A Place to Crochet

I was in my local bead shop the other day – La Bead Oh – and the owner, Kathy showed me an antique beaded purse that someone had just given her. I was a lovely sort of stripey pattern and as I looked closer, I realized it was double crochet with 2 beads in the first part of the stitch.

I know you’re supposed to be able to crochet with beads and get a beautiful effect but it’s never quite worked for me. But I had a good look at it and decided to have a go.

I finished my little beaded vase (see earlier post) and still had beads on the thread so I started there and you know, it’s easy peasy! I’m really enjoying doing it (it’s actually easier than knitting with size 0000 needles!) and I’m loving the effect. So now I have a couple of other ideas of things I want to try.

It’s a little like the knitting in that what you’re seeing is actually the wrong side of the work. Like this:











(sorry about the blur)

But when you turn it through, there’re the lovely beads!!














Now I’ve just got to decide how long I’m going to make the tube and how I’m going to finish it off. I think I’m going to just do a flat bottom and then put a beaded fringe on the bottom but I’m not sure about the top. A little more thought is needed…hmmmm……

I Love Beads

Can I just say, I love beads. I love how they feel and how they catch the light and how the fabric feels in your hands and how they look. I’m enamored with beads. No one who knows me will be surprised by this sentiment but I just felt it needed to be said. I also love the fact that, even in the hands of a novice, they make things lovely. I’ve knitted with beads and I’ve crocheted with beads and I’m learning how to tambour with beads. But this is my first foray into just plain beading for a bag like this. Well, not the absolute first. I’ve done a couple of little amulet bags but this is the first real people size beaded purse. As you can probably tell, it’s my own design – not very even but did I mention it’s my first? And I’m in love with it. Just like a first car or first house or first love, it’s special. Even if it’s a first beaded bag that only a creator could love, since that’s me I feel pretty good about it!

As with other things I make, this started out life as something else. This was the top half of a bag knitted from Noro Silk Garden (which I still intend to finish by the way). But when I got into it, I didn’t like the proportions so decided to finish this off as I did and I’m ever so pleased with it.

Did I mention I love beads? OK. Good.

Ahoy, Matie!

I've had this pattern on my mind for several years. I originally made it for a colleage having a baby but it was one of those fly-by-the-seat-of-the-pants things that came out only so-so. But I've been wanting to refine it and get it written down. Here's what it looks like so far with the sleeves still to come. It's very exciting to finally get it sorted out. I will have it in 4 sizes, this being the newborn/preemie size, and will have it for sale on my web site eventually.

My biggest news is that I've finally started my own business. People have been telling me for years that I need to do this but it was never the right time. Now it just seems to be the right time to start and, as I'm telling people, everyone's reaction seems to be, "Well, it's about time." That's been a very satisfying reaction, I can tell you.

The web site is http://www.wandagraysondesigns.com/. The name comes from joining my mother's and father's names because they are the ones who have inspired my curiosity and creativity throughout my life. A new adventure, for sure.

This part is really for my Mom. Here are some of my plants,the second on is what I was telling you about. No idea what it is but it's turning out so pretty. You can't really tell in the picture but the flowers are a pale purple.















And, finally, in the serendipity rocks category, is a little project that I thought was supposed to be a little knitted bead coin purse, but turned out actually to be a little beaded vase. It still needs starching and shaping but I was thrilled to discover it. I was actually going to rip it because it wasn't at all attractive. I discovered, however, quite by mistake that I was knitting it inside out. All the other things I've knitted with beads I've done in garter stitch so I never thought about a right side or wrong side. With this one, because I was knitting in the round with the knit stitch to the outside, I discovered there definitely is a right side.

Here's a picture of what I was seeing. Not too clever, right. But just turn it inside out and wha-la - a while different picture:

knit side:









purl side: