Not Quite

This is my next sweater, or to be more precise, my next project.

The colours are much nicer in real life: richer and lusher.

Since I took the picture, I have wound them into balls and knitted a small sample which was Bad And Had To Die. The kitten rather liked the foreground yarn, which is a soy-silk and merino cabled yarn which is actually rather nice. She has exquisite taste of course.

Although much of my beading time was experimental (which means I cut some stuff up and made other pieces of things which are not yet cut up but which probably will be; the essence of my effort cannot be distilled into the word "completed"), I did make a couple of pairs of earrings.

I used 12mm rivolis, and what pleases me about this design is that I didn't have to cover up much in order to hold them securely. If I had a stash of 12mm rivolis, I'd have made a bunch more, but I seem to accumulate 14mm rivolis instead. I guess I could see if the principle is translatable to a bigger rivoli.

Another day.

I have a little drawer with odd things that I have found at hardware stores and other unlikely places, things that I was certain would be extremely useful in beading projects, and even though I really haven't allowed them to realize their potential, I still think something fabulous is on the cards. Eventually.

This isn't quite fabulous, but with a bit of refinement it could be. A lot of refinement perhaps. I mean, who doesn't love copper? And seed beads? Seed beads and copper? Stay tuned.

The last experiment turned out to be more successful, but I'm at a bit of a loss as to how best to actually use it. You can't really tell, but it's a diagonally-sliced cone, sort of. Perhaps a stylized calla lily, or a tussie mussie.

I think the stem has some possibilities. It started off as tubular peyote, but then I added an increase and corresponding decrease, and now it looks rather herringbone-esque.

The staggered effect is the result of stopping and starting the increases and decreases, and gives me an idea for the magatamas I bought yesterday wondering what on earth I'd use them for. Or fringe beads. Or else I could cut it up...