Fiddley

Fiddley.  I learn from tutorials a lot of the time and some of my favorite work comes from a couple of people Down Undah in Australia.  When something gets difficult to hold onto because of too many wire components or the contortion of the piece has to lay just so while you weave it into place, they call it "fiddley".    I love the term.  
And this, my beautiful friends, is the definition of fiddley. After starting over 4 times because of one mishap after another, I find this a pretty attractive little start to a completed cross.   I can't tell you how frustrating it was to have to start over AGAIN when the wire defeated me in one way or another.  This, so far, is the most difficult project yet.

When working with small gauge wire, in this case we're talkin' 22 gauge, the weaving wire has a higher chance of pulling the base wire out of whack.  So, to try to prevent that, you tend to grip the piece tighter.  This does not help, but ends up contorting the whole thing out of line, or tends to create inconsistencies in the weave.

What I've learned:  is patience.  Just be patient.  If you have to pull some of it apart and start back a ways, then so be it.  No big deal, really.  It really hurts to lose the time you spent building up to that point, but it is definitely a learning experience.  And relax the damn grip, girl.  Loosen up!  It's not going to jump out of my hands... not of it's own volition, anyway. 

I was horrified/tickled/disgusted with myself to realize, after starting the cross (after promising to make it for a friend) that the tutorial says at the top "Advanced".   I am nothing near advanced level.  But guess what?  The most difficult part of the whole piece is done!  

One more thing... while it's the most fiddley piece to date, it's the most fun.  Difficult, temperamental, time consuming, frustrating and very very satisfying.