I do like washi tape, and have found it does better than cellophane tape on areas that need repeated folding. I prefer my sheet music to lay flat, rather than stapled, because it makes it easier to set on the piano or a music stand. Scotch tape or cellophane tape just doesn’t make a good hinge, as it easily tears lengthwise.
Photo description: washi tape used to hold together sheets of music on the long edges
I start with a 1-2 millimeter gap between pages to allow for the fold, then apply a strip of washi tape on both sides of the gap. I trim the edges with scissors after applying.
As an added bonus, washi tape comes in pretty colors and patterns.
Twice a year we make bookmarks for my youngest’s teachers. Historically they have featured a picture of her and some Photoshop work of mine. One year, a shot of her lying on a bench became her flying through the sky. This round, though, she didn’t want her photo on there, instead requesting “clouds and snowflakes”. Um, OK. I used the AI generator in Photoshop, mainly to test it out. Do I have pictures of my own of clouds and snowflakes? Yes. Could I have Photoshopped them together? Yes. Could I have done it in less time? Maybe not. It takes time to come up with a phrase and cycle through generating images. This AI doesn’t understand exclusions, so when I typed “open blue sky with white fluffy clouds and sparkling snowflakes no trees” I was bombarded with fluffy snow covered trees and undulating landscapes. I couldn’t get it to let go of the landscaping so I cropped it out. I also used the usual digital techniques for adding the words my eldest requested, with an outer glow to have it stand out from the background. See, my digital skills are still required even with AI assistance. Hm.
Photo description: a stack of blue bookmarks with snowflake shapes and clouds and the words “I will miss you!” Gold tassels attached to each bookmark.
What I would really like is to specify the reference set the AI uses to generate the image. Then I could feed it my own photographic library and know where the images are coming from. The snowflakes would be better, and it theoretically would save me time. My biggest time vortex is searching through my photos for what I want. I would also know that I wasn’t relying on some other human artist’s unknown participation. I’ve read that images used for AI training aren’t always compensated or legally used. I wouldn’t ever claim those snowflakes though, but they did make my youngest happy. I could go on and on about AI snowflakes.
I also bought the tassels this year rather than making them. Time ran away from me, so it was a desperation measure, but I’m pleased with the purchase. They are nice tassels, well constructed, and a pretty metallic gold. As requested.
In November of 2005 I made a wood and nail jig and produced several styles of wire snowflake ornaments.
Photo description: twisted dark blue wire snowflake with one branch replaced with a crystal beadPhoto description: twisted copper wire snowflake with crystal beads around the center and double the amount of wirePhoto description: twisted silver wire snowflake with a single crystal bead in the center
It is quite satisfying the number of permutations that can be achieved with a single jig just by skipping an element or doubling the wire or adding beads in different places. I did move away from the black velvet for photos, but was having trouble with white balance using the cream colored felt. Yes, I could break out Photoshop and adjust them to all match, but I think the varied backgrounds are appropriate for a Throwback Thursday.
I don’t have the jig anymore, but it was a simple affair with nails driven through 1/8” or 1/4” plywood. I didn’t make any more wire snowflakes after this round because it was a pain and a twisting nightmare.
I excel at overthinking. I have gone through many contraptions to hold my full spindle so it wouldn’t skitter across the floor while I wound the yarn off into a ball. Before I headed off for a walk, I saw that I didn’t have enough fiber to last the walk, and I would be at the point I needed to wind off mid-walk. Throwing caution to the wind, I stuck a rolled up piece of card stock in my pocket and headed out. Within 10 minutes I had spun all my fiber and was faced with winding a nostepinne style ball without any of my spindle holding devices except my hands.
Photo description: winding camel fiber single ply yarn into a nostepinne style ball on a card stock tube from a drop spindle while walking the neighborhood, asphalt in the background
It turned out brilliant. I could rotate the spindle around the tube, keeping consistent tension by lightly gripping the shaft, and slowly rotating the card stock tube. I had been stuck in thinking that the spindle or bobbin needed to be set down in order to control the tension to wind off. I’m glad I broke through the “I have to do it this way” barrier, for this is now my preferred method.
Knitting black yarn with black needles, oh my. I didn’t start off with this plan. I bought hand dyed eclipse themed yarn because it had my eldest’s favorite colors, then I had to get the smallest Prym needles, which only come in black. I get respite when the yellows and oranges pass over the needles, but the black on black stitches are done mostly by feel. This is my current forever project, because I can only knit during the daylight, and can’t be sleepy or have any alcohol when I’m working on it.
Photo description: black, orange, and yellow yarn knitted on black needles, sock in progress, toe up
There is a persistent meme in the crafting world that you only knit black yarn for those you love because the stuff is so hard to see.
Critters and Craft 