Some
Old, Some New
I used lots of
odds and ends to make up this selection, and they seem to be in a
great variety and range of styles. Some of the projects were about
getting to know the materials. The projects are a sort of
smorgasbord. I was kind of all over the map, so to speak.
The project I
am going to tell you about was started so I could learn how I can use
this cord I have. This cord is a twisted nylon , soft and silky.
The most troublesome aspect is the slippery nature of the cord. That
puts limits on what kind of knots you can use. It also has a habit
of unwinding and fraying, I had to learn how to seal the ends to keep
it from unraveling. This is a chore that is not too pleasant.
The up side of the stuff is the color and feel while working with it.
It's a nice bronze like tone and kind to your hands as you work with
it. I wonder what it was made for? ,possibly tassels or fringe.
Another characteristic is that it is stretchy after it is knotted,
that can cause trouble . I don't think it takes naturally to
knots. I have a bit of a suspicion that this is not nylon but maybe
rayon because When I try to melt the ends it does not melt but nylon
does. The knots want to undo themselves. I learned you have to
make lock knots to hold it in shape. I think the twist and silky
nature causes most of the trouble. It is not an easy task, but I
like the look and feel of it. I will have to do some more
experimenting to learn what it can do. I added some vintage and new
beads with Stone focal bead.
I also had trouble getting
it to hold onto the clasp because it is slippery.
I think I should find
another way to close it . I have two large cones of it, so I have
lots of it to experiment with. I think it's very interesting
how the same material can feel so different and act differently just
in the way it is put together.
The other cord I
have been working with is braided into a tube and has a core thread
in the middle to give it added stability. It has a smooth feel and
yet holds knots better than the other thread. The braiding helps
hold the knots being stretched or compressed. It changes the form.
The twisted cord seems to repel knots, at least made of this
material.
Now I will
change gears and show you a necklace I made with cotton thread. This
is a piece of tatted lace I made some time ago. As I looked at it, I
wondered what I could do to it to give it some body and weight. I
ended up adding beads made of stone and glass. I think they work
together to help each other. The color of pinks and white with the
lace make it quite feminine.
This next piece
is a sort of flight of fancy, also a bit whimsical, I think. It is
made up of stone, wire, metal, bone, wood, and an unknown material,
as well as bits of chain and a couple of vintage buttons. The wire
was included because I could not get the cord through the hole in the
main large square stone. It changed the whole nature of the piece.
It was a fun and more like play than the other s. It turned out to
be reversible. Not the original plan.
It's a fun piece, I think.
This necklace is
made with the slippery stuff and a beautiful round stone bead from
my stash. I've added a few vintage glass pearls and an acrylic
carved bead. It is what it is.
Next is a piece
that started from a strange origin. It has a focal bead that
started out its life as part of a foot massager. How did it end up
here? It fell apart and I thought the individual pieces had an
interesting shape, and the colors were nice together. For some
reason, this makes me think of something nautical and the sea and
beaches. I added some items from the beach, square shell pieces
and ceramic beads with small glass beads in between. The blue and
white and tan colors suggest: clean, cool and fresh like a sea
breeze. The cord reminds me of rope in miniature, like that used
on ships as decorative rope the sailors used to cover stanchions and
canvas. I believe that is where macrame' got its start.
This necklace is
a sort of patchwork of things, like a sampler. using variegated
nylon cord, for the main body of the necklace, with beads of metal,
bone glass and stone, I tied onto a long bamboo bead. The pendant
is made from a necklace taken apart and put back together. I didn't
like the original chain. It has some kinks and bends but fun
none-the-less.
This one is a
little strange; It looks like something it's not, a small purse.
But is only one side of the bag. It came about because of a bit of
green chain a friend gave me. Then I remembered I had an old enameled
pin waiting in the wings to become some future project, also two
jade pendant pieces and a vintage brass button. I tried to learn a
pattern from some pictures I had from a book I qwn ,but it does not
have directions. It was kind of fun, except I ran out of cord before
I wanted , so I modified it a bit. This color scheme reminds me of a
pair of earrings I gave to my mom when I was a little child. I don't
ever remember mom wearing them and I don't think she liked those
colors together, but I seem to.
Let's change
gears a bit. This is a bracelet or anklet, depending on the size of
the limb it is attached to. This was not intentional, but the patten
ended up longer by the time I got to the other half of the design. I
made it with a knot I saw done on YouTube; the artist called it a
fishbone style. I made it with alabaster beads and nylon cord with
a wooden vintage football shaped button to hold it all together.
Next in line is
a little bracelet I made with the new cord that is the same as
the other cord, but it has the advantage of being small enough to put
through the center of some small glass beads with large holes. This
piece is made of macrame and tatting. I laced it up with pink ribbon
up the middle and tied some little bows. It just looks like it
belongs on a little girl.
This piece has an
interesting mix of items used to create it.
Bits of chain and vintage
glass pearls with the paint coming off . The oddest part is a tag
from a old piece of luggage and two end findings from an old
necklace and brass spacer beads, with a metal
filigree sort of piece
with a rutilated quartz crystal tear drop on the end.
This
necklace started with a hook or question mark( however you see it ).
It's made of polymer clay, topped with a bone bead. The necklace
part is made up of clay , plastic ,wood and metal beads with a few
small glass spacer beads. I made a little bracelet to match.
Last of all
is a bracelet made with some leftover scraps of string and glass
beads.
Well that
winds things up for this time. I hope you had some fun with my
wondering and discovering what you can do with discarded pieces to
give them new life and purpose. Hope to you will drop in again.
