Happy Thanksgiving and Seasons Greetings!

'Tis the season! I've made my last material order for the holidays, so if you would like to purchase something, check out my Etsy store. I am currently in the process of building my inventory there so if you see something you like, by all means scoop it up before someone else does. If you are looking for something custom, talk to me. I may have the supplies for it!

I am shipping a handful of completed orders, sales, and Lori bracelets (long overdue, sorry for the wait) tomorrow, so check your mail next week for padded envelopes if you are expecting something.

Everyone have a great holiday and eat until you're more stuffed than the turkey. Gobble gobble gobble!

Bracelets and Commissions

Wow. PAX was nonstop this year. I am fully recovered and gearing up for Boston now! Hotel is secure and I am looking into flights. The kid in me feels exactly the way Wil looks in this picture. (Courtesy DarkPhibre's Flickr page, one of the most awesome media badges I had the pleasure of working with this year.) Now that I'm once again between PAXes I am back to working on maille.

To all of you who have ordered bracelets from me and not received them, I am terribly sorry! More materials are on the way and I will get them to you soon. Especially if you ordered them from me when they were first offered, please PLEASE comment, email me, anything and let me know you are still waiting for them. On top of running out of materials, my spreadsheet file became corrupt somehow and I lost my current list. ARGH. Frustrating.

I am taking orders NOW for Christmas, PAX East, and other upcoming occasions. If you would like something by Christmas, please order it by November 10th. If you would like a lanyard for PAX East, please order by February 1st! The sooner the better for anything and everything, so please let me know!

++Commission List++
**Tetujin: dice bag ($50)**
Fehlauer: blue/orange lanyard ($40)
**Heels: black lanyard ($40)**
Brewer's Mom: black lanyard ($40)
S7arbuck: black/red ($40)
Thermos: Bronze Persian Dragonscale watch chain ($100)
T. Lowe: Stretch bracelet pink/black ($30)
Spoony: Pirate bands - green/Sblack - blue/Sblack - ($20), Lori Bracelet ($7)
**Julie Bateman: kid's glow bracelet - violet/SGblue ($10)**
**Joy Adiletta: bronzeAA/purple lanyard ($40)**
ChibiTzar: pink/silverAA byz lanyard 18g 3/16" ($50)
  **--black/purple standard lanyard ($40)**
Requies: 2 Niobium HP3-in-1 9" 18g 1/4" Bracelets ($50)
BonnieB: violet/black lanyard ($40)
Alatheia: purple/green lanyard ($40)
Ezekiel: 2 blueAA/black pirate bands ($20)


------

++General Price List for Popular Items++ (This will be expanded as I think of stuff)
Custom Pirate Band: $10
---Special Edition Lori Colors: $7 (all profits go to Lori's medical fund!)
d6 Cage earrings: $15
Standard One- or Two-color lanyard: $40
Scale Necktie: $200

Twotone's Guitar Strap

I know I mentioned this a while ago, and Twotone was kind enough to email me some pics of the guitar strap I made. The maille is 4-in-1 bright and anodized aluminum, with "TWOTONE" inlaid in turquoise. The ends are made with two layers of black leather, stitched together with maille rings and attached to the strap with grommets.

I am going to start work on a 'steampunk' strap after PAX. What do you all think? Brass? Bronze? A mix of metals?

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

PAX Badges are being mailed out and attendees nationwide are finding these golden (red) tickets in their boxes. This is crunch time. Down to the wire. I have 8 lanyards left to make and ten days until I help stuff the swag bags. I CAN DO THIS.

Thanks go out to Rogue for this dashingly handsome mugshot! Looking good, sir.



If you have a picture of yourself with your badge and lanyard, post it! I'd love to see.

And Believe Me I Am Still Alive

I'm making a note here.

Not a huge success yet, but definitely a LOT of progress. Getting down to the wire here, I am going to ship out a lot of lanyards and bracelets next week. My main focus lately has been to just get them DONE, so even if I don't ship them they can be hand-delivered at PAX.

Below is the commission list thus far. Please note I am giving priority to those who've already paid. (It's only fair, after all). I prepped all the rings for Lori's bracelets, and I am making those between lanyard orders. Thank you all for your patience and MASSIVE support!

So. Check out the commission list. If you see an error, please let me know. If you'd like to pay for yours, please Paypal the appropriate amount to thejwalker@hotmail.com or give me some cash the next time you see me!

