Crafter's Critique

Are you your own worst critic? Should you be? I have friends who burn paintings they’re not satisfied with. This shocked me initially, but I’m beginning to understand the impulse. After staring at two unfinished (and perhaps unfinishable) canvases for a few years, I’m ready for drastic measures.

"Selma's Garden", my unfinished entry in a spring
PaintOut at T.C. Steele State Historic Site.

Very often, setting aside a project that isn’t working (then returning to it with a fresh eye) works to stimulate new ideas. Sometimes a new perspective can rescue a painting from the burn pile. But sometimes knowing if something is worth saving is harder than saving it.

How often have you been disappointed in a piece that others raved about? Instead of questioning their taste, try to see what they see in it. Next, figure out why you’re unsatisfied with it. Understanding your discomfort can help to ease it, or lead to solutions.

So, what’s wrong with your work?

• Technical flaws
• Didn’t turn out like you’d planned
• Poor materials that didn’t hold up well
• Didn’t like the color combinations
• Wrong proportions
• Doesn’t ‘flow’ well

These are just a few of the reasons (excuses) we find to criticize our own work. Let’s take them one at a time and see how serious these problems really are.

Yes, technical flaws (poor craftsmanship) are frustrating. Needleweaving is done with the ‘good’ side down—meaning that after the weaving is completed and the project is taken off the board, it is turned over to reveal the face of the necklace. Sometimes this is good. It is smoother, and any loose ends are on the back side. But occasionally, flaws show up. I’ve learned not to despair.

First, look for simple solutions. When changing fibers, sometimes a bit of one color shows up where it doesn’t belong. This is a common problem in needleweaving, but easily solved with a light touch of a permanent Sharpie® marker. Or, weave in the correct color over it. If all else fails, add sparkle! A strategically place bead can hide a mistake and might turn out to be brilliant!

If your necklace didn’t turn out like you’d planned, then I’d recommend a different hobby—accounting maybe?

If you inadvertently used poor materials that didn’t hold up well, consider it a learning experience or give it to someone who loves you too much to complain. And of course, upgrade your materials for your next project.

So you didn’t like the color combinations. Why not? Was it the choice of colors, or the placement? Too much or too little contrast? Try to figure out the problem—or maybe the problem is in the eye of the beholder. Colors can have an emotional impact, and what you find unappealing may be just the thing for someone else.

Is something just ‘off’ about the piece? It could be a case of wrong proportions, although this doesn’t happen often since it‘s pretty easy to spot in the pattern. Unless you got carried away and deviated from the pattern—a lot. Take comfort in the fact that you may be the only one to notice.

Related to the problem above, perhaps your necklace just doesn’t ‘flow’ well. Again, you may be the only one bothered by it, but look over each section to determine what you would do differently next time.

And that is the key. You will do better next time, although you may encounter a different problem!  And that’s OK. It’s a process. Of creating, learning and knowing the difference between disaster and discovery.

Oops!

What was your worst craft mistake, and/or your crafty solution? I’d share mine, but like childbirth, I’ve forgotten the pain and only remember the accomplishment.

Picking Up Inspiration

Pastel Painting of Apalachicola Bay, Florida

Nature study can easily become a lifelong interest, and needn’t diminish over time. Identifying plants or birds may seem overwhelming to the beginning birder or botanist, but even experts in these fields face challenges.

My knowledge of flowers, trees and birds is at a level somewhere past beginner, but a long way from expert. At first, learning to I.D. each new species was exciting, but I’ve become complacent about botany and given up learning new bird songs. Why does it feel like an effort now, when once it was a much-anticipated challenge?

I blame my new interest in needleweaving. The more I became involved with fiber jewelry, the less time I spent on previous passions. Fortunately, my older interests are compatible with the new, and my enjoyment of them continues—if passively. In Act II of My Life, nature and music have become the backdrop, albeit a beautiful and inspiring one.

A recent change of scenery brought a renewed interest in all three. I picked up lots of ideas (and treasures) to use in future needleweaving projects. Apalachicola Bay was awash in beauty and its waters had offered up these finds.

Observation brings depth to the enjoyment of nature and music. And so it is with art. A field guide was useless for the broken bits of shells I collected, which left me free to see and appreciate their shapes, colors and textures. Though less-than-perfect, the shells will weave perfectly into a sea-inspired necklace—I can’t wait to begin.

