stitchmarkers DIY tutorial - stekenmarkeerders zelf maken

Always in need of stitch markers ?  I can't  get enough of them.  The little plastic ones are quite ok, but it's sooo much nicer to have beautiful shiny ones.  (this is my inner magpie speaking)
So I made some myself.  Here's how :

Heb je ook van die plastic stekenmarkeerders ?  Ze zijn best ok, maar het is zoveel leuker om je breiwerk te versieren met mooie elegante zelfgemaakte markeerders !  De kleine plastic speldjes durven wel eens van je naalden te springen, en spoorloos te verdwijnen onder zetels of in tassen.  (bij mij toch ;-)

Deze markeerders zijn langer, waardoor ze netjes blijven hangen in je werk.  Als je ze van de ene naald naar de andere overzet, blijven ze door hun gewicht beter zitten.
En je word er gewoon vrolijk van !
Het is helemaal niet moeilijk om ze zelf te maken.  Op Pinterest vind je heel wat tutorials , geef in de zoekfuntie stitchmarkers DIY op. 

Hier is hoe ik ze maakte.   Ik heb een hele grote doos met oude knopen, en een even grote doos met kralen.  Die wou ik recupereren, en met enkele mooie kralen afwerken.   De 'draad' is fishtail, wat je ook gebruikt om juwelen te maken.  Je hebt een tangetje nodig om dat door te knippen, met een schaar gaat dat niet.  Fishtail kun je kopen in de Veritas, of in een winkel die knutselmateriaal verkoopt. Heb je het niet, een stevige katoenen draad werkt ook.

materiaal bijeen zoeken....

Een oude tupperware doos is ideaal voor mijn kralen....

leuke combinaties zoeken

Knip ongeveer 25 cm draad af, en plooi het rond een dikke breinaald. (nr 9 of zo)  Stop beide uiteinden door een pletkraal en knijp vast. 

nu heb je een mooi 'rondje'

als je van plan bent om er meerdere te maken...

Nu rijg je enkele kralen aan, naar eigen smaak en goeddunken.

eindig met een 2e pletkraal, maar knijp die nog niet vast.

 
Ga nu met beide uiteinden apart door enkele knoopjes. Keer de uiteinden naar boven en duw ze opnieuw door de onderste pletkraal, en door een paar van je kraaltjes.

knip af en stop de eindjes weg in de kraal.

Knip beide uiteinden af en zorg dat ze wegzitten in een kraal.  (je wil niet dat de er stekelige uiteinden in je breiwerk gaan prikken, dus is het belangrijk dat deze mooi wegzitten).
Als dit naar je zin is, knijp de tweede pletkraal vast.  Et voilà !  Je stekenmarkeerder is klaar !

Ik vond leuke combinaties qua kleur, maar je kan zo gek gaan als je wilt !  De bedoeling is dat je de stekenmarkeerder goed ziet op je naalden - hij mag dus echt wel opvallen !

Ik gebruikte ook overschotjes van fimo kralen, oude parels van een halsketting, restjes myuki beads....  het mooie is dat mijn 'overschotjes' voorraad wat geslonken is. Recyclen of upcyclen is altijd fun.  En tenslotte, het zijn ook super cadeautjes voor je brei-vriendinnen.... !

Veel succes !

knitting a necklace

I have found the perfect knitted Christmas present : a stunning necklace.

It is easy peasy to make, in about 2 hours it is completely finished.
the how-to tutorial you can find here : olgajazzzy.blogspot.be


This is what I made : 

finished with a vintage button

lurex thread gives it a sparkle

finished in 2 hours !

crochet necklace

Some time ago, I visited a craft shop run by a young woman.  She turned the shed of her house into a small store, with an abundance of choice - the place was stacked with beads, buttons, all kind of examples, quite close to  what I would call heaven. 

In black 'n white, quite artistic don't you think ? 

