In My Studio - Chain Maille and Beads

Currently I am working on several things, however I have been talking about learning a new weave, the Full Persian.  Much like the Box or Inca Puno Weave, as well as the Byzantine weave, the jump rings are grouped together, flipped, turned, and closed to create units, each unit forms a link, the links then form a chain.

The Full Persian begins with a Box weave, and additional jump rings are added to the unit to create a link that that consists of six rings, instead of four.  In the photos below a red bead marks where I have stopped the chain pattern.  I like the addition of the bead so much that I slightly opened already added jump rings to let me know where the other beads must go to complete the pattern.

Jump rings and pliers are all that is required to create and produce this very pretty and complicated-look chain.

 

I have also been tucked away at the Bench working on Brochure Projects for Jo-Ann Fabrics.  I now remember why I don't bead.  If you have the knack and the talent CONGRATULATIONS! Tiny uncooperative things make my head hurt, needles prick my finger and the thread gets tangled up, but I suppose it's not art if you're not bleeding.  Diagrams and poorly written or confusing instructions don't help either.  Just a personal observation on my crafting abilities.

Don't laugh, it took me three days to figure out this pattern.  As an example of what I may be teaching and what kind of Advanced Jewelry Making Classes you can sign up for and learn by doing.  From Jo-Ann's "Link -n- Bling" project.  6/0 Amethyst Czech Glass Seed Beads are woven flat in a Figure 8 or infinity symbol weave, rows are counted and the beads are then laced up along the length of the vertical edge and sewn together to form a Circular tube.  Since no one has signed up for this particular class, I do not have to finish the project.

With the Treasure Valley Market next week and then again in July, I suddenly find myself very busy, perhaps even over extended to the point of burnout.  This is not good.  What does one do when burnout begins?  One takes a  break, a respite, a walk in the woods, and then reorganizes and prioritizes and gets it done!  That being said, many of the irons I have in the fire are either just sitting due to lack of attention, or so red hot that they take up the majority of my time, leaving everything else behind to be caught up with later.  I will be paring down some of the things to better manage my time and the business.

Although I just opened and listed things on Cafe Press they want the shop owners to put a lot work into promoting the site instead of their shop, and  I have gotten ZERO response, so I will be closing that down.  The Official Website will be downgraded to little more than information and the shopping pages will be removed as customers seem to click through from the site to purchase items on Etsy instead of the direct "Buy" button.  

I have also started to attend classes to upgrade my skills.  A combination of Hands-On Training and Internet Reading Material and Examinations, I must carve out enough time to complete the course work, that means limiting or eliminating some of the other things that aren't working or producing results in favor of study and class project time.

Thank you for stopping in and having a look.  We would like to wish you a pleasant rest of the week.