Making new friends... literally

How many coincidences occur in each day? I am amazed at how many I trip over. I’ll read a book about someone named “Lucy” (not that common a name anymore). In the very next book, I’ll encounter a Lucy, then on the news or in a TV show. This past week, the name Peter Saulter in two back-to-back fiction books (by different author). The coincidences I rack up in each day are just astounding. A friend of mine said that they occur in everyone’s lives but other people don’t notice them. I wonder…

So where’s the coincidence here? I was reading a couple of Piers Anthony books (don’t think I’ve picked one up in ten years). In one was a lady dragon, just as pleasant as can be (as opposed to the usual kind). At the same time I came across Polymer Clay Express’ instructions for making a scrap dragon (here). I wasn’t looking for dragons, merely scrolling though tutorials.

            It looks like the next project should be a dragon.  But, what do dragons really look like?  A search through websites and books brought up three types of dragons:  the fierce fire-breathing dragon (often shown in Asian art), a lizard with wings, and a cartoon character with a potbelly and smile.  hmmm... (Go ahead.  Do your own search.  You’ll see.)

Poly Clay Express' scrap dragon really was the place to start. This little guy was made with scraps of gold and copper clay.  His lovely mettalic finish?  Eye shadow.  (Hit your dollar store and get the shiny kind.)

A note about the eyes:  I attached a rhinestone for each eye (yellow seemed to be best for his coloring, doncha think?)  But, they actually melted a little in the oven.  For the next dragon, I pressed in the flat space and glued on the eyes later.

The wings are kind of challenging.  And it goes back to that same dilemma: what do dragons look like?  Do those wings need to hold up their weight or do they have magical strength?  (again, I think the word here is “hmmm…”)

After the gold dragon, of course, it was on to the next dragon (can't have a lonely dragon: they get into all sorts of mischief). In the spirit of "scrap dragon" I turned to my opened clay. But, in the spirit of my eternal adult ADD, there had to be a pattern to it. So, I designed a rainbow. The new dragons horns were gold and green, his neck blue, his body purple segueing into pinks (not exactly ROYGBIV but it calmed my overactive mind). I just couldn’t get his wings right and his dorsal ridge (or whatever you call it on a dragon) is way too big (we need a long session with the grinder). After he baked, I ripped off his wings while they were still soft and set him aside to await inspiration.

It was about this time I discovered Poly Clay Plan Challenge on Yahoo. Their monthly challenge is lots of fun. I looked at the upcoming challenges and, end the very next day, was the Rainbow Challenge! O.K., here I had coincidence working against me. Had I not ripped the wings off, I could have entered the challenge. *sigh*

Eventually, I made new wings from shades of purple with gold glitter and glued on his pink eyes when he was done baking.

The next month’s challenge was “black and white and red all over” and I won second prize so it worked out well in the end.

 

Ismay's necklace

Ismay is my #1 fan. She thinks my work is fun and inspired. How wonderful it is to have someone in one's life as a cheerleader. I'm sure she has no idea how much her comments mean to me. Yes, I have fans on etsy and madeitmyself.com, but it's nice to hear from someone on a regular basis.

This necklace is not the first piece I made for her. I just finished a brown bracelet because she wouldn't stop drooling over the one I made for myself. Not a fan of soggy wrists, I thought it easier to make her one of her own. It used up the last of a brown and cream cane. That means that our two bracelets are the only ones like them in the world.

The evolution of the necklace is probably quite common even if I found it remarkable at the time. I was working with two pearlescent clays, one in purple and the other in green and gold. I was experimenting with a couple of techniques at the same time, mica shift and centennial bicone beads. The result was some beautiful swirly beads with all combinations of greens, purples and gold. But, when I thought about the colors, they suited Ismay's spring coloring better than my own summer coloring. Hence, her necklace not mine.

Focal beads - There are two varieties. Some are the three colors lightly swirled. These were boldly colored beads.

Gold "pearls" - vintage beads

Mica shift beads - 4 green beads demonstrate the drama of mica shift. Unless you knew what that was about, you'd swear there were two or three shades of green clay, not just one.

