The Crafting Thread

[Derp]

@JinShei said in The Crafting Thread:

Because dummies don't go to my size, my daughter and I made a bodyform to go over it in her size today.. .using duct tape.

I legit thought that was some kind of superhero costume.

[JinShei]

@Derp she is calling herself duct tape girl now....

[Auspice]

I am actually short 17 colors for this project. Bah!

Good thing floss is cheap.

[Auspice]

[surreality]

@Auspice That's the image for 'that feeling you get when you stumble over a ravelry projects page you like, and see that person has umpteensquillion flawless, finished objects, and start to question what you're doing with your life, because theirs is clearly completely accounted for'.

[JinShei]

Made this today! I started with a pattern, got annoyed with the pattern and just sort of ... did stuff.

[Crawfish]

@tek I should make sterling silver stitch markers. With rubies. Hmm.

[surreality]

@SinCerely You may want to check other metals, particularly non-tarnishing metals. It can transfer to yarn and since they're handled a great deal, oil from the hands gets on them a lot to encourage it.

People absolutely do make them with silver/copper/brass/bronze, but having done yarn and jewelry shows with those people for a number of years, this is a problem frequently cited by the customers and the people making stuff. (I redid a pile of them I'd used silver rings for when I found this out, and that was a giant pain in the arse I'd wish on no one else.)

Not as much of an issue for the drop part, but the ring part that rubs against the yarn more compactly/with more friction can cause the above pretty easily.

[Crawfish]

@surreality maybe fine silver then? It's squishy but doesn't tarnish.

[Auspice]

Would sealing the metal work? I know people (and have done it myself!) who will put clear coat nail polish on the inside of rings and similar.

[surreality]

@SinCerely Niobium is a great option, really. If you're just using it for the ring portion, it's not tooooooooo evil on cost, and some kinds work up a lot like silver from what I've been told at least. I don't do metalsmithing, but I've handled the rings and they're about on par with the silver from what I've used them for.

(Also titanium or aluminum if you want colors, though you can anodize niobium as well.)

[Crawfish]

@Auspice I don't like putting any coating on metal, even ones that tarnish, but that's from the background of being a jeweler and understanding that anything I make is likely worn on the skin. I suppose in this situation it can work but I'd fuss over the coating transferring to whatever fiber is being used, either through heat or friction or whatever. I have a lot of pure silver though. Maybe if I got my hands on enough gold I could do something too. Maybe.

I've seen some markers carved of shell and bone, which is awesome because I have a decent amount of pre-ban ivory from an old piano repair shop (they couldn't sell it either and they were closing their doors) that I can't sell but want to do something with, and I know a lot of yarnsmiths that use markers all the time. HMM. maybe presents? Definitely feel like yarn markers are something you fiddle with in the future.

[Auspice]

There are never enough yarn markers.
I buy the cheap plastic ones because I can't afford more fancy ones. (And they break SO EASILY. Only so many uses usually before they snap.)

...though I guess I could dig out my remaining jewelry supplies and see what I have to make my own. I haven't done anything with that stuff in ages.

[Crawfish]

@surreality it's only like silver in that it's metal that can be formed with the right tools. You can't anneal it the same way, it can be welded but not soldered. Wire form is sort of like sterling in how it's malleable but it's really only useful anodized, it oxidizes easily without it, it seems. Given that you can't work it with anything once that happens (the lovely colorful layer gets damaged) the ring would have to stay open. Doesn't that catch on fiber?

Edit: Mixed up my metals. How embarrassing.

[surreality]

@SinCerely Niobium anodized layers can wear off, definitely -- but it's harder to do than it sounds. I've scuffed some mightily but it took uncoated pliers to do it.

You may be able to find some welded/solid rings of it; if not, The Ring Lord (they're up in Canada, I them forever) will plasma weld any rings you get from them for a pretty reasonable charge, and they've got many sizes/etc. They'll do saw cut rings that close amazingly well; I've used some of their saw cut anodized aluminum for 'big needle' rings, but DEFINITELY use two pairs of well-coated pliers for this; they're the dye-anodized ones. They also do some double-punched pieces that are flat metal -- bigger hole with smaller hole knocked out. That might be viable for niobium sheet.

(ETA: I've not had the snag problem, but I do buy their saw-cut for the rings, or solid/soldered rings from them or fire mountain. Their saw cut close so seamlessly it blows the mind.)

If you peek at that site, try to not look at the anodized titanium... it's like matte variegated watercolor metal. It's so droolworthy. (I am a bad jeweler though. I have stuff to anodize and a modest anodizer -- not one of the $$$$$ ones, but a decent starter one -- and I have yet to set it up to use. My work table is stainless steel top for easy paint/chemicals cleanup, soooooooo... yeah, gotta rewrangle the already too-packed-to-the-gills-with-everything room some to work around that and get a solid non-conductive surface for that. I wanted one for over a decade and I swear that box has been giving me judgy looks from the corner for ages now.)

[surreality]

Double post for: you know you're a maker-of-things addict when you're content wearing the same thermal shirts from Target until they are literally falling apart after a decade, but you don't even blink about getting art tools or supplies for that one neat effect or that one new thing you wanted to learn how to do the moment there's available cash.

[Auspice]

[surreality]

@Auspice You need to see this. https://peacockandfig.com/product/mermaid-tales-stitchalong/ (Warning for general audience, not politically correct by miles, but oh gods I will order these some day because I laughed so hard and they're awesome to me. The struggle and rock ones are definitely the best.)

[Auspice]

@surreality said in The Crafting Thread:

@Auspice You need to see this. https://peacockandfig.com/product/mermaid-tales-stitchalong/ (Warning for general audience, not politically correct by miles, but oh gods I will order these some day because I laughed so hard and they're awesome to me. The struggle and rock ones are definitely the best.)

Ha! I know someone who needs to see this. There's a lady in our group who is all about the mermaids.

[surreality]

@Auspice I pretty much injured myself laughing when I saw the rock one. Pretty + Snarky + Mermaids = win.