tentenknits

Tutorial: Wrap Bracelets

I'm happy to bring you a tutorial on how to make the "Chan Luu" bracelets with the girl who taught me, Emily!

Materials: 

Leather cording, your choice in color. We used the 1.5mm thickness. You can also use other cords made of linen or a natural fiber for a vegan option. 

Beading thread, color to match cording 

Beads, size, color and type up to you

Needle, thin enough to pass through your beads (sewing needle works well, too!)

Larger button or bead for the end of bracelet 

Measurements: 

4 wrap bracelet 34-36 inches when cord is doubled 

3 wrap bracelet 20-22 inches when cord is doubled 

Make sure to wrap the leather around your own wrist to check for length and also allow enough cord for a knotted loop at the end to secure around the button. 

Let's Begin!

Take your button and thread it on the leather placing it halfway, folding the leather in half.

Step 1: Thread your needle and your first bead on to the jewelry thread, sliding it all the way to the opposite end of the thread - leaving yourself a 6" tail. Place the bead and thread OVER the leather cord with the tail of your thread coming from the bottom of the bracelet and working thread on top.

Step 2: Bring your needle behind the bottom cord, through the bead and out under the bottom cord.

Pull Thread through.

Step 3: Bring needle from the bottom over the leather cord through the bead and under the top cord and pull tightly.

Repeat by bring the needle over the top of the leather cord through the bead and under the bottom cord.

Bring needle up through the bead one more time ending with the thread coming out from behind the top leather cord. Pull tightly.

Step 4: Thread another bead and bring it down to the leather cord. 

Step 5: Bring needle over the the top cord and under the bottom cord holding bead in place with your fingers.

Step 6: Bring needle over the cord, through the bead and under the top cord. Pull thread through.

Thread another bead on the cord and conintue adding beads as in Step 5 and 6 until desired bracelet length.

Secure your last bead as directed as first by pulling thread through at least 3x. Tie a knot with the cord and thread at edge of bead. Cut thread. Tie 2nd knot allowing a space large enough to fit your button through.

Make a full arm's worth and be the envy of your friends.

Shops on Etsy that sell beads: 

Shop from the UK that has a large selection of czech glass

Vintage Buttons

Vintage Glass Buttons

If you're local so SF there are our favorite bead places:  

The Bead Shop, in the Castro

General Bead, downtown 

Successories in the Button Box, Noe Valley 

 

Happy bracelet making!

Friday Links: Do

{knitscene spring 2012}

Eat: Brown Sugar Bacon Biscuts

Stitch: Ryan Gosling Cross Stitch - Hey Girl.

Knit: Manayunk Cardigan

Sew: Flat Bottomed Zipper Pouch

Make: Shrinky Dink Buttons

Watch: Downton Abbey

Whale Watching at Point Reyes

My husband and I decided to go up to Point Reyes to see if we could catch some of the California Greys heading south this past week. 

We waited and watched.

and watched.

And while we watched for whales, something else was watching for humans.

To my sheer delight (I screamed) we did see about 5 of them coming up for air right by the lighthouse. I have never seen a whale in real life it truly was thrilling!

I also have never seen a coast so beautiful. 

I was amazed both by the beautiful landscape and the amount of cows and farm land there was (sorry i didn't get a proper photo of them). I now get all those commercials about how happy cows come from California, I mean look at their view!

I think I scared a cow with my over smiling. I can't help it, it was simple awesome.

Do you Chan Luu?

Its been a long time since I've made my own jewelry (circa 2003 in college when I decided to string a multi stranded seed necklace during finals week - I'm a multi tasker.) And to be honest after teaming up with Stella & Dot I figured that was never gonna happen again. Never say never ahe?

Enter my friend Emily and her fabulous bracelets. While working at the shop one day she was accosted by several customers asking her whether her bracelets were Chan Luu. She happily replied she made them and then offered us a lesson!

Emily was a fabulous instructor and armed with some red wine and procecco we were all happily getting our Chan Luu on. 

Murielle even brought out her head lamp! (A must for every knitter IMHO.) After we worked up a big hunger making our bracelets we were treated to a delicious pallella made by the host's husband, Gary.

To which we happily dined on.

We all chose different styles and colors and it was fun to see the different varieties. I doubt this will be the last time we get together to make some!

Thank you Linda for hosting, Emily for the fabulous instruction and Gary for the food (and being the photographer!) Looking forward to making more!

WIP: Finishing what you started

A new year gives me that squeeky clean feeling, like starting a new quarter in school, cracking open a fresh notebook promising this time to keep your notes all organized.

In a way I almost feel like Mike Holmes from Holmes on Homes. Finding old knits, ripping them apart and starting them over to make it right. 

It is with that in mind that I am re-starting my arrowhead vest. Made in April 2010 and had all intentions of getting the pattern out there but I didn't. Now, I am re-working the pattern in Fibre Co. Acadia, a gorgeous light yarn. It's part of my new goal of 2012 - get things done!

