My Latest Adventure: Combining Crochet and Weaving!

When two worlds collide...I really love to do anything related to handwork and fiber arts (crochet, knitting, weaving, embroidery, felting, spinning), and I often struggle with which thing to do because I want to do all of them all of the time!

My solution to this is often to combine several techniques in one project. In promoting the weaving kit for eWoodstory, I like to demonstrate different things that can be done with the loom. The latest idea I had was to paint the warp, then crochet the weft to create a textured piece.

It is evolving as I go, and I am now filling in with surface crochet. I am thinking of incorporating some felt as well. An interesting work in progress!

Freshly Painted Warp

Beginning to Crochet the Weft

Achieving Texture!

The eWoodStory Featured Artists Series

We are excited about all of the possible uses for our eWoodStory Mini Masterpiece frames, and we wanted to do something to celebrate them. We have started a Featured Artists Series on our Instagram account. We are constantly on the lookout for artists who work in different mediums to create pieces for us to share and inspire others. We feature their work, along with a bio that helps us take a closer look at how they work and how they came to be artists. It is a nice way for more people to discover the work of different artists. So far we have featured works in freeform crochet, hand embroidery, free motion embroidery, and needle felting. There are also more pieces in the works, in different mediums, coming soon. It is so much fun seeing the frames come to life with beautiful creations. The artists have used them to make necklace pendants, ornaments, and key chain fobs. If you would like to see the artists frames that we have featured so far, we have started a flickr gallery just for the series. It will be updated whenever we receive a new piece. If you click on a photo, you will be able to see the bio of each artist in the comments section. 

It is our greatest hope that these pieces will connect people, and inspire more Mini Masterpieces to be made!

If you would like to see more completed frames visit our main flickr gallery, and visit our Etsy shop to see the frames we have available.

Mixed Media Crochet Jewelry Kits Are Now Available Online!

We had really wonderful positive feedback at the Knit and Crochet Show about our kits and frames, and we are excited to announce that we will are selling now selling them in our Etsy store during the month of August while we are in the US. I have a few more kits to add in the coming days, but the quantity we have is limited. It has been fun putting on a new hat as a "shop owner", and I am excited to be able to share our products with a wider audience.

Mini Masterpiece Necklace Frames!

The second item eWoodStory is launching is our Mini Masterpiece frames, available in 10 different types of exotic wood, and 2 sizes! The small size measures 2 1/8" wide x 2 1/2" tall, and the large size measures 2 1/2" wide x 2 7/8" tall.

You create a rectangle by any method you choose, then stitch it to the frame. The sky is the limit, crochet, knitting, cross stitch, hand or machine embroidery, weaving, felting, fabric painting....or even combinations of techniques. Your necklace will be a one of a kind statement piece.

I have created some samples in different techniques to give you ideas, and we have a flickr group that you can upload photos of your finished frames to inspire others.

These frames are available to purchase in our Etsy shop and in Kuwait at the Sadu House gift shop and the Needles and Yarn Shop.

Timeless Tea Party Mixed Media Necklace

I have never been able to attend a Chain Link Conference, but a part of me is always there.  Every year I enter the design competition, and this necklace is what I entered this year.  Unfortunately, it didn't win a prize, but I love this piece and I wanted to show it to you.  

When I lived in England, I used to frequent second hand shops.  I was into making mini mosaics at the time, so I collected bits and pieces of china to use.  This plate was bought in Newcastle, and it reminds me of my time there.  I am not into buying traditional souvenirs, so this how I remember northern England!

I embellished the necklace with beads and embroidery to create a unique, one of a kind piece.  I just need to find the right outfit to wear it with, so I can host a fabulous tea party!