quilted inchie pendant

Here is the finished piece on my computer desk, being admired by a small desk gnome my youngest daughter made for me. The pendant is 1 1/16 inches x 1 3/8 inches. The fabric square (minus embroidery stitches) is one square inch.

Recently I discovered A.T.C.'s, and along the way came across a reference to "inchies," on the blog "Small World of Inchies and Twinchies." This is a fun blog with open challenges on a regular basis. I had to learn more, and came across an article about art quilt inchies.

Art and quilting and inchies? All at once? I had to try it! And it is fun!

front view, close up

This piece came together so quickly and was spontaneous every step of the way. And colour! I got to work with some of my favorite colours.

Back view, close up

I started with a one inch square piece of fabric for the top and for the bottom, as well as a piece of batting, some scraps of fabric, thread, and a glue stick.

The wire frame was a piece I had made ages ago, then decided it didn't work for what I had in mind. I had set it aside on my work table where it had languished. Suddenly, I knew the frame was the perfect thing for my first inchie. I added the embroidery at the bottom in yellow to give the piece a better fit, and button holed the piece to the wire.

I dug through my stash and came up with this nice coppery chain and a clasp to finish the piece up.

I hope others give this a try.

Just an aside - a great reference for getting started in A.T.C.'s is "Art in your Pocket"

stitch markers

I have to confess I am a fiber nut.

I got into beads the round-about way from bobbin lace. Seriously.

I found that I was much more fascinated by the beaded anchors on the English Bobbins, than I was in making the bobbin lace. Finally I admitted to myself that I was truly hooked and had crossed over to the beady side!

Even though I never really got into bobbin lacing, I still love to crochet, knit, felt, tat, needle lace, embroider, hand sew, machine sew, quilt, hand dye fabrics, yarns and threads ... pretty much you name it, and I probably have tried and love it -- if it involves fibers. (Let's face it: My first born teethed on a Tatsy!)

To that end, I went to a fiber show last weekend, and picked up some glorious stuff. I also had one of the wool suppliers (Puff the Magic Rabbit) suggest that I make some beaded stitch holders.

So, without further ado I want to share some of the ones I made over the week in little minutes here and there.

These are pretty quick and easy to make:

I used fossil beads in 4mm and 6mm, glass pearls 6mm, and black enameled glass beads 4mm for the first set.

I used some of my torch worked beads for the next two sets. I purchased the cat bead at a local store: Stones and Bones.

For the jump rings I used 6mm split rings. The larger stitch markers are 10mm jewelry links with decorative work on the face. (The jewelry links are normally used as elements in necklaces or bracelets, but work great for this.)

I also used a couple of sizes wire - mostly 20, 22. (The exception: size 18 for the projects worked in blue wire. Be sure to check if it will fit through your beads, if you use this grade wire.)

NOTE: The awesome buttons are from Wild Hare Fiber Studio. I love these!!

Be sure to check out some of the scrumptious fibers and yarns supplied at Wild Hare Fiber Studio and Puff the Magic Rabbit: Both ladies have awesome products, fleece, yarn and colours to dye for!!!

Arrow head pendant

I have always wanted to find an arrow head. I always tend to keep my eyes trained to the ground whenever I'm walking in the woods, looking for wildflowers, cool rocks, and natural plunder as part of my nature. So, I have to confess to having been a bit envious of those who have found arrowheads right in the same places where I have walked hundreds of times.

Saturday, I was finally rewarded with this beautiful example of a quartz arrowhead, in very pristine shape. It's unusual to find quartz arrow heads, just because they were harder to make. Quartz is very brittle and shatters easily - usually in straight, square pieces, due to it's crystalline nature. However, Native Americans in this part of Virginia did use quartz at times, just because it was so plentiful. and it is very hard (6.5 - 7.5 on the MOH scale).

In truthfulness, I had my eyes trained for ferns. I was looking for ferns from my in laws creek to dig up and transplant to my flower bed back home. As I leaned over to check out some fiddle heads, a flash of a gleaming white triangle caught my eye. I stopped, scooped, and to my wonder, held this beauty pictured.

Anyone who knows me by now, knows I would have to do something "beady" with it. Since I didn't want to do anything to the arrowhead to damage it, I chose wire work. Wire work allowed me to create a simple cage that shows off the simplicity of this pendant. The wire work also allows a way to create a pendant, without gluing or drilling the arrowhead.

The web site below gives some information about the Native Americans of Pittslyvania County VA. I found this arrowhead in Halifax County, not far from the Bannister River and the Pittslyvania County line.

http://www.victorianvilla.com/sims-mitchell/local/native/index.htm

I'd also like to add that Bill Hathaway, who is referenced at this web site was a huge influence on me in the 1990's, when I took a class with him and Dr. Fisher at Averett. The class, "Local Flora" was an advanced identification course on the native and introduced plants in Pittslyvania County and nearby areas. Mr. Hathaway was a self taught man, who had a love of learning and enthusiasm. Pretty much everything I know about wild flowers, I learned from him. I know that my photography, bead work patterns, and art in general has been heavily influenced by his infectious love of learning and nature.

I find myself thinking about about how long ago this arrow was last fired (300 years ago?), what was it fired at (deer?), and what sort of person made it or carried it? Did the hunter fire and miss, losing this arrow in the woods, and go home hungry that night? Things to ponder and wonder about as I wear this small piece of history.

Charm Necklace ( cooking something new with old "left overs!" )

Here's a charm necklace I have been wanting to work up and finally took the time to sit down and do. I've been seeing similiar things in the stores lately and knew I could do one more to my color preferences.

It's a great quicky project. This took me a couple of hours (including deciding what beads I wanted to use!) total.

Materials - you need some chain, wire working tools, a clasp, various beads (I ended up using left overs from the jasper dreams necklace), beadalon (12#), jump rings, wire (I used 20 an 24), crimps (#0) and crimpers, Metal connectors by Blue Moon (square and round)

I started by putting the clasp on in the middle of my chain -- this let me attach the magnet clasp to a metal pair of pliears to "display it" while I worked.

Then I began creating the dangles and charms, using wire, jump rings, metal conectors, and extra chain (again left over from another project). I used jasper, mother of pearl, metal links, a metal charm, and moonstone.

I really like this combination and use it pretty often. Doesn't hurt that I'm a June baby, and Moonstone and Pearls are my birth stones!

When the dangles were dangly enough, I then went back to the necklace part and cut an opening into the chain where I wanted the strung portion to go. I strung on Beadalon several pieces of jasper, mother of pearl and pearls. I used #0 crimps with the light weight beadalon (12 lb) to attach the strung portion to the chain on each end.

Just to be asymetrical, I included an extra metal connector near the top.

I may go back and make a small dangle to go on the back, but for now, I happy with this quick and easy project.

copper wire and fiber

Last Summer I took a beginner class for wire work. This was the class project. I used eyelash yarn once I got home to add to it. I have seen some versions of this that use scraps of fabric as well. It also has turquoise and mother of pearl.

I enjoyed hammering the wire with a hammer quite a bit, but I also prefer beadweaving most of all. I may do more wire work in the future, but I just don't get as excited about it.

spirals

This was based on a picture I saw in one of my friends beading books. She has a huge collection of Japenese beading books (Run out and get some, if you can!) and this design really caught my eye. I wish I knew what book it was from.

I love the colour of the turquoise pebbles. I know it's dyed, but it's still cool.