Off the shuttle: Tatted Hearts

I'm playing around with variegated thread. All these hearts were tatted in Handy Hands Lizbeth size 20 thread. The colorway is "Jellybean." I'm planning to 6 more in different patterns using a different variegated thread.

Close-up of one of the tatted hearts. This one has some small butterflies hiding in the design.

Off the needles: Pinstripe Scarf

I feel as if I've been working on this scarf forever! Finally decided it was long enough and finished it off. The pattern is from Jaeger Handknits "Accessories Brochure" ... all the patterns include either beads or sequins. The yarn is a purple yarn I got from Hinshaw's outlet in Burlington many, many years ago. (Alas, they closed decades ago.) Not sure of the brand, but the fiber content is 70% wool, 30% rayon. The 1000+ beads are iridescent crystals. The pattern is mostly stockinette with garter stitch edges. Even so, the edges wanted to roll so I added 2 rows of single crochet around the circumference to try to minimize the rolling. Below is a close-up of one of the ends,

New craft: Pique assiette flower pot

This summer I took a class in pique assiette mosaic technique. This was a ways out of my comfort zone. Pique assiette means "broken plate" and you literally have to smash crockery to do it. We took a hammer to dinner plates to get the pieces, applied the pieces to a plain clay pot, smoothed the edges with a Dremel tool, and filled around the pieces with grout. I'm not sure I'll do much of this craft, but it's good to try a non-fiber craft once and a while.

Off the hook: Azalea Bowl

The pattern for this crocheted bowl is from the Summer 2011 issue of Interweave Crochet. I made it using brown Aunt Lydia's size 10 crochet cotton and stiffened it with Aleene's Fabric Stiffener. A quick, fun project!

Off the hook: Ocean Waves Bead Crochet Bag

I crocheted this little bag out of 2 balls of Lizbeth size 20 cotton thread; colorway is "Caribbean." The beads are clear crystal seed beads that cover the bottom of the bag and form a wave pattern around the circumference. The drawstrings are finished with mother-of-pearl buttons. The pattern is from The Complete Guide to Beading Techniques by Jane Davis.

Beaded Bracelet

I made this bracelet for my daughter. She gave me a photo of a beaded napkin ring that resembled pieces of coral in a turquoise color. After a couple of experiments in knitting & crocheting, I ended up making the base on a simple bead loom...it's just a rectangle of seed beads. The coral branches were sewn onto the base. Those beads are oval-shaped with the holes offset which gives the branches a more irregular shape. I backed the bracelet with black grosgrain ribbon and added a silver toggle fastener.

New craft: Zentangles

Just finished 2nd Zentangle class. These little drawings are truly addictive and fun!