They have become my new favourite pastime, keeping my hands busy and being productive. Flower loom brooches! For someone who has heaps of yarn to work with, flower brooches can be the best little craft for colour schemes, yarn combinations, as well as perfect little additions to scarves!
I have had many people go crazy over
these little accessories. They can be made into a billion different colour combinations and have potential to be very extravagant (in a craftsters mind).
They are made on a unique little contraption called a "flower loom" which is a circular peg board. They come in square shapes as well but I am not as keen on them. You can make three different sized flower in a variety of ways. I tend to stick to the basic pattern using a wide array of yarn styles and colours. My little loom is very basic compared to some that are available in craft stores, etc. You can purchase some that have
three layers on one loom with a multitude of pegs, giving you an infinite amount of possibilities with design and technique. Some have removable pegs as well which makes it a little less confusing using different patterns. I like the plain jane ones though :) You can make them all look completely different when you alter the texture of the yarn or differ the colour combinations. Adding buttons also makes for a perfect final touch. I tend to go for vintage buttons as well. They're the best :)
The photo to the left here displays a few of my
teeny weeny brooches which you can find on my etsy store (top of the page). They are the cutest little brooches around! Measuring less than 2" wide, they add that sweet touch to any outfit, bag, purse, or scarf.
The
itsy bitsy brooches are the same design but a bit bigger (measuring about 3"across). They do well to accentuate a jacket, bag, or cardigan. I've just added one to my
bag (using the left over teal merino from my Houndstooth project). The centre yarn is one that I plied myself. It was from a spinning demo we had in my weaving class a few years back. I caught on really quickly and had a ton of plied yarn to take home at the end of the day!! How wonderful! hehehe. I can't wait to get my hands on a spinning wheel again actually....oooohh, spinning and weaving...what a dream!
Here's a photo of my latest brooch fan. My friend Erin Gillespie. She's a photographer/cosmetologist/goddess extraordinaire. I sent her three brooches for her birthday and she was dead pleased :) She's used them as a hair pin! How brilliant is that? I think she looks beautiful.
The one on the right here was a special brooch which I promised to be the one and only :) It is a replica of the owl design I use for my cards, turned into a wonderful fuzzy brooch. I had a ton of people tell me I should make a load of these but as soon as I heard that, I knew I would only make one. It kills the sincerity and uniqueness. I like making one of a kind objects, not run of the mill manufactured goods. It may be an overstatement when someone was just telling me that they would be popular but I like the fact that it is now the one and only. Plus Erin is totally chuffed to be the one to keep it!
If you are at all interested in purchasing one of these lovely items, please visit my shop! I have a few listed but they are just general listings. If you would like a custom made brooch (where you choose size and colour scheme) please message me on etsy or leave a comment on this blog. I will be more than happy to make one for you! They are perfectly affordable as well :) Hope you enjoyed reading about them!
to the 8th Day a week ago so I had to start a new batch. They have been going quite well considering they are just sitting in a basket on the counter. So my new batch are as bright as can be and awaiting homes and outfits to dazzle and complete! I have had so much fun photographing these little items. My new digital camera is chalked full of photographs of various brooches. I am so pleased with the macro settings on the camera! You can get within an inch of the subject and obtain amazing crispness and quality. How great is that?
h 
from me a few weeks back and still hasn't received the package!!
more! What a wonderful gal :) Here are her brooches, as requested. My favourite one is the blue brooch (to go with her denim jacket) but I really like the black, white, and grey one as well. Especially because of the fab polka-dot vintage button in the middle. Tres bien.
link is at the top of the page :) I would be more than happy to make whatever colour variation you like (limited to three variations per brooch) with or without super duper buttons! hehehe. Ideally I would like to take some special requests for scarves so I can weave like a mad woman but I won't get too picky here :) hehehe.