++Lanyard Commissions++ (Paid = Italics, completed = Bold, shipped/delivered = **)

Oroso -- blue/black/silver ($45)
SpoonyBard -- blue/silver
Jaxx -- blue/black (blue on the outside)
Snapty -- Green/Silver
Twinkie -- red/orange
DVD_Sandwich -- solid black
Porkfry -- Black/Yellow
Ailadinya -- pink/purple
Snifit -- Red/Black
Dyaballikl -- solid blue
Dearest -- niobium/copper 18g 1/4" ($70)
DaNerd -- Purple/Red
EntOnFire -- solid black

Piers -- Flame! ($50)
nightrunner -- solid bronze ($50), fancy watch chain **
Snickers -- Green/Gold **
MoeFwacky -- yellow/blue (blue on outside)
Miles -- Solid Brass
Theia -- green/black
Brewer -- solid pink
Pip -- Copper/Nickel Silver ($50)
DIMD -- Red/Black **
Dostrow -- Solid Bronze ($50)
ACC3SS -- solid black
redhalo -- solid red **
Nakki -- Pink/Silver **
LordMoon -- red/black/silver ($45) (Similar to black/purple/silver in pic)
AaronC -- Black/SilverAA
Cheebus -- Blue/Black
CWKnight -- red/green **
Dilligas -- blue/turquoise
Beker -- Blue/BronzeAA
DuctTape -- silver/turq
Morte -- Silver/Blue
StankerBell -- copper/green helm chain lanyard ($45)



++To Be Delivered at PAX++
DaedalusLeto -- red/black
BloodElf -- green/purple
MSpencer -- flattened steel ($45)
Kala -- Turquoise/Orange
Grimsby -- black/green
KarlThePagan -- blue/orange (broad horiz. stripes w/ orange dominant)
Predd -- red/blue
NinjaSockMonkey -- black/turquoise (short horiz. stripes)

++Other Commissions++
Slimburrok -- rainbow scale tie (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black)
Gary Fultz -- Camelot bracelet
Minja -- 2 bracelets, green/silver 18g 3/16" **
Ningauble -- Two black queensmaille stretch cuffs ($60)**

++Post-PAX Commissions++
Tetujin -- Basic dice bag ($50)
AaronC -- Sterling scale necklace (~$90)

Slowly, my empire grows

Empire? I mean uh... Okay, how can I not be excited about this?

Photo courtesy Quicksnap, who also made this possible (Click the photo for full view):


That guy on the right is Nobuo Uematsu. What's that bit of sparkle on his wrist? Oh, maybe it's a brass half-persian bracelet like the ones I sell on Etsy. OMFG.

I grew up listening to this guy's music. HOW AWESOME?! Quick, you're getting a replacement next time I see you. Thanks for passing that on and sharing the photo!

Many Thanks and New Things

Amazing. Absolutely amazing. In less than three days, over 100 bracelets were requested and $500+ were raised. You guys are absolutely amazing. Please know that I will be taking orders for these bracelets as long as Lori has medical bills to pay on her leg so PLEASE. Keep spreading the word!

I've had some interesting commissions lately while waiting for lanyard and bracelet materials to ship. One of the funnest I had the pleasure to work on was a solid brass watch chain for my friend Mojo. It is Persian Dragonscale. It moves and feels like stiff rope and compliments the old look of the watch pretty well.


Click for a larger image.

Just yesterday I received another commission for a sterling chain, which I think will be done in Half-Persian 4-in-1, same as the lanyards but much finer. It will be oh-so-pretty when it's done!

I have a few new items in my Etsy Store, one of which is being showcased today under "Geekery." These are the Caged Dice earrings. Practical and fun, I think I'm going to make these my 'signature' piece. I just loooove the look of them and the fact that the dice are still usable.



The other pair of earrings, which went up on Etsy today, are my Faerie Drops in mixed metals. This is another design I tend to favor. Fun to wear AND make!



Click on the images to go to their Etsy pages.

A note on commissions: Unless it is something small, simple, or something I already have made, I will not be taking any more commissions until after Labor Day. My plate is piled very, very high and it will take me until then to eat through all of it. Thank you all for your interest in my work, and in helping Lori. Those bracelets are not considered commissions; they will always be offered to anyone that wants to donate and help. Cheers all!

Supporting Lori

A good friend of mine is in need of support right now. Emotionally, financially, and physically. She is losing her right leg to an auto-immune disorder known as APS and (probably) Lupus. Lori is showing amazing strength, optimism and energy through everything. Her attitude amazes me every time the subject comes up!

I, along with other friends, am raising money to help fight her climbing medical bills and pay for a new prosthetic leg. The fact that she is worrying more about finances right now than LOSING HER LEG is just plain wrong. I don't have much money of my own to offer up, but I do have time and a profitable hobby. I am putting my own spin on the LiveStrong bracelet concept and offering these special edition Pirate Bands.



