Millefiore!

Before a couple weeks ago, I would not have even known caning was and acceptable pastime in my country! While compiling items for the contest, I decided to do some research and playtime with the Polymer Clay! Rather than a harsh punishment, I learned that caning is a clay technique. You use tubes, or other long shapes of clay, wrapped with another color (or two, or three. . .), then you make the starting “cane” skinnier by rolling and squeezing and gently pulling. When you slice the finished cane, you get flat pieces that are almost identical, and they can have a design or a pattern in the center of the shape. These pieces can be pierced to create beads or buttons, or whatever you want, before the clay is baked. Pretty cool, huh! But you all probably already knew all about it.

Well, I was so intrigued that I had to try it. Here’s a shot of some of the beads from my first cane ever!

Pretty cool, I thought. So, perhaps I can see a contest prize as part of the fruits of my playtime?!? Stay tuned for contest details in the next post. . .

In the meantime, I have finished knitting a pair of socks,

and a baby sweater,

and my daughter and I found her a pretty nice prom dress AND shoes to match! Life is good! Off I go to knit on another sock – big surprise, right? Haha!

May you all read and write and knit and craft in good health. See you in the funny papers!