Non-knitting post warning, but in the absense of the craft group, I'll post this here.

My piercing saw, blades and vice have just arrived (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/ppn_2204/SharpThings.jpg)! The sorry pieces of metal at the front are my first attempts at brass and copper sawing from Monday's class. It's going to be a keyring fob; I'm cutting out the shape of a house in the copper to solder onto the brass background. Lots more sawing and filing to be done first though, followed by copious amounts of polishing and the drilling of a little hole for the chain :D .

Normal fibre-related posting will shortly be resumed :) .

Now theres a hobby to really get your frustrations out on :lol:

I hope copious amounts of band-aids were also purchased (or is that just me?)

I hope you've got a very large craft table! Your gonna need it :)

Looks like something out of the inquisition.

I hope copious amounts of band-aids were also purchased (or is that just me?)
Nope, it's me too. I have a plentiful supply of plaster strips in the medicine cupboard. The blades are very easy to snap (though I'm proud to report that I didn't snap a single one on Monday), and apparently it's very easy to put the bit of broken blade that's still attached to the saw straight through your finger before you know what's happened. Ouch!
I hope you've got a very large craft table! Your gonna need it :)
No, but I do have a Black & Decker Workmate bench which will be brought out of semi-retirement :D .

Looks like something out of the inquisition.
Just wait til my soldering iron and flame gun arrive :twisted: .

Homework finished (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/ppn_2204/SharpThings2.jpg)! The copper house shape has been cut out; a little wonky on the top, but nothing a good filing won't sort out. I think it'd look better a little smaller, but not bad for a first attempt, I think :D .

Did you file the edges to make them smoothe?

Did you file the edges to make them smoothe?
No, that's the next step. I don't have any files yet, so that's a job for the next class on Monday. I just used the piercing saw and a '0' blade to cut out the shape I scribed on the copper.

Well for a first attempt it looks fine.

Well for a first attempt it looks fine.
Thanks :) . I've ordered some more metal sheet, so I'll be able to get a bit more practice. Friends and relatives will be getting wonky brass and copper keyrings for Christmas, as well as the usualy array of knitted items :hihi: .

Ok then. how about this for an idea..
A fusion of copper and knitting. Knit a jumper and add copper scales to it, lines of tear or pear shaped copper brooches to the front of it.
Even home made copper buttons.

Ok then. how about this for an idea..
A fusion of copper and knitting. Knit a jumper and add copper scales to it, lines of tear or pear shaped copper brooches to the front of it.
Even home made copper buttons.
Funny you should mention that. Knitting with metal wire is getting quite a lot of coverage at the moment, from really chunky pieces which are welded together, to delicate pieces using really fine wire. Not so much for garments (unless you're into the chainmail look), but it's being used a lot for jewellery. Wire crochet is possible too, usually involving beads of some decription.

Here are a few examples:

Link 1 (http://www.lifesabead.com/images/Wire_Knitting.JPG)

Link 2 (http://www.distantwisdom.net/~sqbr/pix/stuff/wire_necklace.jpg)

Link 3 (http://www.nwbasketweavers.org/portfolio/Marilyn/MoorCl-Washers_thumbnail.jpg)

Link 4 (http://www.bhkc.co.uk/data/Crafts%20Council/Kelly%20Jenkins%201.jpg)

So then its possible that you could make your own copper-work and add it to the garments that you make?
Plus... what about a knitted dragon with copper scales? A little knight in armour and...
My mind actually came out of hibernation there.

So then its possible that you could make your own copper-work and add it to the garments that you make?
Plus... what about a knitted dragon with copper scales? A little knight in armour and...
My mind actually came out of hibernation there.
Indeed. Not entirely sure about the dragon idea though... :hihi: .

Indeed. Not entirely sure about the dragon idea though... :hihi: .
Well i was thinking of a dragon or dinosaur with six or seven copper scales along the sides and copper scales along its spine.
Tons of fun in a thunderstorm I bet!

Well i was thinking of a dragon or dinosaur with six or seven copper scales along the sides and copper scales along its spine.
Tons of fun in a thunderstorm I bet!
I like the idea of a metalwork dragon, complete with burnished copper scales, but I don't think the knitted texture would really suit it though.

Oh i dont know, if you didnt go overboard with the copper work...I was thinkiing along the lines of the soup dragon from the clangers.

As for a purely copper dragon, that would look good. Im rather fond of the dragons and things that people make out of old scrap steel, they weld it together to make dinosaurs and things so id think that a dragon made out of copper scales and fused together would look brilliant. You could let your imagination run riot.

