I've made !

I've been so busy with starting my new business Knottingways, I havent  had time to sit and make. But finally yesterday I sat back and decided to finish off a cuff I started awhile back.
I have so missed making, and it felt so good when I had finished. It has certainly made me want to get the c-lon out and make another one !

Pale heather c-lon, hematite and pale purple crystals with pale grey 11 seed beads. Finished with a pretty silver metal button.

Where did time go ???

Wow!  I cant believe my last post was back in May........ where does time  go?
The answer to that  question has to be .... I've been busy starting up a new business, yes totallytilly has now branched out into www.knottingways.co.uk
Who would have thought that a challenge from a lovely dear friend would change my  life so much .
Working on micro-macramé was a challenge starting up Knottingways has been fun. Looking around Europe for suppliers (virtual looking) .... choosing lots of lovely thing to sell, making up a web site, (now THAT was a challenge !) and the most exciting thing .............. having a tutorial published in Bead Magazine issue 41. 
So many thanks to the lovely Dee Wingrove-Smith ...my beautiful daughter Kate and her work colleague  Filip who designed my wonderful logo to my Beadbuddies, Catherine H , Stephanie M to name two and last but not least Len my hubby.
So if you like working with thread or leather knottingways is there.
  

My beaded cuff in Bead Magazine

My fantastic advert

                                   

Result Week !

Yes its  finally here.... this week the results  for Jewellery Maker of The Year competition are published.
So many beautiful makes it must have been a difficult decision. I was so happy just to have been picked but to get into the top 5 was awesome !
I also received a lovely  surprise to have my letter as star letter in last months Beads and Beyond magazine. Waiting  on  a goodie bag from Beads Unlimited !!

Purple Passion my entry into the competition..............................

What a challenge can do ............

The last couple of months have been amazing....... I received an email  on the 15th February saying my Purple Passion bracelet had been short listed in the Beads and Beyond Jewellery Maker of the Year Competition. I was so surprised as this was the first time I had entered a large competition.
I rushed off to buy the magazine and wooo hoooo there it was in full print my bracelet!
  Voting began and on the 6th April, I found out I was in the top 5 !!! Mad panic then having  to send the bracelet in for the final vote.................now  just waiting.

I needed to expand on what I was making and the 36 strander came to mind............
 Now the challenge  began again..............
I hadn't a clue as to what or how I was going to do it, it just sort of involved, the Czech crystals and size 11 seed beads were added and this is the finished piece.

Having made one I had to make another.........

Then at the end of March off I went to London to the Big Bead Show at Sandown taking my bracelets with me. There a met with the editor of Bead Magazine Chloe, so watch this place for further news ......
So the last two weeks have been spent doing two commissions

This red and cream  one,


and

this black and silver one, both made with Czech crystals and 11seedies .
(thank  goodness the c-lon wont go through 15's) !!!  still reckon 15's are dust pretending to be beads.


I never thought that a challenge  set down by my lovely friend Dee Wingrove- Smith (www.facebook.com/wingsmithsbeadedcreations )  would take my work to this level.
So thank you Dee for making me realise that seed beads  (if only 11's ) are a wonder to work with and combined with the crystals I have started making these  beautiful cuffs.

The Start of a New Year...........

The New Year has started slowly for making. Think it must be the cold weather, the thought of going out to The Den to make has not really provided me with inspiration. 
I did make a trip  to Crewe to meet up with Catherine a beadbuddie. Yes and what happened  she took me off to a bead shop.... Beads A Plenty based in Nantwich  http://www.beadsaplenty.co.uk/ . The lovely  Michelle Jackson  runs this little shop and online business. 
And yes of course I had to buy (would of been rude not too! ) Some matt and gloss  black Czech  crystals also two shades of a jade green.


So Black Passion was made..........................

I really enjoyed making this one, totally made up as I went along.

I think I might even send this into a magazine and see if they will publish it.

The End of a Year

Its that time of year  again....... seems to come round faster each year but 2012 is on the horizon.
For the last few weeks I have been playing with seed beads and mirco macrame, here are a few more..........

This one being made with dark green thread with 4mm 6mm pearls some small crystals and size 11 seed beads. I so love the centre  slider bead and bought it in a few different  colours.

This is a twist of an Annita DeGroot design. 

The next one was from a book called Beaded Macrame Jewellery by Sherri Haab.

