Crafty Thread - what are you working on at the moment?

[Greebo]

Those banners, as promised.

 

[Artaxerxes]

More pots ready for firing - glazing next week then pickup a week or so after.

Hope they come out ok...

 

[Artaxerxes]

Turned out well in the end, I think a couple of the mixes were a little bit thin though.

 

[Siouxsie]

Very pleasing shapes, Artaxerxes. Symmetrical and curvy, I find them nice to look at
I sound like a pervert

 

[Shirl]

I have just ordered the gold to make a ring for someone. She bought a silver ring last weekend then brought it back on Tuesday to ask me to make it in gold for her. I wish I'd said no tbh. Gold is ridiculously expensive compared to silver so if I bugger it up I'll be way out of pocket

 

[Siouxsie]

I have just ordered the gold to make a ring for someone. She bought a silver ring last weekend then brought it back on Tuesday to ask me to make it in gold for her. I wish I'd said no tbh. Gold is ridiculously expensive compared to silver so if I bugger it up I'll be way out of pocket

That's easy....you're not going to bugger it up. If it's not exactly like the silver one, just say you only do one offs, every one is unique

 

[Shirl]

That's easy....you're not going to bugger it up. If it's not exactly like the silver one, just say you only do one offs, every one is unique

Thanks
I realised late on Monday evening that I'd ordered the wrong size gold wire for the ring but it had been cut and dispatched by then so I ordered more gold wire in a heavier weight. Doh
The first wire came yesterday and I decided to make a ring using that wire and I could sell it anyway. I made it today and it looks good so I'll put it on sale. At least I've made one now so I'm not worried about messing up the ordered one. I'll make it tomorrow as the gold had arrived when I got home today.

There's not much profit to be made making gold rings. Argos have a 9ct gold wedding ring for sale for £30. That is less than I've paid for the gold to make my second one and theirs is advertised as heavier. I pay the going rate for my gold and silver from a reputable bullion dealers and Argos must be running theirs as a loss leader but it doesn't help me. Bastards

 

[Manter]

Thanks
I realised late on Monday evening that I'd ordered the wrong size gold wire for the ring but it had been cut and dispatched by then so I ordered more gold wire in a heavier weight. Doh
The first wire came yesterday and I decided to make a ring using that wire and I could sell it anyway. I made it today and it looks good so I'll put it on sale. At least I've made one now so I'm not worried about messing up the ordered one. I'll make it tomorrow as the gold had arrived when I got home today.

There's not much profit to be made making gold rings. Argos have a 9ct gold wedding ring for sale for £30. That is less than I've paid for the gold to make my second one and theirs is advertised as heavier. I pay the going rate for my gold and silver from a reputable bullion dealers and Argos must be running theirs as a loss leader but it doesn't help me. Bastards

Yeah.... but beautiful handcrafted thing vs bog standard mass machine produced thing. I know which I'd prefer and be willing to pay a premium for

 

[Siouxsie]

Also the lady gets kudos by telling family and friends that her ring is a piece of artisan jewellery she had specially commissioned.

 

[Shirl]

Thanks Manter and Siouxsie. I feel better about my jewellery this morning, I think I was suffering from the effects of the Trump victory yesterday.

 

[Mab]

Those banners, as promised.
View attachment 93671 View attachment 93672 View attachment 93673 View attachment 93674

So bright, pretty and bold; there are super!

 

[Mab]

I'd love to get back to that "urge" of creating, I always was excited about creating something and it really gives you pleasure. Though something happened when everyone started passing away and the interest was lost in anything. So this site is encouraging to read and learn what everyone is up to. Cheers.

 

[Shirl]

After making the two gold rings and feeling very pleased with myself, I've just been asked to make a silver bangle incorporating some hair from a dead horse's tail.
I'm giving it some thought.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

After making the two gold rings and feeling very pleased with myself, I've just been asked to make a silver bangle incorporating some hair from a dead horse's tail.
I'm giving it some thought.

Basically, you've been asked to make a hairy ring piece.

 

[friedaweed]

Basically, you've been asked to make a hairy ring piece.

I've asked her to make our fucking wedding rings. Narnia likes donkeys. I'm really worried now that her and shirl are privately arranging for me to have the ring of an ass

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I've asked her to make our fucking wedding rings. Narnia likes donkeys. I'm really worried now that her and shirl are privately arranging for me to have the ring of an ass

Check the ring for stubble.

 

[Shirl]

Check the ring for stubble.

I've decided that making horse hair and silver mourning bangles isn't my thing so I've declined the commission.
I think friedaweed still wants the ring of an ass though

 

[Siouxsie]

Could have been worse, she could have wanted a bit of hoof in it!

 

[Shirl]

Could have been worse, she could have wanted a bit of hoof in it!

Oddly enough I could have worked with hoof

 

[Siouxsie]

Oddly enough I could have worked with hoof

Bites tongue!

 

[ViolentPanda]

Yeah.... but beautiful handcrafted thing vs bog standard mass machine produced thing. I know which I'd prefer and be willing to pay a premium for

Absolutely.
Greebo and I had our wedding rings custom-made in Sterling Silver. The jeweller wrapped the basic silver ring with silver wire, then heated and hammered it, producing a kind of tree-bark effect. Definitely worth paying the premium for!

 

[wayward bob]

do any of you lovely crafty types have cunning suggestions for fastening ribbon?

i'm sprucing up my packaging for an upcoming fair. all the books will come in fitted boxes and i want a ribbon band around the box like so:

it needs to be removable and replaceable, so i can display the boxes open while keeping the lid tucked in behind and contents in place. and sturdy enough to last the life of the book.

i have 25mm grosgrain ribbon but i'm stumped about how to fasten it. a plain tape or glue join of any kind won't do. i think even sewn it would need the join covering. i'm not a fan of bows, but maybe i could go with something like this...

i'd really like to make that central bit in gold-tone metal - i'm putting my prices up, and it's the little touches like this that helps to justify that

ideally i'd just be able to clamp a strip of metal around the join, but failing to find the right size and finish. or at least at penny prices rather than pounds.

there must be some kind of bodge i can do with stuff i have knocking around...

 

[Boudicca]

Maybe some kind of popper - you know the ones which you put on with pliers? Or a buckle? Or sew a buttonhole on one end and a button on the other? Bikini clasp?

 

[wayward bob]

ooooh mother of pearl poppers

 

[wayward bob]

Boudicca bikini clasps or those bra front fastening clips would be ideal but i can't find them in the colour/size i need for the upcoming fair. for the moment i think i'm wrapping bows like above with copper tape across the centre.

it's amazing the difference gift boxing/display can make. i've stuck pins on the back of some of my enamelling samples, and put them on my fair-friendly flat-pack card-stand. i think they look the biz

 

[Artaxerxes]

wayward bob those do look rather smashing.

 

[wayward bob]

thanks i need to list them for my etsy shop but i don't want them to sell before the fair cos they look pretty

 

[Siouxsie]

i have 25mm grosgrain ribbon but i'm stumped about how to fasten it. a plain tape or glue join of any kind won't do. i think even sewn it would need the join covering. i'm not a fan of bows, but maybe i could go with something like this...

If the grosgrain ribbon is nylon based you could cut it slightly longer than needed, melt the frayed ends with a lighter and then use those strong Velcro circles, secured with either a glue gun or a few small stitches . Use an alcohol maker the same(ish) colour to blend the velcro with the ribbon.
Glue gun the bow over one end of the ribbon to make a concealed fastening.

 

[spirals]

I'm a tiny bit obsessed with making woolen superheros!

 

[wayward bob]

book packaging