Thank you to everyone who entered the Fibre & mixed media Jewellery round of whiplash. It was so much fun going through all the incredibly imaginative entries and some really top quality tutorials too. GO and check out all the entries which have been posted to this thread here at the forum - and please also post your comments about these entries and this round of whiplash.

So for the winning entries and prizes.

Thank you to our sponsors for donating the following prizes:

One copy of French inspired jewelry: creating with vintage beads, buttons & baubles by Kaari Meng, Published by Lark Books and kindly donated for this whiplash series by the author Kaari Meng and to go with the book a really beautiful bracelet kit from Kaari’s store at french general.

And one copy of How We Felt: Designs and Techniques from Contemporary Felt Artists by Carol Huber Cypher, published by Interweave Press (October 1, 2007).

And a gift subscription to Cloth, Paper Scissors magazine? Both donated by Interweave.

Without further ado ….

Sooz from sooz big adventure will win a copy of How We Felt: Designs and Techniques from Contemporary Felt Artists - for her entry how to crochet a daisy chain necklace. Excellent instructions and lots of images of the step-by-step process - congratulations.

breezily way will win a copy of French inspired jewelry: creating with vintage beads, buttons & baubles by Kaari Meng for her entry of From little acorns: a necklace . This felted acorn necklace is not only gorgeous but has an excellent tutorial to go with it. - congratulations.

Knit R done will win a subscription to Cloth, Paper Scissors magazine for her entry of the Half-Tatted Feathered Fishing Fly Bracelet an original and interesting design with a great tutorial too.

A special mention to Hilde’s place for her pretty disturbing pendant

[winners please email me your address so I can get these prizes out to you]

If you live in and around Los Angeles, and love handmade wares, then I am sure you are no stranger to the Felt Club! Tomorrow, Nov. 18th, is the XL Holiday show! There will be 70+ vendors, 2 tents hosting fun (and free) classes, live DJs and lots of raffle prizes! This season FC has teamed up with Make Magazine, the organizers behind the Maker Faire, to bring a Maker Square to the event! Now, Felt Club truly has something for EVERYONE!

Be sure to get there early to snag one of the 250 swag bags, but beware, these puppies are usually all snatched up in the first 7 minutes! Happy Shopping!!!

I love the Verónica’s poetical work. She explains: ” human beings used to wear leaves as clothes {or so it is believed} and I am embroidering “modern leaves” on one.”

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Me encanta el trabajo poético de Verónica. Ella nos cuenta sobre este proyecto: ” los seres humanos usaban hojas como ropa hace mucho tiempo-o eso pienso-,y yo ahora estoy bordando las “hojas” que usamos actualmente”

Back in my single days, before fatherhood and getting hitched, I was into the peaceful pasttime of fly fishing. I also used to spend weekends rock climbing and scuba diving and my motor bike was my primary source of transportation. Now, my motor bike is gathering dust in the shed (I lost the ignition keys sometime during the past 5 years), my climbing and diving gear is in a box somewhere, and as for my fly tying box, it is probably buried deep underneath the pile of kids soccer gear, kids snorkeling gear and kids cricket sets. Father hood is great, but I do miss the spontaneous weekends and the adrenalin rush of danger and pushing my body to its limits.

Strangely enough fly fishing is one of the things about those days that I miss the most. I enjoy the skill that is involved, the science and the detail, the artistic element combined with the practical useful side of it, and deep down I like to think of myself as a hunter. Taking the time to prepare the bait, waiting and watching and being one with nature. There is something primal about it - it speaks to my inner man and connects me with my ancestors.

There are many elements to fly fishing - location and gear and patience and skill but one of the main aspects is the art of fly tying. A highly skilled ancient craft that has developed over hundreds of years. The Basic Manual of Fly-Tying: Fundamentals of Imitation by Paul N. Fling and Donald L. Puterbaugh, published by Sterling; 3 edition (August 1, 2007), is a book that makes me long for a quiet afternoon alone where I can fiddle with feathers and hooks and dream of a river somewhere.

