Jewellery progress

Earrings

 Instead of making bracelets this weekend I decided that I was going to try and make a couple of pairs of earrings.  Of course it didn't take me long to realize that they were a lot of fun to make.  The top pair goes with the twisted ring bracelet that I made on Friday and the bottom pair are Japanese weave and I had to try making them on Sunday.

This weekend after talking nicely to the DH I went and picked up a few more supplies that I wanted to get to try and make a few new things.  The Japanese Weave earrings was one of the things I wanted to try.  So I picked up my supplies along with a couple of books and headed home yesterday to try and see what I could finish.

Stitch Markers for the Knitters

What I didn't notice during my shopping trip was that I picked up some rings that were soldered so they wouldn't work for jewellery too easily so I figured out a difference project for them.  I turned an idea of an earring into some stitch markers which were a lot of fun to make.  I also decided that I had to make the earrings to go with the stitch markers so they are now ready as part of a Christmas gift.  The stitch markers are also Christmas gifts for my mom and sister as I had to make 18 of them.

Two new bracelets found new owner

Now the two bracelets in this last picture were bracelets that I made on Friday.  I decided to wear the bracelet on the left when we went for dinner today.  I was wearing it to show the friend that had ordered the other bracelet from me.  Well, the outcome of the visit was both of these bracelets have now found a new owner and the bracelet that I made for the friend is still with me.  She loved these two bracelets a lot more so figured to make her happy it was worth it.  Now to see how many of these different bracelets I can make.

Tonight, I don't think I am going to work on any jewellery but it does feel good knowing that I have only been making jewellery for two weeks and already two of my bracelets have found new homes.

More jewellery

Two new bracelets

 This week I have been busy working on a few more bracelets.  Yes I am really enjoying making the various bracelets now that I have two pliers that really work well for me.

The first bracelet is like the other two that I made but this time I used some better jump rings as well as used both silver and gold rings.  When you see the bracelet in person sometimes you can see the silver but that depends on the lighting.

two new bracelets total length

The next bracelet I made was the alternate silver and gold double rings bracelet.  I know now of these bracelets are very difficult but I have been really enjoying trying the different ways I can use the jump rings.

Bracelet with twisted rings

After completing these two bracelets I just had to try just one more idea I had.  This bracelet was the bracelet with twisted rings.  I had seen some pictures  of the twisted rings but hadn't found instructions on how to do them so I figured it out myself.  The only bracelet that I actually followed instructions was my first bracelet with I have now made three like it.

Close up of twisted rings

Maybe it's time to look for a couple of books on chain maille jewellery so that I can actually follow some instructions on the next bracelets that I make. I have been having a lot of fun making the bracelets and I think I will make earrings to match the twisted rings bracelet. 

I have to say a big thank you to Silverlotus for encouraging me to give jewellery making a try.  The other thank you is to my own DH for putting up with me and having to look at each bracelet as I complete it.  He is also been someone that encouraged me to give jewellery making a try and let me know that if I had problems he was there to help.  Of course, he also comes up with different ideas for me to try so I think I am going to be busy for a while.

Jewellery

Gold bracelet almost completed

OK, I admit it that I am really enjoying making bracelets.  I had a bracelet almost finished on Sunday so sat down this morning and just had to finish it.

Yesterday on the way home from a client we stopped at Michael's so that I could pick up a couple of nice pliers so that I could work on the bracelet at some point this week and get it finished.

Gold bracelet finished this morning

So I was good last night and didn't sit down and finish it before going to bed but just had to sit down this morning and put the final links on it.  I had to wait for DH to get ready so figured I wouldn't waste the time just sitting around.  The new pliers are working out really good so will see what else I work on this week.

I wore my first bracelet out for dinner on Monday evening and a friend of mine asked if I could make her a bracelet but in the gold colour.  Of course, I said I would make one because I do enjoy making these.  I still want to make a gold and silver combination bracelet for myself and I think I will make another one like my first bracelet now that I have good pliers to use.

I am going to have to look at what other bracelet I can make because I want a few different types so that I can wear them depending on my mood.

So work is now calling me so better get back to it.

Weekend progress

Blackwork Knight as of Wednesday at noon

This weekend I decided that I needed to take at least part of a day to work on crafts instead of working on all the work items that I need to do.

I wanted to try and make a bit of progress on my Blackwork Night.  The Blackwork is enjoyable to do and on days when you don't feel like changing colours this works extremely well.  Wednesday night I was able to get the face of the knight done so wanted to see more of it completed by the end of the weekend. 

Blackwork Knight as of last night

The first picture of the knight is as of Wednesday before I did any work on it because I wanted a record of where it was before Stitch Night.  Of course I worked on it a little bit during the rest of the week but yesterday I sat down and make some really good progress on it.  I now just need to finish filling in the area behind the knight's head and it is done.  The second picture of the knight is where it ended last night.  Hopefully this week I will be able to work a bit more on this knight and then see it finished before the end of November.