I bought several items, but somehow I never got around to actually making something with it.  Too busy knitting I suppose.  But now it was time for a challenge : I was asked by a group of ladies to show them how to crochet a necklace, using mainly buttons and beads.  This is the result :

So I got out my box with manly tools ( cutters, tongs in all shapes, cutting pliers and metal threads) and the stack of pearl and buttons I acquired over the years.  And there were the small beads and fine threads I bought at the shed - I forgot all about them !

silvery sewing thread and 100 swarofski beads

the picture doens't do them right, they sparkle a lot more

Well, It was so much fun, I couldn't stop making them. 

And this is how you can make them too : 

Make a selection of small beads, some buttons if you want, and chose a fine but strong thread.  You can use fine embroidery silk, or colourful cotton, DMC will do or cordonnet, even nylon thread (like fishermen use) or fine metal threads.  Use a very fine crochet hook, like a 1 or 1.50.

You start with putting a lot of beads on the thread you are going to use.  I put on at least 100 different beads.  Then you just start crocheting in chain stiches, and randomly add the beads.  Like chain 5 stiches, add a bead, chain 10 stiches, add a bead, chain 7 stiches, add 2 beads, etc.... until no beads are left on the thread.  Same with the buttons.

To add a bead : you just push the bead as close to your crochet hook as possible and chain on, it will be automatically fastened in your work.

this thread was on a spool, and was easy to use.

You will end up with a very long piece of crochet, and to avoid it messing all up, wind it around a little piece of cardboard (I use the inside rolls of my kitchen paper towels)

Then you have to make it into a wearable necklace or bracelet.  Use a technique for adding a little metal chain, or gather the long chain and twist it around so that the beads form a 'sausage' and add a clasp if necessary.

One of the ladies used nylon thread to crochet, and the result was very flexible, she could just put it around her head a few times and it was finished.

use your imagination ! 

fimo necklace

I was leafing through a new book at the bookstore, and found the picture of a fimo doll, made into a necklace.  She's so cute, I couldn't wait to get home and make one for me.

fimo combined with beads

she's got a funny face

I used old lace to press a pattern on the dress

I kinda liked using fimo and beads, it's nice to combine and makes the whole thing more playful.
The little shoes and the handbag are super cute.  She's hanging on a leather string, that runs through her head.

This is my prototype, I'm quite pleased with it.  A second one is nearly finished, I used a bit more colour.  Pics are following soon.

felting

There is a lot more you can do with wool than knitting.  I was about to learn this at the 3-days workshop given by Mieke Recour.
We worked really hard at felting, it is quite intensive to make the wool change into felt.  You have to start very gently, but then just hit it, throw it around, slap it, get all your frustration out of your body, and the result is simply beautiful !
We could chose what to make, and as I'm not a scarf person, I made a few necklaces.
I love them, they are very light to wear, and I made them into the colours that fit my clothes.

earring made of silk cocons, handpainted

felted wool in spiral technique

plain felt ovals, but I love the colours

silk ribbons

handpainted, they were white when we started

needle felted rose

the only scarf I made : silk cut in fine strings

silk flowers on a felted base

silk is all handpainted

I'm quite proud of this one.

love those colours !

and here are some pics of the workshop itself :

Mieke explaining carefully what we can do

I love this necklace she made !

She has her own working place, an 'atelier'

silk ribbons painted in matching colours

lunch is served in the garden !

the spiral one and his secret : a plain plastic tube

Claire is making one too

Karin is making a book cover

ready to finish, or should I add more stuff ?

trial and error ?

look at that lovely stash of wool in the background....

Claire busy making her bookcover

it involved ironing, in this heat !

finishing the necklaces

I really enjoyed this 3 days.  Mieke is thinking of organising 'free ateliers' , that means you can come and join her in her atelier in De Haan, use all the material she has (and pay for it of course) - and she will help you when you have a problem or want to turn an idea into a scarf or necklace or handbag or anything.  She is a very good teacher, patient, friendly and empathic.  Check out her website for more info !