A Bit Of This & A Bit OF That

Sometimes I really do wish that the weekend were longer or cooler, but I got neither this weekend. It was short and hot and I spent more of it remaking things than I had intended. I did get some new invisible threads to try out though. Three different brands and a second roll of the sulky because they have this metallic clear that I think might add a sheen that the others may not. Other than that one though they all work up the same which is pretty awful. I did a couple of test pieces which I failed to take a picture of. It seems the way to make this work at all is to add the invisible thread to size 20 thread until I reach the same size as size 10 thread. The invisible stuff make the worked up white piece look a bit discombobulated as it sits between stitches, but it will lay the same and hopefully will provide the sense of slightly transparency when hit from behind with light.

I'm also mentally working on pattern ideas to fit the art project. I'm waiting for some final sketches and a bit of feedback from the artist to make final decisions though. I'm never really worked with other people on a project, so I felt it was best to take it slow and not get ahead of myself  so that we are on the same page. I don't want to be the one who mucks everything up. Of course until it's actually being done I will continue under the impression that my participation may no longer be required at any point. It's best for my psyche.

In other news I was informed on Friday I believe by a subscriber to Maclean's Magazine that the tatting article many of us are referenced in is in the recent issue. I have no idea if it is on the stands yet since I don't live in Canada, but the same customer scanned the page and emailed it to me. I have to say that while the general tone of the article is great, I wish it were quite a bit longer and I'm a little embarrassed by the characterization of me. I hear tale that they generally post articles from the print edition online about a week later. I'll be keeping an eye out for that so everyone else can see it.

Oh, I almost forgot to share the one new thing I did make over the weekend. One of my customers wondered out loud on twitter if the heart pendant she just purchased from my could possibly be put on a ribbon as a headband with crystals. The wondering was several tweets long. I thought, sure if I stiffen the heart so it doesn't misbehave. I made her a pink one and followed up with a red on for the shop. I sewed on matching swarovski crystals and then used fa-brick to stiffen it from both sides. I find this stuff is great for pieces that need to hold their shape through wear. The lace shows perfectly with a  slight sheen and as a bonus it remains flexible without cracking. I wouldn't use it on jewelry because I love the natural lace, but for this kind of use, it's perfect.

Today will likely be more experiments with clear threads and possibly some more remaking or another heart headband or two. They work up fast, but the stiffening is a delicate job and requires some significant drying time, so it would be wise to do that step in batches...that is if I really think more of them will sell. That, I haven't decided yet.

Shifting Focus

Ah, the day after, the morning after. I took some time out yesterday morning to toot my own horn by posting a link to yesterdays blog post in all my usual haunts and I saw a few more posts online about the show. The only one I will share with you this morning was by a fashion friend that I know from twitter. This is the only post so far where my lace is mentioned, she even kindly included a link to my shop. The blog post is here at Broke & Beautiful. I did also get an interview request from another friend, so when that is up, I will link you to that as well.

So what now? I am experiencing the inevitable letdown that occurs after one has focused so much energy on one singular event. This morning I find myself a little rudderless. I do have a few pieces left that need remaking and I am focusing on that for the time being. I don't want to dwell too long in the light of all the kind congratulatory comments or the fall to normality will be much more painful, so I'm just moving on now.

While I was in a holding pattern waiting for packages to arrive, I did make a couple of custom pieces I can share though. I think I mentioned that I had two headbands to make based on existing necklaces. The first here was any easy remake. I threw off an extra ring in the center of each motif rather than attach a bead, which is what I do with the necklace version. I also joined an extra picot on the small outside rings to keep the structure tighter.

The second one was based on my 'A Scandal In Bohemia' necklace, but rather than try to take the shape of the necklace, I just appropriated a single element from the design and repeated it into it's own undulating design. I  then wrapped the design around at the end for a nice place to add the ribbon. I keep saying that I've going to put these headbands in the shop, but the ones I have put in the shop seem to just sit there. I think it might just be a cost thing as they are just as expensive as the necklaces, but less ornate seeming in their use. Yeah, I don't know.

