A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and in all things, and who walks humbly and deals charitably with the circumstances of life, knowing that in this world no one is all-knowing and therefore all of us need both love and charity. - Eleanor Roosevelt
I’ve been continuing my work on my freeform peyote stitch cuff. Here is a new photo:
I started working in the large Czech fire-polished beads. I’m very pleased with it so far, although there are a few areas I’m not entirely thrilled with. I had mentioned before that I was going to keep working on it through July and then put it aside to work on my Irina project, but I have more than half of it done already, so I think I will keep working on it until it’s finished. I didn’t think I would get this far so quickly.
I do love working in freeform peyote stitch. It’s fun and challenging to make it up as I go along. It does involve a leap of faith, however, in hoping that the piece turns out well, since I never know what the finished piece is going to look like until it’s, well, finished.
There are always areas of the work that I’m not entirely happy with, but I’ve learned not to judge the piece until it’s done. As the beadwork progresses it changes my perspective, and a section that I didn’t like much may turn out to be quite nice. Of course if you don’t like the piece when it’s done that’s unfortunate, but luckily that’s never happened to me.
I started reading the first issue of Sew Somerset, and of course I’ve already got ideas popping up. One is a bracelet made from individual small rectangles of fabric, each with a fabric transfer of a vintage photo, and embellished with beads, sequins and ribbons. The rectangles are then sewn together with beads in between. That idea was inspired by a similar bracelet by Yvonne Montano. Her bracelet is simple and rustic, while mine will have a more finished look, with printed fabrics and lots of embellishment.
The other idea is for a fabric book. This idea started when I was watching The Universe on the Discovery Channel (I think it was Discovery. I could be wrong though). I love anything - tv shows, books, photos - that has to do with the universe. I am fascinated by the universe and all it contains, and if I was any good at physics I would have become an astronomer.
Anyway, I recently started jotting down words and phrases that I find interesting or intriguing, with the thought of using them in my artwork. I wrote down a lot of stuff while watching The Universe, and one phrase was Ladies Astronomical Society. Now this I partially made up, basing it on my love of the cosmos and Rasputina’s alter ego, the Ladies Cello Society. I didn’t give it much further thought until I got to the fabric book chapter in Sew Somerset. Then it clicked, and I thought how cool it would be to make a fabric book about a fictitious Ladies Astronomical Society. I haven’t worked out all the details yet, or any details for that matter, other than the name and some vague ideas about using vintage photos and star maps.
That’s it for now. I’m trying to get to bed early tonight. That means 11 instead of 11:15.
Posted in Beadwork/Jewelry, Fabric, Magazines, TV | Tagged freeform peyote stitch, rasputina, sew somerset, fabric bracelet, the universe | 1 Comment »




























