Thursday, June 26, 2008

Markers-Turquoise and Pearls




How many of us have dabbled in bead work?  I know I have.  Years ago when traveling the Navajo  Nation and Wyoming and Colorado even Mammoth, Ca I saw beautiful jewelry made by creative and imaginative artisans.  My fingers began to get the "itch", I had to get my hands into the mechanical process of earring and necklace making.  Of course, as always, I had to have "it" all and I bought tools and beads, turquoise, semi precious stone beads and from QVC I bought a matching pearl necklace and bracelet set, just for the pearls.  Sterling silver wire and Sterling linked chain, gold filled and 10Kt gold wire, 14Kt gold wire, copper wire and the usual other wire used for jewelry making was in abundance in my "stash". I have long gotten jewerly making out of my system, but I never regretted buying all that "stuff" as I kept it organized and safe.  When my grandchildren came to visit they knew exactly where to get all the jewelry makings, and they would set it all up in the big table in the studio and, they would spend hours of creative bliss making wonderful necklaces, bracelets and some earrings.  Years later we had a family reunion and my new daughter-in-law joined in the creative experience too.  No, I have never regretted the money spent on all my supplies.  The memories of the days of purchase grew into more wonderful memories and their is so much more memory making that's waiting for another trip from the grandkids, so it also gives hope to the future.
Now I am back into knitting and trying to learn how to finesse  a stitch, follow a pattern, correctly determine the ply, knit a gauge and then apply it to my measurements and come up with a needed correct CO...............sigh
Well, I am not that crazy about my plastic stitch markers, they are too fat and seem to cause a gap between stitches and some of my beautiful gifted homemade markers are just too weighty and their length is cumbersome.  So in the middle of knitting a hat, knowing I needed a marker soon, I stopped the hat and made these markers and took the pics in less than an hour.  
The Tourquise beads, bought in Jackson, Wyoming, before they knew that they could have asked a whole lot more for them, was perfect for it's next life cycle.  The spring ring, yep, from the long ago manic purchases, can be used on needle size 4 and under.  The QVC pearls are still in abundance and they are on a smaller spring ring clasp for needle size 3 and under.  I will soon get larger spring ring clasp and soon I will have la petite markers that will fit on larger knitting needles.  They are light in weight and the small size are working out perfectly.  Now I get to worry about losing them one by one, as I have the cheaper plastic markers.  .........sigh 
If you want to make your own markers and you don't have the tools, you can use scissors to cut the wire (not the good scissors) and you can use tweezers or your fingers to twist the wire.  Just nip the wire left poking out with your scissors.  
I think a crocheted chain with some beads would works just as well, too.  In my jewerly cases I have many one of a kind 14Kt and sterling earrings that could work.  How about those darling cloisonné pierced earrings of cats by that artist Laurel (???)? I have a couple of them in one of a kind now.  They would make cute markers.  I have seen many markers on Ravelry a knitting and crochet community on the Internet.  You can become a member too, at no cost.  You will love it.
I have always been a do-it-yourself type, are you one too?


No comments: