The Art Nouveau Collection

Dear Universe, What the Hades? Seriously, I mean it looks like you like me, but do you want me to actually implode from the stress? No, I am not going to explain this outburst at this time. I will explain it at some future time when my head makes proper sense of the timing of it all. For now you will just have to wonder what the heck I woke up to that would make me want to write that first thing in the morning.

I promised you pictures of all the pieces that I came up with on Monday, but I don't want to overwhelm so I'll just share a couple. The rest are of course currently listing in the etsy shop for your veiwing pleasure. First up is the choker. I know you already saw the awesome photo of it yesterday held in my hand, but here it is worn. It is a fairly standard looking choker, but I do like the way the chains created the arches along the top edge. The next one here is the basic necklace that I created to match. I actually made two of these. The other is in pink with a slightly different chain section. I honestly still haven't decided which of those I like better.

The last one I wanted to show you is the inverted pieces. I turned them upside down, but I also lengthened the bottom side chains to give it a more chandelier look. Oh and I also adjusted the side rings so they appear a little more even. On this pair I hung some crystals, but I also listed a set in red without them and I think they look fine either way. Of course that could just be me being lazy as I am not the best wire wrapper in the world and it hurts my little hands a bit.

As you might have guessed from my earlier outburst, I'm going to be stressed out and likely quite busy today. No, it's nothing terribly awful...at least I don't think it is yet, but there are some timing issues that the Universe could work on. I hope I'm entertaining you Universe...I would hate it if you got bored. Anyway, I'm off to it all now.

Don't Believe Me

Why yes, I am a big old lying liar. I said no more new, no more creative...I said I was getting down to production mode. So what do I do the second I get time to tat yesterday? Do I start making stock? No, of course not. I leaf through my stack of books again and and start playing with edgings. I found one that was a much more basic version of the Pomegranate edging I was so fond of form Anne Orr's book when I first started tatting. This one was in another 40's era book and as soon as I got through the first motif in the pattern I stopped. I though why this would make a fine earring. I thought it had made itself, but then I spent another twenty minutes trying to suss out the top portion. I had also added the bottom ring on whim.

As soon as that was done, I asked twitter for advice. Not only did they point out that the design might look neat upside down as well, but asked for a few colors. Since it was such a quick design, I obliged with a light pink and a green version. The green was another hand dyed by Heather and the slight mottle really adds to the art nouveau feel of the piece. It never fails to amaze me what a simple color change can do.

Once the other pairs were made up, I went onto the original idea, which was to make a choker out of the edging. Since I made the earrings first and I liked the way that the top arch made them look, I added a second row to the edging along with the other modifications I had already made. At this point it was quite dark out and even the phone picture is terrible awful, but since I did take one, I though I'd show you. I thought about adding even another chain edge, but then the design no longer matches the earrings, so I think this is the final piece. Then I thought I'd also try out a simple necklace, one with the motif at the center and the Josephine chains on the sides. I made one to match the green earrings, but by the time I finished that one, I had no interest in attempting a photo. So I'll share that one tomorrow after I have decent listing photos of everything. Then I think I will get a set done upside down as was suggested. I think there are a couple of little changes it will need to hang well and I might add some crystals from that set. I won't attempt a reverse choker, but the simple necklace might still work with the design inverted or perhaps that one will just be a pendant and I'll hang it from a chain.

See, I'm a big old lying liar, but hopeful you like what I make when I'm suppose to be working.

Queen Of The Nile Rises

It was a long weekend. There was movie going, Megamind, and sleepovers with the kids cousins. Then of course there was the time change that all but destroyed us as we tried to stay up to our new bedtime. Throughout the weekend I was busy tatting though. First up, I finished the new collar necklace. I did end up making a prototype and then starting all over. The final version has the lengthened center point I was thinking of and I built up the top section with two rows to create a little more of the choker effect. This one sits nicely at the base of the neck with the choker part standing up which makes it much more comfortable than most chokers and I used an adjustable clasp on this one as well, so it fits nearly every one. I got it listed over the weekend.

I also began offering free domestic and reduced International shipping in the shop. I hate doing sales too often as it can create the perception that you're really overcharging in the first place and with a few obvious exceptions I try to keep my prices relative to the time it takes to make them, so sales are rare for me. However, during the holiday season one must compete with all sorts of sales and offering free shipping is a relatively painless way to offer a deal. That will likely be in effect through the end of the year.