ENDLESS!!! This is not only because of all the different colours you can use but also the actual element of colour in the design. In this pattern here, which I have been calling a spiral twill or (for fun) a labyrinth twill, the bold pattern is created by alternating the two colours in the warp. You could make a wide variety of patterns based on the same tie up and treadling just by alternating the colours in the warp. 
One red to two purple or two red to 
two purple would give you two completely different patterns! How amazing is that?? I find it immaculate and amazing and why I love weaving so much :) 
these little accessories. They can be made into a billion different colour combinations and have potential to be very extravagant (in a craftsters mind).
They are made on a unique little contraption called a "flower loom" which is a circular peg board. They come in square shapes as well but I am not as keen on them. You can make three different sized flower in a variety of ways. I tend to stick to the basic pattern using a wide array of yarn styles and colours. My little loom is very basic compared to some that are available in craft stores, etc. You can purchase some that have 
three layers on one loom with a multitude of pegs, giving you an infinite amount of possibilities with design and technique. Some have removable pegs as well which makes it a little less confusing using different patterns. I like the plain jane ones though :) You can make them all look completely different when you alter the texture of the yarn or differ the colour combinations. Adding buttons also makes for a perfect final touch. I tend to go for vintage buttons as well. They're the best :)
The photo to the left here displays a few of my teeny weeny brooches which you can find on my etsy store (top of the page). They are the cutest little brooches around! Measuring less than 2" wide, they add that sweet touch to any outfit, bag, purse, or scarf. 
bag (using the left over teal merino from my Houndstooth project). The centre yarn is one that I plied myself. It was from a spinning demo we had in my weaving class a few years back. I caught on really quickly and had a ton of plied yarn to take home at the end of the day!! How wonderful! hehehe. I can't wait to get my hands on a spinning wheel again actually....oooohh, spinning and weaving...what a dream!
Here's a photo of my latest brooch fan. My friend Erin Gillespie. She's a photographer/cosmetologist/goddess extraordinaire. I sent her three brooches for her birthday and she was dead pleased :) She's used them as a hair pin! How brilliant is that? I think she looks beautiful.
The one on the right here was a special brooch which I promised to be the one and only :) It is a replica of the owl design I use for my cards, turned into a wonderful fuzzy brooch. I had a ton of people tell me I should make a load of these but as soon as I heard that, I knew I would only make one. It kills the sincerity and uniqueness. I like making one of a kind objects, not run of the mill manufactured goods. It may be an overstatement when someone was just telling me that they would be popular but I like the fact that it is now the one and only. Plus Erin is totally chuffed to be the one to keep it!
I have been working there for a few years now and it has progressed into something much greater than it was when I started. It is a small health food shop on the outskirts of downtown Manchester. It has been open for 30 odd years and has changed dramatically throughout the decades. Anyways, this post isn't about the history of the 8th day...I was explaining how it has changed recently. We have just started carrying all kinds of handmade goods and eco-friendly items. Fully eco-friendly is what I want to progress to but England is just jammed pack full of amazing wools. At least I'm supporting local farmers and spinners :) I have had a hard time finding bamboo or tencel yarns around here. They are always in very small bunches and are extremely expensive. Maybe when I move back to Canada......
Right, back to the scarf! It was a great progression for me. I really enjoyed going through the process of learning a new weave. I was quite confused at first because I was compressing too hard which was distorting the pattern. Once I got a handle on it, I was at ease and in my weaving zone! haha. I decided that the most effective ending would be to twist the ends together in colour bunches (as seen on the left here). It seemed to fit better than just tying the ends off in knots. 
I have also added my new tags thanks to Kristin of Taylor Made Designs (see link at right of page). She did an amazing job on my tags. Look, there they are --> aren't they lovely?! Handmade, screenprinted tags on ribbon. I was so impressed with both the tags and the little well designed package she gives you. You should really have a look at her stuff!!! You can also click the image to get a closer look! So altogher, I am really happy and satified with this project. I hope it goes over well, wherever I decide to sell it!!
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