Gold swirl beads and tube beads - These were used for length. The tube beads won't show except at the back of the neck so the smaller, rounder shape is more appropriate.

New bracelet - double sided tiles

I just finished what I think is a rather interesting bracelet. All of the beads and tiles are made from some rose and white canes I made recently.

One side of the bracelet is the tiles at far right. The other side is alternating graphic tiles. The beads are made from all three canes.

The price of free parking

In July, I had extenisve jury duty. After having jury duty in three different states, I finally pulled a murder trial. What was almost as bad was trying to find free parking in the City of Poughkeepsie.
Just about three blocks away, I found a nice side street with all day free parking. I locked up my Subaru, wished it a good day, and turned toward the courthouse. The heaved up pavement had other ideas. I went down hard enough to break my glasses.
When I showed up at the courthouse with bleeding palms and knee. I was told by the security that it was illegal for them to provide me any first aid. You're kidding!
Fortunately, one of the bailiffs was an R.N. and he got me patched up and then, got me a bucket of ice. During the trial, I kept my hands on the ice, under a pashmina. When there was a sidebar and no one was looking, I held the ice to my cheekbone.
That was 8 weeks ago yesterday.
My knee healed.
My glasses were put back together and though they're scratched they're usable.
My right palm, however, is still a mess. Until yesterday, it still required a bandage 24 hours. With some steroidal cream, I can now go about half the day with it "naked".
Why am I boring you with my tale of woe? Because for 8 weeks I've been unable to work with resin, clay, knitting needles, or almost anything with my hands. It's agony!

Inspired by the 16th century painting of the angel Gabriel. I found a book on making your own reproductions of antique pieces (mostly from paintings). So... if this is a a piece inspired by that piece which was inspired by the painting... what do you call it?

This pendant is approximately 2" long, made from polymer clay and clay with gold leaf.

What would Eleanor Do?

CONFESSIONS OF A LAZY CRAFTER
By Elizabeth F. Purinton-Johnson
WWED What Would Eleanor Do?

The former first lady was known for being a great humanitarian, the initiator of many public service projects, and also, as a knitter. This coming Sunday, May 1, at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center, will be the third Eleanor Roosevelt Knit in. This will be an afternoon where attendees can create afghan blocks for “Warm up America!”, a not for profit organization that provides handmade afghans to hospitals, hospitals, veterans’ homes, homeless shelters and many other organizations.
Why, dear Crafter, does this sound a little familiar? This could be that you and I have discussed the role of crafting in charity work, how people come together to form a community through crafting, and how a lot of crafts originated to use up the last odds and ends from other projects.
What you might not know and what I really enjoyed learning about was Eleanor Roosevelt's knitting habit. It seems she was fairly well-known for knitting, especially during meetings when she was the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. During World War II, she launched a knitting program at a Knit for Defense Tea at the Waldorf-Astoria in 1941. At the Presidential Library in Hyde Park you can see some of her knitting supplies. In her room in the house, there is a pattern book on her desk. And at Valkill, there is a reproduction of her knitting bag and a skein of red acrylic yarn.
And speaking of acrylic yarn, the goal of the Knit-In is to produce and join 7" x 9" afghan blocks. You may make pieces ahead of time and bring them with you or deliver them and/or you may make them there on Sunday. If you're not inclined to knit or crochet, they can always use a financial donation. (There are considerable expenses involved in supplies and mailing the afghans.)
“Warm up America!” is an organization “committed to motivating, training and coordinating volunteers to knit and crochet afghans and clothing people in need”. I took part in an afghan block drive at the local Michael's craft store a few years ago. It is truly a wonderful way to use up your scraps. Just a few striped blocks can make use of even the smallest snippets. This is also a fabulous opportunity to practice different stitches and techniques while working on just a small piece. It's hard to get bored in 7" x 9".
There are a few things you can do to make the process easier. “Warm up America!” uses acrylic yarn so haul out your acrylic stash and look at potential color combinations. This is a fun time to experiment with new color combinations that you might not normally wear or have in your house.
Do some preliminary stitch gauges so that you will know what size needles and/or crochet hooks to use or bring with you. While the outside dimensions of the block are more important than the gauge, you want your gauge to match up fairly closely with other crafters’. In this way, the relative density of the blocks will be similar enough to put together a pleasing blanket.
The lazy step in making afghan blocks is also one of the most practical. Cut a 9" x 7" piece of cardboard use as your template. This way, you can make sure that your blocks will always be the right size.
As an even lazier step, I haven't bothered to write craft directions for you this week. Instead, I am providing for you directions straight from the “Warm up America!” website (www.warmupamerica.org). I encourage you to use these as a starting point, adding your own stripes, cables, and patterns as you like. I also encourage you to take part in this, or another, crafting for charity program. You already know that The Ships Project (www.theshipsproject.com) is one of my personal favorites. It has a similar mission to warm up America, but the recipients are American service personnel.
If you've asked yourself “What would Eleanor do?” by now, you know the answer.
• She would take part in a crafting for charity project.
• She would consider her fellow Americans’ needs for warmth and comfort and to know that someone is thinking about them enough to spend the time working on a project like this just for them.
• She’d knit.

