beginning again

I wanted to create something pretty from my stash, something that I could finish in a day. I wanted to get the year off to a good start so I made this yesterday:

front

back

I think the different organic materials and colours work well together. I got the lampwork beads at the Kingston Glass Studio a few years ago. The bone, wood and resin beads are from an old necklace and the buttons from the stash I appropriated from my mom. I've been collecting leather and suede scraps because you never know when you might want them.

The cuff proves that:

1. I can finish projects.
2. A stash is important for my creativity.
3. Pretty things make me smile.

Proven anything for yourself lately?

Dangles for my ears

Still working on my bead stash, I decided to try bead embroidery. I haven't been very happy with past efforts so I tried a different technique: stringing the seed beads, laying them in place, and then securing them. It makes for a more orderly design.

front

back

I embroidered the beads on cotton and then backed it on suede. This way, the earrings will have enough weight to hang nicely. Just need to finish the second one...

Learning to love process

Last night over coffee at Tim's - that Tim Horton's for all you who aren't Canadian - Olga and I got chatting about stashes. You know, in the closet or chest, stuff you had to have for that perfect project?

The reasons for its existent are as varied as there are crafters. My reasons/excuses include:

• getting interupted,
• needing to find just the perfect buttons,
• the item no longer being in season,

and my favourite,

• having something more inspiring to work on.

Well I'm working on it.

I've decided to make a sleeveless top using fabric from my stash, a soft cotton/silk blend, using a pattern from an old Burda magazine, the Sept. 99 issue.

(I tend to keep everything thinking it might come in handy).




In keeping with the spirit of enjoying process, instead of making bias tape from the fabric, I'm going to finish the armholes and neck with a hand-stitched rolled hem.

And I will enjoy process as a moving meditation of stitching.