Lovely Summer

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.

Tatting a Monument - 3cm at a time

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.

Holiday Handwork

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 . . .

Extra Special Repair Job

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.

Not a Dying Art

In case anyone thinks tatting is a dying art (and for many people it is the only comment they can think of when they see me tatting) I belong to an international facebook tatting group. This morning a new member asked if some people would post where they come from. Within a couple of hours there were replies from 17 states in the USA and 16 other countries, and I expect there are more to come.

Here are the stars I have been making in spare evenings lately. My weaving and lacemaking friends, as well as visitors, all seem happy to receive one to add to their Christmas tree. 

 And this is my "tree'" with motifs made earlier in the year with one of each colour I could find.

 Now what to make next?  Sadly there are not many practical uses for tatting that I can find. I doubt if I will be making "barefoot sandals" though you never know.

Catch up time

Yarns for end of year project - tea towels for gifts and group exchange.

 

The warp (top 3 reels) is a mix of linen and cotton and the weft two strands of 16/1 linen together, a different mix for each towel.

For the last weavers' mdeeting of the year I took along a "tree", complete with bird's nest. I had made tatted stars (or snowflakes?}  and invited members to each take one home.

These are the two variations I made, along with some without embellishments which proved popular.

Festive best wishes to one and all, and happy creating.

Green Linen

It was a good feeling to be weaving linen again

This is a large table runner to go to the "Top of the South" Area exhibition in Takaka

It got the tick of approval from Marlborough Weavers at their September meeting