Lori chose the colors - very appropriate chocolatey brown (she is an amazing baker) and black - which go with any outfit and fit on any wrist. They will be selling for $7, where $2 pay for the materials (so I can order more!) and the other $5 go to an account set up for paying her bills. If you are feeling extra generous, please donate more! It all goes to Lori.

If you are interested, please leave a comment here or email me (jules@knittedsteel.net) with quantity and shipping address (if necessary). Paypal money to thejwalker@hotmail.com. For shipping, please add another $1 (or 2 for international).

Initial bracelet orders may take a while, the supplies are on their way!

Please spread the word, repost, tweet, tell your friends and show off your bracelets. Good prosthetics don't come cheap and Lori is worth every penny and more!

Last chance! I'm serious this time!

You have until Midnight (pacific time) to order your badge lanyard if you want it for PAX! Email me at Jules@knittedsteel.net with your request, or contact me through one of the other usual methods (IRC, PAX/Enforcer Forums, etc).

If you do not order today, your order will not be included in my next supply batch and there is zero guarantee of you getting it before the convention.

If you are participating in the PAX Buttoneering, I will also be creating a bonus button for those of you who have ordered a lanyard from me! Pics of those to come soon (as soon as I design them, along with my normal buttons).

Can you believe it? Only 2 months until PAX. This last year has flown by.

Success! First Etsy Sale

And we're off! I feel so good right now. If only the guy interested in the necktie would get back to me now, I would feel AMAZINGLY good. The first item to go was my kingsmaille bracelet.

I need to work on taking pics of more work, including my tiny dice cage earrings. I think I am going to make those my signature piece (note the avatar, hehe) and try as many colors as I can get my hands on.

Cheers! I'm going to celebrate tonight!

PAX Lanyards - Last Chance to Order

June 30th is quickly approaching! If you want a lanyard to wear at PAX, you must order by June 30. For anything ordered after that, I will not guarantee you will get it in time for the convention. PLEASE get it to me in time! Below is the list as it stands now. Some remnants of Batch 2 have been pushed into Batch 3 due to supply shortage on some colors. My next supply order will be on July 1.

If you are new to this whole lanyard thing, here's the scoop.
These lanyards are durable, quality chainmaille that I will customize to your whim. The standard lanyard is $40 for one or two colors in Aluminum. Additional colors are +$5 each. Different metals are also available and slightly more expensive - $5-$20 more - and include stainless steel, brass, bronze, copper, nickel silver, and titanium. Other metals including Sterling, Niobium, and Gold are also available for a much higher price.

Examples of a standard lanyard = solid blue; black/purple; red/yellow
Examples of a nonstandard lanyard = solid brass; green/copper; black/10% sterling.

You can get in touch with me several ways -- leave a comment on this thread, email me at jules@knittedsteel.net, PM me on the PAX or Enforcer forums, PM me on IRC or shout at me on Twitter @KnittedSteel. Send me a text if you have my phone number. I'll add your order to the list and get it done ASAP. Cheers!


Update: TOTALLY FORGOT to add the list of aluminum colors. Here is an illustrated guide, courtesy TheRingLord.com. Note -- silver (bright aluminum) is also available and acts as 'white.' Click the image to see a larger version.


---

Orders that have been completed, paid and shipped have been removed from the list. If you wish to pay and receive your lanyard at PAX, let me know when you order it and I will hold onto it for you until then. If you see an error in the list, please let me know!

++Lanyard Commissions++ (Paid = Italics, completed = Bold, shipped/delivered = **)

Twinkie -- red/orange
DVD_Sandwich -- solid black
MoeFwacky -- yellow/blue (blue on outside)
Ailadinya -- pink/purple
Jaxx -- blue/black (blue on the outside)
Porkfry -- Black/Yellow
EntOnFire -- solid black
Morte -- Silver/Blue
Snapty -- Green/Silver
DaNerd -- Purple/Red

Snifit -- Red/Black
Dyaballikl -- solid blue
Dearest -- niobium/copper 18g 1/4" ($70)

nightrunner -- solid bronze ($50), fancy watch chain **
Snickers -- Green/Gold **
Miles -- Solid Brass
Theia -- green/black
Brewer -- solid pink
Pip -- Copper/Nickel Silver ($50)
DIMD -- Red/Black **
Dostrow -- Solid Bronze ($50)
ACC3SS -- solid black
redhalo -- solid red
Nakki -- Pink/Silver
LordMoon -- red/black/silver ($45) (Similar to black/purple/silver in pic)
AaronC -- Black/SilverAA
Cheebus -- Blue/Black
CWKnight -- red/green **
Dilligas -- blue/turquoise
Beker -- Blue/BronzeAA

