Saturday 18 September 2010

Random Crafting Urges

I know the answer, with almost certainty as most creative people are alike.

But does anyone else suffer from Random crafting urges?

The bears have taken a little backseat right now and I have been working on a massive super complex cross stitch right now - I find them theraputic in an almost mindless way. look at the chart, do a few stitches, change colour, off you go. Nothing I like better than to 'watch' a movie or a show whilst stitching away.

I have stitched for a fair few years now, easily over 10 although I am very prone to starting something and not finishing it through sheer boredom - or another random crafting urge hitting me square in the face. This whole thing not helped by the fact I like super complex cross stitch - cos it just looks so much cooler when it's done.


This is what I'm working on right now. Simple huh? I've done about 1/6 in a couple of months. I do love Tigers.
I might put up progress reports so you can watch it grow. My living room is all creams and browns so it should look lovely when done.

Anyway! I was stitching along most days (in between bears) quite happily. Then one day I read a trade magazine at work.

For those of you who don't know, I work in a Jewellers. Not a fancy bespoke designer one I admit, it's a High Street Jewellers. Not the best know but we have around 126 branches in England and Wales.

No-one else reads those magazines I don't think, but I love to keep up with what is cool in the jewellery world.

I came across a lovely bracelet, which consisted of a half persian chain used as a charm bracelet. It was seriously nice.

Now half persian is a Chainmail pattern. For a while now, people have been making jewellery using jump rings in Chainmaill patterns. You will hear it referred to as Chain Maille when used in this manner.

I stumbled across it really when I found a kit one day. I have done a couple of patterns, Byzantine and Kings Helm.It is really simple and straight forward once you have learned the pattern of the rings; and working with jewellery I am very used to opening and closing jump rings. Fiddly but you get a really cool effect when it's done.

So I have decided I need to learn half persian to make a bracelet just like the one I saw. As stunning as it was, I have't got £375 when I can spend £4 on some rings instead!

Rings arrived this morning much to my Fiances amusement. He sees me with a package and says, what have you got? and just gave me a real funny look when I said a pile of jump rings.....lol.

So yet again, my crafting as been derailed by a random urge/inspiration.

Still, Never a Dull Moment, is it??

2 comments:

  1. I love chain Maille! I do find it relaxing playing with all those rings once you get the flow going. Now the next step for you is to get a coil of metal and put your jewelers saw to work.

    I would love to see your pictures when you are done please post them.

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  2. Thanks Joanne.

    Unfortunatly I don't 'do' straight - so I'm not sure how making my own rings would go! I do already have a jewellers saw though :-)

    I will post pictures

    love Julia xx

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