My wife (Kathreen) asked me to review this book and seeing as I was drooling over it I readily agreed. What is so good about it? Well for a start the diagrams are amazing and the process is extremely detailed. But first what is fly-tying? It is basically decorating the fishing hook to make it look like an insect, in any of its life cycles - sometimes as an adult and sometimes in its juvenile state or in its emerging or hatching state. It is the art of imitation. I have to say more about the illustrations - they are so detailed, really describing well what you are trying to make and giving good entomology drawings. The fly patterns are shown next to their real life counterparts - and the process drawings and step-by-step instructions are the next best thing to having someone actually show you how to make these.

There is a large section in the book on tools and I really appreciate that it gives you the whole range of tools but then breaks it down to the essentials and the extras for the gadget guys. I can understand that many might think the art of fly tying is not nice - especially when they learn about the materials that are used - but as I said before - it is a primal sport, not for the feint hearted. Materials used are rarely synthetic they are the real thing and are quite expensive. Cocks are specially bred for their long tail feathers and turkey feathers are also popular as are pheasant feathers and peacock herl. Also used is hair and fur, such as muskrat and elk hair, rabbit whiskers and squirrel tail. There is a big section on the various materials that are required for different types of flys. There is also a really good section on the insect life cycle. It is important to know about the aquatic insects life cycle as this is what will attract the fish - and the difference here between a wet and dry fly.

Anyway too much detail - its a good book and a great sport.

About the author: Rob Shugg is an inventor and self confessed nerd. He is married to another nerd/artist and together they have two children.

To me jewellery design is a personal intimate experience, it is much more then deciding what necklace goes with which top or of viewing a collection of inanimate objects labeled jewellery in a gallery space. Jewellery design for me is about the relationship between the jewellery and the wearer, it is a live process which captures my imagination and broadens the whole definition of what jewellery is. With this in mind, I spent my MA year studying ‘Three Dimensional Design’ and developed my ideas to research creative solutions in jewellery design that would thrive on the involvement of the wearer and extend beyond the idea of ornamentation and into the realms of interaction.

Porcelain necklace 2007 Model, Charlotta Bergenstjerna

In my work, the body, with its sensation and experience, physically responds to the jewellery as if they are silently conversing with each other. The correlation between the two can be viewed as a performance. How could I visually capture this element of performance when wearing, a piece of jewellery - for example a necklace?

When a necklace is placed on the neck area, once the difficulty of securing the clasp is tackled with, the initial reaction of the wearer is to touch and adjust it. This allows the wearer to familiarise themselves with the item by performing a ritual grooming in the mirror. Touching areas of the face, neck and hair until a level of contentment with their appearance has been achieved. This regular everyday ritual of dressing and undressing possesses a connection between the jewellery and the body and when it is perfected in its repetition this process becomes an unconscious act and quickly forgotten. Recording this ritual is something I strived to capture in my jewellery designs, with the aim of drawing this process onto a conscious level.

Recording 2007 Poster paint

One method I employed in order to record this collection of unconscious reactions was to immerse a beaded necklace into black paint before it was placed on the body. The unusual sensation of paint on skin provided a strong visual representation of the wearers ritualistic habits, resulting in a collection of various mark making over the fingers and chin, as well as leaving a visually appealing pattern on the neck.

As the process was captured an ephemeral recording was left on the skin. I then used the resulting pattern as a template which was transfered back into metal. As it was returned to its precious state the process was immortalized back to its original form, resulting in a piece of jewellery where an experience or moment in time has been captured, from the original beaded necklace to the final patterns of its placement.

Ritual neckpiece 2007 Anodised guilding metal Photographer, Rikard Osterlund

About the artist: Having graduated in BA Silversmithing, Goldsmithing and Jewellery Design at the University College for the Creative Arts in Rochester, Michelle Jessop was given the opportunity to extend her studies at the UCCA through their MA Three Dimensional Design. During her education and beyond Michelle has explored the idea of disciplines and strived to blur the lines that separate them, recording every step of the design process.

the forum is slowly gaining momentum and people are using it to ask advice from fellow crafters. Nancy is asking about buddha board paper - which you paint with water, creating a work that disappears when the water dries? - what it is exactly and where to purchase it? and Betsy bush is asking about how to make a t-shirt with a circle

A few more hours left to post your whiplash entry and be in the running to win one of the fabulous prizes on offer - check out prizes here and include your entry in this forum thread.

