It's May and my work is being featured in the Blackberry Gift Shop at the Port Moody Arts Centre so each day I'm going to tell the story behind a piece on display.
Today it's the turn of the very simple lace wire cuffs as shown above.
A conversation with a buyer at a craft fair last year inspired my move into simpler pieces to wear. She was talking to me initially about some of my more ornate necklaces and suggested that I make some simpler pieces of jewelry to make up the set. Rather than go out decked like a christmas tree with wire and beads on every appendage, some women have the style savvy to carry off one statement piece with simpler dress, make up and accessories. I'd also bought a copy of the Reader's Digest Ultimate Sourcebook of Knitting and Crochet stitches, and was dying to translate some of the lace patterns into wire crochet.Using a very simple shell pattern and no beads I came up with a cuff which has texture and pattern but can be worn very casually or to balance the more ornate or statement piece. Usually I crochet in 26G wire, but changing to 28G instead produced a much softer fabric with drape. The cuffs became more delicate and spider webbish. Crocheted in 26G they possess body and presence.
As usual I mix it up, so the cuffs on display in the giftshop are a mix of wire gauges and metals. They are available in tinned copper, silver, gold, argentium sterling silver and black wires.
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