Crochet Afghan Block Patterns
All use Worsted-weight acrylic yarn
Gauge: 9 stitches = 2 inches
Finished size: 7" by 9"
Hook: Size G crochet hook or size necessary to obtain gauge
BASIC SINGLE OR DOUBLE CROCHET
Chain 30 for the foundation chain.
Row 1: Single crochet in 2nd chain from hook, and in every chain in the foundation row. Chain 1 and turn.
Or, chain 27 for the foundation chain. Row 1: Double crochet in 3rd chain from hook and in each chain of the foundation row. Chain 2 and turn.
Work even until piece measures 9". Fasten off.
BASIC KNIT SECTION PATTERNS
Knitting Patterns Materials:
Worsted-weight acrylic yarns
Gauge: 5 stitches = 1 inch
Finished size: 7" by 9" Needle size: 7 needles or size necessary to obtain gauge
GARTER STITCH, STOCKINETTE, OR SEED STITCH
Cast on 35 stitches.
Knit every row.
Or knit 1 row, purl 1 row.
Or Row 1: Knit 1 stitch, purl the next stitch, knit the next. Continue alternating stitches across the row.
Work even until piece measures 9". Bind off.
To make reservations, send a check for $15 per person to the Town of Hyde Park Historical Society, P.O. Box 182, Hyde Park, NY 12538. Include name, address, phone number and e-mail address. The afternoon includes films, tea, and entrance to the FDR home in addition to the Knit-In. Tell them the Lazy Crafter sent you. It won’t get you a discount but it might get you a funny look.
For information, call 845-229-2559 or 845-229-7711 or email: Patsyc97@AOL.com. If you cannot come and want to send the blocks, they would be happy to receive them.

Confessions of a Lazy Crafter is a regular column in the Hudson Valley News.

Ode to an Old Sewing Machine

CONFESSIONS OF A LAZY CRAFTER
Elizabeth F. Purinton-Johnson
Ode to an Old Sewing Machine