So the Wunderkammer is back and I am just slowly remaking a few things. The shop is pretty dead which always seems to happen when I have big news to share so I might play with some one off pieces though honestly, I'm not feeling the creative spark at the moment. I think I need a little refocusing first.

Round Numbers

Yesterday began slowly, very slowly. While it seemed everything was quiet on the Internet, I worked. I remade a few small things and finished the headband, got it approved by the customer and listed it. The customer picked it up later in the afternoon so the listing is already gone. I do plan on making this up again for the shop, though I'm not certain which color I will do.

The two girl kitten had their vet appointment in the afternoon, but as part of the crazy cat lazy package, my mother-in-law took them so I was free for a bit. I caught up with my DVR and got some time to play my Christmas present video game...Donkey Kong. I only did that for a spell when the email notifications started.

You see I was sitting at 1395 sales yesterday and you all know how much I love round numbers, so I was thinking how neat it would be to get to that next one by the end of the year. Being that Christmas is over getting five sales in three days is more than a bit of a stretch, so I made a comment about it on facebook, then tried not to dwell. That brings be back to the email notifications. The custom headband sold, then another piece, then a few more and by this morning even a few more. So not only have I broken through that magic round number, but I soared right passed it and never even saw the roundness. I am elated to end the year on such a high note. Oh, wait...there are still a couple more days for it to all go to pot. I have knocked on wood and boy do I have some tatting to do today.

Speedy

Have you ever tatted so quickly, so furiously that even your back became sore? Yes, that is exactly what I did yesterday morning in order to get that mask I mentioned yesterday made and in the post. I just couldn't sit on my hands when there was even a remote possibility of getting it finished and to the customer in time for the weekend. I'm not really sure what that says about me, but I did manage to finish it and in record time. It got placed in the mail and I whined about my back for a couple of hours before I felt better and got back to work.

 Before I got back to tatting I took down Christmas. We usually wait until the sixth, but the kittens have been wreaking havoc so it was time. Don't let the picture fool you. They were just resting before another epic play battle that would have destroyed many small villages...should there be any around.

It does always amaze me how I only realize how many bloody Hallmark ornaments we have when I have to carefully box them all back up and get them put away. There are a lot of them. Don't get me started on how many of them are Batman and Spiderman. The husbands response to that will be...but they're all different. Yes, they are, but that's not the point and he knows it.

After all that I did get back to the custom headband. I'm making it in a discontinued Ceblia color. It's a light silvery gray that my saintly Mother-in-law snagged all of at her local yarn shop for me. The picture was taken when I was about halfway done, but I managed to finish while the oldest played one of her new video games in the evening. Luckily I can read the game text to her while tatting. She can read a little now, but it's a Pokemon game and full of ridiculous words that she needs help with. Plus, me reading speeds the whole thing along better.

Anyway, the tatting on that is done, so today I add the ribbon and hopefully get some pictures taken so I can list it for the customer. Then I have a whole new pile of pieces that need remaking as well. I might make up another of the headbands for the shop too. I do really like the way it turned out I guess we'll just have to see where the day takes me.

Victorious Headband

Well, talk about getting back into the swing of things. I had a custom request to work on, actually there are two of them, but one requires I wait for a special bit of supplies before beginning work on it, so more on that one later. This one was a request for a headband designed after one of my collar chokers. I told the customer what I thought would be the best option and once I received the word that it sounded fine I got to work on it.

I laid the beginning of it on top of the choker it emulates...and yes I was playing with my phone camera again. I had to adjust quite a bit of it so it would lay straight as I was going to double it for the end piece. I just used three large points, then I used the clover from the top edge of the necklace to finish the length on both sides. This is just the prototype as the customer wants it in gray, but I was so uncertain as to whether or not my first attempt would pan out, I thought I do the first try in some plain black as I clearly own a lot of black thread. There are a couple of things I will adjust when I make it up in gray, but for the most part I like the way it turned out. I will finish it with wide black ribbon on the ends so it ties on like my Rosette headband.