Green Beads Come in Many Colors

Around 50 years ago when I learned how to make handmade beads, green wasn’t a buzzword—it was just the way things were done. It was not a throw-away society. The Great Depression was still fresh in our parents’ minds. These beads, though made from common materials, are uncommonly beautiful, and very easy to make.

Handmade Paper Beads

Paper is the main ingredient. Cutting up National Geographic magazines was (and still is) considered sacrilege by some, but back then, they produced the most colorful and glossy beads. Today, many magazines have colorful pages, so those collections of National Geographics are safe from the scissors. Fashion magazines provide a great source, and no one will mourn their loss. Here’s what you’ll need to begin:

Old magazines
Scissors
Glue stick, or clear-drying glue
Toothpicks, or plastic coffee stirrers
Piece of foam to use as a drying rack

• Cut magazine pages into elongated triangles. The base of the triangle can be from ½ to 1½ inches wide. Length can vary too. The longer the paper wedge, the thicker the resulting bead. Try eight to twelve inches for a start, then experiment. To get the most efficient use from the paper, alternate the pointed ends with the wide ends when cutting out the triangles.
• Starting at the bottom of the wedge, lightly coat the back side of the paper with glue stick or craft glue. Glue stick won’t be as messy. My sisters and I made beads in the days before glue sticks. We used mucilage (remember that?) or rubber cement.
• Beginning at the wide end, carefully wrap the paper around a toothpick or coffee stirrer. When using toothpicks, don’t make the first wrap too tight, or it will be difficult to remove from the beads.
• Coffee stirrers are great because you can wrap several beads around one stirrer and the beads won’t stick. You can even leave the stirrer in place and cut it at each end of the bead with an x-acto knife. This way you can add a sealer to a series of beads at once.
• Continue wrapping until the bead is complete. You may need a little extra glue on the tip to secure. The appearance of each  bead will be a surprise. It’s fun to see them take shape and reveal their true colors. (Black and white paper is OK too.)
• After you have several assembled, stick the toothpicks or coffee stirrers into the foam. Paint with water-based polyurethane, clear nail polish, or white glue. Again, keep the finish coat away from the toothpick. These make pretty durable beads, especially if clear-drying glue is used as a topcoat.
• When dry, remove beads from the sticks and create multicolored ‘green’ jewelry by stringing them on beading wire, nylon line, or elastic cord. These materials weren’t commonly available when I made my first necklace—we probably just used heavy thread or fine yarn.
• Scrapbooking or origami paper also makes nice beads. They’ll be colorful—but not green—unless you use scrapbooking scraps. Wallpaper samples or remnants work well too.
• Don’t forget fabric. I’ve seen lovely fabric beads trimmed with novelty yarns. These beads were wrapped around narrow plastic drinking straws. After they dried, the straw was cut close to the bead ends and left inside. These can be strung on heavier cord. If you sew your own clothes, you can make a matching necklace this way!

Times change. When I learned to make these beads, coffee stirrers didn’t exist since ‘coffee to go’ was unheard of. So was the abundance of jewelry making supplies.
I need to ask my mother where she learned to make the beads, and thank her for teaching me how. I enjoyed passing on the craft to my children. Now my daughters are grown, and I’ve discovered a new use for the beads. It’s often hard to find beads with holes large enough to use in needleweaving. These paper beads are perfect! Give it a try. Create elegant jewelry and precious memories, without precious gems.

Procraftination

A procraftintor doesn't have a To Do List, rather a To Finish List. The necklace I began in October is finally done! (See my previous post, "What's the Rush?") Bronze Glow was my first attempt at using lark's head knots to finish the warp ends. This is the same knot that sales tags are fastened with.

Bronze Glow

Perhaps finish isn't the right term to use, since the coin dangles on the warp ends were attached before I started weaving. Dangles can be added singly, or at the base of a column of beads, making a nice simple edge. So why don't I use this technique more often?

The book by Helen Banes that inspired me to learn this craft pictured many beautiful beads and dangles, and the author employed the technique in most of her work. She also traveled the world seeking out unusual beads and baubles to use.

In my little corner of the world, there are plenty of commercially available beads. To fasten a bead or disk to a warp end, the hole needs to be at the top and run front-to-back, not side-to-side. This style of bead is less common, and the ones I've found have left me underwhelmed.

World travel isn't in my plans right now, but as the crafter's motto goes, "If you can't find it, make it." Remembering a class on copper enameling that I enjoyed as a child, I've decided to explore the medium. With it, I could incorporate as many colors, shapes (and hole positions) as needed.

