Famous Jewelry Collections: THE BEADING GEM'S JOURNAL

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

THE BEADING GEM'S JOURNAL

How to Make Scarf or Shawl Pins Tutorials

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 05:00 AM PST

I'm old enough to remember a time when the only people who knitted or crochet were older folks. Happily, the "granny" crafts are back in vogue today. If you are a yarn enthusiast, then consider making shawl or scarf pins to go with your knitted or crochet creations. Or make them for someone who does.

One way is to make it out of polymer clay. Mimi of the Eskimimi blog has a gorgeous tutorial . She made the pin part from just clay and wondered if it would be strong enough to stand up to daily use. I would suggest making a long eye pin and wrapping the clay around it. This should strengthen the pin. Another option is to use a slightly sharpened dowel with a polymer clay "head" as shown in Peacefully Knitting blog.

If you like wire work, then check out Liz's shawl pin tutorial over at Yarn Berry. She encourages readers to experiment with different wire shapes and to add beads too. She used a jig for a design but you could also do circles, spiral and so on. Make sure you hammer to set the shape (work hardening). Also remember to file the end of the pin so there are no burs to catch the yarn.

Shawl pins are descendants of early ring brooch fasteners dating back to the Iron Age and Roman times. These are the penannular brooches or Celtic brooches as they are sometimes called. The brooches were essential cloak and clothes fasteners long before safety pins, buttons, zips and velcro were invented.

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