I’ve always liked the ornaments that I make in a combination of silver & gold, and apparently my customers do, too, since I’ve sold them. So I started by making a new double swag ornament using [...]]]> Amid weaving in preparation for the Roycroft Winter Show, I did manage to get two new Victorian Christmas ornaments made.

I’ve always liked the ornaments that I make in a combination of silver & gold, and apparently my customers do, too, since I’ve sold them. So I started by making a new double swag ornament using these two colors. It’s shown here on a matte finish gold ball.

Then I wanted to make a super-fancy ornament. This didn’t reach that height for me – it’s a medium fancy. I used silver-lined clear beads and metallic mint green beads in this netted ornament. Like all my Victorian ornaments, the beading is a little jacket that can slip off and onto another glass ball to change the look or in case of breakage. Here it is on a dark green matte finish glass ball…

…and now on a shiny silver ball. (Unfortunately, you can see the reflection of my red kitchen table in the bottom of the ornament. I didn’t realize that until I sized the picture for the web.)

I doubt I’ll have time to make the super-fancy one I have in my mind, since there are many more scarves I want to weave. You’ll start seeing them soon.

Your turn: do you have a favorite Christmas ornament?

I had an order for a custom shawl made predominantly from the Steel yarn, but I wound a few strands of Starlight in [...]]]> WHAT?! Weaving with steel?! Yeah, I was trying to be smart – not too successfully, I fear. Steel is the main color in the warp of this rayon chenille handwoven shawl.

I had an order for a custom shawl made predominantly from the Steel yarn, but I wound a few strands of Starlight in there randomly for added interest. I liked the colors, so, throwing caution to the winds, I decided to make my first ever attempt to warp for two rayon chenille shawls. Yes, I routinely warp for three or four scarves, but shawls are more challenging, at least when working with rayon chenille. The yarn is so fussy while putting it on the loom, and the wider it gets, the more difficult it becomes to tame. So even though it’s exceedingly INefficient time wise, I’ve only warped for one rayon chenille shawl at a time up to now. (I do warp for more cotton or silk shawls – they’re not a problem.) Since warping difficulties are likely to become more apparent as you weave, I figured that the worst that was likely to happen was that I’d weave the ordered shawl and then cut the rest of the warp off and throw it away. I felt like now was the time to take that chance.

Woo Hoo! I wove both shawls without a hitch!

The custom scarf had a weft that was entirely that deep, rich Steel color. The woman has received it and sent me a note that she loves it. Her shawl used up most of the Steel yarn, so I had to use a different weft on the second shawl. I tried a few options, and decided to use that Starlight for most of the weft, putting a 6″ band of Steel at each end. In hindsight, I’d have preferred the results with just the Starlight, but it’s fine the way it is.

Good news – I woke up yesterday morning feeling like I had just a cold, not the flu. That feeling lasted all day, and that’s how I feel this early morning after turning my clocks back, too. I’ve turned a health corner – yippee! Now I can get back to cranking out work before my next show. I want to not only do more weaving, but I really want to have some of my Victorian Christmas ornaments for the show.

I just finished these two.

I’m really happy with the ornament on the left, which is over-the-top ornate. I’m calling it Louis XIV [...]]]> I can weave some now, but not for hours at a time. When I need to stop and put that leg up, I go back to making my hand beaded Victorian Christmas ornaments.

I just finished these two.

I’m really happy with the ornament on the left, which is over-the-top ornate. I’m calling it Louis XIV for the moment. It’s a good thing I wasn’t keeping track of the number of hours I put into making it — I’m sure it’s huge, with all the netting, and the 66 bi-colored loops. It reminds me of one of those super fancy lamp shades.

On the right is one of my regular double swag patterns. I usually make them with silver-lined bugle beads in various colors, but this time I used an interesting blue opaque bugle that I ordered just for this purpose. Paired with a pearl ceylon seed, I think it turned out great. And I just happened to have some larger focal beads in an identical color to finish the look.

You can see all my Victorian Christmas ornaments, and make purchases if you’d like, on my website.

Your turn: has anything over-the-top come into your life of late?

Now to the December contest. This month’s contest will be shorter than usual so that you have a chance to receive your prize by Christmas. The prize?

This little hand made Christmas ornament with its beaded [...]]]> Congratulations to Joanne, who won the November contest. I plan to deliver her talisman at my show this weekend.

Now to the December contest. This month’s contest will be shorter than usual so that you have a chance to receive your prize by Christmas. The prize?

This little hand made Christmas ornament with its beaded cover. This is my smallest Victorian-style ornament, only about 2″ in diameter. The blue matte glass ball is adorned with glass beads. Should the glass ball break (as it did when I dropped it during the photo shoot), no problem, just slip of the cover and drape it over another ball. You can also choose to change it to another color (silver, white, red — you choose) to coordinate with your tree theme or just for a different look.

So what do you have to do to win this hand beaded ornament? Simply leave me a comment, on this or another post, telling me one great Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/Eid/Solstice story from you life. Your answers are due by December 15 – only 12 days, folks, so let’s hear from you!