A surprisingly crafty week

It has been one of those weeks where I feared that I had no time for ‘proper’ crafting. I did rather a lot of sewing:

That is sewing labels into school uniform.

This took a lot of my evenings up along with the planning and preparation at the computer  needed for the coming few weeks. I did feel that I needed a project that I could just pick up every now and again as complete relaxation so started on this:

Some crochet in lovely yarn.

I shall not reveal all yet – I like to keep you guessing.

Finally, this weekend has been a bit unusual as it has been about my husband and I. We have not been running around with our children here, there and everywhere, instead they have been coming to things with us. Yesterday my husband was playing at a local music festival which meant that I had some time to have a go at two more projects:

I did a bit more kumihimo to make a ‘chain’ for the turquoise chips I started on holiday. A step closer to being completed.

I also had a go at using my new larger and bigger french knitting loom.

I really like the way that the beads are encased in the wire cage.

Yes I am one of those crazy people!

Today has been about me taking part in a Spartan race (a race with obstacles in) rather than crafting but I shall definitely be doing a bit more crochet as a way of relaxing this evening. That is once I have been over to handmade harbour and caught up with all the great makes over there (with a well-earned glass of wine of course).

Hope you all have a great week :).

 

Something new to try.

It is called Flutterby

This is the yarn that I have been using for my latest crochet project. Unfortunately I cannot show you the finished item…..yet. This yarn is not one that I would choose again in a hurry as it was not easy to use although it will be perfect for the project that I have used it for. It is made from polyester and will wash and dry really easily and my boys like it because it is lovely and soft. This colour way is a new one.

The second item that I have been working on this week was a piece of jewellery, my beloved kumihimo. This time I have used chips of Turquoise:

It has created a really lovely chunky item which I will turn into a necklace.

Finally, some of you may have noticed that I have spent very limited amounts of time on the internet this week? This is because we have been away. We had a lovely week in Broadstairs (Kent) where i managed to swim in the sea every day! There is a lovely little wool shop there, which I had to visit ;). The main reason was for this:

I know it is not yarn as such but I am hoping to be able to make a scarf a bit like this:

Unlike All night knits, I have never made a ruffle scarf before (she is going for the world record I think, although not through choice!) but I was drawn to this because it is unusual. I it is actually chiffon which has holes lasered into it:

The laser is to stop it from fraying. Luckily it comes with instructions and there are some tutorials on YouTube too (thankfully!). It was not cheap at £11.00 but I am looking forward to the experience. I shall keep you informed as to how I get on. Has anyone else come across it before, it is called Desire by Woolcraft?

With it being Sunday I shall be heading over to Handmade Harbour to catch up on 2 weeks worth of news (my phone does not make it easy to  comment so sorry to everyone. I shall try to make up this week :)).

Kumihimo workshops for children

The girls soon got the hang of it and were very busy.

 

 

Already on braid number 2!

One braid already to be finished off.

Some of the braids made by the afternoon class. They were very productive!

One or two also had time to make a pretty bracelet!

I think they all thoroughly enjoyed themselves and are going away with new found skills. I love passing on skills to the next generation. What have you passed on?

Christening Bracelet

I was recently asked to make a bracelet for a very special little girl who was being christened this weekend:

The satin cord set up on the kumihimo disk.

The basic band – Kumihimo (of course).

A few carefully chosen, significant charms.

The finished bracelet.

You can find a more detailed post about it here.

Am I unfaithful?

This week has been one of those which I thought was going to be fairly quiet but actually turned out to be quite busy. Good busy that is. I have found a new obsession. Kumihimo. Kimihimo is a Japanese art that is used to make silk bands that they tie around their tunics. It is very similar to friendship bracelets if you have ever tried that. I made this one that has beads added in as an extra:

When I saw the examples I have to say that I thought it looked as if it was going to be very complicated. Happily I was wrong. It honestly is not that complicated (I learnt in a couple of hours) and I have already plans for many more to be made. One of the reasons that I like it is because most of the jewellery that I have been making so far is not portable like knitting and crochet. This however is. Once you have the beads threaded on then you are able to get on with it, wherever you like. It is also fairly quick. I do have one dilemma with it: it is very similar to the beaded crochet ropes that I have made in the past. I love making these a lot but feel as if I am being somewhat unfaithful to the crochet.

A beaded crochet rope.

Kumihimo beaded bracelet.

I think that you will agree that the first and last pictures are almost identical in structure. So where does  that leave me? Should I stay true to beaded crochet or allow myself to go with kumihimo?

To help me (or you) to decide I have done a comparison between the two:

Kumihimo                                                                                                                                                                    Beaded Crochet Ropes

You have to decide on the length of thread to cut before you start.                                            Is done on one length of thread so you work from the reel.

You can move beads around when you have started.                                                                     You have to get it right from the start. No re-beading is possible

Fairly portable.                                                                                                                                          Very portable

Less fine work involved – you move the threads with your hands                                              You have to pick up small loops with a fine crochet hook

I suspect this is quicker than beaded crochet ropes

So what do you think? Maybe I should just go with whatever takes my fancy at the time and I am making a big deal out of nothing?

As always, on a Sunday, I am about to head over to Handmade Harbour to catch up with all the other talented blogs. Do come and have a look too 🙂

I hope you all have a great week and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my dilemma 🙂