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Sunday 28 January 2018

'Choker'


Following on my previous post where I wrote about my Xmas 2017 gifts to my family, this post is about what was at the beginning of it all, what started me using wire to crochet jewellery. If you remember, I took a few courses with Teri Howes, a jewellery designer who works with wire to make exceptional crochet jewellery.

That time, under her supervision, I (together with a few other enthusiasts :-) made a cuff, outcome of which you can see on the left.

Following her step-by-step instructions, we were impressed with the outcome, especially after the first few rows we made looked quite disappointing... :-(



...A few years and a few projects later, I returned to Teri's design to crochet a choker (seen on the right).

How nice to return to a project I enjoyed so much and how great to complete it with a choker. I have ended up with a two-piece jewellery set I just cannot wait to wear and show to the world... :-)


At this point I can call on my trusted friend Elena (do you remember my friend Elena?) who kindly agreed to pose wearing the choker. What do you think? Doesn't she look great wearing it? K-)

Sunday 21 January 2018

Xmas 2017 selection

This is a Big Hello to you all after months or indeed years of my absence from my blog. There is not a massively plausible excuse rather than other things have managed to take over. And so, this could explain my non-actions...

Enough said, I wanted to share a selection of Christmas presents to my family this year (or more precisely Christmas 2017).

I am rather proud of this necklace. Its work started sometime in the summer when I had something else on my mind (as it often happens with my work). As I progressed with the weave, my thoughts took me further and further away; possibly also because the festive season was knocking at the door...

...and so I postponed the original idea and produced a necklace for my mum. I hope she likes it. :-)


In the summer (2017 we are talking about) I promised my teenage niece a bracelet. She picked the colours, colours that would also work well for my friend.

Not much needs to be said here, I crocheted two pieces. One more pink for my 'little' niece and one more suitable for an adult, for my friend. And both liked them.

I remember that the most difficult thing was to find suitable buttons. After few weeks of searching I ended up at the first place that I had on my mind, John Lewis. However, I still go to charity shops for buttons. One day, I will be lucky. :-)

This bracelet is an example of a project that needs maturing in time. I started on it last Christmas but could not finish it then. I did not see 'it' that time even though I new there was something in there...

Was it the mixture of yellow & white (material) or wood & ceramic (beads)? My sister had chosen the wooden beads some time earlier so all that was needed was to find a way.

The finished piece came along a few months ago, in time for Christmas 2017. 👍

I have one more niece who is an adult by now. And for her I made these earrings.

They came along from recycling the leftovers from my mum's necklace. In fact, I still have enough to make few variations on this look. So I will, perhaps one pair with different colour beads for myself... :-)



I also have a seriously 'cool' nephew. A teenager as well just a bit older. He started what is equivalent to English A-Levels in September (so that you have an idea of his age :-)

Now, what do you make for a boy of his age...

Looking at it from this angle, I started with his initial 'J'. Such the letter is actually a gift. It played in my cards...

Creating the letter 'J' and flipping it upside-down, I had a question mark. And I had a story...

... a teenager who has just started a big school, a teenager full of contradictions, a teenager full of questions (and that he is), a teenager who can decide for himself what to do with the piece.

He can put it on a chain around his neck, can make a bookmark from it, attach it to his key ring, even attach it to his phone. The possibilities are endless, the choice is his...

Quite frankly, I had fun with making for Christmas 2017. It reminded me of the importance of finding even a short time to do what one enjoys. ;-)

Monday 1 January 2018

Happy Year 2018

For the days just passed and entire year 2018. I hope you had a great time at Christmas and wish you all the success and happiness one deserves. K-)