I got creative again on Sunday as we lazed around after the cousins had gone home. This time I busted out with a tome from the 70's again, this one by Irene Waller. The book is mostly full of basic design information, ideas and drawings. I kept looking at the one here and finally decided that I was going to try and make it. There was no pattern and no stitch counts listed so I was making it up as I went. We'll call it a challenge to create what you see with imaginary numbers. I suspect that I got most if not all the numbers and joins wrong. I also suspect that the final shape would need to be manipulated with proper blocking and stiffening. All that being said I'm pretty proud of my attempt. In fact I think it might make a right pretty pendant or maybe a lapel pin. There are a few other illustrations and bits in the book I'd like to guess my way through eventually, but I know I need to buckle down and shift into holiday mode soon. I'll be trying to build up stock of simple items, earrings, pendants and whatnot with the time I have right now. So no more design work...unless I really need to.

Queen Of The Nile

I'm actually having a little trouble this morning remembering how yesterday started...which is odd. What I do remember is after the mornings schooling I got to picture taking and got the new necklace listed. There was some help with the naming and then she was ready to go. Did I mention that I was also playing with an edging from one of the antique books. It needed some minor reworking so after the prototype I went with a bracelet. It's a bit big on my wrist, but I really like having more diversity in sizing. If everything I made fir me like a glove, I'd be shutting out a huge section of the population.

I should have stopped at this point and worked on remaking a pair of barefoot sandals, but I have been having the best luck looking at these old pattern books with new eyes. I've scanned my stack of them countless times, but for some reason I'm seeing potential in things I previously dismissed. Like the good old bread tray edging from a 40's era book. I've looked at it before, hell, I've seen other people make necklaces with it before, but I didn't like the way they looked. I suppose it could be said that there is an actual art to re purposing designs and you have to see it in just the right way for it to work for you.

I saw this one as a choker high on the neck. In fact it reminds me of an Egyptian collar necklace. Of course that might be because my daughter is currently studying Egyptian history and art, but still that's what I see. So rather than drape the design by using just the pattern as written, I added a top edge to pull the piece together and up a bit. I still may add a bit more round the top edge. This is the point where I usually hem and haw for a few hours about the design and it's feasibility. Another fun thing about this one is since the back is such a simple design is will be much easy to size up as well.

So I'll be working on this today to see if I can get it finished enough to list. I might start over as well as one of my thinking points is whether I should lengthen the center point or not. It may add a bit more drama if I did, but then again it might take away from the collar look. Oh, decisions, decisions. I may also get round to making the necklace version of the bracelet from yesterday though I am a bit worried about the ability to size the design if needed. I t may be a one size only sort of deal to keep the design intact or I might get creative, who knows. Off to it then and everyone have a lovely weekend!

In Which I Learn A Lesson

Such horribleness nearly occurred yesterday. I was remaking a necklace and thought I'd double check my stitch count so I looked at my table to grab my tatting notebook. It wasn't there. How odd. I spent the next half an hour in a frenzy looking for the thing and realizing how utterly irreplaceable it is. It is full of stretches, patterns and the small vital changes made to other patterns. It is an utter mess and completely unreadable by anyone else. It is everything I haven't memorized. I did finally locate it...in the small trash next to my nest. It apparently fell in unnoticed. Luckily I have a strict no wet garbage rule for this trash bin. So I needed to archive these pages immediately, you know like I should have done eons ago. I was going to scan them all in when it occurred to me that my iphone takes a pretty sharp picture. In a fraction of the time I would have spent scanning, the whole book was in my phone. Ah, I feel better now. Now, if I could only remember to write all the patterns down int he first place. One success at a time huh?

I finished the orders in queue and decided that I needed to make something new. Instead of giving it any thought, I just reached over, grabbed a vintage pattern book, quickly picked a pattern and went to work. This one was the corner of a rectangular tray mat and ever since I first saw it, reminded me of a macrame owl. The book is from the seventies and they were overly descriptive with their pattern writing. This would not be a bad thing, except what they describe in great detail is what's happening with each shuttle and thread. This made it very difficult for me, a needle tatter, to get to the heart of the pattern. All I need is the numbers people, just the numbers. I was able to make a few adjustments to make it work, but it was as if I was fighting the pattern the whole time. I opted to add a josephine chain and a few extra rings to finish this one. 

I made the whole piece a second time in gray to really get the pattern right and opted for Victorian sets instead. I think that's the one I'll get listed later today. I really do enjoy resurrecting older designs for new purposes. I might even play with this design some more and see what else it's got hiding within. Oh and I thought I should let you know that the mask shipping drama has been finally resolved. I wish that all my customers were as understanding and wonderful as this one was. Now off to tat.