I'm Two!

Neon Dip Dyed Tassel-less Macramé Hanger

Orange Dip Dyed Macramé Hanger

 and a day!
Oops bit late..... but hey I'm a blogtoddler and therefore have a small attention span, as my mind and memory for things are fleeting! I blame having a full, busy and happy life!


Just to remind you of how far we have come here's the first post!

 ....and how far has been the macramé journey too?

 A big heart felt thanks to all you movers and shakers for the constant support and direction!
(you know who you are)
Thanks to all the occasional poppa over-ers (is that a word?) too, your very welcome!

I have new rope to play with, it's pure cotton and snowy white , dyes a dream and has given me yet another boost too continue to tie knots!

Happy Blogday!

Pippa x

Peter Collingwood

VIA

 Ok, I think my heart has now stopped fluttering enough to be able to process and type these words!
OMG  don't these wallhangings just make you.....freak out?
Peter Collingwood your amazing!

Thanks to Sally England's insta feed, she gave his weave technique a go, very inspirational work!
She makes lovely macrame too!

When I grow up I want to weave like Peter!

Pippa

Tassel Dreams

neon yellow

Here is my latest tassel idea.
Tassel Dreamers in monochrome or rainbow!

You choose!

Soon to be in the shop! 

Pippa

I weaved it

 I hadn't anticipated the amount of time it would take to weave 10m of cotton rope but 30 odd hrs later and some patience and she's done!

  
I was going to leave this one plain as it's my first attempt at trying to create a weave with my own aesthetic.... but I couldn't help myself and a tassel sneaked in!

 I love the form I created, my wheel throwing experience has paid off and I'm itching to give weaving a go again!
  


Do try it...just a blanket stitch and time! :)
Here's a great tut, if you can't make it to one of Maryann's workshops.

Pippa

psst do you see 'Wonder Woman' in the tassel?
or is it just me?

weaving is wonderful

I weaved and I fell in love!

I weaved with this amazing lady!
and I think I developed a big girl craft crush too!

I really admire the work of Maryann, her islander vibe and work are so beautiful!
I weaved without thought just let the materials do their thing, I combined fabric, string, rope and raffia!

We chatted, ate biscuits and sipped some tea.....
I even made some suggestions as to the colour choices for her weaving...can you believe that...complete novice telling the master what to do....I excused myself and explained it was the teacher in me coming out and I'm a bit bossy too.

She was very gracious, if you have a chance to join her for a weave session, do.

 Making with clay this year is nigh on impossible so all my clay aspirations are to be put on the back burner for now, I don't have the time to keep the clay process ongoing! :(

....but once a week I get to teach the kidlets clay and whilst they make so do I.
Pinch pot heads or potheads are fun to make!

 This is Mr & Mrs.

This weave business got me thinking.
Weaving with rope is very similar to coil building with clay, the control and forms you can make?
I think that is what I'd like to play with next, rope pot forms!

Are you with me?
Will it sate my clay heart for now?
Am I kidding myself?

Pippa

Friendly Tassel

Made a Tassel Twin for a friend. 
Dip Dyed Gold and Arabian Blue, a really nice colour combo together, I also added the macramé knot.

I'm going to a basket weaving class on Saturday and I'm really excited.... learn a new craft, meet some crafty folk, be the learner for a change! :)


See you Sunday with some pic's of my weaving adventures!

Pippa x

Some Tassels, some thrift and $$!

It has been really nice this week making and filling orders.
The above garland is heading off to the U.S and the tassel twins are heading off to Sydney!
I think the arabian-blue and chartreuse are a great fit! 
I like making to peoples tastes, then they get what they'd like and I get to experiment with my colour palette and make tassels....not bored yet of making tassels!

This morning I floated an idea on insta for a dream catcher/tassel thingy. I popped up a pic pre-dyed and kindly folk offered their support and liked the image, that's what you do on instagram 'like it' if you like it or move on?

One follower expressed their 'love' for the new idea but that I was way too expensive.
I was fortunate that many of my insta pal were able to express eloquently, the reasonings behind handmade etc and money!

So am I too expensive?... well, interestingly Mr Ouch did the math, I don't do numbers but here's tassel pricing 101 in a nut shell!

1 x batch of twine = $7.00
Dye = $4.00

To cut, bind, dye and fluff up a single tassel takes one hour and 20 mins. Based on minimum wage of $19.00 an hour, I "pay" Mr Ouch $6.00 for his part in tassel making, whilst "paying" myself $19.00 for my part in designing, creating, measuring, cutting, assembling, dying and putting the finishing touches to the tassel.

So, that's $11 for materials, $6 to Mr Ouch, $19 to myself as my wage, which equals $36. Wow, $4 profit...

Hang on, they have to be packed and posted too... 

That's tissue paper, fancy sticky tape, business card, hand written thank you letter and a healthy dose of ouch-goodness. Plus the postage of $6.95.

So I'm actually more than $2.95 out of pocket! How'd that happen? Who's idea was it to make these stupid tassels anyway? You've convinced me, prices are going up. Right NOW!

Not really, because I love doing this and seeing my work make other people happy. 
I want tassels to be affordable and accessible to the design conscious, savvy shopper such as myself who has loads of class but on a budget! 
That's why I thrift and why I support the handmade community.

.....And whilst I won't be buying a new BMW with the proceeds (although I may have 2 sell the 2 Ferrari's to pay for the postage deficit, or employ a friendly pigeon or 3), there's a reason that handmade costs a bit more than machine-made in an anonymous factory in South East Asia.

 Here's some thrift!

Homemaker, UK, 1950's

Midwinter-Conran 'Nature Study', UK.

Zoo Line-Monkey

Spanish silver, modernist, brutalist ring.

Silver, Finnish, P Sarpaneva, 1975.

Thanks for reading!
Pippa x

Macramé Tassel Garland

Just when you thought it couldn't be done...macramé and tassels.. preposterous!
I give you the macrame tassel garland!

I think it works pretty well!
But honestly anything up against this wall colour looks amazing

Never to miss a thrift show off, here's some of my blue stuff!

Pippa x

Vintage Macramé

Vintage Macramé has found a new home in our newly painted bathroom.
It's the first burnt orange one I have found and it looks perfect up against the black charcoal walls.
Painting light filled bathrooms dark, makes them posh....even if they are filled with plastic animals, Thomas trains and mini tooth brushes!

 This week saw a blog friend leave the blogisphere, it's sad when a blogger buggers off  but what can you do but blog on!

She'd love this hanger though :)

I've been doing alot of thrifting of late..........my secret addiction to Tupperware is a little bit out of control, I will show you my haul one day!

Been tasseling, been macrame-ing, teaching and looking at Ouch Boy, wishing him to slow down and stop growing up!

Hope your well 
Pippa x