My new jewellery

I have the beading bug again. After I did the bracelet for my sister last week, I just needed to do some more pieces – this time all for myself (Yes I know, greedy me). I have had bought a lot of beads previously with several projects already in mind but they were stored well away until now.

So I grabbed my copy of “Beadweaving Beyond the Basiscs” by Kassie Shaw and searched for just the right project. I seriously love that book and want to make each and every project in it for myself. You can learn so many fancy new stitches with it! It’s kind of weird however that every time I think I have all the beads for a certain project, I end up being short on one or two bead colors. How come, if I go shopping for exactly that project? I guess I am always led astray by all the other beautiful beads in the store – at least I have lots I don’t know what I will do with….

The first project finished was a bracelet with LRAW (Layered Right Angled Weave). The front side is beaded first and then the second layer in another color is added. I love the effect that the second color is always showing a little bit on each side – more visible on the lighter side – and that you can actually wear it both ways. The only problem is that I cannot decide which side I like best. I even tried out to mix them on one side but this just didn’t pop. So I stuck to the original design and am really happy with it.

Then I made myself some tanglety-tangle earrings <3. I have been eyeing that pattern for a long time but those dagger beads were hard to come by. I had to order them online at one of my favorite bead stores (and of course I bought more than one set…). The pattern name is “Le Petit Trapeze” and uses DDRAW (Double Diamond Right Angle Weave). Why did I never try out right angle weave before? Now I seriously understand all those people totally enthusiastic about that technique. I wanted to add a bracelet to make it into a set but am missing some size 8/0 seed beads for the one I want to create. What more excuse do I need to go some more shopping 🙂

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Last Wacky square, a bracelet and partying all day (and night)

This week was a little bit more on the party rather than the creative side. It was Pride week again which means lots of music and fun outside. On Saturday my sister came over and we had a lot of fun together checking out small street markets all around Vienna. There was the Prosi exotic food festival (we checked that one out on Friday already), the StrassenKunstFest (little stalls where creative people sold DIY jewellery and other handmade stuff), the Mexican food festival (very tiny and with less music than expected), the Joya Yoga convention and open house at a couple of art studios (very interesting pieces of art – and some really strange ones).  The climax was the Pride parade on Saturday afternoon which was as colourful and fun as every year. Afterwards we decided to also go to an after-parade party which actually was more fun then I had expected. I am not that much the party girl especially with strangers but the atmosphere was cool, open and very relaxing.

So that’s the reason why I was not able to do much on the creative side. I finished the last squares of the Wacky Weave CAL though, so I am through with one set of squares. Now I will continue with the second set but will not bug you with pics until the joining and border phase. I have been practicing Micro Macramé jewellery making a little bit but am not happy with the waxed cord I have bought for that. So I will be trying out different cords and hopefully will have something to share next week.

Additionally I made a small bracelet for my sister. It looks quite simple with twisted rows of beads but it was the reason for some of my gray hair :). That twisting made me miss some beads when joining together and therefore I had to remake it once after having it almost finished. But there was no way I would give away something with a fault in it… But even though I had some struggles, it was fun to bead again. I really need to do some more soon.

 

 

Wacky Weave (again), Crewel embroidery sampler and Running for Acceptance

This weeks square looks quite elegant. My husband and I usually play the “which side do you like better” game. But honestly, this time I can’t make up my mind which one I like best. At the moment I am working on the final set of squares – quite a melancholic situation as usual. Yes, I still need to make another set of two each but now I know each square by heart already and it will not be a surprise every week any more. I will really need to focus on doing them and not leave them for now being led astray by other projects. But it will be very hard as it is really hot here and such things as joining a whole blanket are terribly hot work.

After finishing my squares I started to prepare the canvas for my crewel embroidery sampler. I hand sewed the edge with variegated embroidery thread to prevent fraying and to ensure that I am able to pick up the sampler for reference later. I started with a simple lazy daisy stitch but not sure where I will be heading from that now. It’s like doodling on canvas and I am not very good at doodling at all. I rather prefer following a certain layout but I want to step out of the comfort zone with this sampler.

Last but not least on Saturday I participated in the final run before the summer race break.  It was the first Vienna Pride Run – Run for Acceptance. For me it was not only a race but also running to support a movement I strongly believe in. The right for everyone to love whoever you want no matter of gender. It was a very small race – only about 2000 people participated – and only half as crazy as I had expected it. It was well organitzed though – even better than most of the bigger ones. Running went really well this time, even though it was pretty hot: 5k in 39:39 which makes a pace of 7:54. I am so happy to finally be at a pace below 8:00 again – I know, only barely but who cares ;). Now it’s back to practicing again to ensure that this pace was not seen only once. As well, I need to keep up my distance training for next years 10k runs. After the race is always also before the race. The next races will be in autumn, so until then you will not be bugged by race reports again 🙂

Of Wacky Weaves, tatting bookmarks and espresso tarts

First of all I want to apologize for a bug on my blog – someone pointed out that my cookie banner does not go away if you click on close and accept. This is actually a WordPress bug in the banner since they made changes due to the GDPR. I cannot do much about it myself and Bloggers using the free version are usually last in service, so I have to be patient. I could remove the personalized version and go back to the default one – which of course would not link to my own privacy policy – but I rather wait a little bit more, hoping they will fix the bug soon.

I have another Wacky Weave square to share though and I love the psychedelic look of it. Now only two more are left which makes me a little bit sad actually. When I work that long on a project, I get a little bit sentimental in the end…. I still have not started on the second set and my blocking board is really getting crowded. I have no clue of how to join them yet either. The suggested simple join does not call out to me and any fancy lacy style is just not wacky. If anyone has a good idea, drop me a line in the comments – I would be happy to check out any suggestions!

 

In between squares there’s always some time for smaller projects. This time it is a tatted bookmark which I made from the book “New tatting”  by Tomoko Morimoto. I messed up a little bit at the first flower as I forgot to join to the second one. But I was already to far ahead to unravel again and decided to join them afterwards – not very neat but practical. It just was a practice peace for shuttle tatting anyways. It needs some blogging but I was too busy this weekend to get this done before writing here and I just didn’t want to postpone showing it to next week. The book in the back is actually my newest find and passion – it’s “Crewel Creatures” by Hazel Blomkamp. I really want to make this beauty – Maureen, the Owl – but I need to learn crewel embroidery first. So I cleaned out my embroidery thread this weekend and sorted it, so that I can start a stitch practice piece soon.

 

 

Last but not least I was busy preparing for a friends birthday party. This is always a good possibility to do some baking without having to eat the whole bunch of calories myself. As she is a chocolate lover (yes, she is the same one I made the Death by Chocolate cake last year ;)), it was an espresso tart this time. A cocoa crust, a mascarpone filling and a super delicious espresso ganache on top. It was gone almost immediately so I guess people liked it :). The recipe – taken out of Martha Stewart’s “Pies and Tarts” – needs some tweaking in my opinion though as the crust was kind of difficult to handle. It definitely did not come out as nice as shown in the book – especially on the sides.