Making things

My old school friends are coming over next week. As well as having lunch (we all bring a plate of something to share) and chatting and catching up, we decided to do a little craft activity, like we did last year before Christmas. This time we’re making earrings, and possibly other things — not everyone wears earrings, so we’ll see how it goes.

The suggestion came from one of my friends, to whom I’ve given some little paper earrings, like the ones on the right, made to the same pattern as the German Bell paper ornaments we made, only very small and fiddly to make. But fun.

Even though a lot of my jewellery (Australian/English spelling) supplies were stolen when I moved house, I still have enough to let everyone make a few different earrings. And I’ve since replenished my supplies somewhat. Plus I thought we’d look at making some different paper beads, which are easy and fun to make.

But if people are interested in something else, I can show them how to make a variety of bracelets, using different techniques – like these little woven bead bracelets (below). Or they can make nothing at all and just eat and chat. <g>

I was digging out examples to show people and made a wonderful discovery. Almost ten years ago, after seeing one on a friend’s wrist, I made several Chan Luu Style wrap bracelets.  At the time, the fashion was to use different sized beads, and you sew them between two leather cords. It was perfect for using leftover beads, and I made three. My favorite one was a pearl wrap bracelet, using different colored pearls and several other little beads.  But for the past few years I thought I’d lost it.

I knew I’d had it after I  moved into this house — I remember wearing it the day I reported the theft of my jewellery supplies — thank goodness I’d transported the finished pieces myself. But the next time I went to wear it, I couldn’t find it anywhere. I was so upset.  My theory was that I’d put it on the top of the chest of drawers and that it had at some stage  slipped off in the night and fallen into the rubbish basket by my bed. It’s mainly for used tissues and pearls being heavy, they would have slipped to the bottom and become invisible. I grieved for that bracelet, and with so many of my pearls and other beads stolen, I didn’t have the range of leftover pearls to make another one.

But yesterday, when I was digging out beads and other things for my friends, there it was in quite the wrong place — in a container of half-finished pieces!  No idea how it ended up there, but I’m thrilled to have it back again.

It’s actually one of my favorite pieces. If you want to make something like it yourself, there are lots of tutorials on the web. And it’s not at all difficult — I made mine before I saw any on-line tutorials— just had a close look at my friend’s bracelet. Hers was made with beautiful little polished stones.  The only thing I’d do differently if I made another one is to make sure the thread I used was extra strong — I just used ordinary black sewing thread.

I’ll let you know how our craft afternoon went. It’s the day after the federal election, so I guess we won’t be short of discussion topics.