Two houses means two sewing machines, right? That’s not what I originally intended when we bought our Florida house but…. My original plan was to bring my trusty ol’ Kenmore with me when we drove down (and bring it back, and take it back down). But, during my many trips to the local thrift shops for the oddments that didn’t come with a furnished house, it occurred to me to keep an eye out for a sewing machine. Sure enough, 57 trips to the store later, there was a plain Jane Kenmore machine. Price tag: $15. Ken was coming home with me.
During the cleaning, oiling, and researching the machine to try to get the cams to work for fancy stitches (which never did), I was able to date the machine to 1970. Prowling through the guts of the machine and poking into its nether regions, I developed an appreciation for how some of the mechanics worked (or, in the case of the cams, didn’t work). There was life in the old boy yet. When it was new was just about the time my mother was using her old faithful (later to be replaced with a brand spanking new 1978 model) to sew my school clothes, play clothes, curtains, aprons, my father’s coveralls, all sorts of things. The styles of the clothes may have changed but the concept of saving some money by sewing your own hasn’t. Neither has the enjoyment in creating something pretty, or original, or betting fitting than anything in a store.
The sewing machine was one of those things that was developed over decades and no one knows quite whom to credit with the “invention”. In 1755, Charles Weisenthal patented a needle for use in a machine (which did not yet exist). There were plenty of patents for machines in the late 18th early 19th century. Most of these were never built and would never work. America’s first semi-successful machine, was built by Walter Hunt in 1834. The machine as we know it, with two threads, one on top and a bobbin beneath was patented by Elias Howe in 1846. A similar machine was mass produced by Isaac Singer in the 1850s. Amid all of this inventing was an outcry from the tailors that machines would ruin their industry and from others that women’s work was being taken away from them.
Early machines did a straight stitch, in one length, and came with a crank to be turned with the right hand. Soon, treadles, designed by Isaac Singer, allowed the sewer to use both hands while she pumped the treadle to run the machine. Some of these treadle machines were later electrified. If you have one of these converted machines, you have my sympathy. They didn’t work well and it greatly lowered the antique value.
Today’s machines come in a wide range of prices and abilities. A home sewer would probably pay about $400 for a good quality electronic machine with dozens of built in fancy stitches. Lower priced machines are certainly available but beware the “discount store machine”. Makers of good quality, reliable machines will often make a style for discount stores that has neither the abilities nor the reliability that the brand name would imply. If price is a factor (or if you’re cheap like me), consider a higher quality used machine. Research is done fairly easily on the internet to identify which models are right for you and eBay and other auction houses are full of offerings.
I visited Sew ‘N’. Vac in the Poughkeepsie Plaza to get a feel for what was available in newer machines (not having shopped for a machine since I helped my feather pick out my mother’s new machine in the late 1970s). Bob Frisenda was generous with his time showing me some of the amazing capabilities of newer models (generous especially since he knew I wasn’t in the market for a new one). One of the most astounding features is a USB port whereby one downloads designs from the internet, a digital photograph, or other software, uploads them to the machine, and creates new embroidery designs. Who knew? Note: If you go to Sew ‘N’ Vac, take a few minutes to look over Bob’s collection of vintage machines on display. One of them is dated to 1877-1883. The contrast between his sparkling new machines and the “experienced” antiques is startling.
And, if you have an old faithful, count yourself lucky. With proper maintenance (repeat after me: “cleaning and oiling”), your machine will continue to give its all for your creative endeavors, sometimes plodding along, but always keeping you good company throughout.
Modernizing an Old Sewing Machine
1. As with all machines, clean and oil it on a regular basis. It’ll make a huge difference in the machine’s life expectancy.
2. Bobbin indicator – Some new machines have a light that blinks when the bobbin is getting low on thread. Make your own. Fill 2 bobbins with your sewing thread. Use one of them as the top thread. When it gets low, the bobbin will also be low.
3. Quiet function – Impressed with how quiet new machines are? Improve your own by placing it on a piece of carpeting or a rubber mat. You can also paste felt to the undersides and inside surfaces. Just make sure it’s well secured.
4. Horizontal thread feed – All the new machines have ‘em. You can, too. Buy a thread stand. Buy a cheap plastic one and make a stand for it out of modeling clay (to weigh it down).
5. Good lighting – This is easy. Open the light housing and clean the light bulb. You can also line the housing with aluminum foil to increase reflective light.
6. Automatic needle threader – It’s not like these work anyway but if you can’t stand threading the needle, try this. Never unthread the machine. When it’s time to change colors, tie on the new thread and gently ease the knot through the needle’s eye. Cut the old thread.
7. Shiny new exterior – Clean your machine with an old T-shirt and ordinary spray cleaner. Dry. Put a drop of oil and a spritz of perfume on a clean cloth and shine up the machine.
8. Ergonomics – I don’t think even the new machines have this feature. Tilt your machine toward you and tuck a gum eraser under each of the back corners. This will give you a 1” tilt that improves visibility and maneuvering.