I was planning on getting that finished today, but I woke up to a mask order that wants to arrive by Friday. That is likely impossible as it's not made yet, but I have a feeling that the customer didn't notice that in the listing. So now I wait for a response to my message regarding that and I make the mask double quick in the meantime just in case. The whole shop is on free shipping right now, but I hope they understand that the free shipping is standard, not expedited. On the other hand, I hate to disappoint people when they want a piece for a particular event...it gives me the stress. Oh and let us not forget about all the bad weather that is likely slowing down mail service anyway. Oye, the lesson here is always order early for the best service particularly in the winter. So, off to it then.

Convertible

Proving yet again that I rarely have a handle on what is going to happen in the future, I have sold just two masks this month. I know it's still early, but in the land of Internet orders there is an earlier cutoff for sales since shipping is only so reliable. So I've got maybe two weeks left of Halloween sales. I should have recalled that last year I didn't really sell all that many for Halloween either. They really do work better as Masquerade masks. Anyway, that was just a bit of a whine over spending so much time getting masks made, when I could have been doing something else I suppose.

The frilled vine piece was photographed and listed yesterday.The biggest challenge was as a convertible piece, I never know what is best to show in the first picture. It works as a headband, armband, necklace and the ruffle makes it look great all tightened up as a bracelet too. I thought it might make a great garter as well. It would if it were like twice the length. Why I always forget how much bigger around ones leg is than their neck, I'll never know. Well, it's likely because I really don't need to know. Though I suppose I could make one long enough for that purpose, but that would take forever.

The profound lack of orders on my plate meant I did get to work on the crazy halter top idea. The bottom edge is already sussed out so it was the challenge of the triangle. I am first testing out a vintage design made of small square motifs. The motif is the same one I use in my Starburst pieces. I initially connected them wrong and had to cut them apart to start again, but I not even certain they are going to work. I'm working using my own sad measurements and trying to adjust things to what might be considered normal sized. There will be little room for adjust-ability in the end design so I want it to be as average as possible. Though I not so secretly hope to be called away from the project with pressing orders to attend to, I will keep working on this one. I may have to just buckle under and design from scratch for this bit. I guess I'll just have to work up the prototypes as see how it comes together.

Tatted Headband

Busy, busy weekend. Projects were approved, others became irons in the fire awaiting approval. To say that I've had a jump start into the year would be, I fear, a gross understatement. Along with the many projects I've already shared, I've got a few more as well my own wandering mind coming up with new ideas.

Over the weekend, I was very nearly bullied into attempting to create opera length tatted gloves. I accused them of insanity, but I know that with the addition of laces it would be possible. However anyone who has done an afternoon of tatting can appreciate the sheer amount of time said project would take. First of course I need to concur the hand portion of the glove itself. I have seem wearable tatted gloves so I know it is possible. I would like my pattern to not simply mimic those so I will not search out the pattern and rather muddle though on my own. Yes, this is another project that will take forever to manifest, so don't expect to see anything any time soon. I'm also contemplating a high end of luxe line full of embellished pieces, again gonna take some precious time.

I will show off the most recent piece to actually sell from my slate of custom pieces. The tatted headband I teased at. I made it with hand dyed thread and a hell of a lot of swarovski beads. I attached ribbon to each end so the whole thing will tie on. In fact I tried it out as a choker as well and it is quite dramatic. This one will definitely be remade and make it's way into the store. It will likely be purple, but will receive a black makeover in the future.

One other interesting project is an exclusive piece for an online store. I made something up to share with them yesterday and it will remain an iron until I hear back. I usually shy away from wholesale entirely not wanting to compete against myself, but this match was right for an exclusive piece...I hope. I'll share more as it develops of course. I know it's early in the year, but here's to this being the start of, let's see...yeah, let's go with greatness.