On the Secret Project front, I’m nearly finished but I hurt my finger yesterday (got bit by a spider plant while I was stripping off dead leaves) and it’s slowing me down some. I slept last night with a bandaid liberally coated in antibiotic ointment on it. Today I pulled out a 4mm long sliver! It feels a lot better now but it’s making it somewhat hard to type (right forefinger) and it still hurts to knit. Sigh! Yes, only I can get attacked by a houseplant and come off the worse for it. Anyway I hope to finish this morning but I’m babysitting today so it might get put off until tomorrow. I’m eager to cross this one off The List soon.
Since I can’t knit, today I thought I’d share the Heart Swap that I received a short while ago. Remember the knitted and fulled hearts that I made back in April? These are what I got in return:
Fascinatingly different collection, huh? Clockwise from the top:
A “Blooming Angel” tabletwoven with acrylic sparkle yarn and a ribbon weft. Arlene even included a plastic stake to hang her in a plant pot. The heart beads are sewn down her front.
A bobbin lace heart in cotton with beads added as the lace was made. Georgean had to try a couple of different threads and beads combinations before she was happy. This could be extended into a bookmark with more repeats of the heart motif.
A heart “bead” that could be strung on a necklace (or a kumihimo braid) in brick stitch. Bea used size 8 Japanese seed beads and finished with a branched fringe and large heart bead.
My knitted, stuffed and fulled heart decoration with bead embroidery and hanging loop.
A bookmark woven on a bead loom with a top fringe of hearts that sticks out of the book. Marilyn (swap mistress) included “i {heart} cwbi” (Complex Weavers Beads & Interlacements) which is the name of our study group in her design.
A bracelet woven in size 6 seed beads on a bead loom with an allover pattern of hearts. Too bad it’s much too large and heavy for me to wear! Katherine included an interesting wired heart bead, buttonhole and loop closure.
Everyone included patterns and notes on what they did to make their heart pieces. The extra two stuffed hearts that I sent out went into the Complex Weavers archives so others can see what we’ve been up to. The books can be viewed at conferences and borrowed by mail through the guild’s library system. Yes I know, you’re probably thinking what does beading have to do with complex weaving? They define it as anything exciting to do with interlacing threads so we’ve stretched it slightly to include off-loom beading as well. We also have kumihimo study groups (marudai and takadai) and bobbin lace as well as a myriad of different weaving and computer-aided design groups. There are members from all over the world and it’s totally run by volunteers. There are 4 Journals published every year but the best way to get the most out of CW is to join one or more of the study groups. Especially if you aren’t able to get to the seminars which happen every other year, usually near where HGA’s Convergence is held so you can attend both. (This year it’s in Florida.) I’ve been a member since 1991! BTW our next swap due December 1st is a virtual one and must be shaft-loom weaving this time. We have to send a PDF or Word file instead of an actual piece so it’s a bit easier. This way we only need to make one item but that also means it can be larger and more complex. There’s that “c” word again!
Back to work. I’d better get a few things done before the fambly shows up. My whole attention is on my grandchildren when they’re here so not much else gets accomplished. Except the entire house gets covered in a layer of toys.
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