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Good morning. About a month ago, I was sent a knitting spool from Softflex with the caveat I'd review it and then enter their contest. I've been frantically trying to learn how to use it and then create something with it to enter into their contest. I got it done last night. I'm not sure I'm completely happy with it, but I don't think it's too bad for my first go around with the knitting spool and entering a national contest.
I enjoyed the knitting spool, although I found it rather difficult to use. That is probably because I don't have a lot of strenth in my hands. I kept losing the beading wire when I would first start my piece. I actually found using copper wire easier to start with than beading wire. But I needed to use Softflex products for the contest, so I had some Garnet Beading wire and Copper Metallic Beading wire that I was wanting to use for this project and contest. I knew I wanted to knit a frame around some beads. But then I had to figure out what to do with the framed beads. I finally decided it would be great as a leather cuff. So I kept working on my knitting frames for my jasper beads. I finally got them where I was fairly happy with them. However, I also felt that the directions for finishing off the knitting project lacked a little. I would have liked a little more information and pictures on how to finish the knitted project to get it off the spool, but after re-reading the directions and my copy of Sara's Show Your Colors book, I finally figured out how to finish off the piece to get it off the spool. Now my problem was, how to attach the 'framed' beads to the leather and then how to hook/clasp the cuff. I just about gave up trying to sew my 'framed' beads to my leather cuff. (I had used my pinking shears to shape the edges of the leather and figured my darning needles would be heavy enough to get through the leather.) After several attempts I finally had to put work/gardening gloves on to get my needle through the leather to attach the 'framed' beads and the button I used for the clasp. Attaching the rivet for the leather loop to go through was another problem. I cut with a knife, scissors, poked it and FINALLY got the rivet through the leather so I could hammer it down. After pushing the leather thong through the rivet I knotted it on the back side making a big enough loop to go over the button I sewed on and Viola! I have a leather cuff bracelet with Knitting Spool framed jasper beads. I also found it useful to number the three prongs on my knitting spool, 1, 2 and 3 so I could keep tabs easier on where I was when wrapping and then trying to get the loops off and over. That wasn't too bad, although it took a little practice to hold the beading wire at the bottom that you're working with and the wire at the top your wrapping while trying to get the loops off to 'knit' the wire. As I said, though, if you have a lot of strength in your hands, this probably wouldn't be quite as difficult for you as it was for me. All in all, I really enjoyed working with the spool and will keep on practicing it and trying to come up with new ideas for it. I just won't be able to work with it for very long periods of time. I hope you like my "I've Been Framed" bracelet I made with the Knitting Spool. Please check out Softflex to see when the voting begins and be sure to vote for my bracelet. Also, if you're wanting to do something really unique with your jewelry, get their book, 'Show Your Colors' and the knitting spool and have a ball.
I'm participating in a Desing Challenge put on by Jewelry By Solange. She sent us 2 Snakeskin Jasper beads and we could design anything with them we wanted. We just HAD to use the 2 beads. It had to be done by Friday August 19th, named and pictures sent to her. She has now put it up on her blog for people to vote. There will be 2 winners. The People's Choice winner gets a wonderful necklace designed by her and the 2nd winner gets a gift certificate to her shop. There's some wonderful designs in the challenge. They cover all spectrums of things, from Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, to an adorable keychain.
My entry is entitled "Waltz Across Texas". I took the 2 beads and made a focal/pendant out of them with brass tubing that had been hammered and copper chain to make them like a Bolo tie that cowboys here in Texas wear. Then I hammered, coiled, curled, etc. copper wire into links with beads attached to make one side of the necklace, and attached fiber to the other side of the necklace with 2 hammered brass discs. The clasp is a Hammered Copper Wire "S" hook. I named it Waltz Across Texas, because it has the "Bolo" Tie pendant, plus the fiber was to signify, the shawls/boas that women sometimes wear out dancing here in Texas. Of course, since I live in Texas, it had to be named "Waltz Across Texas" If you'd like to help me, you can click on the title of this post, or the title of the blog it's featured on, Jewlery By Solange and go comment/vote. Mine is the 4th design down. To vote, you have to leave a comment with my name and the name of my piece. (I.E.-Kay-Waltz Across Texas) You CANNONT leave anonymous comments/votes. Here's a picture of my piece for you to see ahead of time. Please go vote, whether for me or another design. It helps all Handmade Artists feel special when we know someone loves our work. Thanks.
By the way, this piece sold before I even got it listed in my shop, KayzKreationz. I was showing it to my Mom and sister in a restaurant for lunch the other day and the waitress saw it and bought it and ordered earrings to match. But I can design more if you like this. You have until Aug. 28th to vote.
Recently I wrote a post about selling your own advertising on your blog, so that you can manage it and get more profit from it that something like Project Wonderful. I'm still trying to get stats from the 2-3 advertisers I've had so far, but haven't heard anything from them. Hopefully it is helping them. I tweet about them at least once or twice a week to help out, besides their mini advertising on my blog. The girl that started all this at kMTgraphicdesign of Etsy and her blog has started an AdDirectory ning site, for those interested in learning how to do it and also to find other places to advertise for themselves. She is now offering an opportunity for free ad space for a month on her ning site. So check it out by clicking on the title to this post and see if it's a good fit for you and your blog. And don't forget to check out my advertisers at the bottom of my blog. If you're interested in advertising here, it's only $2.50 a month till the end of August.
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