DuctTape -- silver/turq
StankerBell -- copper/green helm chain lanyard ($45)

++To Be Delivered at PAX++
Grimsby -- black/green
KarlThePagan -- blue/orange (broad horiz. stripes w/ orange dominant)
DaedalusLeto -- red/black
BloodElf -- green/purple
MSpencer -- flattened steel ($45)
Predd -- red/blue
Kala -- Turquoise/Orange
NinjaSockMonkey -- black/turquoise (short horiz. stripes)

++Other Commissions++
Slimburrok -- rainbow scale tie (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black)
Ningauble -- Two black queensmaille stretch cuffs ($60)
Gary Fultz -- Camelot bracelet
Minja -- 2 bracelets, green/silver 18g 3/16" **

++Post-PAX Commissions++
Tetujin -- Basic dice bag ($50)
AaronC -- Sterling scale necklace (~$90)

Etsy!

First off, if you took one of my business cards at the flea market and this is your first visit here, Welcome! I hope you like my humble ebode.

If you haven't been here in the last couple of days to see the itty bitty announcement in the left column, my Etsy store is officially open! I have a few things up for sale there already. More will come in the next couple of weeks, but I think I started it pretty well. [Edit: Just added EtsyMini to my side bar. Announcement is no longer itty bitty!]

I will still be taking custom commissions through my blog and Twitter, and I am still taking orders for badge lanyards (until June 30th; time's running out before PAX!!). Etsy is a supplement to my custom work, and to sell off some of the jewelry that did not sell at the flea market.

My current pride and joy at Etsy is the necktie. Click on the image below to go to the listing if you are interested!


Of course, I'd love any and all feedback that you have to offer, particularly if it has to do with photographing on a budget! My next online step is to create an official homepage for KnittedSteel.net that will have options to direct you a la cleverly designed buttons linked to Blogger, Etsy, Flickr and Twitter as well as filling my Etsy store with more goodies.

I am considering the showcase option for the necktie. $15 would get it showcased for a day in the Father's Day section, but I am not so sure I want to spend that just yet. Still, it would be a great way to get some quick page hits. I will wait a few more days until I have the store more stocked. Yeaaahhh.

Seriously, go check it out. I am pretty proud of what I have so far! Cheers all.

Punk Rock Flea Market

What a weekend! My first show going solo at my table went pretty darn well. By far the most popular thing was the custom bracelet tray. ($10 to pick your own 2 colors and have me make it on the spot) - The bracelets are simple HP 3-in-1 stretch bands (Pirate bands) so people could pick a rubber color and an AA color, and in 10 minutes have a custom bracelet. They were also the least expensive item on my table. Had a few guys interested in the red and black necktie (pics coming soon) and one woman very nearly bought one of my sterling necklaces. I have plenty to start my Etsy store with, for sure, and I hope to do that today or tomorrow.

I learned a ton from this, especially with what people are interested in and what gets passed over completely. I need more stock for my next show, too. I have plans for a lot of simpler, less expensive items and showcasing my nicer, pricier things.

The tie was genius. I wrote "PET ME!" on a price tag and had it sitting at the very front of the table. It attracted so many people to my booth, I doubt I would have had half the customers had I not blatantly encouraged people to touch the wares.

Ryan was an excellent booth babe. He was great at pumping up the custom pirate band sales, attracting people to the bikini top, and wearing some of my stuff to show it off more. And because I'm a complete klutz and forgot the majority of my business cards, he drove back to his place to get them for me when I ran out of the tiny supply in my purse. <3 that guy.

Stay tuned for my Etsy shop! It will be 'open' today or tomorrow!

Finally! New Stuff

The days are flying by, and I am trying my best to keep up with them and be productive. The flea market is approaching WAY too fast. Here are some of the things I will be featuring at my table! As always, click on the images for bigger views.

Cameo on a long byzantine chain:

Interesting how this one came into being - Skeeter (my turbo Beetle) was acting sluggish so I took him to Les Schwab for a new battery. There was a moderate wait before the diagnosis and another 30 minutes to install the new battery, and I had luckily come prepared to make good use of my time. I randomly grabbed a bag of bright aluminum, some Anodized aluminum of the same size (18g 3/16") and my mixed bag of craft store findings. 60 minutes of chatting with flat tire victims later and this beauty emerged from my pliers.

This is actually just the clasp for something I made on Saturday.

