Next project for my portable polishing kit (well, when I can put down the ever so portable knitting that is - it's socks now as I've finished my quota of scarves) is the ring on the left.
It's a kind of swiss cheese of a ring in copper. The holes need some filing with my needle files and then the whole thing needs a few rough edges removing so it will fit onto a finger without lacerating the flesh.
And finally a trip to the tumbler for a date with some stainless steel shot, just the like the ring on the right (isn't it shiny?).
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
almost there and perseverance
Sunday, October 19, 2008
portable crafting knit style
I think I must have some kind of attention-deficit problem as I can't just keep one knit/crochet project on the go at one time. My problem was therefore that my various knittings were getting left all over the place or worse, that my scissors (and I have an extremely cute small pair just for yarn snipping) and tape measure were always with another project. It took an age to get out of the house with a suitable crafty occupation to pack in my bag.
Problem solved with a visit to IKEA for some gorgeous nesting baskets. I now have a little more order in my studio AND my knit/crochet has a home to live in while I'm busy on othr things (gasp! like housework boo).
My portable-ness is instantly solved by keeping the tape, scissors and stitch markers in my adorable meringue wristlet so I truly can grab and go.
PS: I find that keeping a notebook and pen in the fibre basket means that I'm more likely to note down yarn/needle size/pattern details rather than relying on memory.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
burning the (almost) midnight oil
catching a few moments to paint on some more ACS (art clay silver) slip onto a batch of leaves collected yesterday.
eventually they'll look like this 
not quite portable crafting, more like crafting to stay sane in, around and in spite of the family!
Monday, October 13, 2008
gigantic guinea pigs
Congratulations to the more astute among you - this is not a picture of Portable Crafting (unless the capybara are doing something artistic with their toes).
.... but this is the view I had yesterday when I took my knitting out and about for a family expedition around the zoo (also saw lions and tigers and bears but these guys were my favourites).
Just see what you can do when you get out and about to craft!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
nothing new here ......
.... but something useful here, thanks to a very worthwhile blog post.If you are using Twitter to announce your current status to the world at large then this little tool, TwitterFeed, will be a great addition. Let Sixth and Elm walk you thru adding your Etsy shops and blogs to the automatic update schedule and make promotion just a little bit easier!
"skookumchuk" - miniature flotsam art brooch in wire, glass, freshwater pearls and fibre
available here
available here
Monday, October 6, 2008
wavy shell crochet neckwarmer
The ultimate in portable fibre projects - crochet.
Only one hook to carry, only one stitch to pick up and if you're fast enough, a neck warmer to wear while out and about!
This is a really simple shell crochet pattern, comprising (and I'm speaking UK crochet stitchology here) trebles and doubles in an easy to comprehend pattern.
This scarf is crocheted in bamboo and silk.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
ready to assemble
Well ......... the soldering certainly isn't portable but the next stages in the assembly of this ring most definitely have potential for completion on the run (unless you are averse to having grubby fingers).
The soldered bezel needs some more filing to shape it for a close fit onto the ring for the last soldering step. I have some cute and portable needle files for this job.
.... and the body of the ring could do with a preliminary tidy up by rasping the sharp edges.
Both jobs can be accomplished anywhere as long as I grab my portable polishing kit 
before heading out (click on the photograph to see the labels).
Sanity is restored while on the move!
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