Making bags.

Just a quick shot here of the work area I clear off my trashed computer desk when I’d rather not be down in the workshop away from the television. Ya know, when History or something has a programme about the P-51 Mustang or something equally awesome.

I’m working on a batch of bags for a customer, and here you can kind of see them in various stages of completion.

I guess I do my bags a bit differently than most. I like them a little more flat on the bottoms when they’re fully stuffed with dice or whatever. So I used a ton of expansions in the first few rows, Here it’s 16 on the queen ring, then 24, then 36 and a few rows of 36 before I contract back down to 30 ring sides. This has the effect of keeping the bottoms more or less squared off rather than hanging in an arch.

These in particular are 1.6mm stainless steel with about a 6.4mm ID

While I have a confessed hatred of expanding circles, bags like these are a very simple project for beginners. Especially fellow gamer geeks. If your dice start to outgrow your bag, you can always add more rows at the mouth, or get ambitious and scale the entire thing up by adding more expansion rows for the bottom. With a nice tight weave they’ll hold coins just as easily. I even made a large one to carry my pliers and a couple of pill bottles for rings for travel projects.

Have fun
--Charon

Technorati Tags: Stygian Chains,bags,gamer,dice,maille,chainmaille,work in progress,crafting,stainless steel,weaving,beginner tips,projects

Up to stuff.

Figured I’d toss up a quick snap of what I’ve been playing with lately. I think this is the third attempt to get rings in the right AR for this weave. Vipera Berus 4-1. Don’t ask, I didn’t name it. Looks pretty though.

I think I want to turn this into a full set. Also I’ve got a couple more colours I want to try for this one.

In other news. I’ve finished another whip. This one for a friend.

More accurate than my own Snakewhip. But I have to admit some of the plaiting isn’t as clean. It shows a gap or two down in the 10 and 8 strand areas of the thong. I managed a lead shotbag in this one, and a 16 plait overlay. The extra weight means it hits hard, my arms can tell you all about it.

I really need to work on getting nice round foundations for my heel knots. I’m not sure I like the gearshift look I’ve been using.

Much to learn, have I, mmm?

Have fun
--Charon

Technorati Tags: whip,bullwhip,Stygian Chains,Jewellery,maille,chainmaille,handmade

“Secret Project” not so secret anymore.

‘Cause, I’m done.

My first whip. A Nylon six-foot, twelve-plait, single belly, shot loaded SnakeWhip.

I dunno what else to say, this has been what I’ve been working on the last few days. I made a couple small mistakes, nothing I couldn’t recover from though. My main concern is the foundation for the Turk’s head knot being a little, less than solid, hence the odd knotwork immediately beneath it.

For those that are wondering, yes, it cracks. Loud enough to annoy the neighbourhood dogs. I’m not quite used to wielding it yet but it falls as accurately as I can throw. I managed to pick out a couple of large icicles and teach them not to hang around on my roof and be cold, little bastards.

I’ll practice the nylon whip making a bit more when I can afford to, and if I get a positive response maybe even start selling them.

If you have to be addicted to crack, make sure it’s the crack of a sonic boom.
--Charon

Technorati Tags: Stygian Chains,whip,nylon,secret Project,crack,new ideas.

New Team, new direction.

A couple weeks ago, some of my Etsy friends and I decided it was time to start our own team. Now that things have settled in somewhat. The craziness of the transition and the New Year settled down, and I feel like posting again. I’ll tell you what we’ve become. Creative Handmade Artisans. Not to say we weren’t any of those things before, but that’s what we named the team. So our Etsy team page is up, and we’ve made a home for ourselves on Ning. We’re also setting up a page here at Blogspot. Well, it’s up already, it just doesn’t do anything yet. Follow it though, I’ll be posting there on occassion, also Heather of Heather’s Haven, and Suz of Suzie’s Armoire and quite a few others will be running the place. So I can be confident in telling you there’s going to be a good show from every branch of the craft world. And of course, plenty of Maille.

Speaking of Maille, I’ve seen some horrible excuses for such lately. Everyone here’s been double checking their closures and not chewing through the anodized layer on your coloured rings right? Pliers with teeth suck unless you’re working on stainless.

Hey, Stainless, on the subject, don’t let anyone tell you it’s not suited for anything but armour.

Segue again, I’m off to re-take photos of older creations, it’s long past-due.

Have fun
--Charon