Why would anyone with a habit of procrastination take on something new? To avoid completing something else of course! (Maybe this idea should go on a To Don't List) But seriously, I can already imagine lots of ways to weave some hand crafted beads into my work, and wean myself a bit from Hobby Lobby.

To Everything There is a Season

When I first began needleweaving, my designs were inspired by fibers, beads and different techniques I wanted to try out. When I began selling my work, I needed to consider marketing seasons as well. Seasonally appropriate necklaces are more likely to sell.

As any gardener knows, the U.S. has many different climates zones, so seasonal impressions and representations will vary with geography. Still, I wonder if there are universal themes for certain times of the year.

To help me stay ahead of seasonal deadlines this year I’ve created some crafty cue cards. Pinned to my bulletin board, they will serve both as reminders and inspiration for current and future needleweaving projects.

Try creating your own cards (or modifying these). I’d love to see your ideas—particularly color choices.

What's the Rush?

Some projects can’t be rushed. Others can’t be finished—or so it feels. This necklace was started in October and went well for a while. Ironically, it started out to be a lesson-a-week tutorial. I soon realized that what I thought was a simple design, wasn’t quite.

Necklace progression, from bottom to top.

Usually I design the neckstraps after the body of the necklace is completed, but on this one I drew a blank. With the start of a new year, I resolved to get it finished. At first, things went well . . . .

I started needleweaving the neckstraps, continuing with the same fiber used in the body and incorporating a few small beads. Switching to macramé, and using only the warp threads, I created a spiral pattern with half knots. Next, all the warp threads were strung through more beads.

Now what? My necklaces are often two-staged: first the body, then the neckstraps—with breaks (of varying lengths) in between. Despite my New Year’s resolution, this necklace has once again come to a halt.

There are many tips for overcoming writer’s block—not so many for weaver’s block. I’m not ready to write off this necklace, even though right now I have no idea how it will turn out. I trust that a solution will appear and I’ll be surprised with the results, as I am with each necklace I make.

No rush, but I hope you check back to see how it turns out.

Needleweaving with Bamboo—2

Here is the nearly finished needlewoven necklace—Clementines and Sage. Bamboo yarn was used for the majority of the weaving. Its thicker weight made the weaving go quickly, but I had some trouble along the edges.

The threads outlining the bottom edge
are the warp tails.

To create a rounded edge along the bottom of the necklace, I took the long warp ends (tails) from each side and wrapped them under the row of bottom pins. This outer thread was then incorporated into the weaving. (Usually the tails are pulled above the necklace and used for the neckstraps.)

I’ve used this method before with better results. I think the thicker fiber doesn’t produce a clean edge the way perle cotton does. It is harder to compact, and the looser weave makes a softer edge.

Would adding dangles of beads along the bottom have helped? I decided keep it simple. At the center-bottom, I tied the warp ends together, then threaded a large bead onto the doubled threads. Next, I added a #6 bead and tied the warps ends with a square knot, clipping the threads to about ½ inch.

Using pins, I positioned the large bead so that the knot was facing up, and added a few drops of clear-drying glue to the knot. The next day, I cut the ends flush. Later, I used the same process to secure the bead used as a clasp.

A simple finishing technique—glue!

This was a new technique for me, and I like its simplicity. Each project seems to come with new challenges and solutions. The needleweaving process is self-sustaining. By the time I’ve finished a necklace, I’ve thought of two or three more ideas I want to try out.

Share your biggest challenge or favorite weaving solution, by clicking on the title of this post and leaving a comment. To see the finished necklace, visit my website.

Clementines and Sage

Often it’s hard to tell what influences what (the chicken or the egg dilemma). I started my latest necklace between two major holidays—Thanksgiving (my favorite) and Christmas. Did this influence my color choices?

The pale sage colored yarn was a gift. (How did my sister know my favorite color?) Made from bamboo, it‘s stretchy, soft and luxurious. Looking for beads to complement it, I chose a vintage button (another gift) and various clear glass baubles. I love the color and flavor of sage. What would turkey dressing be without this flavorful herb?

Orange is one of my least favorite colors, yet for some reason I was drawn to it for this piece. It reminded me of a tangerine hiding in the toe of a Christmas stocking. I found the acrylic fiber at a flea market—one of several colors in a bag. The bargain price blinded me to its fiber content. I didn’t think I’d use the orange, but it there it was, just when I needed it.

