30+ degrees C these days - and what do I produce? Cosy warm alpaca scarves!
I'm not exactly crazy (I don't think) but these have been on the loom in my lounge for months because I don't like to see it empty. For two reasons it was time to finish them and get them off. One - I was sick of the sight of the same warp sitting there and not moving, and two - I need the reed that was on the loom so I can use it on my big one. - More about that at a later date if a theory I have is correct.
The yarn is a 100% alpaca knitting yarn which is much lighter that it looks.
An adventurous (or crazy?) person in Belgium has had the bright idea to collect from all over the world, tatted squares, 3cm x 3 cm, which she plans to join together in order to decorate (lace bomb?) one of the monuments in Brussels. She wants 10,000 of them. Here is my contribution of 10. At first I thought I might do more but it is much harder (and more boring) than I expected.
The aim is to draw attention to women's rights in all parts of the world and for that reason the squares need to be pink. Completion is to be in August to coincide with the annual International Lace Conference which is held in a different city in Europe every year. I will report if or when it happens!
P.S. I have found five more which I made earlier and mislaid. I guess I will be sending a second contribution.
There is something very satisfying about staying home and sitting around "doing stuff" while other people are rushing around madly because it is holiday time. Here are two of my holiday projects recently finished.
Old skills, and new. Discovered I can still hemstitch - and basic torchon ground was fun for a lace project.
I don't suppose I needed a new tablecloth - but it's not about need. I loved the fabric and enjoyed working with it.
Who's to know the hat was last worn by Esther at her wedding in 1986? It now has a new lease of life. Now I need a new challenge . . .
This has been under wraps for a while but now that it
is finished and delivered I can reveal something that has been quite a
challenge. I try to present each new baby that arrives in my extended
family with a hand woven blanket. This one started life as a rather
complex weave in two types of soft cotton, one smooth and one very
textured. Sadly the baby boy did not survive beyond six months and did
not even get to go home from the hospital. For that reason the blanket
was one of the very few keepsakes the parents had that related to their
child.
After
some years, and several house moves, the blanket was damaged while in
storage, causing heartbreak and distress. I was asked if there was any
way I could do some sort of repair or minimise the damage. I won't show
the "before" picture but here are some of the "after". I am happy to
say that the parents are delighted.
I
had some expert help and want to acknowledge my friend Yvonne who took
the design I sent her and turned it into the delightful applique with a
perfect choice of fabrics and perfect machine stitching. I attached the
"patch" and finished if off with some hand stitching. The tatted "stars"
and hearts were first used to cover some small holes and then more
added to complete the picture. A happy result to lift at least some of
the distress.
