Shrinkage

Size matters, when you're talking about things that hold other things.

I've just finished a netted pouch, which I figured would be perfect for holding a cell phone, or a credit card, or some mad money. Only I didn't measure beforehand. Oops.

I did stick my cellphone into it at an intermediate stage, before adding the ultrasuede lining. It fit, though it stuck out the top. That was my first intimation that I had seriously mis-estimated the size of the pouch. Then when I added the lining, the real shrinkage took place. I tried to make the inner pouch fit the outer beading closely, but in order not to have it wrinkle, it had to be smaller. This is not the Tardis, after all.

So I'm officially calling this The Too-Small-For-Nearly-Everything Pouch. A credit card will fit, but sticks up about three-quarters of an inch, which seems foolhardy and prone to disaster. Just about the only thing you can do is put some small change in it, or fold a bill really small. That would work.

Or perhaps you just need to keep this pouch for hopes and dreams. Secrets. Those will fit. I promise. 

Unless you dream really big.  Or keep world-class secrets. Then all bets are off.

You can see the starting point for this piece in the previous post.  The upper border was a happy find, I did a round of what I had intended to be 3-bead picots and ended up being a little netted stitch. Then when I did a second round of three bead netting connectors (it just seemed the right thing to do at the time) I got ruffles!! Who knew?

This will be listed on Etsy when I get a few better pictures. 

I had started a modified Cellini spiral with the red and blue(ish) beads to hang the pouch from, but it was large enough to overwhelm the small pouch. I only did about 4 inches of that before I quit. I'll change that into a bracelet, I think. Then I strung the necklace part on beading wire to make it strong, and it fits the scale of the pouch much better. Much more balanced than the spiral would have been.

The real lesson, though, is to measure first. Add a bit for shrinkage in working. Then add a bit more. Unless you want it to be Too Small For Nearly Everything.

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In other news, a few more preview shots of the Sea Slug piece. It took me several days to figure out what to do about fastening and embellishing the central netted rope big honking chunk.  And it is big and honking. About 6 inches long. So I did the toggle, and made some removeable fringy elements that I think are going to be really cool.  I think it'll end up a piece that can be worn several ways. Or hung on the wall.