Friday, January 1, 2010

Working with New Materials

Happy New Year! I wish everyone the best in this bright and promising new year!

I've just posted five gorgeous new crochet hooks, (including the two mentioned below), on eBay, and two gorgeous new nostepindes on Etsy! Please check them out!

Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments about my Photography Tutorial posted last week!

I was so inspired this past week, I wanted to share my experiences with you about new materials.

Whether it be yarn, fabric, wood, metal, plastic, clay, or even new plants for your garden, new materials can rekindle passion and provide inspiration for ongoing projects. Take the two hooks below:



I was privileged to win a wonderful handmade pen from Syzygy Pens in a Christmas contest. I asked about the material from which it was made and was sent to a web site that was completely new to me! Inside I found some marvelously magical materials, and my thoughts began to fly!

Last week I received my order, and oh what inspiration took hold! I made a profusion of new designs inspired by these phantasmagorical acrylics!

I own literally hundreds of miles of yarn, hundreds of yards of fabric, and hundreds of board-feet of wood, and while it may seem that I clearly have enough... sometimes it is beneficial to buy that sparkling something that winks at you in the store... that material that combines real coffee beans with acrylic and smells delicious... and that rosewood that can't help but jump in the car and excitedly ask "are we home yet?"

I try to be on-top of new technologies, especially where tools are concerned -- I use only the best. Keeping on top of materials technology is important too -- new materials can take your work to the height of excitement!

Adding an eyelash yarn to plain knit transforms "mundane" into "pizazz." Using exotic burls instead of straight-grained wood adds texture and life to a piece. The second hook from the top has a finial made of burl wood combined with acrylic material, allowing the plastic to flow into every nook and cranny. When turned, it produced a fantastic "river" that flows all the way to the top of the hook!

Keep looking for the newest, the most interesting. Remember the Free Form Fiber Artist's Credo: "You only need one skein." (Or one block of wood). Visit new web sites, explore the marvelous global community of the Internet, and search for what excites your imagination!

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