Crafting Madness: I Love This Rat Man & I Made Jewelry About It
Hello!
Do you like Arcane? What about crafts?
Do you have a deeply unsettling fascination with the Rat Man himself?
Are you unfamiliar with the definition of restraint?
Then welcome!
I’m horribly obsessed with Silco and I make morse code jewelry and I decided to combine these two things in a complete bout of maddness! The first time I saw the ChemBaron meeting scene in 1x7, I Learned Things about myself I was previously unaware of, so in dedication to its magnificence, I translated the entire scene into morse code and made the batshit decision to string it as a necklace!
I’ve made 2 failed attempts as documented by DM with @xiaq and they suggested I put it all in a post so the other nerds can at least delight in my insanity!
Here's a sneak peak of the in-progress project:
Supplies thus far:
Slant nose tweezers
Wire cutting pliers
Round nose pliers
Memory wire cutter
Needle nose pliers
1-step looper pliers
Bead board
6/0 black beads (scrapped)
6/0 silver beads (scrapped)
6/0 yellow beads (scrapped)
6/0 purple beads (repurposed for later)
5 slot necklace layering hardware (scrapped)
11/0 black beads
11/0 silver beads
11/0 bronze beads
11/0 dark red beads
11/0 acid green beads
11/0 silver lined yellow beads
11/0 light purple miyuki beads
24 gauge jewelry wire in gold
10 slot necklace layering hardware
I’m going to breeze over the first 2 attempts, and then detail the successful (so far) one.
1st Failed Attempt:
I started out using supplies I already had, which were 6/0 seed beads. Seed beads are round glass beads, and the number indicates how many beads fit to an inch, so 6/0 = 6 beads to an inch. 6/0 is the largest seed bead you can get, and I’ve seen them go all the way down to 20/0.
This was the first attempt:
I don’t remember where this ended, but it’s about Finn’s first three sentences in the 1x7 scene. Obviously this was gonna be way too unwieldy so I scrapped that, gave it a think, and bought some other beads.
2nd Failed Attempt:
For this round, I bought new beads and downsized. I considered 8/0, but I didn’t think that would be enough. 9/0 and 10/0 are very rare and nearly impossible to find, so 11/0 was my next step. I thought I knew what I was getting into, but I Did Not. Here’s the size difference:
I have to use tweezers to handle even 6/0 beads because they’re small and I’ve got arthritis, and the 11/0s are twice as bad.
Originally, I was going to use memory wire, which is a really firm wire that already comes sized for necklaces, bracelets, or rings. It’s very sturdy, but incredibly difficult to find in anything less than .75mm, and that’s still far too thick for 11/0 beads, so I swapped to 22 gauge jewelry wire. It’s thinner and more pliable so it’s easily bent out of shape, but it’s also easy to correct.
I measured out each length of wire the same (Don’t ask for actual measurements. I eyeballed it, went “yeah that looks right”, and then cut the rest of the wire the same. Yes, this caused Problems.), looped one end to keep the beads from sliding off, and strung the beginning of the translation.
I bought this 5 slot necklace layering hardware, and tried to give it a go, but it ended up being far too small to work with.
Additionally, I cut the wire too long and it overlapped in the back, which also made attaching each line unwieldy. I got 2 layers attached and tried it on, and it didn’t sit well, and thus brought our 2nd attempt to an end.
3rd (and so far successful) Attempt:
Supplies still in use:
Slant nose tweezers
Wire cutting pliers
Round nose pliers
Memory wire cutter
Needle nose pliers
1-step looper pliers
Bead board
6/0 purple beads
11/0 black beads
11/0 silver beads
11/0 bronze beads
11/0 dark red beads
11/0 acid green beads
11/0 silver lined yellow beads
11/0 light purple miyuki beads
24 gauge jewelry wire in gold
10 slot necklace layering hardware
(Unfortunately, I don’t have pics of every step because I’ve never documented anything like this before, and if I hadn’t been live blogging my frustrations directly into @xiaq’s DMs, I wouldn’t have any idea of what steps I’ve taken.)
I do endeavor to learn from my mistakes, so the first thing I did was cut the wire to a more desirable length. Instead of overlapping in the back, I left about an inch between the ends to account for the new 10 slot necklace layering hardware I bought.