I was at my fried Lori's house (the lovely lady from clevercakestudio.com) and her housemates were cleaning out the garage. One of them comes in, hands me an old chain with a broken goth cross on it and says to make something out of it. I took the cross off, added some green enameled copper and various leaf findings, then took the golden opportunity to use this clasp I found after getting Skeeter fixed. Voila, steel vine. The clasp is actually part of the decoration. It sits off-center on the front of the chain. Pics of the whole necklace to come - the sun came out as I shot it today and all the detail was blown out from overexposure. D'oh!

If you follow my Flickr account then you might have already seen the crapcam shot I took of this one.

I have more scales in pink, blue, red and black. I think I will make more of these chokers in various colors!

More Faerie drops! These ones are in mixed metals, completely randomized.

Why so random? I tipped over my maille box! I now have a large jumble of nickel silver, stainless steel, brass, bronze and copper. Might as well make the best of it, right? I think I will make a necklace to match.

These are a jumble of jangly things, including swarovski crystals, craft store findings and brass chain.

These were my first real shot at fastening beads/crystals on head pins. It took a few tries, but I finally got it down. I have already made these earrings with a few different crystal colors including topaz and peridot, but the purple are my favorite. (Can you tell I have an affinity for the color?) They are a LOT of fun to wear.

What's a street fair booth without some sterling? Here are some shaggy loops with deep red crystal drops.


These will all be at my booth. If you are interested in something, let me know and I can set it aside for you. It can't hurt to have something on display with a 'SOLD' sign on it, right? I will be taking limited custom commissions as well, so I can make more if folks like them.

Cheers all!

A Few Things To Celebrate

Last weekend was a fun, busy one. I was up early on Friday to head over the mountains to the magical, beige land of eastern Washington to visit friends and family. While the friend front was a little disappointing (the majority of my college friends have graduated and escaped campus, congrats all!) I did get to have a great lunch with a former roommate/fellow jeweler and catch up with her, and I stopped by my old campus job to say hi to everyone there.

The rest of the weekend was wonderfully spent celebrating mother's day, my nephew's second birthday (5 minutes after the candles were blown out, he said 'no.' let the terrible 2's begin!) and my sister-in-law's baby shower. And somehow, I managed to throw a little maille in the mix. I can't wait to have a niece. Once she's old enough I can start making her some kid jewelry!

My nephew and soon-to-be niece both got adorable paintings I commissioned from a great lady at UW. My older nephew, Sam (he's six and has the energy of 12 cups of coffee) was doing his best not to take control of his little brother's birthday party. It's been forever since I saw him last, so I took a little gift for him as well.



What 6-year-old doesn't love glow in the dark things? When I got back from the baby shower he told me that the bracelet glows in the bathroom AND the closet. Awesome!

I was extremely belated in giving my sister-in-law her birthday gift, so I decided to make something a little more special. E4-in-1 bias in sterling with a small toggle clasp. Oh how I love my toggles. She really enjoyed the bracelet and ended up wearing it all day! Happy belated birthday!



Now, as the proud auntie I have to share this photo of the birthday boy with his favorite birthday gift. Such a cutie!

What do you think?

I whipped these up last night. Might make more for the Flea Market. Brass and bronze chain with brass and Silvery-Gold anodized aluminum scales. I'd love to do the necklace in sterling too... Thoughts?

Commissions - Order Now for PAX!

Now that I have Batch 2 supplies, it's time to update the commission list!

++Commissions++ (Paid = Italics, completed = Bold)

BATCH TWO
redhalo -- solid red
nightrunner -- fancy watch chain
Gary Fultz -- Camelot bracelet
Jaxx -- blue/black (blue on the outside)
Mojo -- fancy watch chain
Kala -- Turquoise/Orange
nightrunner -- solid bronze ($50)
Predd -- red/blue
Snifit -- Red/Black
MSpencer -- flattened steel ($45)
Minja -- 2 bracelets, green/silver 18g 3/16"
Tajah -- red/gold
Rogue_Hunter -- black/violet
Chelseabot -- blue/purple lanyard + black/blue glow choker ($85)

BATCH THREE
EntOnFire -- Silver/Blue
Morte -- Silver/Blue
Snapty -- Green/Silver
Snickers -- Green/Gold
DaNerd -- Purple/Red
Contre -- Blue/Yellow
Captain Tapole -- Green/Blue and Blue/Black ($80)
Wormdundee -- Red/Bronze (AA)
Spoony -- Euro/Persian stretch bracelet, black EPDM/BlackAA(inside)/BA(outside) ($25)
DIMD -- Red/Black
ACC3SS -- solid black
StankerBell -- copper/green helm chain lanyard ($45)

++++

Please note, Batch 3 will likely be the last batch of lanyard orders before PAX.
If you want a lanyard for PAX, order it before July 1st. That will be my final cutoff date, and the day I order materials for Batch 3. If you are curious about options or more info, refer back to my first lanyard post. If that doesn't answer your questions, email me at jules@knittedsteel.net or send me a DM on twitter: @KnittedSteel.