Here is the necklace about one-third complete. Because it’s symmetrical, it’s a back-and-forth process. Work on one side, then the other. Next step is to start on the right side. Check back to see the finished piece.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are family holidays. I'm thankful for the gifts from my sister and daughter that I used in this necklace. I'm also grateful for the Christmas memories of tangerines (now replaced by  Clementines) that were passed on from my parents. These thoughts are the real weft in this work.

Holiday Ornament Mini-Workshop

Our first light snowfall of the year fell during the night this weekend—barely measurable—in inches. And immeasurable as a wonder of nature.

I've been reading up on the subject for an upcoming  workshop, and was captivated by images taken with a photomicroscope. Snowflakes are truly one of a kind.

The November 20th Holiday Ornament Mini-Workshop at Ferrer Gallery will feature this snowflake theme. Participants will begin weaving unique fiber snowflakes that can be completed later on, just in time for the holidays!

A $10 fee covers materials, instruction sheet, plus a coupon for $10 off on a  full-length workshop in January.

Want to learn more? E-mail workshops@dayidadesigns.com or subscribe to Needleweaving News from DayidaDesigns, a monthly e-Newsletter featuring workshop details and weaving tips.

An Artist Trading Card—Selma in the Garden . . . in miniature

Ever hear of Artist Trading Cards, or ATCs? Similar in size to Baseball Trading Cards, these handmade miniature works of art aren’t for sale—they’re (almost) free. By exchanging a handmade card of your own in a trade or swap, you can build a mini-art-collection.

Selma in the Garden

Here’s a card I made recently for an online fiber art Artist Trading Card group. Their monthly swap sets a theme to inspire participants. September’s theme was artists, and I chose to recreate T.C.Steele’s well known painting, Selma in the Garden. It depicts the artist’s wife hard at work tending her flower gardens. Compare my impression with  Steele’s impressionist (and impressing) work at tcsteele.org.

My contribution to the September Swap used the same needleweaving techniques as my necklaces do, but I found it hard to keep to the exact 2 ½ x 3 ½ inch dimensions. It is very difficult not to pull the weaving thread too tightly at the end of each row. What should be a straight edge begins developing a figure.

The intricate curves and corners used in jewelry are actually easier to weave than a rectangle or square! I’ve used wire before to help shape necklaces, but didn’t want to do that with the ATC. I decided to continue weaving and try to pull it into shape later.

Most fabric ATCs are backed with either cardboard or a stiffer fabric—something to support the material and provide a surface to write the artist’s name, date and description. I recycled a piece of lime green cardboard to use as a backer. The little picture of Selma had a few open areas between the beads and the weaving, and the lime green color peeking through was perfect.

I used a clear school glue to attach the completed weaving, blocking it at the same time. First I drew the correct sized rectangle on the board and ran a generous bead of glue inside the perimeter and placed a bit in the center too. Next, I began pinning the weaving to it—starting at the top which had the straightest edge and working my way around, stretching it to meet the outline.

It all fit, except for the lower right-hand corner, where there was still a small gap. I’ve often had to invent ways to fix mistakes in needlewoven necklaces but ATCs are more flexible. I found some green seed beads and simply glued them onto that empty corner of the card. If only necklace repairs were that easy!

ATCs are a fun way to try out needleweavng techniques, and a nice change from jewelrymaking. Many scrapbooking stores have monthly Artist Trading Card exchanges, or for inspiration, check out Stitchin Fingers, one of the many online groups. My inspiration came from T.C. Steele State Historic Site, where Selma in the Garden and many more examples of Hoosier impressionism may be seen.

Kelly Hill

This view looking east into Brown County State Park has been photographed, painted and simply enjoyed by tourists, locals, and artists—for over 100 years. Each change of season brings artful possibilities. Redbud and Dogwood blossoms in the spring, freshly baled hay in summer, amazing fall color, and bare hillsides blanketed with snow.

It was a rare day this October when I didn’t see someone stopped to capture this scene as I crested Kelly Hill on my drive home from work. I’ve done the same, although in winter, when a light snow had dusted the fields with white. I snapped a picture to use as a reference for a future painting.

This was one intention that I actually followed through with—twice. This past spring, I took a very enjoyable class from Corrine Hull and recreated my photo using soft pastels.  Here’s the result—my first try with this type of pastel.