After I figured that out, I measured out the length of 9 beads from each end and marked that on each wire. I did this for multiple reasons:
Obviously each layer is going to be different, so I didn’t want to pack the morse code beads in from end to end because if I needed to adjust anything, I’d have to take part of the beads off and recalculate and I didn’t want to do that
If I did need to adjust anything - say I miscalculated on the size of an end loop and needed more wire than was available - I could use my needle nose pliers to crunch off a spacer bead without having to unstring the beads
It just makes the ends a little more uniform and nice looking
After that I used a string to measure the length of the space between the marks, and marked it down on my bead board. Beads take up much less room on the wire than they do on the bead board because on the bead board they lay flat, not snuggly up against each other on their sides, so I mostly used the measurement as a guide, ie I needed at least this many beads plus a little more.
I laid out the first bit of beads and that’s when the Biggest problem came about.
I’m right handed, so the easiest way for me to string the beads is to use my right hand to pick up the beads, and my left to hold the wire, but if you do that, then the words will be in the correct order, but when you flip it around so the first word is on the left as we would read it, then all of your letters would be backwards. And I dunno if you guys know this, but that’s not how morse code works.
Morse code is a combination of dots and dashes and some, like H (....), will be the same no matter how you flip them, but if you write down an A (.-) and flip it over, that’s now an N (-.). That’s no bueno.
This resulted in a 45 minute conversation/argument with my sister as we tried to figure out what to do and the solution, honestly, fucking sucks.
In order for the letters to read correctly when flipped over, each word had to be written from left to right, as in the order of the letters was correct, but each letter itself has to be strung backwards.
Example( X to separate the letters):
Left = .-..X.X..-.X-
Would have to be strung as:
..-.X.X.-..X- = Felt
The E and T didn’t change, but those are two different words.
Honestly, this has been incredibly frustrating and has resulted in several false starts, but I am nothing if not stubborn so I’ve persevered.
After figuring all that out, I was able to string the first layer!
Here’s the breakdown so it makes more sense:
Bronze is used to cap the end of each line
Black is used as dots and dashes - 1 bead is a dot, 2 beads is a dash
Silver(Finn and Renni) or bronze (Silco) is used to separate the dots and dashes in a single letter
The colored beads separate the end of letters and words and denote which character is speaking
1 colored bead separates the letters in a word, 3 colored beads separate each word
Yellow/silver beads = Finn
Green/silver beads = Renni
Red/bronze beads = Silco
3 light purple miyuki beads end a sentence
1 6mm purple bead indicates a change in character
It reads “FIRST THIS WILD ATTACK IN THE HEART OF PILT-”.
Originally, I wasn't going to cut a word in half, but that just wasn’t a realistic wish when some of these words are so long. Instead, I can cut a word in half, but not a letter, lest I confuse myself even more.
Note: I’m using the original punctuation in this post, but there is no punctuation on the necklace. A period is .-.-.- and it only gets worse from there and that’s too much when I’m already doing so much.
Here are the following layers:
“OVER. NOW THE BORDER’S CLOSING. WERE BLEEDI-”
“NG MONEY. AND FOR WHAT? HIS DREAMS OF REBELL”
[I don't think I took a pic of this one, and if I did, I have no idea which on it is]
“ION? HE’S LOSING CONTROL. IF WE STAND TOG”
“ETHER…(SWAP TO SILCO, RED) WE AREN’T DUE FOR AN ASSEMBLY. (SWAP TO FINN, YELLOW) WE SHOUL”
And here’s what the first 5 layers look like strung on the layering hardware. Yes, it’s an incredible pain in the ass to connect them.
And that’s what I have so far. I’m going to include the entire translation at the end of this post just for funsies. I know there are a couple of mistranslations - I keep mixing up Ls and Ys for some reason - but I catch them as I go.
Now if you’ve made it through this post and are thinking “wow, this looks like so much fun, I think I might try this”, I beg of you, Don’t.
I mean, do what you want, but there has been much frustration and yelling, and some rage-related blood pressure issues, and there are SO MANY beads on my floor. You will drop them. You will find them in places you could never imagine. You will bump the table and undo 30 minutes worth of work. You will realize you strung the beads incorrectly and have to start over. You will cry. You will have to put yourself in time out and calm down with a juice box. Ask me how I know.
You will also find a new fascination with buying beads so take this as the warning it is.
I’ll update this post as I go (and as I remember to), so stay tuned if this is the kind of freak you’re into!
Here’s the translation of the entire scene (X separates the letters in each word as that’s easier for me to read):
FINN:
FIRST, ..-.X..X.-.X…X-
THIS -X….X..X…
WILD .--X..X.-..X-..
ATTACK .-X-X-X.-X-.-.X-.-
IN ..X-N
THE -X….X.
HEART ….X.X.-X.-.X-
OF ---X..-.
