A Very Unlikely Place....

Another month has slipped away.  What happened to April...Oh, that's right, the IRS took precedent.  Glad that's behind me now.

Remember those Peter Rabbit buttons that went missing a few months back that prompted the "whole house search"?  Well, dear ones, the mystery has been solved.  Read on....

As often happens, spaces get cluttered, cleared, filled, reorganized, re-cluttered, etc.   Case in point, my collection of knitting needles.  This collection has evolved over time from a bunch of mismatched plastic and aluminum needles.  No more.  Since being introduced to bamboo several years ago, I have winnowed my collection down to exclusively bamboo and limited the types to circular and double-pointed only.    So recently, while cataloguing this collection, what should I find tucked in the packet that held the #4, 29"circular needle?   You guessed it, the elusive Peter Rabbit buttons.   Now I'll have another finished project ready for boxing and gifting.


On another note, trying a new craft culled from the legion of books acquired over the years, is always a challenge.  Up next, Viking Knitting.  The process is quite simple, 24 gauge wire is 'knitted' over a jig - in this case, an Allen wrench held in a vise.  Round and around and while a little time-intensive, the results are encouraging.  My one "stumbling block" to finishing is literally a block of wood known as the  draw plate with graduated holes from 1/8" to 11/16".  The draw plate is necessary for finishing since the length of knitted wire coil is "drawn" through the plate's succession of holes, largest to smallest.  This action tightens and lengthens the piece to the desired size.  As I don't have this plate, it will have to be made or purchased before I can complete the test piece [inexpensive craft wire] before moving onto the luxurious silver and gold wire waiting for a level of expertise practice will ensure.


The addition of an extensive stash of supplies [beads, fabric, threads, yarn, etc.] that was recently acquired, suggests that new skills are needed.  Again, the craft books mentioned above, come to the rescue with the know-how to producing finished pieces while achieve a reduction in the volume of this stash.  A few of the major bead collections [shown at right] require just a few findings or filler beads to create finished pieces.  So a search of the Internet or local craft store should produce some interesting clasps, cords, and fillers. All should help in turning these collections into viable finished projects.  I can fairly see my Gift Closet bearing quality gifts moving forward.

Progress on existing stuff seems to be faltering.  I am about two projects behind with my ANG Chapter; the heart project and the ornaments that will spell N-O-E-L when completed.  The heart project will become a biscornu as I mentioned in an earlier post.  The half squares will be made into full squares to complete the required square shape for a bicornu.  The finishing of this jewel will be momentous as my finishing skills have been lacking for many years.  Beth from The Gazebo, my sister long distance from Virginia and Trish from local ANG Chapter all are accomplished finishers who have offered to help "train" me in these fine tasks.   I'll be posting how this and other projects are going as its the only way to ensure stuff gets done.

I happened upon another blog which bore an extensive list of items the blogger plans to complete in 2010 - awesome detail and equally awesome goals.  I wish him a finished list!  I should be  lucky to complete a fraction of what I have in place.  Perhaps listing "chapter and verse" all the things I have yet to complete is the only way to ensure I keep tract of what needs to be done..  Somehow I think that would be too daunting...exposing my procrastination in such a public way.  Oh well, we'll see.

Until next time.