I Make Things: Winter 2022

It’s been a couple of months since my last post on all things crafty, let’s talk about what I’ve been making lately. I’ve been branching out in a few new(ish) directions, as always following inspiration wherever it takes me. I’ve been able to carve out a consistent amount of time every week to devote to creative pursuits, which has been an incredible boon for my mental wellbeing especially during difficult times. A lot of my inspiration lately has come from art. I find myself drawn to certain artists and works because of their colour stories; my brain is constantly craving colour. I swear, colour is like some kind of serotonin boost for me. Whether it’s embroidery or beadwork, it all comes back to colour.

Speaking of embroideries, I’ve worked on a few larger pieces so my output hasn’t been large but does include pieces I’m very happy with.

This is the 4th hoop in my waterlilies series. I like to try different techniques and design ideas each time. This piece was influenced by Monet’s waterlily studies.

Here is the whole series, side by side:

I’m taking a break from waterlilies for now, so I can recharge my inspiration. Instead, I’m working on some different flowers, like this:

This was a large hoop (10 inch) which takes significantly longer to complete — when doing a full coverage design — than my usual 8 inch hoop. I like the extra design space that the larger canvas provides, but it’s a struggle to stay committed long enough to finish it. However, this one was enjoyable to work on, start to finish — I think the diversity of colours really helped.

I also worked on another large hoop that was a complete departure for me. I decided to try an abstract portrait in the style of Picasso, inspired by a post on r/Embroidery. The OP’s work was done by rug-hooking, and I wanted to replicate that texture so I decided to take the plunge and commit to French knots. Over the entire hoop. Did I mention it was a 10 inch hoop? Gah.

For the design, I used these 2 Picasso portraits as inspiration:

I was initially very excited about the project simply because of its novelty, but the reality of French-knotting a full coverage design soon kicked in … and almost kicked my butt. But I persevered:

I love the texture of the finished piece and how it turned out in general, but I’m not sure I want to turn this one into a series, haha!

Next up, I did a little bit of jewelry upcycling again after a hiatus. But instead of working with polymer clay, I simply used existing (thrifted or secondhand) pieces to assemble new ones. It started when I found a bracelet at the thrift store which matched a necklace I’d thrifted a few years ago. I hadn’t been wearing the necklace very much, but I loved the design and realized that I could make a piece more to my liking by combining the necklace and bracelet. So I connected them together, and added another thrifted piece (a collar-style necklace) to hang them, like so:

I love long vertical line necklaces, and this first try inspired me. So I decided to tackle another bracelet I Poshmarked last year; it’s a labradorite cluster bracelet that I adore but found too bulky to wear as such. I attached it very simply to a choker, and later added a separate labradorite pendant (also sourced on Poshmark) in a complementary shape as a finishing touch:

Meanwhile, I had thrifted a moon face pendant which I adored — I am obsessed with moon themed jewelry. I didn’t love the leather cord it was strung on, though, and decided that it needed a similar setting as my recently converted bracelet-necklaces. So I hunted on Poshmark for a bracelet to upcycle for that purpose; I specifically looked for a moonstone one because (a) moonstones are my second favourite stone, and (b) it seemed appropriate. And, voila:

I am obsessed with these necklaces, and I’m keeping an eye open for more similar pieces that I can add to my collection.

Lastly, let’s talk beadwork. For the last few months, I’ve been keeping 2 projects going at all times, one embroidery and one beadwork. I find it keeps from getting too bored with any one project (as they all tend to take at least 1.5-2 weeks to finish). My focus has been on beaded necklaces, and trying out some new designs.

First, I wanted to try a design based on vintage needlepoint. I used a vintage bag I thrifted years ago as inspiration. Unfortunately, rather than waiting to buy some graph paper for plotting purposes, I decided to make my own. 0/10, would not recommend. But I managed to make it work, sorta:

For this next piece, I gave up on graphing the design. Instead, I transferred the design directly onto my backing medium (felt) and worked off that. It was somewhat less painful … but I made up for it by deciding to attach a full fringe, which was a huge PITA. Nevertheless:

Last but definitely not least, I wanted to try a necklace inspired by one of my obsessions, Monet’s waterlilies. I gave up trying to prep a design in any way, shape or form, and did a totally freehand design (making it up as I went along). And it turned out pretty well, if I say so myself:

I have a few projects on the go, including a new embroidery flower series and some other beadwork designs. Till next time, happy crafting!