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?