@Auspice Oh my gosh, that looks so much easier than what I was doing. I will try that on my next color change. Thanks!
When you have been trying to take a break from making things, so it's been about 3 weeks since mailling, and your hands are like: Ffffffffffffff this.
@taika Hand fidget is evil. Evil.
I get it the worst when in a knitting binge. Five minutes of general idleness then? If I don't have needles in my hands I'll be crawling the walls and dangling from the ceiling like something out of the Exorcist. 
Heh, that, too. But this is mostly the first project back, and it's 39" of 16g metal. Aluminum, but tough aluminum. Could be worse, it could be stainless. QQ
@taika I hate titanium for the same reason. I only use the teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeensy 22 and 24g sizes and holy shit, the hand cramps. 
If it wasn't for the pretty mottled rainbow matte-ness... it would be all the hate ever.
Titanium is so spendy, but soo pretty. Niobium is another one I have my eyes one. I usually work in 16g/18g/19g/20g - which is good for durable clothing type projects all the way down to more delicate jewelry.
@taika Titanium in 22 is solid as a rock, if the over all ring size is small. I get, uh... 22g 3/32, I think, as the generic standard size I tinker with (and when really masochistic, 24g 1/16). Both hold up in a box or byzantine as sturdy as the dickens. (I order the stuff like once every 5-6 years, so I always have to dig around to figure out which they are exactly.)
The 24g,1/16... one wee ring at a time. With the... damn. They're Xurons, the pointy-nose-flat ones. Anything else and they just sproinnnnnng across the room like I'm trying to launch them into orbit, never to be seen again, every time. The Xurons drop that down to, uh, like, 1/4 of the time. Which is still expensively not good and stupidly frustrating.
(This is what I get for thinking, 'oh, hey, this size would make a lovely alternative to boring silver snake chain for people who like those add a bead things... ' I mean, it works, but... masochism.)
I use the Xuron chisel nose in my right paw, and the 90* bent nose in my left. I use the left to.anchor, but I still use both, actively, to open/close. I think part of my hold back is I want to be set up to anodize my own before I invest in it. I also live in a not-rich place, and that's holding me off from using more expensive materials, too.
@taika Yeah, I feel you on that. It took me over a decade to finally make budget room for the setup -- and irony being what it is, this year's been so nuts I haven't had a chance to use any of it yet. (It all showed up about a month before I went into the hospital last year, which sorrrrrta put a hitch in all the plans.)
I like using the heat-anodized hematite beads like these a lot, and similar-color seed beads...
...so going the titanium route blends best, and I can custom color stuff if I wanna... eventually.
I like delicate stuff, and the hematite is HEAVY, so it needs something strong as hell for the links even if I'm just linking together wrapped beads, too.
I had no idea hematite could be done that way! So. Pretty. My problem is I also really want a home freeze drier and canning stuff. And that makes it harder to justify shiny things over food preservation stuff.
@taika Sadly, the hematite can't be done that way at home. I think they torch anodize it. It used to be INSANELY expensive here that way, then it started making it to the craft stores, but it's actually all over eBay more or less dirt cheap now if you don't mind long ship times from China. (There's one guy in NY I think... I would have to look.)
I have a massive weakness for matte iridescent stuff. Shiny's ok, but the matte is like, triple the love at least, somehow.
Do you like purple? I like purple... Well, maybe not a ton but people I love do love purple so I purpled the hell out of purple and made a purple (complimentary color yellow) army of knights in partial plate with a steam tank led by a knight on a purple and yellow dragon. Actually I figured the dragonrider showed up and the army formed under her leadership and adopted their colors to match her.
I also did some stuff like... I mean at the gaming con last year someone just LEFT this poor unloved Happy Meal toy from Hercules so I took him home and gave him so love and attention.
And yeah, even Dollar Tree Halloween decorations get on the battlefield after I take them home and give them a lick of the brush.
Guess I just felt the need to say I've been crafty and productive.
I got yarn mail this week:
I'm back to working on the beekeper's quilt which is great for working on while RPing, watching TV, etc.
I paint toy soldiers sometimes.
It's fun.
I finally moved my yarn and embroidery/x-stitch from a moving box into a rubbermaid bin. Amongst it, I found a bunch of sculpey (clay).
I need some project ideas!
I just made my third frilly little girl dress and I am still just at a loss as to how to attach a gathered skirt to a bodice. I basically just cross my fingers and shove the material through the machine, which is probably not how it's supposed to be done. At least this time I only caught up part of the skirt once and so far as I can see every bit is attached!
I'm a professional knitter -- not tippy-top expert, but 8/10. Currently working on this sweater, "Hamilton". I like the chevron design; it's a nice and subtle texture, and is working up quickly so far.
@fortydeuce said in The Crafting Thread:
I'm a professional knitter -- not tippy-top expert, but 8/10. Currently working on this sweater, "Hamilton". I like the chevron design; it's a nice and subtle texture, and is working up quickly so far.
I 
Chevrons. That's a gorgeous sweater.
I've always wanted to knit a sweater, but I lack the patience to stick with one long term. So I just do complicated quick-knits. 
But the sweater I have noted for myself to make someday (if I ever find the focus to actually FINISH one) is Citadel.
Started working on doing kitbashes with my Warhammer, it's quite rewarding when it works as you get access to some more unique looking pieces and gets you working outside the box. Also I am sick of painting blue space marines.
I hate diamonds. I really hate diamonds. Any other stone, or moissanite, I'll do it, especially the latter.
This is my first time setting a created diamond. It's gorgeous, I feel better about using it, but its a present for my stepmother and I'm super excited about it and can't post it on my normal media.
SHINY, no?
I use the Xuron chisel nose in my right paw, and the 90* bent nose in my left. I use the left to.anchor, but I still use both, actively, to open/close. I think part of my hold back is I want to be set up to anodize my own before I invest in it. I also live in a not-rich place, and that's holding me off from using more expensive materials, too.