PILTOVER. .--.X..X.-..X-X---X…-X.X.-.
NOW, -.X---X.--
THE -X….X.
BORDER’S -...X---X.-.X-..X.X.-.X…
CLOSING. -.-.X.-..X---X…X..X-.X--.
WE’RE .--X.X.-.X.
BLEEDING -...X.-..X.X.X-..X..X-.X--.
MONEY --X---X-.X.X-.--
AND .-X-.X-..
FOR ..-.X---X.-.
WHAT? .--X….X.-X-
HIS ….X..X…
DREAMS -..X.-.X.X.-X--X…
OF ---X..-.
REBELLION? .-.X.X-...X.-..X.-..X..X---X-.
HE’S ….X.X…
LOSING .-..X---X…X..X-.X--.
CONTROL. -.-.X---X-.X-X.-.X---X.-..
IF .X..-.
WE .--X.
STAND …X-X.-X-.X-..
TOGETHER… -X---X--.X.X-X….X.X.-.
COLOR SWAP
SILCO:
WE .--X.
AREN’T .-X.-.X.X-.X-
DUE -..X..-X.
FOR ..-.X---X.-.
AN .-X-.
ASSEMBLY. .-X…X…X.X--X-...X.-..X.-..
COLOR SWAP
FINN:
WE .--X.
SHOULD …X….X---X..-X.-..X-..
BE. -...X.
EVER .X…-X.X.-.
SINCE …X..X-.X-.-.X.
YOUR -.--X---X..-X.-.
STUNT …X-X..-X-.X-
TOPSIDE, -X---X.--.X…X..X-..X.
PROFITS .-..X.-.X---X..-.X..X-X…
HAVE ….X.-X…-X.
BEEN -...X.X.X-.
PLUMMETING. .--.X.-..X..-X--X--X.X-X..X-.X--.
COLOR CHANGE
RENNI:
HE’S ….X.X…
RIGHT. .-.X.X--.X….X-
MERCHANDISE --X.X.-.X-.-.X.-X-.X-..X..X…X.
HAS ….X.-X…
BEEN -...X.X.X-.
FROZEN ..-.X.-.X---X--..X.X-.
AT .-X-
THE -X…X.
BORDER. -...X---X.-.X-..X.X.-.
TOPSIDERS -X---X.--.X…X..X-..X.X.-.X…
ARE .-X.-.X.
TOO -X---X---
AFRAID .-X..-.X.-.X.-X..X-..
TO -X---
CROSS. -.-.X.-.X---X…X…
COLOR CHANGE
FINN:
WE’RE .--X.X.-.X.
ALL .-X.-..X.-..
WONDERING, .--X---X-.X-..X.X.-.X..X-.X--.
WHAT’S .--X….X.-X-X…
YOUR -.--X---X..-X.-.
PLAN .--.X.-..X.-X-.
TO -X---
FIX ..-.X..X-..-
THIS? -X….X..X…
COLOR CHANGE
SILCO:
YOU’RE -.--X---X..-X.-.X.
ALL .-X.-..X.-..
WONDERING, .--X---X-.X-..X.X.-.X..X-.X--.
ARE .-X.-.X.
YOU? -.--X---X..-
COLOR CHANGE
FINN:
WAY .--X.-X-.--
I ..
SEE …X.X.
IT, ..X-
WE .--X.
SHOULD …X….X---X..-X.-..X-..
CUT -.-.X..-X-
A .-
DEAL -..X.X.-X.-..
AND .-X-.X-..
GIVE --.X..X…-X.
BACK -...X.-X-.-.X-.-
THE -X…X.
GEMSTONE. --.X.X--X…X-X---X-.X.
BETTER -...X.X-X-X.X.-.
TO -X---
HAVE ….X.-X…-X.
SOME …X---X--X.
TRADE -X.-.X.-X-..X.
THAN -X…X.-X-.
NONE -.X---X-.X.
AT .-X-
ALL. .-X.-..X.-..
CHANGE COLOR
SILCO:
THE -X…X.
BORDER -...X---X.-.X-..X.X.-.
ISSUE ..X…X…X..-X.
IS ..X…
TEMPORARY. -X.X--X.--.X---X.-.X.-X.-.X-.--
JINX .---X..X-.X-..-
WILL .--X..X.-..X.-..
DEAL -..X.X.-X.-..
WITH .--X..X-X….
IT. ..X-
COLOR CHANGE
FINN:
HA. ….X.-
RUMOR .-.X..-X.-.X--X---X.-.