Bracelet with matching earrings

Besides working on my knight I also decided that I wanted to work on a bit of jewellery to see if I could finish a project that I just started on Wednesday afternoon.   I had just got about three rings joined on the bracelet so yesterday sat down and finished the bracelet and made a pair of earrings to match.  This project was a nice quick project so that also made me happy.

New bracelet

Once I finished the earrings I decided that I was going to start working on a new bracelet like my first bracelet that I made.  This version is gold coloured and the rings are a little stronger so it took me a bit longer to make progress on it.  I also got a new pair of pliers this week so it made working with the jump rings a bit easier. Will see when I get to sit down and finish this bracelet as I have quite a few things that need my attention this week.

Bracelet

Finished and ready to wear

On Wednesday I decided that I was going to sit down and work on finishing the bracelet that I started on Sunday. 

Wearing new bracelet

It didn't take me too long to see the results of Sunday and Wednesday when I was able to put the final rings on the bracelet.  It was interesting to put it on my wrist and know that I had made the bracelet myself.  Of course I can see little issues with it, but overall I am happy with the outcome of my very first bracelet.

Now to be honest I couldn't just finish the bracelet and put all my supplies away.  I had to start working on another project almost immediately.  I haven't take a picture of this project as there are only 6 rings joined together so nothing really interesting to show off yet.

Besides starting the new project I also came up with a few more ideas of things that I would like to make now that I have made my first bracelet. Knowing that if I take my time I can actually make some simple jewellery. Maybe after a while I will try something more challenging but for now I am going to enjoy having some fun with the jump rings and see what I end up making.

The jewellery making is going to have to wait until later today or over the weekend as I have some work things that need my attention first.  

Blackwork Knight progress

Blackwork Knight previous progress

So now it is time to show some of the progress on the Blackwork Knight that I have been working on since getting it at the Creative Festival.

In the last couple of days I sat down and worked on it again as I really want to see it completed.  It is funny to say that I want to see it completed as I love doing blackwork and once this is done I don't have any more blackwork currently to work on.

Tonight I am going to work on this project on this project as I am looking forward to getting the face on the knight.  Of course there is a lot of detail just around the top of the knight so it will take me a bit of time to get that done.

Blackwork Knight as of Nov 12/13

I am continuing to work on my bracelet as well so hope that I will soon have some completed projects to show instead of just showing progress on the various projects.

Now it is time for me to go and get a bit of work done so that I can pick up my knight and work on it again later.

The fun of a new challenge

First projects done

So here is what I ended up getting completed yesterday.  The earrings were the first projects that I completed as I wanted to start with something small and see if I could do it without too much help.

A first bracelet

My challenge is my hands somethings don't like holding tools so I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to even make any jewellery.

The bracelet I am making is using split rings so it means a lot of opening and closing of the rings.  When I ended my jewellery making for Sunday, I had completed just over half of the bracelet.  Considering it took a lot of figuring out at first I am happy with what I accomplished.

Bracelet on wrist but not finished yet

I am determined that I am going to be getting this bracelet done soon so that I can start wearing it.  I have already figured out ways to improve the next one I make and it will be using gold split rings.

Now that I have started making some simple jewellery I am feeling a lot better about the entire process.  I know that there is going to be things that I have problems with but at least I have overcome one of my challenges.  The jewellery making has renewed my spark in crafting so will see what else I end up figuring out.

I proved to myself that I could actually make some jewellery and I will be wearing it soon. 

New challenge

Supplies

This weekend I decided that I needed a new challenge.  I was finding that my knitting, crocheting and needlework hasn't been challenging me enough lately.  So what I ended up doing was figuring out a new project or new area to focus some of my energy.

Now the new project may require a bit of help from my DH but I know that he just smiled when I told him what I wanted to try and do.  Of course, picking up all the different supplies today made me smile and of course it also renewed the spark that I had missed lately.

My tools

Another person that has given me a bit of a push was Silverlotus as she does this.   So now the challenge started as I needed to find some patterns and really decide what I was going to do.

The supplies I had to pick up but the tools were already in my tool box. 

It didn't take me long after taking the pictures of the supplies and tools to open some of the packages and start something new.  It has taken a bit of time and energy but it does feel good knowing that I have started to figure out something different.

What I have accomplished is going to be a different blog as I now want to go back and work on the items that I have been doing.

Progress on a project

Blackwork Knight - before weekend

I decided that this weekend I am going to take a day or at least part of a day to work on one of the projects that I started at the Creative Festival a week ago.

Of course decided which one I was going to pick up first was also a challenge in itself because I want to get all of them done quickly.

The one I ended up deciding on was the Blackwork Knight as I wanted to see how much of it I could get done.  Also this one only had one colour so it meant it was a little easier as I didn't have to change colours while I stitched.

 

 

 

Blackwork Knight - Sunday evening

I only worked on this project on Sunday and I saw a big difference.  Of course I decided to work down the rest of the pattern so that I could get the bottom of the pattern done and that is where I am now.  I do have some metallic thread to put on this part of the pattern but I will do that at the end.

This is now the project that I am going to work on when I have time this week so that I can see if I can get it finished quickly.  Of course there are also knitting and crocheting projects that I am working on so will pick those up when I don't have lots of time to focus on a project.