Just so that you know....

I am now blogging at www.bluekilnbeads.blogspot.com

Grasshopper and teal dotties

Grasshopper and teal dotties
Originally uploaded by Blue Kiln Beads

Projects

At last I've finished the blue cardigan that I started in April.... I haven't been working on it everyday, but I have been hitting some technical hitches and needed help from mum to get me back on track which takes time. I'm really pleased with the way its turned out, there's a pretty picot edge on the sleeves and on the bottom, and a moss stitch border. Although it's short sleeved I think it will be fine all year around layered up with some long sleeve tops and blouses.

I have also been working on another knitting project. We have two new babies due to arrive in the family in the next couple of months. One of them, not going to tell which in case the mummies read this, is going to get this blanket to snuggle into. The colours are neutral because we don't know if the little bundle of joy is going to be a boy or a girl. The blanket still needs to be filled with wadding to make it extra cosy and then it will get backed with this really pretty fabric.

Its a very small print of latte coloured flowers on a cream background.

The next project for the other arrival is going to be a very colourful patchwork ball using this lovely array of fabrics I have gathered together:

I'll be dusitng off mum's sewing machine for this one I think. Wish me luck.

The shard beads from the last blog have become a bracelet, very simple but I think I like it. I can't decide if it needs some charm/dangly bits.....

That's all for now. I received another beautiful MiniMojo package from Jolene this week and I'm hoping to get in the workshop in the next few days to get melting more glass.

Hold your nose, take a deep breath and...

......jump in. Sounds like a swimming lesson and today did feel abit like diving into the deep end. It is an age since I have had the energy to get into the workshop and today I did it big style. I fired up the kiln, gathered together all my tools and then..... total blank. I couldn't decide which colours to use. Then I remembered the lovely MiniMojo box from Jolene. I have signed up to receive one a month. I have been too 'scared' to dive in before now - not sure about using shards and beautiful twisties but I am going to get one of these boxes each month and if I don't start to use them a)they will pile up and b)I'll never get to know how to use them. Here are the results.

This is a picture of the shards on CiM Kryptonite and Chalcedony. I had quite good bead shapes until I applied the shards, in some cases I found I was pulling the bead out of shape while trying to pull the shard around the bead. I find the CiM glass is softer than the Effetre. However, I think these beads will look quite good when cleaned and made into the bracelet that has started to form itself in my mind, hhmmmmmm.

These three are CiM Kryptonite with some twisties from the same MiniMojo box. I had a hard time trying to decide what colour to use with these twisties, and I wasn't happy with the results so I decided to put the twisties away. I really like twisties on disc beads and disc beads are on my list of shapes to master.

I then decided to revisit a design I was working on before my latest 'break'. During my previous session at the torch I was playing with Rubino Oro and I managed to get some of the lovely deep pink shades that had been eluding me.



I was pleased with these beads at the time. The egg-shape on the far right was an experiment in stringer control and although the shape isn't very good the pattern is great, its quite subtle in this shot.This set is called 'Honeybee' not very original but what else could it be? So, as I said I've had quite a break from the studio and I made the next set at the end of a long session (well it was a long session by my current standards)



I like the colours, I think, but the pattern is not quite as even around the bead as I have achieved in the previous attempts. The main thing is that I have had a really good glassy session that I thoroughly enjoyed. I should have been designing some new workshops but hey there's always tommorrow!

Tea Parties and Fireworks

So, the summer holidays are well and truly behind us and we had a great time. My girls love to dress up and get out their teaset and Reuben loves to join them and boy can he drink tea, he takes after his 'Grumps'.

The end of the summer break was marked with the Devizes Carnival and International Street Festival and a superb firework display that was a real spectacle without too much of the huge bangs synonymous with firework displays.

I have spent a few hours in the workshop but alas no photos at the moment. I have also been busy knitting, there will be some images promise. I know we've all heard it before but now my little boy is in nursery two mornings a week, hopefully I will soon be back to full strength and I can find a flow. I have bought a Mrsite and I fully intend to get this websote done once and for all. I am also in the process of designing some new workshops for the next timetable at Potato Patch Crafts so watch this space.......

Dotty Flowers Pendants

The Dotty Flowers of a previous post have become pendants. This is version 1:

Version 1 was developed and so Version 2 was born:

These pendants came about after reading Kerry's blog entry about her 'Doodabs'. I love the way Kerry puts together beads that are totally unrelated and makes them work.

I have been having a play with some of the glass mum and I bought at the Flame Off. Please excuse the very poor photos, I just took a couple of quick shots while preparing food for the masses:

The base of this flower is CiM Smurfy with dots of CiM Lapis and Effetre Nile Green. I really like this colour combo so I think I will get these rods out for the next session.

Oh dear this photo hasn't come out very well. The base of this bead is Lapis with Nile Green and Smurfy stacked dots. I then encased the bead and lost the shape so I used my trusty mashers and nuggetised (new word). The result is a lot more pleasing to look at in the flesh. I did make more beads but they aren't worthy of even the slightest glimpse. I just wasn't getting in the flow today.

There is a bit of an update on the knitting front although its not good news. I finished the back section the other night and was lovingly inspecting my handy work when I spotted a dropped stitch on the moss stitch band at the bottom!!!!!!!!!!! I will admit I did swear, and I haven't looked at it since. I am hoping that mum can do a 'fix' for me, I am a perfectionist though so I am debating starting again with it......

Have a good week. Mum and I are going to Select at Bath, to look at the goodies and to consider whether we should go down the wholesale route, who knows we might exhibiting next year.

Knitting and More

So, here are some pics as promised. I have been thinking for a while now about knitting myself a top so mum and I toddled into town a few weeks ago and I got a pattern, needles and some yarn (100% cotton Double Knitting) and this is progress so far:

This is the back, just a couple of inches to go and I can start on the arm holes. I don't think I would have attempted this if I didn't have access to a pro-knitter (thanks mum).

I have also got some beady pics to show:

Aqua Daisies, these are made with Effetre Ivory and Light Turquoise. I really like the way you get the grey/brown outline as the glass reacts. The next set 'Navy Batik Daisies' using Effetre Cobalt Blue and Ivory:

I am really pleased with the next set of beads. They are bigger and a slightly different shape to the ones I usually make. I am aiming for round beads rather than doughnut shapes. I used this tutorial as a guide, thanks Diana

I am really pleased with the way these turned out. However, as this is a new size/shape for me I found it difficult to space the dots evenly around the beads.

The next bead is a brightly coloured jolly chap:

That's all for now, we did buy some new CiM glass and some frit blends so I hope to get in the studio and play with them some time soon.