++++

Right now I have two priorities on my plate: Finishing Batch 2 commissions, and building inventory for the Flea Market (I have one month HOLY CRAP). If you are in Batch 2 and need your commission post-haste, let me know.

In regards to the Flea Market, I'm still looking for inventory input! Let me know what you would be interested in seeing, please!

Some Earrings and a Request for Opinions

I think I posted these before, but it was likely before I set myself up with the mini photog studio. I wore them yesterday and got quite a few comments/compliments so I plan to make many more in various metals and combinations for upcoming shows and for my NEW ETSY ACCOUNT YAAAAAY. --Nothing posted yet, I will post when sales there go live.--

If you would like a pair, they are selling for $15 apiece. Sterling/gold will be more, but we can talk about that if you are interested.


Now, I need your opinions. Since I am planning future endeavors (Punk Rock Flea Market, Steam-Con, and beyond!) I need to know what people like. What YOU like. If you have a few free minutes, browse my past blog entries and my Flickr Account and let me know what stands out to you. What would you want to see at a public show? On Etsy? At conventions? What would YOU wear? Thanks in advance; I appreciate any and all feedback. You are my market, tell me what you want!

New Minicards!

My new cards came today! With any luck I will get my maille shipment on Friday morning and I'll be able to start on some new goodies.



Potential upcoming deal: June 6th is the Punk Rock Flea Market. I might be sharing a table with Lori from the Clever Cake Studio/Sugar Revolution. Not yet definite, but extremely hopeful! I will give more details as they pop up.

Cheers!

Ramblings of Present and Future

I have a nice big shipment of maille supplies UPSing its way to my house right now, and a fresh batch of minicards coming from MOO with updated photos of my work. Oh, how I love getting maille in the mail! Until those come, I am on hiatus for lanyards and steampunkish goods. In the meantime I picked up some new findings at the craft store (beading supplies, charms, another cameo, etc). and started working on an older just-for-fun project.

No pics yet, as it is not wearable, but I will be sure to brag as soon as there is something more solid. Here's a hint - bikini. ... Not much of a hint, but in this case I think saying it straight out is just as good as keeping it secret!

I am also teaching myself to sew. Santa left a really nice Singer sewing machine under the tree at my parents' house last December, and after Snowpocalypse ended I was able to have a belated celebration with them. Nothing too special yet - I found a great tutorial on resizing tee shirts and put it to good use. Actually, I am wearing the shirt right now. All Hail Ball!

There may be some collaboration with a friend in the near future. He works with leather, making everything from decorative masks to fantastic boots and wants to add some metal. The prospect has me really curious and excited! I might give him a few of my own unfinished pieces and see what he can create.

I can not wait to get this next batch of supplies. Not only did I get the usual AA, copper, brass and bronze, but I also got some fun bits to experiment with - swarovski crystals in various colors and Enameled Copper!

Fixed a couple of things on Twitter, and I will continue to tweak it. Also tweaked another account: @catchwmw. My full time job title is Graphic Designer, and sometimes it gets me these fun little side projects (background) on top of the bigger ones (logo). I love my job. I love mailling. Why can't the new batch of supplies get here sooner?!


Photo - theringlord.com

Be sure to check my Twitter account for items I'm selling!

Twitter

I just started a Twitter account for KnittedSteel. As you probably guessed, the name for it is... @KnittedSteel. It'll be purely dedicated to blog updates (for those without RSS, Atom, etc.) posted by TwitterFeed and items that I am putting up for sale. You can also use this account to direct message me for commissions, questions and comments. I'm going to do my best to keep regular chit chat to my personal Twitter.

Cheers all!

The Goggles, They Do Nothing

Well, they do some. They're welding goggles. I got them to experiment with and find the best way to make a comfortable strap. Here's one solution I'm happy with: EPDM Rubber with maille (in this case, flattened steel. I've also used brass) in an E6-in-1 pattern. And it's removable! Not sure yet what to charge for this, but I'd like to be able to do custom orders for a fairly consistent price - with slight differences for materials.

Click on the pic for a close-up of where the strap attaches to the goggles.