Taking Things Seriously: 75 Objects with Unexpected Significance by Joshua Glenn and Carol Hayes, published by Princeton Architectural Press; (August 9, 2007)

Ok ok I love this book. Such a little unassuming book, who would think that it contains the power to make you laugh, cry, think and discuss all within a few minutes. It is basically short essays about the objects that inspire us, that we love or hate and cannot part with. Artists, designers and writers have contributed their stories about their weird, strange and wonderful objects to motivate and energise our creativity.

The objects described in the book all have a past, sometimes seedy and embarrassing, other times sad and depressing, uplifting and funny and powerful too - always interesting. I flick through this book, back and forth, something catches my attention - the image or the title or maybe I want to read a short story or maybe a word pops out and grabs me. There is a pile of dirt - the writer says of it “I was hit powerfully with how much of the land is inside of me, how much it makes me who I am.” A black t-shirt with ‘love is not enough’ written on it - the writer says “My mum died eight months to the day after I made the shirt.” I love the story of the guy who kept an artichoke on his kitchen window sill while it went through the process of decay - now it is a dried up husk but is treasured more than the expensive antiques it is displayed with. And the story of the woman who bought an educational torso from a garage sale and recognised the woman who was selling it - the whole sad tale of this womans life was suddenly remembered. A needlepoint sampler with the word “thoughts” on it puzzles the owner. It was given her by her aunt and invokes deep anxiety everytime she looks at it - what could her aunt have been thinking when she made it - but it is the perfect combination of humble craft and philosophical expression.

These are just a sample of the 75 objects with their stories that are included in this wonderful thought provoking book.

Wendi wrote in: I just watched the first episode of the new season of Project Runway - yay! My husband and I decided to play along at home this season and I thought some WhipUp readers might enjoy playing too. If you don’t have the money or the time to make a full outfit every week - especially for some of the fancy event gowns that they make on the show join Project Barbie - Want to play? rules here.

If you enjoyed the book Craft Inc by Mateo Ilasco - or want to get yourself a signed copy or just want to meet the woman and talk business - you can see her at the following events and times. Today - Thursday, November 15, 2007 from 6-9pm Reform School, 4014 Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles - bring your business card because we’ll be picking one lucky indie business to win one month of free ad space on Design*Sponge. | FELT CLUB Sunday, November 18, 2007 from 11am-6pm Los Angeles City College, 855 N. Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles | CHRONICLE BOOKS STORE GRAND OPENING Saturday, December 1, 2007 1846 Union Street in San Francisco | CRAFT WITHIN REACH Thursday, December 6, 2007 from 5:30-8:30pm Design Within Reach, 1770 Fourth Street in Berkeley DWR Berkeley has invited over 20 local artists including myself for this holiday event. There will be a raffle, a DJ, snacks, hot cider, Hint Waters, Cellar Door Wines, and Craft magazine on site to spread craft cheer.

If you can get to the Denyse Schmidt sale - looks like it will fantastic - Sample Sale and Exhibition - Bridgeport CT studio Sunday, December 2, 2007 from 12PM to 4PM. A rare chance to view (and purchase!) unique, one-of-a-kind quilts from Denyse’s Denver Series. Arrive early to get the best deals on loads of samples and overstock from our Couture, Works and DS for Sarita Handa collections – up to 80% off regular retail prices. Save on stationery, books, and everything for the DIY-crafter – scraps, yardage, quilt blocks, kits and more. Visit our our what’s new page for directions and additional info. Refreshments will be served courtesy of Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion Magazine.

just a few hours left to post your entry at the whiplash forum thread remember the closing date is NOV 15 - winners will be posted up tomorrow. Thank you to everyone for entering.

The winners in the 2007 holiday softies comp have been announced - I was one of the judges and was glad to see the holiday pickle as the winner in my category.

The Shop at Indieshopping.com is now live - it is a showcase of indie designers and makers.

Anny wrote in with this letter: Greetings! I am a regular reader and was thrilled and honoured to be featured in some of your knitting reviews in the past. I am writing to you today about a new pattern I just released on my new website. The pattern, Peace Baby, was inspired by International Peace Day and in this spirit, I am making it available for free to anyone who makes a donation to Doctors without borders (see the site for more details).

