Another of my Collections/Addictions

Scarves.  There, I said it.  In addition to my obsession with measuring cups, pottery, jewelry and shoes, I also love scarves.  At least here in Alaska, scarf-wearing is a year round activity, so I can almost justify every purchase.

I know what you're thinking.  Vicki, you knit your own scarves -- why do you need scarves made by other people?  Well silly, I knit wool scarves.  Those are simply not suitable for warmer weather.  Hence, I need silk scarves and lightweight woven scarves.

I found this great shop on etsy, Scarf Guy.  Back in March, in preparation for warmer weather, I purchased two gorgeous scarves from Fred, the Scarf Guy.  His weaving is of impeccable quality and I'm thrilled with both of my scarves.

This first one is a blend of silk and cashmere and is incredibly smooth and soft. 

This one is also silk and cashmere and is a deep chocolate brown.  Yum.

Please visit Fred's shop to see (and drool over) his beautiful work.

Holiday Party Bracelet

This bracelet is festive, but also great for everyday wear. The colors are a great mixture of blues, greens and purples.

It starts with a modified right-angle-weave stitch for the base. I then add lots and lots of tiny fringe to the top surface. The fringe consists of seed beads and interestingly shaped pressed glass beads.

This bracelet is finished with a vintage glass button, which makes for a very easy clasp to do by yourself.

The best part? It's on sale. Originally $125, the bracelet is now on sale for $98. And, FREE SHIPPING continues through year end.

Click on the photo to go directly to the listing in my etsy shop and see some more close up photos and one of the entire bracelet.

Custom Bracelet

I started on a custom order today for a woven bracelet. The lovely customer wants to purchase these earrings. She ordered a bracelet to match. After several convos between us, she decided on a bracelet of the style shown below, utilizing the keshi pearls and some of the silver beads.

I chose a vintage mother-of-pearl button for the closure, as I felt that would be a nice complement to the pearls in the earrings.
The base of the bracelet is modified right-angle-weave. The photo on the left shows a simple right-angle-weave using pearly white glass seed beads. The photo on the right shows the variation on the stitch. This variation provides for a wider base upon which to attach the many short fringe elements that will come next.

Woven and Fringed Bracelets

I've been making these intricate bracelets for several years. They don't sell quickly or often (I sell about 2-3 per year), but they always get lots of oohs and aahs. There are currently 3 listed in my etsy shop. While they may not look the same to you, all 3 were created using the same technique.

I start with a modified right-angle-weave base. This flat, flexible stitch ensures comfort when wearing. The top is then embellished with lots of short fringe -- 3-4 seed beads maximum. I usually add some beads of differing shapes for interest. These could be small lentil beads, spear shaped beads or small sterling silver beads. This gives the bracelets an organic look. I finish these bracelets with decorative buttons, sometimes metal, sometimes vintage glass.

These bracelets are labor intensive, but so much fun to create. Be sure to sign up for my etsy shop newsletter to receive information on specials and sales.
The

Baskets

I have a bit of a fascination with baskets of all sorts -- wicker, birch bark, rattan -- so when I found these silver ones at a bead show, I just had to have them. I've tried using them in necklaces, but the detail gets lost amid the other components. The best use of these lovelies is in earrings, where they can stand alone and be the center of attention!

I've hung the baskets on handcrafted sterling silver headpins and earwires that I oxidized and tumbled for a shiny gray finish. The contrast between the bright and dark silver is perfect. These earrings are for sale in my etsy shop.