New Items (listed left to right)Black Lace Mini Top Hat, Two Color Lace Mini Top Hat, Celtic Elf Choker, Embroidered Gibson Girl Blouse, Elfsheet Belt, Chainmaille Beaded Hairsticks, Embroidered Small Steampunk Purse

The two Mini Lace Top Hats are embroidery machine free standing lace. They measure 5.5 in x 4.75 in x 2.5 in. They are wicked cute and perfect for a steampunk, gothic lolita or burlesque outfit. I will be making more embellished hats as well as the unembellished are available if you want to customize one yourself. It’s actually quite a bit of fun. ON the black I made the ribbon rose and the trims were all just bits I had lying around and the gem was from an old piece of costume jewelry I have.

I’ve also been wicked into chainmailling lately; the belt and the choker are both two connected rows of elfweave creating what is commonly known as elfsheet. It’s a beautiful weave that is very fragile and collapses easily until you add more rows to it.
The choker is made from bright aluminum 18 ga 3/16″ rings with a hand carved (although not by me) bone celtic knot charm. It measures 13.25″ x .75″ and closes in the back with a tube clasp which has quickly become my new favorite type of clasp.
The belt is also elfsheet but made of bright aluminum and red anodized aluminum 18ga 1/4″ rings. The belt pictured measures a bit over a yard. It is a completely custom item. I really enjoyed making the belt. The only issue I can see with them is that they take sooo many rings.
I have another belt (simpler and so less expensive) ready to be listed once I take pictures and once I am able to make a very large order for more rings I will have more belt designs ready.

I also finally got around to making the Gibson Girl Blouse which I have been dying to make since I was a teenager. I also put a slight twist and embroidered the yoke with a skull cameo (tone on tone) I think it looks awesome. If skulls aren’t your thing, it can come without embroidery or if you want a different embroidery there are tons to choose from.

I also made Embroidered Steampunk Purse”. This one is fairly small but it’s the perfect size to carry the necessities, wallet, phone, it can even fit an as well. It is very very durable and washable. It is made of a golden poplin and lined with a chocolate brown poplin but interlined with cotton canvas. It closes with a drawstring to keep your items secure and also with a magnetic clasp on the flap. I can also make it as a belt pouch if you would prefer.

The hairsticks are a momentary inspiration. I was at my local bead shop and saw these sitting in a jar and thought, “Oh how cool!”. So I picked them up. Eventually I would like to try my hand at carving my own hair sticks eventually but for now I will just decorate the tops.

I have a few more items on my to make and to do list: garters, chainmaille chaplets, purses and bags (have to get my stash smaller), and I plan on learning how to make my own tatted lace too.

Same choker used with the converter and without

I’ve been loving my chainmaille lately. It’s fun, and something that I can do in the living room. I also love my chokers but wanted to wear them has headpieces as well. So I developed the converter piece. Now you can make any of my chokers into headbands. It is made from metal rings (can be made from copper, aluminum, bronze or stainless steel), metal clasps coordinated to match the rings and a soft cotton elastic.

Available at both my Artfire Shop and my Etsy Shop

Chainmaille supplies

For a long time (since I went to my first Ren Faire at the age of 14), I have lusted after chainmaille jewelry. Of course I wanted the more expensive chokers and chaplets. Being the crafter and creative person, I would rather learn how to make it instead of purchasing it. So I put it on the back burner since clothing came first as fabric and a mentor were readily available to me.

Flash forward 11 years and a few months, I breakdown and find a ring supplier and a place with wonderful tutorials on weaves. I ordered two different sized rings, a bag bright aluminum and a bag of mixed anodized (colored) in each size. With much help from my friend Diana of Nightmaiden Designs and supplies from The Ring Lord, I started my first project:

My first Row

Chainmaille European 4-1 Bracelet

Chainmaille European 4-1 Bracelet (clasp)

The first row (above) came out pretty well so I start in on the second and the results can be see to the left, right and below. The pattern is called European 4-1 as it is built with 4 rings all connected with 1 in the middle. It is a fairly simple weave (from my reading this and the byzantine are the two best to start with). This was made with 18ga 1/4″ rings aluminum rings.

Chainmaille European 4-1 Bracelet

My initial response to this is “Oh my god, new obsession!!”. I, for one, am happy with this reaction since it means when I cannot bear to look at another piece of fabric I have a good craft to go to and one that is a bit more portable. Although, I believe my husband may be less than thrilled. I have many other projects in mind for this new obsession.