Pat Sloan has a new video tutorial up.

Amy Butler has a heap of new free downloadable sewing and paper crafts patterns up her site.

Step into a world where art and the human form combine, where dance, music and lighting tell a story of the body as a canvas; where the lines of fashion and art blur and merge as one… WOW® is a two hour show held annually in September in Wellington*, New Zealand to an audience of 30,000 per season.

Supreme WOW Award Winner - Rattle Your Dags, Paula Coulthard & Ursula Dixon, Auckland (left) WOW Factor Award Winner - The Weaver Finch Colony, N.P Jayaraj, India (right)

Garments are judged on originality, creativity, innovation and construction. When designing the work the artist must ensure it is able to be exhibited in a fully choreographed performance, therefore it must be of sound construction, safe to wear, and not too heavy. The work must be a total concept e.g. if entering a skirt, there must also be an accompanying top, perishable materials, stilts and advertising are not allowed. There are several sections for entry and entries close on May 1 of each year - so get your idea caps on for next years WOW. In the mean time check out the winners for this years World of wearable art.

Whip Up is now taking article and tutorial submissions.

We are looking for tutorials and submissions that fit within Whip Up’s feel - read our Manifesto for more information. We are looking for thematic articles and tutorials to fit within the months themes - see monthly themes below - but also timely articles outside of these themes will be considered , such as exhibition and pattern reviews, craft memes, fun, frivolous and extreme ideas, etc that cannot wait and do not fit within the theme.

Submissions now being accepted for November, December and january

* November: Public crafting
* December: Holiday crafts
* January: Children’s crafts

To learn more about how to submit an article read the submission guidelines here

We just returned from an exciting camping trip involving lots of rain (luckily we have waterproof tents), skinny dipping in the ocean, fishing and canoe capsizing and found waiting for us on the doorstop this book - The Daring Book for Girls by by Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz, published by Collins (October 30, 2007). We immediately looked through the book and it fell open at the page ‘how to paddle a canoe’. My daughter was hooked.

I asked my daughter about the book - after all it is for girls…

Do you like the book: - yes I do - it has information about birds and canoing and it is mine.

What do you like about the book: It is interesting, everything about it is interesting - especially about making tents and paper planes and how to play darts. It has dangerous stuff in it - its for girls but does not just have girly stuff about fairies it it. Also it tell you how to make things and do things.

What things are you looking forward to doing from this book: I want to learn how to roller skate, make daisy chains, reading about how to be a spy so I can spy on my brother. It also tells you how to play basketball but I don’t really care about that.

Whiptips craft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. Whiptips archive here. Ask your whiptips questions at the ‘tips and tricks’ section of the forum - right here.

Christine wrote: I make rag rugs, but now have far more rags than I have time to use. Is there a way to find others who need fabric or old, unusable (stained or torn) clothes to make rugs from?

For me, crafting in public has always been out of necessity and a desire to use all my time wisely. When I first moved to the big city in the early 90s and started taking buses to work, I realized at least 2 hours a day were being trimmed from my free time. But, unlike commuters who drive, I was lucky enough to have my hands free. I would carry around small crochet projects everywhere I went. If I wasn’t working on a hat for a friend, it was granny squares for a blanket; anything small enough to fit in a pocket, a purse, a backpack. Everywhere I went, I had something useful to do.

It’s now become a habit for me to grab a project as I walk out the door. Especially when I know I’ll be waiting around, like doctor’s appointments, movies, afternoons in the park, and even when I’m driving somewhere. More than once I’ve been stuck in traffic for long stretches of time where it was nice to have a little crocheting to do. I’m amazed at how much time I’m able to reclaim from my life by always having a project with me.

Taking advantage of a few minutes here and there has brought real-world experience to the idea that small things add up to something bigger. I tend to be all-or-nothing about life. I’m not usually patient, and I don’t like to take baby steps. But seeing that I can crochet a whole blanket in 5-minute snatches of time reinforces that slowly working toward your goals can pay off eventually.

When I’m crafting in public, people don’t talk to me as often as I’d expect. There have probably been less than 10 people who’ve ever said anything about it. But I like to imagine that my crafting in public is more subversive than it seems. I may not be putting knitted cozies on lampposts or embroidering on public transportation seats, but when someone sees me making something, I hope it counters their consumer mentality (if they have one) and implants the thought, “Hey! I could be making something, too.”

