Yesterday was a great mail day. I’d ordered a handmade Christmas gift for a friend (I won’t say who), and it arrived gaily wrapped for the holiday. I tore into it, of course, but I saved the tidbits for rewrapping it later. Inside was the most gorgeous bracelet, handknit of silver wire and dotted with Christmas-y beads. I couldn’t quit touching it. As beautiful as it looked on Etsy, it is far more fascinating and delicious in person.
The bracelet is the handiwork of Erin Jepson, known on Etsy as Idyll Hands. Erin works at a performing arts center, but her weekends and evenings are spent with needles in hand. She says of her avocation:
“Knitting was not something I grew up around. I honestly can’t remember what originally intrigued me about knitting. I do know that I wound up in my apartment sometime during my fourth year of college (yes, there were more than four) with a how-to book and a horribly cheap skein of red, green, and white yarn (not homemade, not attractive, not ever going to be made into something I’d actually wear). While watching Friends reruns, I tried over and over again to cast on. Eventually I had a successful set of cast on stitches. Never mind that each one broke when trying to get my needles through them to knit as they were far too tight, I had learned to cast on.
“As you can imagine, that project went bust. Thankfully, a few years later, a friend taught me how to actually knit something I might hang around my neck and I was hooked.
Two years and tons of scarves and one beanie later, I picked up some wire and some beads. The first few bracelets were learning experiences–too many beads on one, not enough on another, and yes, 5 inches wide is a bit too much for a bracelet, but I had found my new medium. Knitting with wire. That was this past summer. Two craft shows and one Etsy site later, I’ve found my crafting self as ‘Idyll Hands.’
“I have tended to pick up hobbies and drop them in the past, but this is the first time since graduating with a degree in music that I’ve thought, ‘Hey, I can see myself doing this for a living one day.’ That is a very good feeling.”
Erin’s haiku about her approach to art:
Oh Precious Wire
I have some beads just for you
You’ll sell on Etsy
Erin lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and she is an active member of AREtsy, the Arkansas Etsy street team. You can read about her exploits on her blog and make friends with her on EtsyLove. And, for goodness sakes, go check out her Etsy shop. I’m so glad I did.
The bracelet is the handiwork of Erin Jepson, known on Etsy as Idyll Hands. Erin works at a performing arts center, but her weekends and evenings are spent with needles in hand. She says of her avocation:“Knitting was not something I grew up around. I honestly can’t remember what originally intrigued me about knitting. I do know that I wound up in my apartment sometime during my fourth year of college (yes, there were more than four) with a how-to book and a horribly cheap skein of red, green, and white yarn (not homemade, not attractive, not ever going to be made into something I’d actually wear). While watching Friends reruns, I tried over and over again to cast on. Eventually I had a successful set of cast on stitches. Never mind that each one broke when trying to get my needles through them to knit as they were far too tight, I had learned to cast on.
“As you can imagine, that project went bust. Thankfully, a few years later, a friend taught me how to actually knit something I might hang around my neck and I was hooked.
Two years and tons of scarves and one beanie later, I picked up some wire and some beads. The first few bracelets were learning experiences–too many beads on one, not enough on another, and yes, 5 inches wide is a bit too much for a bracelet, but I had found my new medium. Knitting with wire. That was this past summer. Two craft shows and one Etsy site later, I’ve found my crafting self as ‘Idyll Hands.’“I have tended to pick up hobbies and drop them in the past, but this is the first time since graduating with a degree in music that I’ve thought, ‘Hey, I can see myself doing this for a living one day.’ That is a very good feeling.”Erin’s haiku about her approach to art:
Oh Precious Wire
I have some beads just for you
You’ll sell on Etsy
Erin lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and she is an active member of AREtsy, the Arkansas Etsy street team. You can read about her exploits on her blog and make friends with her on EtsyLove. And, for goodness sakes, go check out her Etsy shop. I’m so glad I did.
2 comments:
wonderful haiku!
Awwww.... thanks! I struggled with the Haiku. I know the point is the lack of words, but I struggle when I don't have room to say what I need! :)
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