I was really pleased with this make  far from prefect but  it just feels so nice on , I think I will make this again but using a different colour way.

This was certainly a challenge but I really did enjoy making this.

I am now thinking of a new colour theme for the New Year. I wonder what it will be.................................

Yes ... seed beads !

Dont know if the broken foot has put a strain on my brain  but I have ordered , received and made some more beaded bracelets using   yes ..... wait for it ..... size 11 seed beads.
I know after all I have said about the 'bits of dust' with  holes in but its happened.

The c-lon cord arrived and my first attempt was a 9 stranded with glass pearls and crystals.........

 I had to try  a design by Annika deGoot  and her Victorian Bracelet was my next attempted so that's when the order for seed beads happened.
I was interested to see how this bracelet was worked ........ starting with a loop and beading a section, then leaving a gap , doing this 3times creating the first layer. Adding a button then turning my work round and working back along weaving sections  into the gaps .

I was really pleased with  this bracelet and sold it as soon as I had finished it. I will certainly make another.
 I found some amazing slider beads from www.bead-workshop.co.uk so the  next bracelet had to be 'Secret Garden'

So I think I have well and truly been bitten by  the Micro Macrame Bug and dare I say  SEED BEADS !!!!

The Beaded Cuff

The beaded cuff challenge has finally been finished. I am really pleased with how its worked out far from prefect but I now can see how one of these bracelets make up.

The finishing off on the slide toggle was the most difficult and I will certainly have to find a better method of finishing.
So here it  is ................... Drum Roll ..................................

Having finished this I wanted to try  something similar so off I went in search of a  book and came across Annika deGroot  http://www.annikadegroot.com/
Not wanting to copy exactly one of her designs I saw away of making a bracelet without a clasp just using a button and loop. I have used this method before but in a different way, Annika starts from the centre of the threads and works down one side then the other creating an arc the size needed for the button.

Using flat knots I then joined the two sides together. The Superlon cord works really well and seems to thread easily through beads without a needle. I worked this on a cushion so I could pin my work to keep it in place.
I finished off with an antique silver button.

I used crystal  and glass beads in tones of purple with a grey cord. I am really pleased with  this and I now have another design in my head and waiting  for a delivery of cord from  http://www.absolutebeads.co.uk 

Links from my Welsh Trip

Hadn't realised I could link my friends on my blog.... So for the lovely Lynda Harrison-Twells and her lovely husband John for opening there B&B for us.............http://www.wyndgarth.co.uk

The talented seedbeader Dee Wingrove-Smith who took me onto "The Dark Side"...............
http://www.wingsmithsbeadedcreations.co.uk

The lovely Gloria Simpson  for showing me how to make wonder canes and beads from fimo.........
http://www.etsy.com/shop/flagrantdesigns

If you have enjoyed reading my blog please take some time to visit these girls on the Web you wont be disappointed !

November !

Wow ! what a month.................
Having gone to The Big Bead Fair at Sandown in October and finding the thread I needed for my beaded cuff and re-started it things got busy !
Had to leave that to one side and prepare for a Charity Lunch in aid of The Wirral and Chester RDA.
This was a ticketed event in an old manor house ... such a lovely setting problem being the lighting was awful. But I was happy with my table and my sales!
The next day was spent driving down to Gower in South Wales for a couple of days beading and learning new techniques from follow beadbuddies.
Staying at a beautiful B&B run by a avid seed beader it was time to learn new things............

Yes! that me  playing with seed beads ......."Welcome to the Dark Side" ..............

My first and lets say only ! flat spiral bracelet .........................
The lovely Dee being my teacher not only did she show me how to do this but also beads made from seed beads.... a beaded bead ! hehehehehe
Also had fun playing with fimo. Gloria showing me how to make canes and then using this to make beads

I had the most amazing 3 days in the company of Lynda (owner of B&B) , Dee, Gloria and Karen. Lets hope we can repeat this next year.

The beaded cuff was started again using the new thread. This time the thread is working well, but still slow and on going.............

Liking this now  think it will just grow and be fluid !

Update on cuff.....

I have been working on this new challenge ..... "The beaded cuff "
Having sourced the beads..................

Then the thread......................

After working with this and realised it wasn't going to work. Need to source some different thread. Think maybe Surperlon will work , but having never seen or used this I am hoping my visit to The Big Bead Show at Sandown next week will give me the chance to find some.
I so want to make this challenge work I just need to be patience and wait till I find the right thread.
So keeping watching and waiting ................... :-)

A new challenge........

