Breaking the "maker's block"

big felt beads!
Originally uploaded by MadeleineS.

Over the last few weeks, since Maker Faire really, I've been a bit stuck on this year's big project - Botanica Mathematica. I think it's the equivalent of writer's block but maybe easier to shift. Lots of excuses abound - not feeling well, having a break-in at the studio, being on a craft group committee, general fatigue and also some organisational tasks for Botanica. Anyway, my concentration is shot to pieces. If I'm not feeling good about the project on the one day a week I can get to the studio then it's a wasted day.

Last week I was tidying up as the burglary had left a bit of a mess and the new small studio now had all of the Alba ad Astra photos and the remains of several other collections lying on the floor. In the process I opened several boxes I'd kind of forgotten about, including this one full of half finished necklaces. So I sat down and finished them.

The beads are hand-rolled felt and the cords are all knitted. One is made from recycled silk from old saris and the other three are knitted in sock yarn that I dyed in the microwave. So there I was making again - and what's more the studio was tidy again!

During the week I started a geodesic dome hat and I've been knitting chanterelle mushrooms for Botanica Mathematica. We'll have a bucket load of them for our next outing at the Edinburgh Beltane Annual Gathering in a few weeks. Today I'm intending to start a hyperbolic patchwork that mimics the cell structure of liverworts.

Thank you, big felt beads for getting me going again.

Via Flickr:
four necklaces with felt beads on knitted cords