About the writer: Alice (aka futuregirl) has kept a craft blog on futuregirl.com since November 2005, but she was passionate about crafting long before that. Currently, Alice is focused on crochet and hand sewing felt, and enjoys creating original designs for both. She contributed several projects to the Anticraft book that comes out November 2007. Photographer: Andrew Merlino

New Zealand born, Australian based artist Julia deVille combines taxidermy (the art of preserving dead animals), with jewellery making and fashion design, DISCE MORI (Latin for Learn to Die). Julia does not kill any animals for her art, choosing only to use creatures that have died of natural causes. She says of the ‘Bird skull brooch’ (from nothing magazine)

That was actually a bird that my old cat caught that I had outside and it was a bit mangled, so I couldn’t really taxidermy it. So I just threw the whole thing in a jar of methylated spirits, cleaned it out, and left some feathers on it. I then filled the eyes with cubic zirconias. That was before I was working with diamonds or precious gemstones.

Julia is inspired by the Memento Mori jewellery of the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries and Victorian Mourning jewellery. She is fascinated by the acceptance of death in these periods. She uses symbols of death through out her to identify with the concept that, we are in fact mortal creatures. She uses taxidermy to challenge people to reassess the way our society views the use of animals for art and fashion.

To find out more read this article in The Age.

Showing at The Dowse in Lower Hutt, NZ from 6 October to 27 March 2008. She shows a selection of miniature taxidermied jewellery pieces from mounted mouse-head brooches to sparrow chest pieces.

Fabulous inspiration for our fibre & mixed media inspired jewellery Whiplash competitions - last day to enter 15 November.

Crochet Jewelry: 40 Beautiful and Unique Designs by Waejong Kim and Anna Pulvermakher, published by Interweave Press (October 28, 2007)

Interweave books tend to follow a formula that means you know what you are getting beforehand. They are always very strong on technique with detailed information on tools and materials, and within the projects themselves there is lots of detailed pictures and illustrations of technique. This book follows this same formula and because jewelry is very material intensive with lots of bits and pieces they have a very detailed section on what all the findings and notions are actually for. And because crochet is the main medium - there is a very good pictorial how-to crochet, with basic stitches, shaping techniques and cables and rounds.

The projects themselves are incredible varied. Many of them utilise advanced jewelry and/or crochet techniques and are quite challenging, but there is an equal amount of simple and quick projects. While most of the projects in the book utilise fibre to create bright chunky style jewelry, however I learnt that crochet does not have to mean chunky - there is some very fine wire crochet used as well to create light and delicate pieces. Each chapter concentrates on necklaces or bracelets or rings or earings etc.

Caption: Loop’n-’link bracelet – for beginners, and is infinitely adjustable—make as many links as you like and work a necklace or belt to match.

My favourite projects are the chunky bright and fun designs like crochet covered beaded necklace, and the felted french knot rings. I think that the simple beaded crochet glasses keeper is very clever, the mixed media gemstone lariat with crochet motives attached is lovely, the organic bracelet is perhaps too chunky for me, but I like the idea behind the freestyle crochet then felted cuff with beads attached to it. There are many projects in here which I really don’t like - not my style at all - but there is enough different projects in here to suit most people.

My name is Kristina and I am a practicing bicraftual living in Toronto. (actually, a lapsed multicraftual, but that’s another story for another day).

What, you may ask, is “bicraftuality”? Well, let me answer that with another question (did I mention that I practice law to support my craft habits? I really should have warned you up front). Have you ever looked at a piece of art and thought “I wish I could do that, but I can’t draw/sculpt?” Or perhaps you’ve yearned to try your hand at a different craft but talked yourself out of it because you’re too busy knitting?

I know, I know – that was actually two questions. However, if the answer to either was “yes”, there is a strong chance that you are a latent bicraftual. If so, fear not. There are other crafts out there that you can combine with knitting in order to make fancy, shiny and unique works of non-wearable art (and, unlike your knitted gifts of scarves, mittens, and gloves, suitable to all-season use and not all that easy to lose!).

