Welcome Travelers and Tourists!
Thank you for stopping by today and visiting! Please take a moment to read all that awaits you and at the end of this journey you'll be gifted with a pair of awesome discounts to use at my Ravelry store, Shrone Designs! I'd also encourage you to visit the other designers and show them support by purchasing their wonderful designs. Your support is greatly appreciated!
I picked today as my stop along the tour because it's The Ides of March. Just what are the Ides of March? It was a term used by Romans to denote the middle of the month and it marked the full moon. We recall the Ides of March because it was the day in which Julius Caesar was assassinated. I first read the play by Shakespeare when I was about 13 years old and it has stayed with me over the years.
Alchemy: Crochet & Chemistry
Today I'm releasing three new self-published patterns that compliment my Caffeine and Chocolate Molecule Earrings published last year in Crochetscene 2015: A lovely trio of porphyrin molecule pendants! Behold the splendor of Phthalocyanin, Chlorophyll, and Heme!
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| Left: Phthalocyanin; Center: Chlorophyll; Right: Heme |
I'm a science geek at heart but I also have an inner artist. Many years ago as a biology pre-med student in Organic Chemistry class I was awed by the beautiful symmetry of the heme bio molecule. I was so excited by the crisp geometric shape that I didn't understand why my fellow classmates were unimpressed by its majesty. Thinking back on it I'm sure they were terrified of failing the next exam and since there wasn't a requirement for artistic appreciation of molecular shapes there was no need to concern themselves with such details.
What prompted me to translate the two-dimensional structures of these molecules was a submission call. Yet, how to go about manifesting a line drawing into a functional crochet piece? My philosophy is that if you dig deep enough into a subject matter you'll find math at the center of it all. Crochet is all about using math to create either a beautiful or functional piece out of yarn or thread. I opted for thread to re-create the thin, sharp lines of a standard 2D molecular line drawing as well as to make it into a fun, wearable piece of jewelry.
The math used was quite simple since the molecules are composed of hexagons and pentagons with equal length sides. Circular construction was used in combination with chains and single crochets reinforced with slip stitches to provide rigidity to the openness of the structure. A technique I call "the loop back" is used to created the pentagon and hexagon extensions. I explain how to use the loop back technique in my pattern, of course!
Lovely Departing Gifts
Your support of my creative efforts by purchasing one or all of these geeky pendants to festoon your suprasternal notch is greatly appreciated! I have two incentive offers available to use in my Ravelry store.15% Discount on Entire Purchase
Coupon Code: IDESOFMARCH
Expires March 31, 2016
Buy 2 porphyrin molecule pendant patterns, get 3rd free! (Save $3.50)
Coupon Code: ********** (answer will be in all caps)
The code for this coupon is the answer to the following question: In William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, who bid Caesar beware the Ides of March?
Expires March 15, 2016 at midnight
Expires March 15, 2016 at midnight
