It's a new year. A fresh start. A new beginning. White beads symbolize this new start to a new year.
But is it folly to think that we can begin again with each new year?
Technical Details:
The foundation is Lacy's Stiff Stuff.
This piece includes 15/0s, 11/0s, 10/0s, 8/0s, and 6/0s, hexes, cubes and bugles. More than 25 different kinds of beads were used.
Stitches used are the backstitch, the stop stitch, couching, and some fringe.
The piece is 2.25 inches by 3 inches.
White Nymo thread in size D was used.
What I Was Thinking:
To what degree can we start fresh at the beginning of each year? Does This is the first day of the rest of my life make any sense at all?
If we could start anew each January 1, would we really want to?
If we decide we can't start fresh, are we admitting defeat?
Or can we pick and choose what we carry over from the previous year?
Is it folly to think that we have any choice in this at all?
I've thought about this issue before. You can see my January 2010 page here. I don't think I've changed my mind in the past two years.
Issues That Came Up:
I used the beading thread I picked up at the dumpster diving place for ten cents a bobbin. It's labeled Belding Corticelli and for all practical purposes, it's Nymo. My research showed that Belding Corticelli makes Nymo. My guess is that the production has improved since this particular thread was made. I found that lubricating the thread with Thread Heaven helped limit the fraying.
My 2012 BJP pieces are 2.25 inches by 3 inches. For the past two years, my pieces were 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. I wanted to make my 2012 pieced a little smaller so I would have more time to work on other beading projects. It doesn't sound like much of a difference, but the earlier pieces are 8.75 square inches and this year's pieces are 6.75 square inches. That's significant.
I started this piece by making the three quarter-circle corner sections. Then I made part of the frame, followed by the "branch of flowers." That's where I got stuck. I liked it, but I needed to fill in the background. This had happened before, and I did not enjoy trying to fill in the background. You can see that project here. So I ripped out the branch of flowers, completed the background, and put the branch of flowers back on.
It was really difficult to get a good picture of this white piece. It looks better in person. I'd show you, but it seems to be hiding at the present moment. It will reappear in it's own good time so it's probably not necessary to do any radical cleaning.
And with the spare time from the smaller piece I've made a very good start on the little white doll.
3 comments:
First day of the rest of your life?
No, not in this sense. You bring forth all of the beading/color skill you learned in the past and hopefully you will challenge yourself to attempt something new. If not, well it IS journaling and you are meditating on what you think as you bead. Its all good.
If we could start anew each January 1, would we really want to? No! I don't want to forget what I have achieved and start with no skill!
If we decide we can't start fresh, are we admitting defeat? NO. There is no defeat when you are participating.
Or can we pick and choose what we carry over from the previous year?
Only if you make a concentrated effort to include or exclude what you don't want to feature.
Is it folly to think that we have any choice in this at all? Well, you develope a style. I really think I could pick your work out if displayed with that of several others. In a sense, you might NOT have a choice.
I've thought about this issue before. You can see my January 2010 page here. I don't think I've changed my mind in the past two years.
Not folly at olly. (Sorry, couldn't help it!). New years are magical...they just bring out the new in each of us. Lovely piece!
Oh Marty, I'm ALWAYS soooooooooooo happy to see each new piece you make, and same same about reading your posts. Love the way you share your process and thoughts.
I'm glad you're finally going to get time to make a white doll for YOU. The one in the previous post is gorgeous!
I've never thought of "first day of the rest of my life" the way you looked at it in this post. I'm going to cogitate on it for a while.
You're right about vintage Nymo having a tendency to fray. However, it could also be the needle. That's the first thing to try when the thread seems to fray more than usual. It's from microscopic burrs in the needle eye from the manufacturing process.
I'm going smaller this year too... ATC size. Thanks for being with us and for posting!
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