Now, you too can learn to make cool stuff in just four (or a few more) easy lessons! With Lothruin's patented Learn to Make Stuff learning system, making cool stuff is as easy as... something really easy that also doesn't sound dorky! But first, let's find out more about Lothruin's making-stuff history!
In highschool I developed an interest in a boy. The boy's mother taught a silversmithing class, and it was not long before I was dating the boy and attending the silversmithing class. Fortunately for everyone involved (I'm quite sure) the relationship with the craft lasted far longer than my relationship with the boy. I was in love. After high school, a few semesters of college and a hands-on exploration into early childhood education (I worked as a teachers' assistant in a preschool) I stuck my chin out and decided I wanted to be a profesional jeweler. I opened the phonebook and started calling around. It was probably a surprise to everyone that I actually got a job as an apprentice goldsmith, which I loved and worked hard at for a couple of years, until personality conflicts with my employer led me down another track. It is still, by far, my favorite former occupation. I would love to do it again.
I never really intended to do anything design-related, frankly. But as it turns out, I've done several print and web design projects over the years. Simple logo and layout designs, T-shirt designs, as well as album artwork for a music CD and some web design. I've never considered it seriously, but I do enjoy it.
I love doodling. I understand and accept that my artwork will never be much better than a step or two beyond doodling, but it is mine, and I enjoy it. I've designed numerous tattoos, for myself and others, and have been working on a line of tattoo-flash-inspired stationary products. I've also been working on some short childrens' stories and their illustrations. It keeps my fertile imagination busy.
I'm a knitter. I crochet too. (Shh, don't tell.) I'm currently the moderator of the Knitting boards at Craftser.org, and co-moderator of the Crochet boards. I love knitting and crochet and consider it of the utmost importance to further these two crafts in modern culture. That sounds pompous. Really, I just think that knitting and crochet are such worthy things to do, it's a shame they (still, even as popular as they are) have the reputation of being old-fashioned. Much of the problem here is that while machine-knit and/or mass-marketed garments stay on the leading edge of fashion, many, if not most, readily available hand-work patterns are still geared toward the more traditional, conservative mentality of needleworkers of a few generations ago (or even this generation's version of them). To that end, I am developing my skills as a designer and will be putting together patterns as I come up with them. These will mostly be available at Shknitzel, and many will also be available at Crafster.org. Meanwhile, it's worth mentioning that I am also a member of Ravelry, (username Lothruin, duh) and several patterns can already be found there. Also, there is a freebies section at Two Sisters Vintage where I've provided a number of vintage and antique needlework patterns. Please take advantave of them!
Hey, I'm also a spinner! I make my own yarn, because I'm cool like that.
I dabble in a lot of crafts. I know how to cross stitch and do some other basic embroideries and wish I was better at it and enjoyed it more. I do some paper-crafts, including card-making and scrapbooking. I've made soap, I've played with resin, I sew... you know, it might actually be easier to list the things I haven't tried. But I'm not gonna. Suffice to say, I'm an avid DIYer and if there is a technique somewhere for making something yourself, I probably have tried it, or will try it at some point in the future.