Long, Crossed & Twisted

Now, we're cooking with butter. It's just a small thing, but it gave me something new to focus on for a spell and it was lovely to feel a bit of inspiration again. Also, I have plenty of pictures to share for once and not one of them is of a cat. First we have my second attempt at the design. I thought that the different center would give the design a fresh look. Well, it was different and well, bad. It changed the entire dynamic of the design and just had to go.

The poor thing ended up in the scissors so I could retrieve the beads I had given it. I know that sometimes we just have to cut out the bad bits and start over, but is it just me or does the snipping sound the scissors make when cutting through lace cause everyone a bit of anxiety? I likened it to the sound of finger nails on a chalk board. There was also some talk of the lace screaming and now I'm going to hear imagined screams when I cut future pieces.

Of course I wasn't done yet. I decided that the center was fine with the four leaf clover, but it needed something to enhance it's structure if it was ever going to be wearable. I opted for long crossed twisted picots. They look interesting and provide a net between what used to be weak spots. I also added beads to the joining spots between the center and the outer design. A little chain and we have a necklace. I got this one photographed and listed early in the afternoon.

I enjoyed making the design so much that I asked yet again for color suggestions. The first offered was a two color sepia one. Since I too was curious how it would look in two colors, I got it made up pretty quickly. Though not quickly enough to get it photographed and listed. That will have to wait until later today. I finished this one with brass beads and chain. I even started on a third in two shades of gray. I almost grabbed for the crazy bright colors, but they haven't flown out of the shop like I hoped, so I'm not going to bother unless asked. What's crazy to me looking at all of these photos right now, is how different the piece looks than the original design even with so few adjustments. I'm racking my brain trying to see if there is anything else I can do with the design, but I think this might be it. If so, I move on and maybe mess with something else or just play with more long crossed, twisted picots because I think they're fun.