Re-discovering Arts and Crafts - Knitting

I have spent quite a bit of time this past year re-visiting or re-discovering arts and crafts that I loved when I was much younger! The latest re-visit is to knitting.
As well as learning from my mother and grandmothers I was  taught knitting along with other crafts at school. In those days (I'll not mention when!) even the boys had to learn to knit!
Later on, in my student days, designing my own knitting went hand in hand with designing jewellery, my own clothes and anything else that needed making when I couldn't afford to buy! Nothing complicated...plain and simple designs that could be embellished or made to look different with the use of different yarns and materials.
My latest re-discovery led to knitted pieces being the latest additions to the ShooglyBeads shop. I find I'm once more hooked on knitting!
As part of my research into what sells and how people are currently pricing their items I visited lots of knitting shops on Folksy. There are some wonderfully talented knitters out there so I decided to sing the praises of some in a little treasury. As always I can't include everyone but here's what caught my eye..... Apologies for including my own....!
Click on the pictures to be taken to the original shops where you can explore to your heart's content!

footfetish-socks

A Knit 4 All Seasons

Tickled Pink Sheep

NOfkantsCurios

Erkinwald

ShooglyBeads

Renewing Skills Part 2

I have been revisiting old skills recently and in my last blog entry I shared my attempts at making a beaded wrap bracelet for the first time since the 70s! Seems that picking up on old skills isn't quite as simple as riding a bicycle...you do need to keep practising and making!

I'm happy to report that my first attempt is still holding together and although it does twist a bit I'm able to straighten it out!

After a bit of practise I have now completed my first 'for sale' beaded wrap. 

I was a bit less ambitious so only a small amount of silver and pretty plastic button to fasten. Beads are a pretty multicolour jade and, this time, thy're all the same size. I also invested in some stronger and firmer stringing thread. The bracelet is more robust and will, I hope, be less prone to twisting.

I felt confident enough to put this one up for sale in Shoogly's Folksy shop yesterday.

I'll continue to develop these and hopefully have more to list in the coming months......

Here's the result in pictures: