Repeat Flower

I had the best intentions when I started this pattern again. Well, they were mostly justifications. It was late and the pricking was on my pillow so rather than prepare a new pricking, I started the old one again. I really did think it would be a good idea. I figured I would be able to concentrate on the technique without worrying about the pattern. After all, I had just completed it! Unfortunately the idea backfired big time. First of all, I mainly worked on this lace late at night when the pricking was swimming on my pillow! Second, about halfway through the pattern, I decided I was sick of it, so it sat on my poor pillow untouched for a few weeks. Third since I worked on it late at night, I didn't really focus on the technique at all. As a result, there are quite a few mistakes in it:( Lesson learned. I hope! The funny thing is that I can tell which one I made first and which one I made second. For the most part, the one I made second actually looks worse to my eye than the one I made first. However when I showed the two flowers side by side to my husband, he correctly guessed what order I made them in! He focused on the filling in the flower. The second one was marginally better. It's just funny because I see all the other mistakes and he focused on the one that that I guess stands out to a non-lacemaker.

If nothing else, I got some good practice adding bobbins. For some reason I kept snapping threads when I started working the pattern the second time. Also, sewings were much easier. I still do them with a pin though. I was able to do them all with a pin and did not have to resort to the magic thread trick at all. Having a spare flower will come in handy when I have to send a get-well card or something:)

In case anyone is wondering, the one on the right was made first and the one on the left was made second.

I should have more things to post soon. I dyed more thread, but have yet to take a picture and I have just finished/will finish soon some tatting.

Motif No. 17

The second motif I finished in July. The motif is from Tatted Snowflakes and was made with Kreinik braid No. 4. This pattern is prettier than I expected, but definitely not one of my favorites. What I do like is the color though! I can only buy a very limited selection of Kreinik threads locally so I have to order most of them online. I thought this would be my least favorite color of the last batch that I ordered, but so far I think it's my favorite! Of course, I saved the best for last, so the August motif will probably come in first (color wise). Just goes to show that sometimes things (or colors!) surprise us.

A few posts ago I saw a comment from Dena from Kreinik to post my pictures on the Kreinik Facebook page. How cool is that? I don't have a Facebook account thought (I know, I know, so behind the times!), which means I probably cannot do that. It's still pretty cool though.

Leaflet

I just like saying leaflet - such a cute word. This is another pattern from Starting Needlepoint Lace. I have to say the author must be very optmistic to think we can go from the basic 4-petal flower to this! Actually it wasn't too bad, it just looks more impressive!

Please ignore the fuzzy bits - still haven't figured out how to avoid that. Hopefully it comes with practice... I didn't scan it with anything for scale - it is ~ 2 in long and ~ 1 in wide. Small but not ridiculously so.

Working the padded cordonnette was a bit fiddly, but fun. I did manage to clip the cordonnette threads tough the first time I had to decrease the padding. Oops. I am very impresed with how the pea stitch variation turned out. It looked all shapeless while I was working it, but when it was anchored to the outline it all came together. I wish I could say the same about the corded stitch and especially the holes. Those look just awful. As hard as it may be to believe, it looked even worse until I started the padding!

I didn't really like the way the picots look like on the scallops, so I stopped making them after the first one. I also skipped the floating courones. I figured it might be a good idea to make a few courones first before even attempting floating ones! I also wanted to finish the lace to see what it looked like:)

I used DMC 20 for the cordonet and padding and Gutterman silk thread for the stitches. The silk thread is a dream to work with. I had used it before, but only for bobbin lace.

I see others post examples of their early works (when learning something new) and then I look at mine and wonder what is going on. My first few examples are so sloppy and are very obviously beginner's works. Maybe the more practice I get in other areas the easier it will be to pick things up? Maybe it helps a lot to have a teacher as opposed to being self taught? I noticed that books usually don't mention the little things that make a piece look more polished. I guess it makes a huge difference. Oh well, more practice:)

Motif No. 16

Wow. Less than 10 motifs to go to finish the challenge!

This is 8th Day from 24 Snowflakes in Tatting. I didn't think much of the pattern, but now that it's done, I think it's very pretty. This is also only the second time I've ever done block tatting! I tried making one block a few years ago. I was a bit apprehensive essentially learning a new technique with metallic thread, but it was really easy.

The thread (1 strand of DMC metallic floss) was a huge pain in the neck to work with! I don't know what it is about these purple/pink colors. The purple thread was also difficult to use. It kept breaking - I had to start 3 times just to get the first center ring made! There is quite a large obvious "oops" in the snowflake, but since the thread was so difficult to work with, I couldn't bring myself to either cut it out or start from scratch. As I keep saying, metallic threads hide a lot!

As I mentioned, I really like the pattern. It looks much, much better than the photo in the book. I really wasn't expecting to like it and was very pleasantly surprised that I did! It seems like that often happens - the patterns I have high hopes for disappoint and the ones I am lukewarm about end up being really pretty.

Fall is coming! Yes, it's still hot during the day (or what passes for hot here...), but there is a certain crispness to the air in the afternoons that you don't get in the summer. The quality of light is also changing, the days are getting shorter and the leaflets on our walnut are starting to drop! Not very many, but there were a few little yellow leaflets in the backyard today:) Most of the tree is still very much green though. Summer is not quite over yet! (It's a good thing too, my veggies aren't done yet!)

Finished!

About a week ago I finally finished Arches. The pattern is really pretty and works even with my huge picots! As always, it would much nicer blocked, but.... not happening...

More pictures and posts coming soon.

DMC Special Dentelles 80 in white