Today’s example: mosaic art. The art of mosaic involve sticking objects to surfaces to create art. Combining mosaic with knitting can yield this type of result: in far less time than you might think and with little to no experience in either mosaic or knitting. This piece, by the way, is called Serendipity at Sunset.

Or, perhaps you’d like to try something like my 3-D Eastern Promise using freeform crochet or knitting:

“I can’t do that!”, you may be thinking. Aw, come on - sure you can! Although I’m experienced in both mosaic art and knitting, the techniques used in this piece are basic level in both crafts.

(more…)

Our new forum is slowly gaining momentum - there is lots going on over there - the Oct/Nov whiplash - mixed media and fibre jewellery competition thread has some great entries in it - go and check them out and then upload your own entry - read more information here.

biscuit bear is offering magazine giveaways - the what are making forum thread is super popular - tell us what you are doing and you may get featured here at whipup. Polyrific is asking for sewing tips - she is a beginner and would like to know some basic how-to’s sewing maching tips and reading a pattern etc. links to sewing sites would be good.

There are some great ideas about future feature posts at the forum thread - ideas include exhibition reviews (doing more), art quilts (yep doing that too), how about unusual crafts? Like the guy that makes eyeball prosthetics or “glass eyes”, or those who polish those weird dirt balls (sounds like fun). Historical crafts and polymer clay (anyone want to contribute an article - read our submission guidelines)

Could You? Would You? by Trudy White, published by Kane/Miller Book Pub (September 30, 2007), recommended for Ages 9-12.

This is a book full of questions - wonderful fantastic questions to get kids (and grownups) thinking about all the possibilities and choices and options that we encounter in life everyday. I sat with my daughter for a few hours while we discussed many of the questions in the book - seemingly meaningless questions that you might never think to ask because they seem too obvious, these are in fact exactly the sort of things that kids love to discuss - eg. what is your favourite place in the house to sit? How do you know when its summer? We all had a big laugh over “would you eat a meal that a cat had cooked?” this started a whole new discussion and really got our imaginations going overtime. Many of these questions would be great writing and drawing prompts but we are using them as story and conversation prompts. Some more serious questions are also in there like “could you help someone who was having a baby?” - well that is an interesting question and we started the ever popular discussion about where babies come from and where they emerge from?

This book does not have to be read from cover to cover, it is great to flick through and just happen upon something that catches your eye - also full of lovely simple illustrations. I really think this is a beautiful book - and not just for kids - although the recommended reading age is 9-12 years - my 5 and 7 year olds are loving this book as am I.

The Monster Hunter’s Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Saving Mankind from Vampires, Zombies, Hellhounds, and Other Mythical Beasts by Ibrahim Amin published by Bloomsbury 2007.

I found this book to be quite a strange contradiction. In looks it has a gothic styled cover and font but the illustrations are more comic book/poster design than goth realism - which was quite a disappointment. There are two sections, Cryptozoology (the study of mythical creatures) and Cryptohoplology (the study of mythical weapons). The book is basically a listing of the monsters (a page or two each) with a description, killing method, weaknesses and strengths - this does get a bit repetitive. The second section on weapons is more detailed with more historical information included. It is a bit interesting but probably more for creature and fantasy enthusiasts … I would suggest The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead as a much better option.

Wholly Irresponsible Experiments by Sean Connolly published by Icon Books August 2007.

As a very irresponsible child my husband was the perfect person to review this book, with all the crazy experiments he got up to in his childhood involving gun powder and chemical explosions etc - I thought he would really dig this book. The title sure sounds interesting but in fact the experiments in the book are really quite responsible - and not in fact at all irresponsible. My husband was disappointed that there were no acid experiments or pipe bombs or homemade rockets (there is a potato gun which has redeemed the title a bit). But on the plus side there are lots of good science experiments (mostly pretty safe - no danger involved) such as the osmosis carrot experiment and the egg in the bottle experiment. At the end of each experiment there is a risk assessment section - which basically says there is no risk - there is never really a risk - on the plus side each experiment is explained - what the scientific principals are behind the experiment - which really is very good. The most dangerous experiment is probably the teabag balloon (where a teabag is unfolded and set alight and it then floats up in the air). The final verdict is that the book is good - the experiments are sound and interesting but not irresponsible at all.