Bobbles and Baubles - Trial and Error in Crochet

More little crochet balls woohoo! I've been using a vintage ball of thread and other embroidery thread to make some colorblock earrings. I've been having issues trying to make a seamless transition from one color to another because the threads are often different in width. The two middle balls below were made with thread split in half and I think they look much smoother. I really don't like the outer two that have bumps in the transition. Well. Live and learn.

I used this lesson for my new earrings up on etsy :)

New earrings

Inspirations: The Incas

I recently read 'Turn Right at Machu Picchu' by Mark Adams, a journalist for Adventure magazine who retraced the steps of the most famous explorer of that site, Hiram Bingham (Indiana Jones is thought to be loosely based on him). The descriptions of the precisely cut, titanic sized stones of the Inca sites filled my mind with images of brightly colored textures and designs. Even in Idaho I noticed an alpaca farm about a mile from my house! They're so dang cute!

Inca design seems to be less featured in fashion than, say, Navajo or Aztec, here's a fantastic example - it looks almost european in the face but the patterns are clearly unique. 

I love native design but it does always bring up the ethical dilemma of using traditional patterns from a culture that is not my own and whether that is disrespectful or plagiarism. Personally, I think the more ethnic patterns are featured in fashion the more support native handicrafts will be supported - who doesn't want a real Navajo blanket after seeing these Pendleton for opening ceremony shorts!!!

Big Box Orchid Score!

I live pretty close to a Lowe's an I go there maybe once a month to check out the clearance plants. Though the big box stores don't tend to have high quality orchid in terms of root systems sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes it's worth the 5$ if you get a month of flowers and the plant still dies. So I was doing my usual routine when I found this GREAT Oncidium (Onc. 'Howard's Dream') for $12! It has like 12 pseudobulbs on it, most of them 6 inches high, only slightly wrinkled. The roots looked dry but ok, not growing profusely though. Yay orchids :)

Orvieto lace - amazing antique laces

I've been looking into crochet lace - it seems I am determined to make myself go blind by crocheting and being fascinated by microscopic things. The ladies of the Orvieto school of lace in italy have perfected this amazing style characterized by TINY thread, stylized patterns and 3D 'bumps' that are ironed into the fabric with textured irons. Here's a wonderful example:

Beautiful example of the ironed 3D elements

I can't imagine how small the crochet hooks they used were O.O

Helmut lang crochet thingie

I saw this great helmut lang top and I am completely in love with the texture. I think the bobbles are beads but I wanted to reproduce the texture in crochet. Here's a half-organized attempt from today:

A day in the life of a medical student

I wrote this HILARIOUS story about a young lady who was in labor and didn't realize she was even pregnant. Oh california, how you confirm the stereotypes. Take a read of my rough draft. I hope to submit this to a publication but no idea where it should go. This story is 100% true.

here is an exerpt, please see link for full story:

A young woman was lying in bed with her boyfriend and an older woman, possibly the boyfriend’s mother. She was fair with a shock of maraschino red hair with brunette roots cut like Betty Paige. And really, really pregnant. Her torso was like an isosceles triangle (like your arithmetic teacher always told you - as wide as it is tall).  She looked vaguely but not exceedingly perplexed. As the hubbub of preparations began around her and the fetal heart monitor starting ticking at a happy 140, our attending doctor announced, “You’re pregnant.” This was met with very a minimal ripple of perceivable reaction. The soon-to-be-mom seemed to chew over the idea for a moment and said, “I’m pregnant?! So that's what that was … Is it a boy or a girl?”.

:)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lUXZOL-UPqQ6cQoHGQLCGDKBUf4khn_YxwKBBMpPX2E/edit

Photo shoot 1

I don't claim to know anything about photography but trying to get my husband to take pictures of me is a whole 'nother level of coordination. I have new earrings on my Etsy site and here are some of the great photos that didn't make it on and the process:

Does Hermes want to help?

Too blurry for the etsy site but cool nonetheless!