Here are a few other things that I want to Get Done in 2012:

- Stash bust! It's time I give some of my yarn a new home. 

- Submissions! There's a deadline coming up and I need to focus and get some designs going.

- Balance between work knitting and knitting for pleasure.

- Keep up the blogging!

- Publish a pattern every other month. (I am not going to say monthly because that's a bit cray cray - BUT if I manage to do it, it will be a BONUS! hah!)

Thank you always for coming by and reading! I'm looking forward to a fabulous 2012!

M

Knit Style: Honeycomb Vest

I took these pics in route to a lil' fiesta for my friend's 30th birthday. Would you believe this vest has been collecting dust under my bed for over a year now? For shame! 

shirt: jcrew
jewelry: stella & dot
flats: banana republic
vest: Honeycomb Vest from Knitty!(originally knitted in Oct. 2009) 

Upon re-reading the original post apparently getting lost and forgotten is this vest's M-O. Gotta fix that. Am thinking of a few outfits this would go perfectly with. 

Happy Knitting!
M 

2011: A Knitters Year

2011. 

What a year. 

I moved to California. One thing I've learned for certain is that I am a coast girl. Living in San Francisco has been a dream so far. A beautiful city with so much to offer - it's been such a blessing to be able to live here. 

I started to knit and design fulltime.  Along with doing a great deal of sample knitting I was able to self publish a few patterns this year including the Felicity Cowl and the Melanie Wrap. The mosaic above reflects a few of the pieces I knitted for myself, add to that my sample knitting and you can only imagine the amount of yarn that has passed through my fingers. It's dizzying. It can be tricky turning a hobby into a career but with help from my friends who have kept me in check I am finding such happiness in it. 

I also started working at a shop in SF called Atelier and if you've been reading here long you know how much that has helped in my cowl obession. It's great to have a LYS in SF as welcoming as my favorite one in Hoboken, Patricia's Yarns.

I raised over $1,000 with a Cowl for Nick and the number keeps on rising. I am so glad to have been able to help in the fight against ALS. I find that I am emailing out a pattern nearly everyday. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

As I look ahead to the new year I wonder where 2012 will take me. New goals, new inspirations, new ideas - it's all very exciting. I know not to blink because it's gonna go fast.  SO here we go... 

FO: Grey Rabbit

I swear I am making gifts for people but when this rabbit fur was back in stock at Atelier I had to "Stop the PRESSES" and make one for myself. 

One ball of the rabbit and one ball of cashmerino aran (it's in there, trust me!!) = amazing. I am now obsessed with making a hat, a muff, maybe even a vest. It's rabbit hysteria!

I know you want some, so give a call to Atelier SF 415 771 1550 and tell Linda to put you on the list for the next shipment. Tell her Margaux said so. ;-) Because if you can believe after being in stock for only a week, this grey is already sold out! (Purple, red-black, black and green are there!)

Back to knitting reality - I cannot believe it's only 6 days until Christmas.  How are you holding up? Should we all plan a late night Christmas Eve knit-a-thon?? I am game to burn the midnight oil and pour a few bottles of vino to get it done. I am dedicated like that.

Knit Style: Minimalist Cardigan

Sweater: Minimalist Cardigan (knit in 08 but seamed 2009 - original post)
Cowl: Atelier Cowl (ravelry link)
Dress from Marmalade
Glasses: Bonlook
Boots: Frye  (sorry they got cut off!)

Sorry I got sidetracked with my knit style posts! I had originally wanted to do this weekly or at least bi-weekly and realized I had only done the ONE! So here I am all gussied up for work. I even washed my hair.

My minimalist cardigan is high in the rotation. I love how simple and straightforward the pattern is and I almost forgot how much I love moss stitch. Not to mention the yarn from foxfire fiber... swoon.

FO: Empire Hat

Who doesn't love a super fast and easy hat!?

I know I really should be concentrating on my christmas gifts but I couldn't help myself!I was inspired by an image of a hat I had saved from way back in 2006. At that time I didn't have enough design skill to know what exactly needed to be done but now knew exactly what to do!

I am calling this hat Empire. I always find it hard naming my knitted pieces so when I asked some friends to help, Julie was spot on who thought it had a city feel. I completely agree.

Although I know I knit at an above average speed I guarantee you can make this hat in a day (or two)! I made the grey hat going to and from Napa (about an hour drive both ways).  A perfect last minute knitted gift - just in time, too! There are only 12 more days until Christmas!! 

Materials
Bulky weight uarn: White hat - Katia Peru, 1 ball, Grey Hat - Artfibers Vinya - approx. 140 yards
Other suggested yarns: Quince & Co. Puffin or 

Needles: US 10 [6mm] & 10.5 needles [6.5mm]

Notions: 
Stitch Marker
Tapestry Needle 

To fit a woman's average head size. (Hat measures 18" around.)

 $3.50 

 

or Queue it up!

PS. I am also rocking my Atelier cowl - I loved it so much that after I gifted it I made myself one!