Wishes and Finishes

A bit late, but I hope all my bloggy friends had a wonderful Christmas, and 2014 brings you all the very best of the things you love most :)

 

Here is my Christmas tree - it actually made it out in 2013, and the collection of lace will almost catch up to the collection of cross stitch next year lol

 

With time on my hands (I have been unable to go to work for 7 weeks), I have been busy getting some things done - this pile of bobbins came off a pillow after 18 months...cannot share the lace at the moment, but suffice it to say it was a PROJECT lol

My latest lace drapped doll was not so successful :(  From the lace up, she is probably the best one so far...this is the view from behind....

 

 

Here is the front...unfortunately the dip and strip (fabric at the bottom) did not go well and the seersucker look was not intended, but lesson learned for both myself and the teacher...also from this angle, you cannot see the crack in her right arm...oh well, she will reside in the cupboard until there is room needed, then she will be evicted...my friend feels she should go live with her...we will see...

 

Time at home has also meant time in the shed...here is a small selection of the 150 odd beads I have managed over the past 3 weeks...

 

Some finished lace I can share...the bohemian scarf...

up in the window, the pattern shows through...

On the table, you can see the gorgeous colour.

I am going to keep this one for myself, just not sure how often I will wear it lol

 

My counted cross stitch photo conversion has reached the half way point, so keep an eye out for that one.

 

The spinning has also been on the agenda...and I will soon have to start making the lace with the last 3 skeins completed...have a feeling I am going to get a request to make my uncle an over vest with some raw handspun in the near future too...that may be interesting...

 

Until next time, may your pins never bend and your threads never break...hugs and smiles



Cotton, glass and wire

Here goes 25 motif challenge number 3!!

I thought about making 25 coasters...there are some gorgeous patterns out there in blogland and beyond!

But...I was reminded of my design tat course this week, and my ambition to make a tablecloth or bedspread in tatting, so I have decided to see if I can design 25 motifs this coming year, then choose 1 of them (or maybe more) to start work on that tablecloth or bedspread!

2 days in the truck and here is the start to my new challenge...

Number 1...I do like this one :)

Number 2...not like the drawing, and the spokes need to be a touch longer to make it sit right, but passable I think?

Number 3 is no closer to the drawing, but I kinda like it too :)

Number 4 come about from a piece that I cut off, then played with. I think this one might join nicely, and allow for some more experimenting in that process to create some lighter areas to balance the dense rings...

Tomorrow, I plan on playing with the glass again! Some serious trolling of the internet has my head bursting with ideas to try out. Most of them will have to wait until I have a bit more experience, but I have a few ideas ready to go now.

Here is a necklace I have put together as a Christmas gift.The next two pics have not scanned so well, but you can get the idea!

Here are the final 10 Christmas tree decorations to go with my cards. You cannot see it very well, but I used 2 colours in each plait, and the 'real life' effect is quite pretty.

Finally, the last of the necklaces for Christmas! I love the black/silver colour combination, but I had soooo much trouble with breaking wire in this project, and there is a leaf missing - it fell out when I pulled the pins and I decided not to remake the section!

I am thinking the tension was in me, as the same wire was used in the pieces above and I didn't break a single wire then.

Sorry about the pic quality - I might take a real photo tomorrow!

That is long enough for now...thanks for reading on :)

Don't forget to let me know what you think before you go.

Christmas hugs for all in this busy final week of crazy!

Key ring inspiration

Hi Guzzisue, and everyone

Yes we threaded the passives through the small ring attached to the keyring by passing the centre loop up through the ring and then threading the bobbins through the loop. The workers started on the first pin, so that they don't pull oddly. You can work the leaf in any stitches you please...I used a smaller size to decorate my Christmas baubles...then gave them to friends as gifts. I put 4 leaves on each ring and worked opposing leaves the same...1 set in half stitch and the other in cloth, cloth and twist. You could also use 3 leaves all the same or all different...so many possibilities :) Once the leaves are complete, bundle the whole lot together under the bauble, wrap a few times with a pair of workers and tie off. Just measure the circumference on your bauble, divide in half then make a leaf shape to suit! Enlage to a suitable size on the photocopier to make the keyring.

A word of warning though...for the Christmas baubles, make sure your metal ring fits snugly under the hanging attachment so that you can replace the hanger to complete your bauble. Also, be very careful of the join in the ring...it will snag the thread very easily or slip off the loops if you do not take care.