Later in the year I took a mini-tapestry workshop at Yarns Unlimited, a local fiber store. I wrote about the beginning of that project in August, but as projects often go, this one was put on hold for a while. It’s finally complete, although late as a birthday gift.

Neither of my attempts really captures the depth of this scene. How the pasture falls, rolls and flows downward to the edge of the woods. How the forest rises up from the valley, and extends on until hills become haze . . . Picture perfect.

Leaf Motifs in Jewelry Design

Indiana boasts over 100 species of trees native to the Hoosier state, each with uniquely shaped leaves. Sassafras and Mulberry have leaves with two or more different shapes. I've always had an interest in leaves and even looked forward to the often-dreaded school leaf collection.

You can incorporate leaf shapes in many ways, and the variety of buttons and beads using this motif makes it easy to add a little bit of nature to a needlewoven piece. Each necklace I make leaves a lesson—here's what I learned from this one . . .


Raked in from craft stores—
a pile of leafy embellishments.

Inserting buttons onto the warp isn't much different than adding beads, but placing them is. I began with a large leaf-shaped button and positioned it face-down over the pattern before stringing the warp. To make it easier to weave over, I carved out a little bit of the weaving board and inset the button.

Next, I strung the warp, going right over the button. My button had two vertical holes, so I lifted the button out of the indentation in the board and ran the pair of warp threads through the top hole and back through the bottom. Then I refastened the warp on its pin. For buttons with shanks, the pair of warp threads aligned over the button goes through the shank, just as if it were a bead.

Like the warp thread, the weaving also goes right over the button. When the necklace is finished, the button won't show at all on the back side. Unlike with beads, there's really no way to see how a button will look until the piece is turned over, and this caused some problems.

The front of the button was more olive colored than I remembered, so the thread colors I'd chosen looked better with the back of the button than the front. This necklace taught me that if I'm temperamentally unable to design every detail in advance, I'd better have a back-up plan.

Here's the back—
where's the button?

Next time I use buttons instead of beads, I'd be wise to choose the thread colors before I begin weaving. But a solution that better suits my temperament is to buy an extra button to refer to when picking fiber colors. For now, as I work on the neck straps, I can incorporate some of that olive hue and compensate for my earlier problem.

The leaves on the Tulip Trees around my home have already fallen—more from the ongoing drought than the changing season. It seems appropriate to be working on a leafy necklace design while listening to the falling leaves. I'll need to stop weaving soon and begin raking.

Here is the completed necklace—Fall Fiesta.

Whip-poor-will Memories

As fall approached, bringing respite from the summer heat, and newly-opened windows let in night breezes, I was rewarded with the far-off sound of Whip-poor-wills. I’d missed them by caving in to comfort. As I worked on my needleweaving projects in a ‘perfect’ 72° environment, I looked forward to a cooler time when I could once again sit on the porch, weaving to the sounds of birds, squirrels, chipmunks and far away trains.

The relief the air conditioner provided resulted in higher electric bills—plus an added cost. Its noise masked the night hawk’s evening serenade, a sound I’ve loved since I was very young. As a child we had plenty of windows to let in summer breezes—and sounds—since air conditioning was uncommon then.

These cooling machines condition more than the air. Isolated in our comfort zones, we’ve become conditioned to believe that nature is ‘out there’ and we feel less a part of it. It still sends an inviting message, but we no longer hear it.

I wonder what else I missed this summer in my perfectly conditioned cocoon? The Whip-poor-will has become less common around here anyway, likely due to habitat change. Without open windows will I even know if it disappears entirely?

Note: I began writing this post in late August, and as I finish it nearly two months later, my windows are shut again—this time against the fall chill.

For Crying Out Loud

This summer, the Cicada's summer serenade has penetrated my awareness. They're probably annual cicadas*—not the 13 or 17 year variety—but they're certainly doing a good impersonation, if decibel level is an indication. When something seems to be increasing, I often wonder if the numbers are really on the rise, or just my awareness.

I don't remember the annual cicadas so overpowering their summer companions before—the katydids, crickets and other UCIs (unidentified chirping insects). I've seen more abandoned exoskeletons gripping the screen on my porch as well.

This summer, the prolonged heat has prompted a first for me—running the AC at night. Feeling guilty for this energy extravagance hasn't stopped me from cracking the window a bit so that I can hear the Cidadas' song.