I love chainmail work jewellery, I never got round to having a go myself, but from what you'veposted you'll be very pleased with the coiling gizmo and the other wire work bits i've got :)

As well as everything else, you might find the following forums on metalsmithing and shaping wire informative here (http://www.beadstylemag.com/bds/community/forum/)

...I was thinkiing along the lines of the soup dragon from the clangers. ...
And now I have to run off and do a Google for the soup dragon, because I can't quite picture him. Were the Moomins involved in the Clangers somewhere, by the way, or am I thinking of some other strange 70s kids' programme? :suspect:

Here you go, one soup dragon (http://www.toonhound.com/clangers.htm)!

In later episodes of the clangers she had tiny metal plates on her belly.

I love chainmail work jewellery, I never got round to having a go myself, but from what you'veposted you'll be very pleased with the coiling gizmo and the other wire work bits i've got :)

As well as everything else, you might find the following forums on metalsmithing and shaping wire informative here (http://www.beadstylemag.com/bds/community/forum/)
Thanks, that'll come in handy. I've seen the BeadStyle magazine before, but I haven't bought it. I certainly didn't know they had a forum.

I've just found out that the Clangers were knitted! There's a copy of the information sheet they used to send out to viewers with details of how to knit your own Clanger here (http://www.clivebanks.co.uk/Clangers/Makeclanger.htm).

I've just found out that the Clangers were knitted! There's a copy of the information sheet they used to send out to viewers with details of how to knit your own Clanger here (http://www.clivebanks.co.uk/Clangers/Makeclanger.htm).
See the Plates on the clangers chest? Thats what i was getting at.

See the Plates on the clangers chest? Thats what i was getting at.
Yes, I do. I see what you mean now. I only had a fuzzy recollection of the Clangers, and I forgot that they used to wear little suit of armour type things.

I'm moving on to making silver rings in a few weeks, followed by stone setting. I'd like to combine it with enamelling, but I think I'll have to sign up to another course for that. I have the R22 ring on this (http://www.sheilafleet-jewellery.co.uk/RingSelection_Enamel.asp?offset=12) page, and it's a style I adore. I'd love to aim to be able to make something similar.

I love chainmail work jewellery, I never got round to having a go myself, but from what you'veposted you'll be very pleased with the coiling gizmo and the other wire work bits i've got :)

As well as everything else, you might find the following forums on metalsmithing and shaping wire informative here (http://www.beadstylemag.com/bds/community/forum/)


I spent much of my student time either wearing or making chainmail (I did medieval reenactment so it wasn't that strange a thing to wear!)- it's fab stuff really.

I've also crocheted with leather, but I'm not sure I'd want to try with wire. It sounds like you need arms like Fatima Whitbread to do it.

I've just found out that the Clangers were knitted! There's a copy of the information sheet they used to send out to viewers with details of how to knit your own Clanger here (http://www.clivebanks.co.uk/Clangers/Makeclanger.htm).

I have a Clanger somewhere, I knitted it from a Womens's Weekly pattern. I'll see if I can find him over the weekend and post a piccie!

Love the Link 1 by the way. When are you taking orders?

That ring is so beautiful.

I have a Clanger somewhere, I knitted it from a Womens's Weekly pattern. I'll see if I can find him over the weekend and post a piccie!
Did you dress him in the armour plating too? I'd forgotten how sweet the Clangers were :) .
Love the Link 1 by the way. When are you taking orders?
Hah! At the rate I'm going, probably in a couple of years :hihi: .

My brain isn't as bad as I thought. I have found clanger. (http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/turra21/clanger005.jpg)

As I said the main body was knitted but the "plating" is just felt. It was the first thing I knitted after a break of many many years.

My brain isn't as bad as I thought. I have found clanger. (http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/turra21/clanger005.jpg)

As I said the main body was knitted but the "plating" is just felt. It was the first thing I knitted after a break of many many years.
He's lovely :) .

PS. Your desk is far too tidy! Did you move the clutter for that photo, or is it just me who lives amidst an ever-increasing pile of junk useful bits and bobs?

I am a naturally tidy being (unfortunately for my husband - who isn't) so I did move his clutter just for the photo. I like things to have a home to live in, and everything should be in it's home. At least anybody can find them then - if you know where it's home is!

A good example of how he drives me mad by not throwing anything away is the fishing bookings diary at work- It's a standard A4 week to a page diary but there are so many loose bits of paper in it that it is two and a half times thicker than it should be and I can't find the ribbon that identifies the week page without holding the diary up so the bottom of it is at eye level. He tells me that every single piece of paper means something to him. Well I'm glad about that!!!!

...I like things to have a home to live in, and everything should be in it's home. At least anybody can find them then - if you know where it's home is!...!
I do agree with you; I'm minimalist by nature and can't stand clutter that's there because no one has been bothered to put it away. My problem is that I've got so much stuff on the go at the same time, and relatively little storage space, so occasionally my desk does get swamped by books, knitting bits and bobs and - at the minute - jewellery tools. I do know where to find everything though :) .

My desk is usually a heaving mass of really interesting things :lol:

I try and keep the rest of the house tidy, seeing as i'm always sat here it doesn't get used much!