Creating for charity

We often discount our talent as artist. Recently I had an invitation to attend an event for the Immune Deficiency Foundation. They are holding a silent auction asked for donations. The colors of the organization are white black and green. Yesterday I spent most of the day search the bead on hand for just the right green.

 Under the bead boards is the top that I will ware for the main event, Zebra is the theme.
the motto...
When you hear hoof beats think Zebra
Often Doctors only think horses and when the process they use lends no results nothing else is done. IDF is trying to teach the medical profession to think outside the box. Many times those of us who have Immune disorders go undiagnosed because we are blown off when the doctors do not think outside the box.

The one on the right is a keeper for me. the others are to use in the auction. The findings are yet to set out.


Laying out the beads and working your design is a must. Setting everything out before you begin to string makes good practice.
Enjoy your gifts and remember that your talent can be a real resource. Often if we do not sell we discount doing art. Well there is a vestment as rich as the dollar in giving in support of a good cause.

Blankets for preemies
bags for soldgers
quilts for the child centers
Lap quilts for the elders
jewelry for fund raisers, teachers gift and such
Earrings for a friend just to cheer them up.

Happy crafting!

Re-string for my SILove

In the middle of life here with all things a bit slowed due to oral surgery on Tuesday last.There is a job requested of me to do. This is a very old strand that was in very bad condition. 

It is the MIL of my SIL once married to an elder brother.

She sent along a very nice cookie sheet and lid in exchange.

The metal is all corroded but this piece was loved by her.

The silver plastic spacers were all shot and looked bad.

The layout modified the only finding I will reuse are the two hole connectors holding the stands together. Removed was all the pins on the choker chain and the hook as well was corroded.

This is a keep sake necklace to her. Not a very valuable piece, with exception that the crystals are magnificent. I will restring and add sterling crimps and crimp cover, new spacers will give this a more modern length. The beaded rosary work chain will give a way to alter length as worn. The new 's' hook will add a more modern look.

Re stringing and updating broken pieces is something I am often asked to do. 

I often will bard-or services in exchange rather than cash.

Cinnabar necklace

 

First stringing

Too sloppy and moved over the knots

Restringing is a must when you care about your work.

I just was not pleased with the loose work.

This was a big challenge.

I had to ream out every bead and use a long length folded in half.

This way the tread was so thick that on the end three beads each side I had four thickness going back through to finish knot and tie, gluing the third beads in.

It was also brushed with a very soft tooth brush and then linseed oil was applied.


Click to enlarge.

Using my own wire I spun some french wires to cover the threads at end as would a pearl strand only smaller diameter and usually gold.

Pearl knotted and strung on waxed cotton.

My Sister found this strand of cinnabar in an attic of a house in Utah. 

The house was a good 100 years old or so at the time.

Perhaps a missionary brought it home.

A mystery to be sure.

She held onto it herself a many a year hoping on day to ware it.

just for me

My mother gave me this center for many years I have held onto it.

The clasp is magnetic.

It is strung on silk.

Jewelery for myself

 This is an antique set of cat's eye glass. It is an original that came from an estate of my husbands aunts or cousins of his mom's.

I have had them so many years and they were so poorly strun with no matching earrings to them. they have been boxes.

This week they were strung and a set of earrings to match.

The image does not do them justice they have a very deep luster.

Then just for me to match a sweater I purchased last month...

An autumn set in my  in summer tones.

backed in silver a duel strand...

 

 Lobster claps for ease

The chain stops the issue of it getting tangled in my hair on the nap of my neck.

 

Walla!

Just for me.

Finding good balance at this type of strand is a trick.

It must be strung and not finishe at the end until after it hangs.

The trick is similar to hemming a dress that the fabric needs to relax over night.

Leaving give for the curve and using two cable lengths keeping them from crossing when center finding is passed through.

 

Asymmetry is key to balence it.

Asymmetry has always been hard for me to feel.

This sits very pretty on my neck with a V neck top.

It is acrylic except the glass leaves and the sterling silver.

Acrylic helps keep this type of work light weight.

They can become heavy with other types of medium.

In process

By letting it hang and setting it to form the wire will tell the length and the balance between the four strands. You can not go by count alone.

 

That neck line really is not that plunging.

The display and I have well... different endowment.