More from Yesterday

Camera is back up and running. Silly battery! Today I bring you a pair of earrings and a bracelet. If you weren't already aware, clicking on the images allows you to view them in a larger size for better detail.



These are fun. Hanging from a french hook is a tiny chain of a weave called Rhinos Snorting Drano, or RSD. I didn't name the weave, and I don't have a clue about the inspiration for such a name, but I do love how the weave looks! I found the smoky 'crystal' beads at the craft store and thought they'd be great for a bit of dangle. The RSD is done in stainless and brass.

For Sale: $15



This bracelet is very similar to one I posted recently. It is Alligator Back weave in copper and stainless with a wide toggle clasp. It has a certain heft to it that makes it look especially good on a guy's wrist.

For Sale: $40

I tried something different with the bracelet photo. I bought a white swatch of cloth a long time ago and finally decided to try it in the background. Its effects on the lighting are extremely different than the red spirals, so I am going to work on tweaking my setup some more. That photo, and others I took with the white backdrop, came out much warmer than with the red backdrop. Iiiiinteresting.

If you are interested in purchasing either item, comment here or email me and we can set up payment & delivery. Cheers!

Creative Streak

EDIT: This choker is SOLD!

While I wait for the next batch of lanyard supplies to arrive, I am experimenting more with non-commissioned work. Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, etc. Unfortunately, as I was taking pictures this morning my camera battery went mysteriously from fully charged to fully empty. D'oh! I snapped a few shots of this necklace before the battery gave out; I hope to capture the rest tonight or tomorrow.



European 4-in-1 in jeweler's brass and stainless steel. The clasp in the back is a brass-colored toggle, black beads throughout the choker, and the leaf pendant is glass. I found that leaf in a craft store ages ago, and it has been sitting in wait for the perfect design until a few days ago. I wanted something to match its size but still feel delicate, hence the small-gauge 4-in-1. It fits very close to the neck to mimic Victorian lace.

As I said, this piece was not a commission. It needs a good home! The price is $80. If you're interested, email me at jules at knittedsteel dot net and we can discuss the transfer of shiny rocks.

If I don't sell it before mid-May, the choker will be making an appearance at the upcoming Abney Park concert at Heaven Nightclub.

~P.S. I took a lint roller to the model bust. These things collect dust fast!

Inlay in the works

With all this talk of Steampunk and excitement of Steam-Con coming up in the fall, I've been getting a lot of ideas. One of them is another guitar strap, inspired by Abney Park's awesome crew and their beautiful instruments. I've had a few patterns come to mind so I whipped up the most basic one on some graph paper from Mailleworks (Side note - this is one of the most invaluable tools I have come across in the past few years. I used it for TwoTone's guitar strap and the Penny Arcade shirts). It is based on argyle, with the colors being created with different metals instead of anodized aluminum. The paint job is rough; it's just a concept after all.



Yellowish brown = nickel silver; brown = bronze; and grey = stainless steel. All three are, of course, exchangeable for different metals, which I might decide to do before I order materials. Still, I'd love to do another guitar strap and I'm in the mood for argyle!

Pic-Heavy Update!

I mailed in my SteamCon vendor application, and now all I can do is wait, and show off as much as I possibly can. This post focuses on the jewelry I submitted for the steampunk fashion show my friend Barret organized. I mainly used nickel silver, copper, brass, stainless steel, and some brass.

One note: I have noticed that a LOT of steampunk fashion revolves around clockwork, gears, widgets, gizmos, and old machine parts. I am avoiding that, for the most part. My goal is to bring more maille into steampunk, and for a simple reason. It is an old technology, an old fashion, brought into the here-and-now. It can be functional (need a strap for your goggles that won't break?) or fashionable. It is completely hand made, oozes creativity, and can be worn/used by any class of person. If maille isn't steampunk, then I have completely misunderstood this scene.

First up is this lovely. Stainless Steel necklace with findings from a local craft store. Sold to the lovely lady Sugar.


Next are a few earring samples. On the left is a stepping-stone pattern, on the right a byzantine drop holding some findings.


I know I just previously stated that I would be avoiding stuff like this, but hey. I was curious. And I wanted something dangly.


One of my favorites, Euro 4-in-1 on the bias in copper and nickel silver. I will be having more fun with this variant for sure!


Another favorite, this is an alligator-back bracelet I made for my friend Chris. Nickel Silver and Jeweler's Brass, it is broad and feels heavy but not cumbersome. He has been wearing it nonstop for a few months now, and I think the aging on the metals makes it look even better.


More to come! I have not yet ordered the next batch of lanyard materials due to nasty flu and ComiCon, but there is plenty of time yet before PAX. Cheers!

