Buttons and beads

I decided not to tarry too long on the world of tassel making. I cracked on and made some buttons:

I was not really drawn to Dorset buttons, but I made one just to show willing. I don’t think I will make any more.

Rolling up bits of felt and suede was more satisfying though. I had forgotten just how long it takes to fray a piece of material – I like the effect but is it really worth all the time it takes? Hmmm … not sure. The diamond shape made from card and covered with material needs to be done a bit differently next time to avoid the obvious points created from the way the material was folded over. Also, if I wrap a wooden disk in the future I will do a couple of things differently. First I think I would either paint the disk or wrap it in fabric of the same colour. It is easy to accidentally move part of the ribbon out of place and then you are left with an obvious gap. Secondly maybe I would possibly go round twice – not sure whether that would be better not, perhaps not on second thoughts. Other than that I think they worked out quite well.

Then I spent a lot of time and got a lot of pleasure out of working on the bead sampler. I could have kept going for ages longer but decided it might be prudent to stop. The picture below gives an overview of the whole thing:

Here are close ups:

Picture one above: There are some fairly standard squares of seed beads and bugle beads, seed beads dotted randomly and sequins topped with round beads. The shiny tubes mid right are sections of straws. I am fond of the dark pink bugle beads topped with green seed beads to the bottom left – you can’t quit tell it from this angle but they are standing up and move as the cloth moves.

Picture two above: I rather like the piles of buttons as they move and change position as they are only secured through one hole. The only thing I would change is I would replace the small beads I have used to top them off with much bigger ones.

Picture three above: I hate the pink straws and green ‘pearls’ in the bottom right! However, I do like the horizontal bugle beads inside green straws in the top right. I also really like the effect of the bottom left and mid left ‘heaps’. The final picture below shows them much more effectively. The bugle beads are piled up like a heap of firewood.

Picture four above: There are some straws end on, and to their left some buttons with strings of beads extruding out.

 

The tassels get more ambitious

I quite got into the swing of tassel making today. Here’s one that reminds me of a mushroom. It is made of stranded cotton wrapped around a disc and then bound with leather cord. It makes quite a handy little duster …

Then there is a very sparkly one where I have hand wrapped the head completely in silver thread so it makes a complete loop before forming the neck of the tassel:

Finally for today the most extravagant one so far. It is made from recycled sari yarn and strips of torn fabric. The top loop is twisted, then there are two necks separated by a wooden ball inside the strands of fabric:

While we are on the subject of spirals I can now show you a few of the fabric bowls I made and gave as Christmas presents, as they are constructed from a continuous spiral of fabric:

More twists and turns

I have made a few more cords and braids. First a foray into plaited cords:

Then a bit of macrame for good measure. 1 is square knots, 2 is a piece of green leather and piece of pink raffia just knotted together at various intervals, 3 is a series of loose half hitches:

Then two more kumihimo braids, one very neat that is strong enough to hold a spiral shape of its own, and a second made of frayed fabric strips:

Finally my first attempt at tassels. The middle one turned out a bit fat and dumpy (and rather uneven but I have hidden that!). I rather like number three with its mix of variegated sock wool and gold thread:

Cords and twists

Photos 1 - 16 are sewn cords.
1. Frayed fabric twisted then sewn
2. Pink chunky elastic cord with contrast light green thread
3. Green wool dyed by me and deep pink knitting cotton
4. Tights
5. Pink satin ribbon
6. Hemp jewellery cord oversewn with two colours of thread















7. 2 colours of raffia with bright green and deep pink thread
8. Fabric strips wrapped around a hemp core
9. Ribbon
10. Thick cotton oversewn with layers of thread















11. Sparkly green tape (dyed by me) with pale pink ribbon - one of my favourites
12. White and pink knitting cotton with two contrasting cotton threads oversewn
13. Green wool, stranded cotton and cotton perle, oversewn with deep pink thread















14. As 12 but with pink thread
15. Chenille thread
16. Gold elastic

Twisted cords
17. Thicker green knitting wool and dark pink knitting cotton
18. Sparkly green ribbon (dyed by me) with knitting cotton and boucle thread dyed by me
















19. Thread dyed green and two types of perle cotton
20. Strips of dyed fabric stitched into lengths
21. Green raffia and gold thread
22. Pink satin cord and green and pink variegated thread
23. Thick wool and variegated knitting ribbon
The last unnumbered picture is my first kumihimo braid

A little bit more work to show

First of all Sian wanted me to make a few more spiral shapes out of card, relating them to some of my sketches of spirals.

Then there are some samples of handstitched spirals ....































... and some machine stitched spirals, including cable stitch and whip stitch.