Copper/Brass with glass

Good Day to ya
Christmas coming on fast now I best keep to many tasks
Many gift to create.

Today the design is carried out from the form I can see in the glass

I find copper a very pretty metal. I had to use these bad boys to close the links for the strength of the brass is very substantial.

This is a technique that I enjoy called rosary work.
Only this is on a large scale.
The delicacy of most rosary work uses fine linking.
I snipped off the eye pin and then formed a larger eye to accommodate the brass ring.

The set is still in the creative phase.

Window Treatments

Hello
As you can emagine after this job done in 6 hours or so between last night and today...
I am a bit tired...
Here goes...use your left needle setting to add beads.
In this application I am using the binding as an accent to the treatment so it is affixed to the right side.

I still want to lower this a bit to allow for the shortage of beads.
Beads are a part of my DNA I think.
Just can not get enough of them.
So I always want to use care not to over due it.

The art work is often the inspiration.
Looking for the things you love.

This feel is just what I was hoping for.

Working on the kitchen valence I tried to follow the process for you with images.
I'll do my best here to give you some tips.
I have a lot to do this afternoon so next week I will visit this post and update the details.
Feel free to ask questions in the comments and I will be able to answer them on Monday.

This fabric is a pleasure to work with.
Over the years I have notice that it is a very important thing to love what your working on.

In my stash from a craigs list find I have many packages of seam lace.
I love this stuff!
Now I started all this last evening late.
With using this tool your able to zip through this straight stitch project.
Seam Lace and a good steam iron.

My way is to toss the seam lace over my left shoulder and let it fall to the ground.
This is fast and conveniently feeds the lace at a nice even pace. It is also always easy to locate when your shifting to a new item.

I have pushed back from my chair to show you the way it works.
In no time it is unwound and ready for use.

Seam lace has a track to follow.
Now what this stuff is or does is it encloses the raw edge of the fabric. Thus it lessons the bulk of the seams as well as makes for fast application.
Sew a straight line...Practice and speed is then an option.
I used a 3. stitch length you could open it up to a 4 but then you risk slippage and it will slow you down. Any tighter and you in overkill and it will slow you way down.

I sew asembly style.
Now think on this if the manufacturers sew in this method you better bet your sharp needles that they have good reason for doing so...
YES
My time is worth a great value around here.
This is another thing that causes an ability to accomplish a lot in short order.
Think ergonomics.
When your sitting in your desk and set up think that way to.
Spend some time one day and just look at the work and waist of time that inefficient set up can cause you.

I dont even snip here...nope think like a quilter
The edges will match perfectly when you do.

This is the seam between sections a wide seam and then it will be zig zagged.

See the seam lace it is still in tact.

Now I did trip off the edge there that has the color code on it .

edge all edges with the lace.

On the top when you edge make sure you have the seams are together important thing!

When adding the new run of lace just overlap that the tape is going the same direction. IMPORTANT...This will make it so your curtian rod will pass through easily.

Prewss the whole thing out and tug on the seams gently to loosen up any tention that might set off the clean edges as you press.

On another note.
Clip all threads as you go.
When I was a young girl in home economics Yes they tought us back then in 6th grade...
CLIP CLIP CLIP
all thread! this could cause us a fall in grade on each item.

I ware a lanyard that I make with a disk cutter and my snips attached to it.
It is a stretch yet as you can see the tention in my finger I have to pull it a bit.
I just love this tool.
I do make and sell them if any one is interested.

After all is pressed stitch twice as deep as the casing will be for the rod.
When you fold down this will be in the casing and will not bind on the rod.

Now press ends first and stitch.
If your working with spead go ahead and do each end then the bottom and then the casing.
Be aware however that this is not a good idea if your going to walk away from the project.
The steamed pressed edges lose a crisp working edge if left to sit long.
PRESS PRESS PRESS
That was the other big thing I was tought and taught well.
It can make all the difference in a job and in the ease of said job.

Trim and enclose the lace as you stitch this will happen all the way around, but remember stich both side ends first

This is one of your greatest allys use it like the tool it is.
It is designed this way for many reasons.

Well pressed ends will meet at corners.

The seam rule is a tool you can or should not do without!

Beaded over sink
This is another valence for the kitchen window that I might incorporate but it makes the light to shaded
I am a little iffy on it.

There was just enough beading to add around the little desk lamp with a glue gun.