How does this relate to necklaces? Scarab beetles (another visually interesting insect) have been depicted in jewelry, why not Cicadas? I've added this to my list of get-around-to-it-someday projects. A needlewoven Cicada (necklace or pin). Not sure how I'll do the wings, but the eyes are bugging begging to be represented by beads.

I'm often torn between accuracy, at the field guide level, and allowing artistic ideas to dominate. When (if) I make a necklace or pin representing a Cicada, I hope it will be recognizable, yet quirky. I'm not sure if this reveals my Gemininess or my indecisiveness.

*We used to call them locusts.

Making a Mini Tapestry

Yesterday I attended the first half of a two-part mini-tapestry workshop at Yarns Unlimited, a local treasure on the square in Bloomington Indiana. Surrounded by beautiful fibers and examples of completed projects was a bit distracting, as beautiful items caught my eye—but so inspiring!

The course description sounded much like needleweaving, so I signed up, hoping to learn more about weaving and pick up some tips on instruction. I wasn't disappointed.

Suzanne Halvorson's informal and informative teaching style put everyone at ease, and convinced us that we would all end up with a nice little tapestry—eventually. Patience is required, but the process somehow restores those reserves of patience.

While the weaving itself was familiar, the loom set up was not. This photo shows the start of my little tapestry next to a warped necklace I'm using in a Needleweaving Tutorial. My method strings the warp on the face of the board, using pins to hold the thread.

Here's how the thread is wrapped around a Foam-Core board for the tapestry warp.

The new method has some advantages. No pins to catch the weaving fibers (or prick from the underside), and finer detail is possible. Needleweaving uses one warp thread per quarter inch; the mini tapestry uses three. The result in scale is like the difference between needlepoint and petitpoint. Strangely, it doesn't seem take three times longer to weave.

Despite the pins, my usual technique has a few plusses. It's fun to incorporate beads, different shapes can be created and beating the fibers tight is easier. So I won't abandon my old ways, but will likely weave a few new ideas and methods into my future work.

At the end of the two-hour session, our warps were strung and we'd all begun weaving. We'd learned how to add and end threads, change colors, and create some different effects. I relearned how fun it is to be with others who share my interest in weaving. The completed Mini Tapestry will be the bonus.

August Needleweaving Workshop!

On August 21, I'll be leading a Beginning Needleweaving Workshop. The day long class will include basic needleweaving techniques, color theory and loom set-up. Leave with a one-of-a-kind necklace and a new skill.

The Traditional Arts Building at 46 E. Gould Street in Nashville, Indiana will be the location of the workshop. The class will last 7 hours, from 10am til 5 pm with a one hour break for lunch.

The fee is $55, with all materials (but not meals) included. For more information, or to register for the workshop, email: info@dayidadesigns.com.

Fashion v.s. Style: The Statement Necklace—an oxymoron?

Free-form macremé (statement) necklace

So that’s what they are! I’ve been making necklaces for a few years and just learned that in the fashion world, they're known as Statement Necklaces. Names and labels can affect our perceptions, even about things we’re already familiar with.

These thoughts came to mind when I realized my handmade jewelry fell into a category I’d never heard of. What if I marketed them as statement necklaces? Would that alone create demand? Would I feel I was conforming to a fashion trend rather than setting one? Would it matter?

I puzzled a bit about fashion and its relationship with style. Fashion is something you pay attention to as you are still developing your own style. Its what you spend money on hoping to be an early adopter of what later becomes standard before quickly becoming obsolete. Style has more staying power.

What is the statement that a Statement Necklace makes? A personal one, in that people choose jewelry that appeals to them, saying, “This is Me—the individual.”  But there’s a statement of conformity too—wearing bold jewelry that draws attention is currently trendy. Now the message becomes, “I belong—and identify with a larger group.”

I like to think that my days of following fashion trends are over (but I also have a clear memory of being absolutely certain I’d never wear a skirt that fell below the knees).
I’m reminded of a song by the Austin Lounge Lizards describing someone who became a non-conformist, because all his friends were non-conformists too.

Wanting to belong to a group, yet hoping to feel unique isn’t as much a struggle as a balancing act. Mood, age, experience, exposure to new ideas, art and yes, fashion can shift this balance. We settle back to our baseline, then lean out of our comfort zones—whether to cause a stir, or conform. 

Perhaps the statement necklace isn’t an oxymoron after all. Maybe it’s versatile enough to be both trendy and unique. I’m not sure I want to conform to the trend and use the term statement necklace. I’ll let the work speak to the wearer, since in life and art, the message given and the one perceived are rarely the same.

