Friday, November 14, 2008

guillotine fingers

I felt like swearing in about seventeen different languages... but I settled for a loud, mournful AAAARGHHHHHHH...

which possibly the neighbours heard, since I was working outdoors... but they have been too polite to mention

oops

So - another one bites the dust...

ah well, practice makes perfect

Remember the tunisian hook which my dear friend Dawn made for me? Well we had a play around with it at our crochet meet the other day, and decided that the point of the hook was a bit too long. Which means that you end up working very exaggerated movements to compensate for having to manoeuvre the hook to pull the long tip through the loops. Anyway, modifications were required... but I was told that I could do them myself!

Are you serious???

I could modify the tip myself???

Did you forget that my middle name is 'Guillotine Fingers'???

Well, I decided that the only safe way to tackle this problem was to lock all sharp instruments away, and work only with sand paper. Wow... I was astounded at how easy the dowel was to work with!

dawn's tunisian - original head on pavement edited

See how the head has changed... but is not missing? It also has been given a light coat of oil.

I'm thinking that maybe I need to develop my carving technique using pine dowel first, and then I can advance to sticks. Perhaps I'll just try one more time... just one more...
at

11 comments:

  1. SamNovember 14, 2008 at 9:21 AM

    Oh dear! Lol!

    You'll get there in the end :-D

    I'm very impressed with all your (group) efforts. It would never even have occured to me to try.

    I did wonder what the sandpaper hands were from. Crochet doesn't usually have that affect on me ;-)

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  2. AnonymousNovember 14, 2008 at 10:44 AM

    AWWWWWW!!! :-(

    That is a sad sad picture, wow ... do I feel for you. Want another exercise in patience? Take up stained glass. LOL You just get that piece of glass just so .. and SNAP!

    Have you thought of using a 'Dremel'?

    Fingers crossed for you,

    Julie Andrea
    sundayschild1966(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  3. AnonymousNovember 14, 2008 at 11:34 AM

    Oh bummer, another one be-headded. I'm suprised you're still trying. 10 points for your patients.

    I like the way the hook came up that Dawn gave you. It looks good with a coat of oil. Can't wait to see it n action.

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  4. DawnNovember 14, 2008 at 12:00 PM

    You had better stay away from the children for the next few days, let them do their own hair for a while.
    You did a great job on the hook of the other one though. Any chance I can get mine done too? lol.

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  5. Alicia @ Oh2122November 14, 2008 at 12:14 PM

    Around here we've started subbing the word CUPCAKES! This led to an interesting discussion of "frosting" as an appropriate alternative...

    Please do try one more time! I am so fascinated!

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  6. annemarieNovember 14, 2008 at 1:04 PM

    You amaze me girl - I wouldn't even attempt something like this. Is your middle name Patience??

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  7. Kanchan KaraiNovember 14, 2008 at 3:29 PM

    Oops! But I am sure, Purple, you will make it again. I told you yesterday about my old knitting hook and yarn. The hook was broken since it was kept ina suitcase and had heavy load of wooden frames. So I decided to buy a new one, I went shopping exclusively for the hook and guess what...? It is not available in the market?!! These days in India, Thane only proffessionals buys hook. I have to go Mumabi (Bombay) to buy it now. See, what happenes when you let go your art passion. Terrible isn't it?

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  8. laughing purple goldfishNovember 14, 2008 at 10:31 PM

    sam - yes... I will get there... EVENTUALLY!!! and I agree... it has been an awesome group effort

    julie - oh dear... I always imagined that I would try my hand at lead lighting one day... maybe not! I have a tool similar to a dremmel here, which I might need to turn to

    jacqui - she should be 'all systems go' for our next meet... you can even have a play with her if you like :)

    dawn - I can tell that you are picturing me as some kind of edward scissorhands character at the moment :) and OF COURSE I can attend to your hook!

    oh2122 - aren't substitute words wonderful... for a long time I was a fan of the word TWADDLE... I think I might need to resurrect it, actually

    annemarie - I have interviewed mr goldfish and the children... and as far as they are concerned, my middle name IS NOT patience ;)

    kanchan - ooooohhhh... maybe we will see you turn to carving your own hook... out of necessity???

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  9. KarenNovember 15, 2008 at 2:25 AM

    You have got me thinking and my fingers a-twiddling..... And I am impressed that you know seventeen languages in which to swear....chuckle...or maybe that was blogging liscense.

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  10. Everyday HousewifeNovember 15, 2008 at 11:59 AM

    Awesome!!
    You sure are amazing and certainly very innovative. It would never have occurred to me to do my own hook.
    Happy times creating new stuff with your hook.

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  11. laughing purple goldfishNovember 15, 2008 at 9:15 PM

    karen - alas... just blogging license!

    everyday housewife - thanks, there's always something new to try

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