original skein I bought is "earth" colors. And so voila!

Currently @ row 12 of 18, then the sides to make and assembly. Really excited, will definitely be making more of these in the future!

If you like what you see and want one in another color "convo" me @ Faith Works on Etsy!