creative reflections

And my amazing mentor came to the rescue yet again!  The sock that didn't fit became a subject of scientific inquiry from the scientist husband who must research all things.  Seeing my disappointment, he picked up the socks and noticed a pattern difference on the reverse of the socks at the point where the one became too narrow.  Sharing the observation with my mentor led to the discovery that I'd carried the second color of yarn along when I should not have and that extra step and fiber constricted the sock at that point--no flexibility for the foot to proceed to the toe of the sock.  A quick look from Mistress Amazing's careful eye, a couple snips with scissors and some confident loosening of unnecessary yarn and voila!  The sock of my consternation had been redeemed.  It fits! I had thought I'd put the second sock on repeatedly as I did the first to be sure it continued to fit my foot as I worked on it, but clearly at a critical moment that checking ce...

So if you have a Viking apron dress, you need bling and I needed it fast for an event.  Needed turtle brooches so found some I liked (thanks to people passionate about recreating old things and the miracle of modern mail), but also needed something to string between them.  Did some quick research on what Viking women wore and found they used beads, coins, stones, perhaps mementos.  I'd enjoyed making a beads at events and decided they'd make appropriate additions.  I'd been gifted some stone beads and a larger handmade bead (yellow one with red dots), had a Chinese medieval coin from an event, a site token with amethyst that looked like a dangling item from extant pieces, other site tokens, and had polished amber beads (amber was a desirable item in multiple cultures of the time).  Finally added a nalbinding needle. Why not?  It could be handy there....

I've always loved silver--it's just something special--& have always had a thing for silver rings.  A friend was recently teaching a class in making silver rings, so my favorite person signed us up.  Products pictured, to be given as gifts.  Pleased with the first efforts.   Process :  Measure a rectangular piece of silver about 1/4 inch wide (some  silver comes with patterns impressed on it) and cut (saw) to the ring size desired (per a handout indicating length for each ring size based on width of the silver), file the ends flat, then bend the 2 ends together with jewelry pliers until they touch and have no light between them, making the connection side flat so the ring will stand upright on that side.  Spritz the ring with anti-oxidizer, put it on a heat safe surface balanced on the flat side, and drip some flux on the connection area, then heat that area with a propane torch until dry.  Cut a piece of soldering wire about th...