Mango Lemon Topaz June 1, 2008

I’ve had this GORGEOUS “mango cut”, faceted LEMON TOPAZ from Migem in my stash for some time now. The picture simply doesn’t do it justice; it is actually a gorgeous pale yellow, without the brownish tones seen here.

Today, it called out to me to BECOME something. I’ve been playing around with  weaving a sterling silver, double spiral neck wire for it, probably about 16″. I think the simplicity of this chain style will SHOW OFF the stone nicely. I’m dying to see how it TURNS OUT but for now …lots more WEAVING to do.

FACTOID: According to Gemstones of the World, the name topaz is “most probably derived from an island in the Red Sea, now Zabargad but formerly Topazos, the ancient source of peridot.”

 

Just About a Moonlight Mile June 1, 2008

Today, I’m taking a small BREAK from weaving chain to …KNIT. I’ve decided to TACKLE a scarf called “Midwest Moonlight”, which is one of the projects in the AWESOME book Scarf Style (yet another fabulous publication by Interweave Press.) The yarn called for is Cotton Comfort, from Green Mountain Spinnery. It’s a wool/organic cotton BLEND. So far (I’m about 5 rows in), I really like working with it; I’m using 4mm bamboo needles and the knitting is FAST (not counting the 3 times I ripped out ENTIRELY before I got the HANG of the pattern). BTW, the color I’m using is BLUET.