Diversions and Sidetracks
Because sometimes girls just want to have fun…
First, I will write more in the coming weeks about the process of bringing a commissioned design from contract to published pattern. But I've been easily sidetracked lately. Blame it on the late spring weather. So, I thought I'd share some things that are just fun.
Crochet + Itty Bitty Beads
The talented designer Laura Nelkin is known for incorporating beads in her beautiful knitting patterns. Laura is also the originator of the Knit for Food Knit-a-Thon. She recently went down a rabbit hole with bead crochet, and I followed hot on her heels.
If the phrase "bead crochet" makes you think of fussy, floral, Victorian reticules, you're not alone. But in Laura's hands, bead crochet produces striking modern jewelry that anyone would love to wear.
This is the Sprang Cuff. In addition to offering the pattern on Ravelry, Laura offers kits for this cuff in her Etsy Store. There are 8 color choices for the kit; I chose Evening.
None of these are affiliate links—I bought the kit, and I have no business relationship with Laura. I'm just a grateful fan.
The kit comes beautifully packaged with everything you need except a tiny crochet hook, a tapestry needle, and some heavy-duty glue. You'll get the beads, a spool of C-Lon nylon bead cord, a dental floss threader to help you string the beads, a length of 3mm leather cord, and a magnetic clasp. You also get a code to download the pattern for free. Within the pattern, you'll find a link to a tutorial video which walks you through all the steps involved in making this cuff.
You don't need advanced crochet skills to produce this cuff. If you can chain and slip stitch, you've got it covered. That's not to say there is no challenge here. These are size 8/0 seed beads, and you'll be working with a very small hook. (Laura recommends 1.5mm. I had 1.4mm and 1.7mm; the larger one worked best for me.) Of course, I did myself no favors by choosing black. I needed strong lighting to see what I was doing.
You'll also need some attention and practice to get into the groove of working with the beads. I must have ripped out and reworked the first three rounds half a dozen times, and I can still see spots where I didn't line everything up correctly.
But that challenge was just what I was hungry for, whether I knew it or not. As adults, we tend to live within the realm of our competency. Whether at work or at home, we spend a lot of time doing what we already do well. I enjoyed spending some time in "beginner's brain", figuring things out, making mistakes, getting a little frustrated, and persisting until I got it right. Now I'm imagining what else I can make with these new skills!
I'm ridiculously pleased with my new bracelet. I have a black cotton gauze shirtdress on which I tend to roll up the sleeves to just below the elbow. My Sprang cuff is the perfect accessory!
When was the last time you tried something new? How did it go for you? Leave a comment and tell me about it!
Some Frothy Reading
After several months of reading Serious Books about Important Topics, I'm enjoying the palette cleanser of some fun fiction.
I've recently discovered Marcia Muller's series of thrillers featuring detective Sharon McCone. The latest, number 34 (!) in the series, is called Circle in the Water.
These novels have many ingredients I enjoy: an intrepid female protagonist, a likeable cast of supporting characters, and a well-paced, twisty plot. They are set in and around San Francisco, the home of my heart, if not currently of my body. They are relatively short (less than 8 hours in audio), skillfully read, and need not be read in order.
I'm also about to dive into a little Kevin Kwan marathon. Kwan just released a new novel called Lies and Weddings.
I read Kwan's first novel, Crazy Rich Asians, when it was published in 2014 and found it marvelously entertaining. Any book that makes me laugh out loud is a winner. I also loved the 2018 film adaptation.
Kwan has written three other novels between these two, which I haven't read. I think I need to fix that. Comedy and romance seem just right for this time of year. I've borrowed all three audiobooks from my public library, and I'm waitlisted for the audiobook of the new release.
Here is a link to an interview with Kevin Kwan recently published in the New York Times.
Book titles are linked to Bookshop.org, a non-profit that supports independent bookstores. If you make a purchase via these links, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Things that caught my eye
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute recently opened their 2024 exhibition entitled Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. Here is a link to a tour of the exhibition with head curator Andrew Bolton. For those of us who probably won't make it to New York this summer, it's a thought-provoking overview.
As always, thanks for inviting me into your world this week. I hope you’re enjoying this spring-into-summer weather and diving into projects which challenge, amuse and delight you.
Continue the conversation: Leave a comment and let me know what you’re reading.
Your bead bracelet is lovely. I'm about to finish The Lost Man by Jane Harper (audiobook). I've listened to all five of her novels now. Three are a series, and the other two (including The Lost Man) are stand-alone novels. They all take place in Australia's Outback for the most part. And the narrator--Stephen Shanahan--is wonderful. I might look for another audiobook where he narrates.
I love the term beginners brain! I do that all the time! It keeps me quite happily engaged in a creative process. You did a lovely job on the bracelet! I am a crochet designer and have made these before. They are not for the weak of heart!