Too much of a good thing

I've been trying my whole life to learn that details matter and that if a little is good, it doesn't necessarily mean that more is better. 

The lastest project from the Ulrike Torchon Workbook is a case in point. 

 I really love it and think it's pretty. I also think I almost have a handle on the Scotch Broom stitch (the part that forms the diamonds). But you'll notice that it's quite a long piece for a sample. The reason?

Instead of pinning up the 2 pieces of the pattern like this…

 

Like it was supposed to be, I pinned it up like this…

 

It make a minor difference not only to the length but to how long it takes to work it. 

I kept peeking under my cover cloth thinking, "Is this some sort of magically growing pattern?"  Come to find out, no. It's me being a silly beggar and not paying attention to what I was doing. 

So, while I ended up with a lovely piece, I shall be paying much more attention from now on. Really, I will. Really. 

Too much of a good thing

I've been trying my whole life to learn that details matter and that if a little is good, it doesn't necessarily mean that more is better. 

The lastest project from the Ulrike Torchon Workbook is a case in point. 

 I really love it and think it's pretty. I also think I almost have a handle on the Scotch Broom stitch (the part that forms the diamonds). But you'll notice that it's quite a long piece for a sample. The reason?

Instead of pinning up the 2 pieces of the pattern like this…

 

Like it was supposed to be, I pinned it up like this…

 

It make a minor difference not only to the length but to how long it takes to work it. 

I kept peeking under my cover cloth thinking, "Is this some sort of magically growing pattern?"  Come to find out, no. It's me being a silly beggar and not paying attention to what I was doing. 

So, while I ended up with a lovely piece, I shall be paying much more attention from now on. Really, I will. Really. 

Sweet experiment

I never thought I would become a pin cushion whore but I was wrong. Now that I've had some time to think about the cute pin cushion my friend Jennie gave me, I thought I'd try my hand. 

At the craft store I found this little box. Now when I travel with my bobbin lace stuff, one of the things I have issues with is the pin cushion and keeping it from getting caught on things. What about if I could close it up?

 

A few weeks ago I found some pin cushion filler made from crushed walnuts with lavender. So I did this. 

 

Now I have a pin cushion that can be attached to my pillow but then be closed up when traveling. I need to finish the box itself but I'm happy. 

Since I still had walnut shells, I decided to do another type of pin cushion - just a plain old square. It smells like heaven (if heaven smelt like lavender - and I'm pretty sure it does). 

 

It's a good thing I have enough pins for all these cushions. 

Peaceful breezes

Some patterns are sent to try us and some are sent to soothe us. It's not that the trying ones are bad. They challenge us and teach us and victory is oh so sweet. 

But the ones that soothe us bring a whole different level of sweetness and accomplishment as they take us by the hand to wander through fields of lavender, on to beaches with just the right amount of heat and a cool breeze, then to the mountain's clean, crisp air and clear view across the horizon. 

The thing is, when you start a pattern, you never know which it's going to be. My current project from the Voelker Torchon Workbook says that the Scotch broom stitch is challenging so I was ready to have to do and undo and redo and repeat. 

It hasn't been that at all, in the end. I felt the cool ocean breeze starting up this morning as I worked a couple of little sections to this…

 

New things

I love starting new projects. Going from the general of looking at patterns, finding one that moves you, preparing materials all lead you to that moment when you Start. 

There's something engaging about Starting. That's probably why so many of us are so accomplished at Starting things and not so much about finishing. The promise of something beautiful that comes out of the effort of Starting. 

Maybe the fact that we've had unseasonably spring-y weather adds to my excitement about Starting. 

I'm back to Ulrike's Torchon Workbook, working on chapter 9 focusing on Scotch Broom, which is an element of ground. I'm just Starting so when I get to that part of the pattern. I don't know much about it yet except it's pretty. 

 

Watching over

This post is going to be a bit of a mishmash of things going on right now. Works completed and those in progress. 

First of all, a project completed. 

 

Not perfect but I'm quite happy with this little angel. I definitely need to work on the braided/plaited diamond filling. 

I actually did a practice piece to work out where to start, how many pairs to use and how to space the pairs at different points. The pattern didn't come with any instructions and had only a few hints on the pattern. 

 

I think if I did it another time, I would use the same number of bobbins and spacing but I would focus more on the diamond filling and be a bit more careful on the picots. 

The practice piece was done in silk and the finished piece was cotton so I think I would do the next piece with silk. It's such a joy to work with. 

Speaking of bobbin lace, I've taken advantage of the warmer weather to work more on the bobbins I've been making. The project is moving along. 

 

Here are 5 pairs in process. I've got 10 pair in process right now (with 2 pair completed and in rotation) finishing up now with sanding before I finish them with oil. I think I've got another 8 pair marked out but not started yet. 

The other recent project I was involved in was not mine but came as an ask from the Choi&Shine design team.  They did a beautiful lace installation as part of the Amsterdam Light Festival and were working on an upcoming Light Festival in Singapore project. They asked for help in making crocheted motifs. The twist was that the working thread was actually marine rope. Here's a finished motif. 

 

Using a 5.5(I) crochet hook, it took me almost 10 hours per motif. I made 6 motifs in about 2.5 weeks. It was all down to the wire but hopefully they got it all put together and shipped on time. I can't show you the new project but here's a link to the Amsterdam project. Pretty amazing, right?

Next?!

I can't believe how much this workshop changed my attitude to warping for the loom. It just seems so doable now. 

As to the current warping, I tried a few different variations of the houndstooth pattern I wanted to use and decided to do four patterns of one (green/purple/green/purple) houndstooth pattern and then four of another, slightly longer pattern. 

 

 

I'm now about 2/3 of the way into the warp and will hopefully be able to finish it this weekend (during rest times for my poor hand that is about to fall off from helping a crochet project that has me crocheting with rope - long story for another day). 

I just can't wait to do the next warp!!