SteamCon 2009!

I just received an email from the lovely folks at SteamCon that vendor room applications are available! I haven't done a trade show since the CWU Ware Fair just over a year ago, so I am a little anxious. Still, for the price of a table I think I can do alright. If not, it will still be a fun time!

Right now it looks like Emorimiku and Accalon will be my helpers for this. So, between now and then (especially after I clear out my current commission list) I will be working on building inventory. I want your opinions! Ideas! What kind of jewelry/accessories would you want to see at a steampunk convention? I would love to hear any and all suggestions. earrings, necklaces, wallet chains, goggle straps, guitar straps, ANYTHING! Let me know!

Also, check out the SteamCon website and see if you are interested in attending. Hell, I'm just looking forward to the costumes, creativity, and ABNEY PARK CONCERT. See you there, with your best gears on.

Black Velvet Displays

How Awesome? So awesome. I need to find a good way to keep these clean now.

Something to Celebrate

Happy Ada Lovelace Day! In no way can I call myself a programmer, but I use technology every day to do my job, update my blog and social networks, and text on my phone. Many thanks to the many programmers who fill my life with such beautiful algorithms.

Commissions

I am chugging through these lanyards, and about ready to order the next batch of materials. Below is my pending list of projects. Finished projects are not listed. If you would like to order something, contact me or comment on this post and let me know! I will be making my materials order in the next 2 weeks.

++Commissions++ (Paid = Italics, completed = Bold)

Minja -- 2 bracelets, green/silver 18g 3/16"
Tajah -- red/gold
redhalo -- solid red
nightrunner -- solid bronze ($50)
Predd -- red/blue
Kala -- Turquoise/Orange
Mojo -- fancy watch chain
nightrunner -- fancy watch chain
Gary Fultz -- Camelot bracelet
Jaxx -- blue/black (blue on the outside)
Chelseabot -- blue/purple lanyard + black/blue glow choker ($85)
Rogue_Hunter -- black/violet
Snifit -- Red/Black
Doxy -- green Ti & orange ($50)
MSpencer -- flattened steel ($45)
VThornheart -- Black/Yellow
xxhennersxx -- Black/Pink
Accalon -- blue/silver
Wil Wheaton -- purple/gold
[435] -- Red/Brass ($45)
Turduckin -- Black/Silver/Gold ($45)
Jonny Nero -- black/silver horiz. stripes
Sean Celaya -- flattened steel ($45)
Spectre -- Black/Red
Sweety -- Black/Violet

Please note: If you want your item for a specific date, let me know and I will prioritize accordingly. Cheers all!

A Satisfied Customer

Mojo - an awesome friend, customer, and fellow Enforcer, was the first to have his lanyard completed, and just recently received it in the mail. He sent me this photo and a slough of wonderful compliments. Thanks Mojo! I'm glad you like it.

More Photog Stuff

I can't believe this website my mom tipped me off to: www.gemsondisplay.com

All kinds of jewelry displays, busts, cases and carriers for extremely reasonable prices. I did my best not to go crazy today, but I ended up buying a model hand, display bust, earring display, and some leopard print bags. I'm very excited, and if I take this hobby to the next step and get a small business license, I may invest in some table displays and organizers. Pics coming when my new goodies arrive!

Custom Lanyards - A Few Photos

These are the first two I completed. The one is flattened steel - a material I already had before ordering the first batch. The second is helm chain, which was specially requested. I love how both came out. Can't wait to deliver them!

Lanyard Materials, and the First One Finished

Double woo woo! The first batch of materials arrived this morning. Pics to come later of piles of maille goodness plus the first completed lanyard!

Those of you in the first batch (see the previous lanyard post if you're not sure) let me know if you need your lanyard sooner than later. i.e. if you're going to ECCC or SakuraCon and you want to use your lanyard for that. PLEASE leave a comment on this post.

Check back later for fun pics!

The Light Box is here!

And oh man, it is going to make things look so much nicer! I still have some practicing to do, and tweaking, and prop-hunting. Right now my backdrop is a not-entirely-white pillow case. I need to get something whiter and lighter. I also need to find the best combination of lights, possibly take advantage of my desk lamp and craft light as well as the two stage lights that came with the light box kit. Enough babbling, here are some photos of work from my commission list!

Sterling Choker for mygiantrobot


Kingsmaille bracelet for CosmicRay


Glow in the dark choker for Broken_Angel


Custom dice bag for Heels


Belt/Wallet chain for Quicksnap


I've started (and almost completed) one badge lanyard. Expect photos soon! Also, more of my steampunk goodies. Huzzah!