Tag: throwback

Throwback Thursday: doll riding helmet

On By CarynIn Craft, throwback

Back in October of 2016, my kids were taking horseback riding lessons. My youngest had trouble keeping her hands forward, and her instructor had the idea of having a stuffed toy sit in front of her on the saddle and she had to keep her hands in front of the toy. She chose one of her baby dolls, and of course baby had to have a helmet if she was riding horseback, so I crocheted a helmet with black yarn.

Photo description: crocheted riding helmet with straps and a button closure on a baby doll toy

I don’t have any pictures of my youngest riding with the doll, but her hands are forward with the reins in all the pictures after, so something clicked.

Throwback Thursday: eye wreath

On By CarynIn Craft, throwback

In October of 2016, I painted ping pong balls with irises and pupils and glued them on a wreath frame decorated with short lengths of dark red glittery ribbon and mounds of black netting to make a Halloween decoration.

Photo description: front view of eye wreath made of ping pong balls and ribbon
Photo description: closer side view of the same wreath

This was a short-lived wreath. In storage the acrylic paints rubbed off the ping pong balls, and the hot glue released its hold. And while it was interesting to play with different iris colors, it didn’t take long for painting that many ping pong balls to get tedious. If I were to do it again, I would look into making the eyes more realistic, maybe with some clear epoxy, since the true impact of this piece is achieved on closer inspection. There would be fewer eye balls as well!

Throwback Thursday: crochet bracelet pocket

On By CarynIn Craft, throwback

In August of 2016 I was in the throes of crocheting bracelets and anklets with small pockets. It started with being annoyed at my fitness tracker on my wrist. When I walked, I was pushing a stroller and my steps weren’t being counted because my arms weren’t swinging. I had the idea that I could put the tracker on my ankle, but there weren’t any bands big enough to go around, so I crocheted one. I had friends ask for one, so I made a bunch and started to sell them.

Photo description: eleven crocheted and braided bracelets with button closures and small mesh pockets made from pearlized cotton in various colors and lengths
Photo description: closeup of the pocket, with a key inside, quarter on one side for scale, and a fitness tracker on the other side
Photo description: bracelet shown closed

The problem with the crocheted cotton was that cotton stretches with time, and each strap was crocheted to size with no adjustment. The button also wasn’t a reliable closure. Sometimes brushing against furniture would pop the anklet open. I sold a few, but after the design problems became apparent, stopped making them.

Throwback Thursday: the process

On By CarynIn Craft, throwback

I found a picture from December 2014 that shows how the creative process sometimes works, or doesn’t. I was trying to develop a simple, repeatable wire dragonfly shape and went through many, many iterations.

Photo description: twelve partially formed brass wire dragonfly shapes on a green table

I still wasn’t entirely pleased with the end result, although I did make a few more like the shape in the bottom left.

Sometimes my ideas work right off the bat, but more often they go through a series of trials, with mostly errors. If we aren’t willing to have a few gnarls in the thread, it is hard to achieve much of anything.

Throwback Thursday: viking knit

On By CarynIn Craft, throwback

In July of 2014 I was experimenting with making “viking knit” wire chains. I did a number of trials with different metals and gauges of wire. I stumbled across this picture that also showed the time it took to get a small section of work done.

Photo description: wood dowel with looped brass wire, a spool of wire, side cutters, needle nose pliers, awl, book, and ID card

I like viking knit chains, they have a nice feel and drape. The technique is looping, which years later I learned to do with yarn in a method called nälbinding. I still love nälbinding too. Neither are fast crafts, but they are satisfying.