Thursday, January 28, 2016

Fuller rosettes listed . . .

Yesterday I managed to make 4 of the new "fuller rosettes" bracelets, all in pink and red "Valentine-y" colors.  ☺  They are now their own listing in RainbowMaille's Etsy shop as of this morning.


 I really do like the addition of the extra center ring, it adds depth and fullness, plus the additional layer of color really makes the "flowers" pop I think.  ☺

 

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

New fuller rosettes. . .

I was toying with an idea and decided to test it out on one of my personal pieces, it's mixing rings sizes and adding to an existing pattern, the kind of simple modification that can be great or meh.  

I have been wearing it and looking at it for a few days now and I think I like it but I also think it will be better in a single strand configuration.



Because the larger pink rings are a slightly darker shade of pink it adds a depth of color and size difference makes the pattern look fuller.  I tried it in side by side rosettes but it crowed the center connecting ring and didn't look quite the way I had imagined.  

So I think I'm going to make batch of single strand bracelets with the fuller rosettes and make them their own new listing on Etsy.  ☺

 

Monday, January 25, 2016

Contemplating Craft shows . . .

I have spent some time researching local craft shows and fairs and found myself in a bit of a conundrum.  It is highly unlikely I will be able to set up at any of the events I have found, there are several obstacles in my way.  

First, I have not received a state license since I moved here recently.  I have a business license it's just from a previous state not the state I just moved to.  ~sigh~  So no one want to let me set up to sell wince I am not officially licensed to collect sales tax in this state.

Second, many of the larger shows that I would like to attend are what are referred to as "juried" shows, which means there is a panel that votes and approves applicants.  My research has shown this process to be rather slanted towards existing relationships, with a weighted preference for previous members, as in if you were there last year you have a leg up on getting in this year.  In some cases due to the preference for returning displays there are very limited chances for someone new.

Third, the application process in some cases is rather demanding, aside from the actual application and fee many require photographs of the display you plan to set up.  In the case of someone new, how can I submit a photograph of a display set up that I have never set up before?  ~sigh~  I have considered creating a display in my house just to shoot some photos but some of these places have very specific requirements that the photos be at an event or that you set up exactly what you submitted in your photograph, so faking a table display may be rejected or limit what I can do at the event.

Nothing is ever easy.  ~LOL~  Maybe next year after I've had some time to get things in order and do a smaller event that I can photograph.

 

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Constantly learning. . .

I have continued to learn new patterns of chain over the years and sometimes I just like to fiddle around and modify the patterns I already know.  I have experimented with using different sized rings and even mixed sizes of rings that's how I learned/discovered the Stepping stones/bubbles pattern. 

 


I have found the European 4-in-1 pattern to be very easy to modify, it is the base of basic box chain for instance.  Also if you mix the ring sizes you can do a semi-box mod that I think is really cool. 
 

Plus it makes rosettes, small and large rosettes and rosettes on a vine.


I have made the rosettes on a vine in multiple strands connected now in a 2 wide and 3 wide version.  I have been wearing the 2 wide version since I finished a couple of weeks ago, I have become rather attached to it.  ~LOL~  In the wearing every day and looking at it regularly it struck me that it could use some more rings so the other day I added larger rings to the center of some of the rosettes just to see how I'd like it.  I'm still undecided it does make it look fuller and the additional color is interesting since the small and large pink rings are not the same shade of pink, it adds . . . depth.  I only did it on every other one because I wasn't sure how I'd like it, but I'm not sure I want to add it to all of them because I don't want it to look crowded.  

 

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Why I Maille. . .

The first chainmaille project I did was a kit I picked up at Hobby Lobby just to see if I could do it.  I soon discovered not only could I do it but I quite enjoyed it.  My first pattern and still one of my personal favorites was/is Helm's chain it came so natural to me, I attribute it to my heritage. ☺  Although, Helm's chain is not the only pattern I enjoy making, I enjoy making chain in just about any pattern except Byzantine I can't stand it for some reason.  ~LOL~  

I think part of the reason I like making chain has to do with my inherent OCD tendencies.  Counting rings and lining them up in patterns is satisfying to me, looking at finished shiny neat patterned jewelry makes me smile.  I think part of why I don't like Byzantine and certain other "patterns" is because they look messy to my eye.  I tend to like more clean, linear patterns that flow in one direction.  ☺

I honestly could make chain all day everyday if only I didn't have to like clean the house and cook and stuff.  ~LOL~ 

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Newest shop listing. . .

Inspired by Valentine's Day I have made a batch of European 4-in-1 bracelets with lots of pink and red.  
 


Not that those are the only pink and red items, there are several others in different styles and patterns such as Helm's chain, Simple vision, and European 6-in-1.



Of course, any jewelry on Valentine's Day is a good gift no matter what color it is.  ☺

 

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Chains have families part 2

Some people define the chain families along different lines.  There are multiple ways patterns can be sorted aside from family such as structure, appearance, form, attribute, level of complexity.   

There are hundreds if not a thousand patterns of chain possible, of course, not all patterns are suited for all applications.  Some patterns make better jewelry while some make better clothing.  However, there are some patterns that only seem to be art sculpture like this cube.
 


I did not make that cube, I found it on one of my favorite sites for chainmaille patterns and information.  MailleArtisans.org  I highly recommend them to anyone looking to start making chainmaille, they offer a huge catalog of photos and patterns, many patterns with tutorial instructions and diagrams. 

Sometimes I make a variant I think is all my own like this version of Japanese Lace I call Bubbles.

Then I visit MailleAtrisans and find it's already there, although it's called stepping stones over there, and there are multiple versions based on not only Japanese Lace but also Byzantine and others.

Since people have been making chainmaille for literally  hundreds of years it's really hard to come up with original things.  ~LOL~