Time Machine

Notice, I did not claim time travel. Time travel is just silly. However, a time machine is much different.

And this is my time machine. Yes, to the uneducated eye, it may appear to be a battery operated lightning ball purchased by my son at the museum  on our last visit...

 And this could be mistaken for a USB key altered with Steampunk decorations by Steve.

It's a time machine. Because when you add the two together, it automatically adds an hour to your day. Thus providing more time to get everything done.

Ok, you got me. That really is a battery operated lightning ball. And that is just my USB key (although, I'm hoping we can make a few more of those to list on Etsy because it's just so cool!).

Perhaps it's the grey weather, or the approaching storm, or all my well laid plans gone to waste, or the mess that clutters my life, or the piles of laundry that I never seem to be able to eradicate, or the job interview yesterday that I don't feel very confident about, or the failings to fully choreograph a single song, or the immense debt, or any of the other thousands of stresses that seem to overwhelm every aspect of life. I'm feeling a bit down today. Normally I would take some time out to try to pick myself up again, but I just don't have much spare time at the moment. So, bear with me for the time being.

I did, however, manage to start (again) on the pashmina from hell. With the knots gone, I can space the loops how I want, meaning I may actually have enough beads to complete the project!

Using straight pins, I marked about every 5 centimeters (that's approximately 2 inches for you Americans). I can't actually admit that metric is easier because Steve would never let me live it down, but once you get used to it, it's actually quite convenient.

 So, now it's 1 black bead, 10 gold seed beads, 1 turquoise bead, 20 gold seed beads, and 1 black bead. Make a small stitch in the fabric to anchor the loop, go back through the black bead, and continue the pattern.

And here's where I ran out of gold seed beads.

This pashmina hates me. Steve says it's not the pashmina, but rather beads that hate me.

Very helpful.

 But then I remembered that I bought more gold seed beads just the other day!

Hallelujah!

 Once I finished the first row, I added "fringe" bits to the end. (Sorry, I don't know what else to call them). 20 gold seed beads, 1 black round bead, 20 gold seed beads, 1 round turquoise bead, 1 gold seed bead. After the last seed bead, thread the needle back through the turquoise bead all the way back to the fabric, take a stitch and a knot to secure.












Ok, I'm succumbing to the whine. This is why threading this blasted beading needle is so difficult. See the eye?

No?

 How about now?

It's too bloody small to use those little threader cheats! Not that I really like those anyway, but still!

Seriously need to get some bigger eyed beading needles.

 Anyway, moving on to row 2.

Thread your needle down one of the fringe ends, coming out at the black round bead. Thread 20 gold seed beads, then run your thread through the first turquoise bead in the first row. Now, add 20 gold seed beads, 1 round black bead, 20 gold seed beads, and thread through the next turquoise bead in the previous row.

Continue this pattern to the end of the row.

 Then do the same with the last row, substituting turquoise beads for the black ones.

 To finish the net, add fringe to the bottom. At each larger bead, add 10 gold seed beads, one round black bead, and one more gold seed bead. Take your needle back up through the black round bead and 10 seed beads. Then thread through the seed beads in the previous row until the next large bead.

It is a bit time consuming, and since it was 10pm last night when I did this part, this is as far as I've gotten. 10pm marks my bed time.

I'm tempted to change this from a craft blog to a blog about injuries sustained. My nail was peeled off unmercifully while letting the chickens out to free range for the day.

They'd better appreciate it!

And lay some eggs for me.