More For Your Feet

It was a fairly downbeat weekend so I managed to work out another pattern for my impending line of anklet footwear. This one started with a 40's era pattern for a centerpiece edging. Then I added matching motifs across the top and used my In Bloom motif in the center. The last time I went ahead and made the prototype in black thread because it's based on an existing piece and I knew that it would work out. This time I made it in ecru thread since I had no idea if it would work. After a few final tweaks, adding some floating and split rings around the bottom edge of the design. I have started on one in black, but it is not ready for a closeup just yet.

I always seem to forget that there are differences in the ecru and black threads I use. My vintage size 10 ecru thread is a bit thicker than the same sized modern black. This means that the final piece in black will be noticeably smaller. I think that I will have to add an edging on the sides of the final black one to make the size work as well as give me a better edge to lace the piece. I'm having an internal debate about the price of these corseted anklets too. I am personally very cheap when it comes to shoes and to price these for the time would be more than I think I would pay for a pair of shoes. Of course they should make quite a statement and it's always hard to remember that I am not my customers.

I should have a pair of the new design done in a few days and then I'm just waiting for my ridiculous stiletto shoes to arrive so I can get proper pictures. Hopefully I will have also worked out a proper name for them as well. Suggested terms have been 'spatlet', which brings to mind a tiny spat, and 'spanklet', that frankly sounds a little dirtier than I'd like. I'd prefer something a little more corset related, I think. Ideas from you are of course very welcome. Then I still want to work out a design for a barefoot sandal design as well. Things have been fairly slow etsy wise, so I've had some much needed time to create new things as well as get most of the pieces I had listed as custom orders made up so they're ready to ship.

In other news, this Sunday, I got a google alert to an interesting feature of my Order of Ecclesia Victorian Lace Collar. It was based on a video game character and suggested for creation my husband. Apparently, the gamers have finally stumbled upon it. My husband was so proud that it was his idea, he kept reminding me that I should be thanking him for the idea. The feature was picked up by two other gamer sites, nothing huge, but still pretty cool to have some unsolicited attention.

Tweet

I am now among the many who have recently fallen victim to the twitter trend. I've added the stream over on the left here and spent the weekend tweaking my page, finding a few friends and generally getting the hang of this new toy. I actually got an account there forever ago, but it wasn't until an etsy friend of mine started "following" me that I revisited the site. I then discovered that there was a huge fan of etsians joining up for the potential promotion factor. I don't know if it will be any good for that sort of thing, but I'll tell you what I already like. I often have no one over the age of 4 to tell of my little successes during the day. My kids don't care that I was on the front page, but maybe if I tweet it to the world, someone will be listening. We'll see if I like it long term, but I'll give it a shot. Follow me if you like, or not, I've no idea how interesting I'll be.

In other weekend news, I tried my hand at rebranding myself. I just got new business cards and thought I'd give banner making a shot and made a new one here and at etsy that match the cards. I really have the graphic design skills of a rhesus monkey, so any opinions or advice will be taken without hurt feelings. I though that the tatting is similar to tattooing play would work for me and my style.

One last event for the weekend and this time it's tatting related. I got in some of the yarn I had ordered and since I had a dead sales weekend I got to work on one of my future projects. This one was the Victorian Lace Collar that was inspired by my husbands video game vixen from Castlevania.

I started with the yarn I got from Fearlessfibers , I picked one with a creamy colorway and made a thick band with three rows of my simple vine pattern. I added a small ruffle on the top edge and a longer one on the bottom. In the end, I will get a large ribbon to tie the collar closed like in the picture, but for now I just tied it with a small ribbon to take some pictures. I need opinions on the look and whatnot, so I'll probably post the pictures everywhere. I kind of like the way it looks without the ribbon as well, so perhaps I'll find a way for it to be worn both ways.

Inspiration

It's no secret that my husband has mixed feeling regarding not only etsy, but my tatting in general. That said, he sometimes jumps into my world with both feet. He expressed an affection recently for my masks and attempted to get me to wear one to the Ren Faire last week, though I ultimately chickened out because I was afraid of the attention. I know, silly given that my hair is currently blue and purple and one can't help but notice me. Anyway, just this weekend as he was fawning over screen shots and videos of the newest Castlevania games he called me into his computer room with an idea for my tatting.

This is such a rare occurrence that any hesitation on my part would have been foolhardy, so rather than stare agape at him making a suggestion for my tatting, I went to see what it was. Well, the newest star of the Castlevania games in a rather goth looking gal with an insane amount of hair, which would preclude her from fighting effectively, I might add. On her arms she wears long gloves with a lace edge and on her neck she wears what appears to be a lace collar with a ribbon tying it in front. The suggestion was of course that I should make these items with tatting. While it is hard to get past the origin of the suggestion, it is a good one. So onto the list of future projects are tatted Castlevania accessories.

The collar is quite similar to ones already found on etsy, but as with many of my projects, I haven't seen it in tatting. The projects will probably have to wait until after the holidays, like so many others, but I'll get around to them, if for no other reason than to involve my husband in my work. It just goes to show you though, you just never know where inspiration is going to come from.