So-so soutache

Soutache jewelry is on my list of things to learn this year.  I'm waiting for this book and this book to come out.  While I wait, I'm googling for tutorials.  The best way to learn is to try.  So here's my second attempt, loosely based on a tutorial by Anneta Valious.

I'm trying to keep my enthusiasm in check, so I'm sticking to what's in the stash.  There's still much room for improvement.  Still, it got a compliment from an unusual source.  My little guy (aged 8) thinks it looks nice.  It's always nice to get compliments from the opposite sex.

New Year 100th post

It's a new year, it's my 100th post and I don't know what I'm going to do with the blog this year. Ah well, perhaps I'll do a crafty roundup.

This is step 1 in Jane Eborall's 2013 TIAS.

Next is, Susan Fuller's Heart's Desire, done in response to the Malaysian Tatters January challenge.  It's a lovely pattern, marred by my careless joining.

This is a little snake knot bracelet done with satin cord.  I'm still trying to figure out how to finish the ends neatly.

Here's a soutache hairclip.  I'm planning to learn soutache jewelry making this year. There are some new books coming out. I like it because it reminds me of the Chinese frog closures my mother used to put on the baju kurung she made me as a kid.

Here's more jewelry. This is a spiral rope chain.  I nearly went mad with boredom trying to make 60cm (2 feet) of it.  I kept at it because it used up the stash and will go well with one of my favourite tops.

Next is another necklace.  It's a crochet chain, with plastic beads and metallic thread.

Here are some more stash busters; a knit garter stitch bag and some stackable cats from Mochimochi Land.

The cats were meant for my baby niece, but the big cat is super squishy, so now my kids fight over it.  Sigh.

In the little lady's service

Lately, my craft time has been in the service of the little lady. She keeps talking me into making things for her, and she's terrible persistent about bugging reminding me to finish them.

Here's a crochet bag, to hold the little lady's dance shoes.  The flower and butterfly are from 100 Flowers to Knit & Crochet.

Also, a doll, aptly named 'Dolly'. The pattern is from the Wee Wonderfuls book.

I'm trying to knit a book bag for the little guy, but I put in a single line of pink, and now I'm having trouble convincing him that it's 'manly' enough.  He says that he only wants things in 'boy-ishy' colours.  Sigh.

German heart

I was surfing and came across alamonabeads blog.  I was smitten with the heart, found the pattern and discovered it was in German (Rollendes Atelier).  The free patterns had lots of diagrams, so I crossed my fingers and ordered a kit.  I figured if I can work Japanese tatting patterns, I can figure German beading diagrams.

The kit got here last week.  After a few false starts and consults with Google translate, here's the result.

There's a ribbon tied slap-dash on it because I was determined to wear it today, TODAY!  So, I've been jaunting through KL with a heart on a ribbon tied around my neck.  I don't know if I looked good, but I was certainly happy!

Blocking blunders

I finished the Nora Benporath doily. It's been a while since I've worked on a traditional doily with a smaller thread, so I was not as careful as I should have been with joining picots and long chains.  So, blocking was painful.

I ironed it.  It looked wonky.  I laid it out between napkins and stacked books on top.  It still looked uneven.  Finally, I grit my teeth and pin blocked.  It wasn't perfect, but it looked OK.  Then, the little lady grabbed it, said it was pretty and crumpled it in her little hand so she could carry it around.  I nearly cried.  I can't bear to pin block again, so here it is.

On a happier note, her are some more hair clips.  They're like potato chips; I can't seem to stop at one.

 
The heart pattern is from My Daily bead.  The bottom ones are beaded bezels.

Lace Mat progress

The Norma Benporath lace mat continues. My pre-made clovers are getting attached.  I live in fear that one will get lost.  Two down, six to go.

Hair, hair, hair clips

The hair clips continue.  I'll just keep making these until I run out of clips.

These are little beaded balls I learned to make from MyDailyBead. I got a headache learning to make these as learning from videos drives me nuts. Still, these are so cute, I can't stop making them.

These crochet flowers with rose buttons are the little lady's current favourite. They match her preschool uniform nicely.

The next three were a birthday gift for one of my daughter's dance class friends. The blue flowers are crochet with gold buttons.

The ballerina is a crochet applique from EverLaughter. I showed it to the little lady as I put it in her friend's gift bag. Then I had to make a solemn promise that I'd make one for her.

The last set are these spiky paper bead clusters. They remind me a bit of durian.

 

The lace mat is coming along.  I'll get a picture for the next post.