Two down

And two to go. This was one of the funnest patterns I've done yet. It's small and I was able finish over the weekend but I had to really pay attention to the interplay between the fans. 

Here's the next on the list:

A Bevy of Projects

I was looking at my Yusai Fukuyama book, 100 New Bobbin Lace Patterns, the other night and 4 patterns caught my eye that were in the Bedfordshire style and would give me practice in the elements of that style of lace. 

The first one, done here in yellow linen thread shows a very typical nine-pin edging went very quickly indeed. I just need to tie it off but I'm too tired right now. 

The next one will be the second smaller round pricking that has the center star and the intersecting fans. 

The smaller oval will be third, with the typical running leaf and plait section. 

Finally will be the larger oval with the running tape and fillers. That is not only larger but it has some more fiddly bits with sewing and tape overlaps. 

I really just want to make everything in this book. I've already done 4-5 pieces including my Mom's birds and flowers and Jane's Victorian lady. 

I think it worked

All the pins are out and all the threads are cut and I think I like it. 

Doesn't look like much

Whenever you experiment, there's always that moment when you wonder if it's going to be a rousing success or a crashing failure. 

I'm at that point right now with this little guy. Threads going everywhere, not knowing what it will look like when you get it off the pillow. Working with silk threads was a different experience, as was trying to work in the various colors. 

We'll find out for sure tomorrow...

Systematic Bird Gets the Worm

Dateline: this morning in the porch

It was reported this morning that a very determined female cardinal has devised a new plan for foraging. She was first sighted near the large feeder but instead on partaking, she began a grid search of the back yard. 

Hopping into a corner of the yard, she reportedly carefully searched the surrounding yard moving in a fairly straight line from front to back and then she moved back to front, continueing until she'd covered the whole  yard. 

I don't think you can see it but this is right before she flew away. It appears she did have something in her beak. Witnesses speculate it could indeed have been a worm. While common understanding avows that it's the early bird that gets the worm, it now appears that systematic birds have a foot in that market. 

Reporting live from the back porch. 

Following the crowd

Ten minutes after I finished my doily, I got started on my next project. The LACE group in Chicago is doing a group competition which entails each person using the same pattern of an outline of an elephant. We can do it using any technique and the filling can be any type of pattern we want. This is the first time I've done anything like this so I'm looking forward to the challenge. 

Here's how I started:

I'm doing a basic tape technique for the outline but I'm using 3 shades of silk thread because I thought that might be interesting. Not sure how the corners will look but I won't know that until I take it off the pillow. 

I'm now finished with the outline. Just need to tie off and start working on the filling. But that's a secret!

The other thing I've been working on is a baby blanket for a friend at work. I had a little panic over the weekend after I washed it because I wasn't sure if it would be big enough. I called a friend who does a ton of baby blankets and she talked me off the "I've got to start over and the baby is due any day now" ledge by saying she thought it would be perfect for a car seat. 

I'm hoping that's true because it's done and handed over to Mommie to be. She seemed happy so I'm going to roll with that. 

I did the classic Feather and Fan pattern and then finished it off with a crocheted edging. Very pretty and very classic. Welcome Baby Girl Scott!!

TaDaaaaa

My eyes are crossing and my fingers are sore but I was able to complete my doily. I don't know why but I find it hard to leave something almost done. 

I can't put a book down if I've only got a chapter to go even if it's one o'clock in the morning. I can't leave a sock undone if I've just got half the foot done. And I can't leave a pattern done if I've just got a little bit to go. 

I'm driven to finish. So this morning I got it all worked and all I had left was tying things off. 

But you'll notice that it's not just about tying off. After you do the tying off, then you've got to remove the bajillion pins that were used over the course of the project. How long should that take?  

In this instance it took about 1 1/2 hours and that was with a pin puller. But when you're done, you end up with this. 

If one were to look very closely, one would see some (4) main mistakes, 3 where thread got caught on a pin and left an unintentional loop and one where I missed a pin on the outside edging. That one was in the section where I was demoing and talking to people. 

But regardless, I'm very pleased with it and will display it proudly. Now to decide how to display it. It would be pretty on a pillow or I could frame it.  Hmmmm.... I'll have to think about this.