IS, ..X…
YOUR -.--X---X..-X.-.
DOG’S -..X---X--.X…
OFF ---X..-.X..-.
HER ….X.X.-.
LEASH. .-..X.X.-X…X….
HOW ….X---X.--
YOU -.--X---X..-
MEANT --X.X.-X-.X-
TO -X---
BRING -...X.-.X..X-.X--.
PILTOVER .--.X..X.-..X-X---X…-X.X.-.
TO -X---
HEEL ….X.X.X.-..
IF ..X..-.
YOU -.--X---X..-
CAN’T -.-.X.-X-.X-
HANDLE ….X.-X-.X-..X.-..X.
YOUR -.--X---X..-X.-.
OWN ---X.--X-.
PEOPLE, .--.X.X---X.--.X.-..X.
HUH? ….X..-X….
CHANGE COLOR
RENNI:
WHAT’S .--X….X.-X-X…
THAT? -X….X.-X-
CHANGE COLOR
SILCO:
OH, ---X….
YOU -.--X---X..-
DON’T -..X---X-.X-
RECOGNIZE .-.X.X-.-.X---X--.X-.X..X--..X.
IT? ..X-
HAVE ….X.-X…-X.
YOU -.--X---X..-
FORGOTTEN ..-.X---X.-.X--.X---X-X-X.X-.
WHERE .--X…X.X.-.X.
WE .--X.
CAME -.-.X.-X--X.
FROM? ..-.X.-.X---X--
THE -X…X.
MINES --X..X-.X.X…
THEY -X….X.X-.--
HAD ….X.-X-..
US ..-X…
IN? ..X-.
AIR .-X..X.-.
SO …X---
THICK -X….X..X-.-.X-.-
IT ..X-
CLOGGED -.-.X.-..X---X--.X--.X.X-..
YOUR -.--X---X..-X.-.
THROAT. -X….X.-.X---X.-X-
STUCK …X-X..-X-.-.X-.-
IN ..X-.
YOUR -.--X---X..-X.-.
EYES. .X-.--X.X…
BUT -...X..-X-
I ..
PULLED .--.X..-X.-..X.-..X.X-..
YOU -.--X---X..-
ALL .-X.-..X.-..
UP ..-X.--.
FROM ..-.X.-.X---X--
THE -X….X.
DEPTHS. -..X.X.--.X-X….X…
OFFERED ---X..-.X..-.X.X.-.X.X-..
YOU -.--X---X..-
A .-
TASTE -X.-X…X-X.
OF ---X..-.
TOPSIDE. -X---X.--.X…X..X-..X.
AND .-X-.X-..
FRESH ..-.X.-.X.X…X….
AIR. .-X..X.-.
I ..
GAVE --.X.-X…-X.
YOU -.--X---X..-
LIFE. .-..X..X..-.X.
PURPOSE. .--.X..-X.-.X.--.X---X…X.
BUT -...X..-X-
YOU’VE -.--X---X..-X…-X.
GROWN --.X.-.X---X.--X-.
FAT ..-.X.-X-
AND .-X-.X-..
COMPLACENT. -.-.X---X--X.--.X.-..X.-X-.-.X.X-.X-
TOO -X---X---
MUCH --X..-X-.-.X….
TIME -X..X--X.
IN ..X-.
THE -X…X.
SUN. …X..-X-.
WE .--X.
CAME -.-.X.-X--X.
FROM ..-.X.-.X---X--X.
A .-
WORLD .--X.-.X---X.-..X-..
WHERE .--X….X.X.-.X.
THERE -X….X.X.-.X.
WAS .--X.-X…
NEVER -.X.X…-X.X.-.
ENOUGH .X-.X---X..-X--.X….
TO -X---
GO --.X---
AROUND, .-X.-.X---X..-X-.X-..
FINN. ..-.X..X-.X-.
THAT -X….X.-X-
IS ..X…
WHY .--X….X-.--
WE .--X.
FIGHT. ..-.X..X--.X….X-
DO -..X---
YOU -.--X---X..-
REMEMBER? .-.X.X--X.X--X-...X.X.-.
CHANGE COLOR
FINN:
SORRY. …X---X.-.X.-.X-.--
PLEASE. .--.X.-..X.X.-X…X.
PLEASE. .--.X.-..X.X.-X…X.
CHANGE COLOR
SILCO:
DON’T -..X---X-.X-
FORGET ..-.X---X.-.X--.X-
AGAIN. .-X--.X.-X..X-.
GOOD --.X---X---X-..
MEETING. --X.X.X-X..X-.X--.
