What's Up This Week: Metal Clay class, Baby Lock and Craft Activisim

Fall has turned out to be very busy for me! I've got lots of catching-you-up to do so I'll overview what I'm blogging about this week.  Last time you visited, I was nervously awaiting my metal clay class with Hadar Jacobson. It was a fabulous class and it didn't matter that I hadn't had a lot of experience with metal clay. Hadar took us through the basics and I had alot of help from my classmates.

Mokume Gane Metal Clay fresh from the kiln

The pieces in the photo look a little crisy but they're supposed to look like that. More on Hadar's class tomorrow. I've tested my kiln and fired pieces at home without the luxury of having Hadar close by to give me feedback.  You'll see how I've done.

Next up, my Creative Pro Baby Lock Sewing Machine is back from her tune up. YAY! Now I can get on with the jewelry display sewing projects I have lined up!

While I was at Hadar's class last weekend, Craft Activism by Joan Tapper and Photography by Gale Zucker arrived at my doorstep.

 Photo from the Random House Website

I'm devouring all the crafty goodness in it right now and will be reviewing it later this week.

That's what's on my plate for this week, what about you? What are you up?

DIY Thursday: Sew a Custom Jewelry Display

"Recycle, re-use" and "love the earth" were favorite catch phrases of my childhood of the late '60's early 70's. I was given a sewing needle when I was 5 years old and taught how to make basic stitches. So the other day when I was searching the internet for mannequin style jewelry displays, it hit me. Why don't I take the concept of one of my collections, hands, and make my own hands for display?

A quick peek at just one of my hand groupings. They're scattered all over my studio and house.

After some searching, I realized I wouldn't be able to purchase a sewing pattern for a hand. I had to jump right in and make one myself.  I don't have any training in pattern making but I had to try. I used regular white printer paper and drew an outline of my own hand. I didn't measure it while I was drawing but I tried to draw the outline 1/4 inch bigger to allow for seams.

The finished pattern on my kitchen table. 

I rummaged through the small cloth stash I have and found a piece of scrap cotton/polyester cloth. I ironed the material to smooth out the wrinkles and fold marks.  I pinned the pattern to the folded material.  No need to place on a fold but you do want two pieces after you've cut it out.

Printer paper pins easily to the material with sharp pins

I cut out the pattern and basted the two right sides together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Just to be clear, you place the right sides together with the wrong side out for basting. I reinforced the base of each finger slightly by backstitching a stitch or two. I wanted to be sure the base of the fingers would be fine because I cut slightly into the "V" at the base of each hand to be sure the material would lay flat when I turned it inside out. 

Once you've basted the material together, turn it right side out. This takes a little finesse and patience with the fingers. Next, I stuffed the hand with eco-friendly filling. I filled each finger first taking stock of the shape of each finger. I found the middle finger is a bit too slim. I'll have to go back and change the pattern keeping that in mind. 

To make the hand stand up, I filled a small plastic bag with dried beans and placed it inside the base of the hand. I hand stitched the base closed. The hand stands up but it still needs a wider, sturdier base. Another alteration for the pattern.  It's a good first try.  I can drape necklaces and bracelets from it or put T-pins and put earrings on it.  I think I'm on to something!

Finished prototype. Pretty good for the first try.

I'm going make the alterations to the pattern and then sew up some more. I can always use another hand around here! ;-)

 

My Bookshelf: Mixed Metal Mania

I've got a few new books on my bookshelf that I want to share with you. I'll just share a favorite from the book and save you reading several paragraphs.

Mixed Metal Mania by Kim St. Jean is very comprehensive and full of techniques. What I love most is the discussion of "lashing" or the wire sewing cold connection technique I've used repeatedly with glass and found objects.

If you're interested in lashing and many other techniques, you definitely should pick this up!

Wednesday Wire: Sewing with Wire

Wire is versatile and an artist can adapt numerous techniques depending on the gauge of wire she uses. I grew up sewing my own clothes and creating with fabric and thread so it's a logical extension of that to sew with wire. Mary Hettmansperger's book, Wrap, Stitch, Fold & Rivet and Susan Lenart Kazmer's Making Connections have chapters devoted to stitching in metal and are worth the read if you're interested like I was in sewing.

Over the past couple of years, I've created sewn pieces combining sentimental "found objects" first and then my own flamework glass. My very first piece was a pottery shard I found while digging in the garden at my parents' farm.

Then, it was on to using one of my glass links with a 10 loop brass ring finding from Ornamentea.

Most recently, I created the sewn ring from scratch using a beach pebble from Lake Huron, brass wire and a brass disk.

Are you exploring a fiber technique in your jewelry designs?

Ornamentea Unveil - Sew Together

I was a blogging dud last week, Dear Readers. The flu season arrived at my house by first hitting my son, then my husband. I luckily escaped the flu but was hit with a bad case of bronchitis. So last week is a blur of illness.

Finished jewelry pieces languished on my photography table ready for their close up. Well, today the wait is over. Remember the day I posted about Ornamentea and the 10 Loop Ring in Antique Brass? If you don't, here's a picture of the ring blank...


Without realizing it, I've been developing a group of pieces where I "sew" with wire and metal to create pendants. My need to sew metal and glass comes from learning to sew at age 4, sewing my own clothes through college and reluctantly giving it up when the fabric became more expensive than buying a dress, and reading Mary Hettmansburger and Susan Lenart Kazmer. Sewing seems natural to me - stitching with wire is a natural extension of who I am and the wirework I do.

I strive to put things together in unusual ways - make the unexpected. The 10 loops cry out for a flurry of headpins and beads - which I love love love by the way - but what could I do with the loops in an unexpected way? I held up one of my Pear Frost Links - it framed the loops beautifully. Aha! I would sew the Pear Frost Link to the ring (have I mentioned how glue is not my BFF?)







The title is an obvious play on words and how I'd like to be "together." Instead of being flawless, I'm held together by these strong and even stitches that have a beauty all their own.

Do you find something like sewing appearing as a theme in your creative life?