My necklaces may send mixed messages, but usually they create more conversation than confusion. Perhaps statement necklace is simply a new way of saying conversation piece.

Old Charms . . . New Meaning

Beads provide sparkle and color in your fiber jewelry, but charms can serve the same purpose and add meaning as well. If you're no longer wearing that old charm bracelet from your childhood, why not try repurposing it? Your next needleweaving project can incorporate memories and meaning as you weave the objects into a charming necklace.

I once collected charms for a favorite bracelet, but now I rarely wear bracelets, so I transferred them to a necklace to give them new life.  As I did I, was reminded of travels, events and activities enjoyed long ago. Expo '67 in Montreal, visiting the Statue of Liberty and Mammoth Cave, IU winning the Rose Bowl, playing guitar, riding bikes with my sisters, and more. One or two left me wondering, "Why did I collect that?"

For my charm necklace I wanted to stick with silver, so any enameled or colored charms were saved for other projects. Since this was before I discovered needleweaving, I attached the silver charms to a matching chain. I was happy with the result and like to wear it when I'm in a reminiscent mood (which is more and more often lately!).

Maybe you still wear your old charm bracelet and like it just the way it is. Perhaps you never had one. Now's the time to revive the charm collecting habit and really personalize your next needleweaving project.

Good luck (charm)!

Leading a Charmed Life

Is there a hierarchy to the powers of amulet-like objects? Having only a vague idea of what they are led me to research definitions and put them in some kind of order (following that human need to order/classify).

Here are my guesses—before research—rated from least to most powerful.

• Charm: a small object that serves as a reminder of places visited, or represents an interest or hobby—often 'cute'.
• Amulet: a small object that is meaningful to the owner/wearer.
• Talisman: not sure what this is.
• Totem: representation of an animal one identifies with in some way, probably not worn, also a larger object.
• Touchstone: A small stone, often smooth, rubbed for reassurance or luck.
• Channelling: ?? not sure where this fits in (if it does) since any objects involved would be of the supernatural variety.

Here, with my ignorance on record, are the dictionary definitions:

charm n. 1. A small ornament worn on a bracelet. 2. An item worn for its supposed magical benefit; amulet.

amulet n. 1. An object worn, esp. around the neck, as a charm against evil or injury.

talisman n. 1. An object believed to give supernatural powers to or protect its bearer.

totem n. 1. a. An animal, plant or natural object serving as a symbol of a clan or family. b. A representation of this. 2. A venerated symbol.

channelling, touchstone Neither was included in my American Heritage Dictionary. Maybe I need a New Age Dictionary—I definitely need a large print one.

It looks like amulets and talismans offer protection, and charms may have more to do with luck. Totems seem strangely connected to branding and are not limited to the animal kingdom as I'd guessed.

Learning the correct definitions hasn't changed my conclusion: the powers these objects contain come from within the person, not the object. Our own powers are often the most overlooked.

Amulet Bag Blues

While making this little bag I had lots of time to ponder the subject of amulets. What started as an attempt to speed up the necklace making process became a lot more complicated.

My knowledge of amulets is very sketchy, but I like the small pouches created to hold them. Thinking it might take less time to complete than my other necklaces and appeal to more people, I decided to document each step with descriptions and photos.

Each pause to take photos or make notes interrupted my work, but the biggest time consumer was weaving the back side of the bag—which wouldn't even show! It was one solid color, one weaving pattern, and one big frustration.

My original pattern was a rectangle. Trying to maintain an  even tension on the edges so the bag wouldn't taper towards the center was a challenge I failed to meet. By the time I completed the back of the piece I was so discouraged that I stopped my diary of the project before starting on the front flap. That section involved free-form weaving that would have been hard to describe; but mainly, I lost interest in writing about something I wasn't even sure I'd finish.

Thoughts of the amount of time I'd already invested prompted me to complete it—with or without notes. As with any of my projects there was a metaphor in there somewhere—appropriate for a container meant to hold meaningful items. Here are the lessons I learned (or relearned):

• Weaving (and life) doesn't always follow the plan
• With jewelry (as in life) this is not necessarily bad
• Challenges can be either frustrations or opportunities

Any amulets I might tuck away in this bag would stand for perseverance, patience and pragmatism. All were ingredients in the making of the bag, and pretty helpful in life too.