Two Foxy Brooches.

[Dennis]

I’m fixated on foxes at the moment, for a birthday. So I’ve made two brooches, one in acrylic and one in silver. True to my resolution to economise, the silver one is made from wire.

Both have stainless steel double pins.

Size of brooches: Acrylic 7.5mm wide x 4.5mm tall. Silver 3.5mm wide x 4.5mm tall.
Pin wire 0.8mm
Triangular wire for silver brooch 2.mm. Dennis

[CJ57]

These are wonderfully quirky and fun Dennis, the wire one looks very male in posture. As usual the recipient is very lucky.
Do you see a lot of urban foxes?
We have a Red Squirrel obsession this last few days as Mike saw a big fat one in the front garden the size of a ginger Tom and according to reports there are at least 3 about.We are obviously lacking stimulation just now but it is good news!

[Animalnutty]

Oh I love these - I also have a bit of a thing for Foxes and have made foxy pieces in the past. I was sat outside having a late cup of tea last night and could hear one calling.

As soon as I read you had done one in acrylic and one in silver I thought I would automatically prefer the silver. While I love them both and the wire piece is very clever, there is something extra special about the acrylic one. Beautiful, as always.

Karen

[mizgeorge]

Oh Dennis - they are both fabulous - I also especially love the acrylic version - you've managed to convey so much expression, especially with the very clever shaping around the eyes.

I never thought I'd say this, but you've completely won me over with your acrylic pieces - I find myself waiting to see what you'll come up with next!

[china]

That acrylic one , looks right at you, my friends daughter ( 6yr old) loves Foxes, she has quilt cover covered in them , she wants one as a pet.

[Dennis]

Thank you everyone. I'm quite excited that you like he acrylic one, as I'm not much of a drawer and practically wore out a rubber, trying to get it right.
We do have a fox who appears at twilight in a little park near us. In the day it's flocks of pigeons and lunch box munchers.
Kind regards to all, Dennis.

[NickD]

Thank you everyone. I'm quite excited that you like he acrylic one, as I'm not much of a drawer and practically wore out a rubber, trying to get it right.
We do have a fox who appears at twilight in a little park near us. In the day it's flocks of pigeons and lunch box munchers.
Kind regards to all, Dennis.

Very nice Dennis. That is a fox. I 'm on brooches myself at the mo. Do you find two pins give extra stability?
Nick

[Dennis]

Thank you Nick. Yes they do provide extra stability, especially on soft or thin fabric. The down side is that they are slightly more difficult to pin on. Dennis.

[Ruedeleglise]

Being a countryman born and breed I don’t share your love of Mr or Mrs Fox having lost many ducks, geese and chickens to them! But all said, wow what marvellous acrylic and silver broaches. Stand by for a silver wire shot gun!


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[Dennis]

Thank you, David. Yes, they're noisy and smelly and raid our bins in towns. Also they are dedicated killers. But they are part of our wild life. Dennis.

[Ruedeleglise]

Agreed, but must be controlled...no natural predators now the wolf has gone!


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[china]

I tried to be diplomatic, down here they are a pest, for a time in the seventies I made a living out of controlling them.

[Dennis]

Well I guess they were imported into Australia, so that the unspeakable could hunt the inedible.

[alastairduncan]

These are really nice Dennis. I think the 3 dimensional nature of the acrylic is great and the 2 tone white and red works very well.:Y:

[Dennis]

Thank you Alastair. The colour range is limited, so I struggle to find a subject to suit.

Surprisingly, now that I have seen them in use, it's the silver one which is the winner for me.
The geometric design makes a bold statement, and the triangular wire gives jewel like reflections. Dennis.

[mizgeorge]

I love your triangular wire designs Dennis - makes me hanker after a drawbench all the more!

[Dennis]

Thank you George. most of these wires are from scraps and stubs, left over from belt buckle projects, started in the mill, and then drawn down. I don't have the puff to draw it by hand, but it's easy with my mini boat winch.

You do have to keep a sharp eye on it, because slightly out of alignment, and you end up with hexagonal wire instead. Dennis.

[china]

Hi Dennis where did you get your triangle plates, are they carbide or cheapies.

Bob

[Dennis]

I have two of them Bob: a large one starting at 6.0mm, and a smaller one going down to minute. They are ancient and unbranded, but not carbide.

I rather treasure the feint lines left on my wires by the draw plates as adding an extra dimension and a sign of being hand crafted. So I take the utmost care not to polish them away.

Cheapies is a relative term, because as you can see below, many of them are now around £90 with VAT. and I have accumulated 13 assorted ones at the last count. In fact the cost of draw plates is a major disincentive to people drawing down their own wires. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=triangular+draw+plates+for+jewellkeres
Dennis.

[CJ57]

I have two of them Bob: a large one starting at 6.0mm, and a smaller one going down to minute. They are ancient and unbranded, but not carbide.

I rather treasure the feint lines left on my wires by the draw plates as adding an extra dimension and a sign of being hand crafted. So I take the utmost care not to polish them away.

Cheapies is a relative term, because as you can see below, many of them are now around £90 with VAT. and I have accumulated 13 assorted ones at the last count. In fact the cost of draw plates is a major disincentive to people drawing down their own wires. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=triangular+draw+plates+for+jewellkeres
Dennis.

I don’t feel so bad now Dennis. You are to drawplates what I am to hammers. In fact I think you win. Or is it the other way round, well you know what I mean.

[china]

The reason I am interested, is as you say you can spend a lot of money on draw plates, I have a couple of expensive ones ( $120 ) and several cheapies ($13 ) and at this stage the only difference in performance seems to be the cost
I suppose the expensive one will last many times longer, although as a hobbyist I most likely will never use them enough to gain that benefit.