Metal

I've wanted to explore using metal with fibre for some time. Apparently you can buy craft metal (not sure if it's pewter or what) but I have not seen any here in Grahamstown, which is the usual downside to living in a small place.

The upside to living in a small place is that you then get inventive about finding substitutes. So here is a very plentiful substitute: the ubiquitous cooldrink can (or "soda can" as the Americans call it). I wash them out, cut off the top and bottom and down the middle and voila.

I used an old dry ballpoint pen to scribble patterns on them. This isn't the best tool as I found I had to press very hard. It was VERY hard on the hands - I did these before my hand operation, and will not be able to do any more until my hand has healed. I would imagine the craft metal that is sold, is softer. One buys a ball tool for this, but really, how is a ball point pen different? You also have to cut smoothly as any jagged or pointy edges are really sharp. I bought a cheap (as in R5.99) pair of kitchen shears from Pep to cut the cans with as I was not going to risk my nice scissors and they have proved perfect (Now I'm wondering if cutting metal does not actually *sharpen* the scissors? Anyone know?)
To disguise the origin of the metal I backed them with fabric wrapped around the front and hemmed with mitred corners. I also want to try doing something that does not disguise the other side, but I did not want the distraction of the multi-coloured side for this project.

I would also still like to try and find another way to make the marks on the metal, that doesn't wreck the hands quite so much. The metal/fibre combination has SOOO many possibilities I really want to do more.

Pics of finished project soon...