The start of October has come with a challenge........
A beadbuddie of mine showed me a macramé beaded cuff and asked " How on earth? "!!!!!
The trouble with this challenge is I don't use seed beads (well only for holding big beads on head pins ) hehhehe,
So maybe I could use something else............ trawling the internet I came across someone who sells Czech glass beads in a stunning array of colours.
An order has gone in ... HELP ! .... now I have started this I have to go through with it !
It may (an understatement) take some time......... but hopefully I will succeed.

Will keep you updated on my progress....... so watch this space !

Guys bracelets

Have been asked by my son to make him a new bracelet. Boys and skulls ! Showing this to a friend she also asked if I could make a 'girly' one. So 'Skulls and Hearts' appeared.

Made with black cotton cord and heavy Tibetan Silver skulls and hearts. Simple but effective.
Making these have taken me away from a challenge I am taking part in. So I'm thinking of the next blog......

New makes

I have been in the Den today my excuse being that hubby was revamping the kitchen ...... A new design was made.
Using 3 stands of cord and semi precious stones I made these......................

 Rhondonite :- soothes the nervous system. This gemstone vibrates with love. Just holding this gemstone promotes relaxation and brings a sense of well-being. 


Leopardskin jasper :- All jaspers are strong securing, stability stones. It is a powerful protection against things that are not good for you and it eases emotional stresses, making it a wonderful gemstone to have in your home.


 The third bracelet being made of dyed shell and bone.

I am pleased with these , when wearing one it feels and looks like 3 bracelets! The response from my Beadbuddies on Facebook they seem to be liked.................. time will tell ! x

First Market

August Bank Holiday saw myself, hubby and son catching the train to London. Clutched in my hand a small pink bag containing my bracelets, business cards , and banner........
Yes ! Camden Market here I come !
Saturday morning sun shining off we all went to Camden. Didn't take long before we  knew we had a stall. The fun began !

My daughter by my side we started to set the table out. Took us awhile to get the bracelets set out  and banner up  but was rather pleased with the result.
I hadn't realise how large Camden market was till I had a quick walk round. So many stalls and so many selling jewellery. Had been away from the stall 15/20 minutes ..... when I got back there was my daughter waving a £10 note !!!! ........ First sale of the day , I was so excited.
I am a member of a group of girls called Beadbuddies on Facebook and too my delight two of the girls came to visit my stall, each buying a bracelet !
7 hours later .... sore feel and aching back  it was time to put the stall away. I was so tired but had made 10 sales and had met some amazing people. (next time remember to take a chair ! )

Hopefully I will be able to do this again .................
but most important to me is to say a huge Thank You for the support of my family and friends.

The Journey

The journey into making bracelets has taken nearly 3 years.
The problem was I didn't know what to do with them..... One day in my local supermarket I was chatting to the checkout girl who told me of a new shop that had just opened up in the village... " You should take your bracelets in there I'm sure she would sell them " ........
Took a few days to pluck up the courage to go into the shop ... who would want my bracelets?

To my surprise Kara said yes she would love to sell them.
                                                         So Totally Tilly was born !

I started making very simple necklaces which were pretty but certainly 'not me'. I had seen my daughter making bracelets and necklaces using knotted cord. This was more me (being an ageing hippie! ) she showed me how and off I went !
The first bracelets I made  were not very good as I hadn't got the tension right. But I carried on  changing the designs as I went.

I used 3 or 4 strands of cord and a mix of glass beads.  The hardest part was the finishing with the toggle clasp. The cord is very waxy so out came the soldiering iron ! Great ..... it was hot enough to melt the wax and seal the ends.
Every bracelet from then on was different ......... and the joy to be playing with  shiny beads again made me smile !

The Start..........................

Wow !..... the start  of a new adventure.
   
    A little about how I started making bracelets......
Many  years ago I can remember (only just) being a small girl with a little box of shiny beads. So many beads all tucked up together  to be taken out looked at ... played with and then put back till the next day. On some days I would take this precious box with me to a friends house  were we would  show each other our treasures and maybe swap a few.

Years later married with children my eldest daughter started making jewellery and the joy of seeing all those lovely beads again made me want to pick up my pliers and get to work.