"But, really, why does anyone create? You feel a... a restlessness inside, a need to make something new, something no one has ever seen before. You want to add to the beauty and the richness of the world with a gift, an offering that is uniquely yours. It's an act of selfishness and generosity, all rolled into one."

-- Bruce Coville,
The Last Hunt

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Found It!

I found the ball of Wedgewood Dark in size 20 that I was looking for a few weeks ago. And it was in a place I had definitely looked in at least three times already. I would blame the Borrowers, except they don't usually return things.

So naturally, I had to immediately put it to use with the Blue River Glades. I was going to make a Fandango bookmark in this combination, and I still will someday, but for now I needed something that would work up a little faster. Also, I wanted to get into Martha Ess's Playing with Picots book that I just got.


The pattern is "Mirror, Mirror", which I thought was apropos as I've been watching the show Once Upon a Time on Netflix while I tat lately.

As I usually do with bookmarks, I added my own tail and improvised the end of it with a little doo-bob inspired by the pattern. Mostly it came out well, except for the very end. I decided to finish it with a double-core SSSR so I wouldn't have to work in the ends. Well and good, but I also decided I should knot the threads together first so the second thread would be more secure. The knot ended up just being another lock stitch, so the SSSR doesn't sit right against the rest of the doo-bob like I wanted it to, and it's a little off-center. It doesn't look too bad in the scan, but in person it looks kind of silly. Next time I'll take the risk and skip the knot.

On a different subject, does anyone know what this is? It belongs to a family friend, but she doesn't know anything about it. My first guess is hairpin lace, but I don't know whether that can be made round.


12 comments:

  1. I LOVE how those coors came out! Gorgeous bookmark!

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  2. I wish I had a nickle for every time I found something in a place I had already looked. I'd probably have enough to buy another ball of thread!

    Your friend's piece is beautiful, but I have no idea what it is. Good luck finding out!

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  3. Hi There,

    I believe the lace piece is tenerife, made on a loom-like gizmo. I think the outer smaller circles are stitched with remaining thread from the larger circles. And of course, if someone knows better, I'll preemptively digress!

    Heidi in MN

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    1. After googling images of teneriffe, I'm pretty sure you're right. Thank you!

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  4. It sure looks like hairpin lace to me, and it can be made "round" - it's a strip of lace, with the inner picots all gathered together and the single crochet "spine" sewn (or joined) beginning-to-end. I see needle weaving in there, too - a really lovely piece of lacework!

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  5. It does look like hairpin lace. Hairpin lace can be made circular by gathering one side/edge of it. The outer edge can be crochet or tat around. Cheers.

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  6. Thanks. I think Heidi is probably right about it being teneriffe lace, but it's certainly good to know that hairpin lace can be made round as well.

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  7. Love your bookmark. The variegated thread contrasts nicely with the solid color thread in the split rings. Very nice effect.

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  8. I saw a video on you tube of women making the teneriffe lace it's interesting it looks like a stiff card stock and they poke hole and place the spoke-like strings in then continue with needle and thread for the cross pieces on top. I love your book mark always great color and work you do so nicely!

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  9. This piece is definitely Teneriffe. Our lace group is learning Teneriffe lace from one of our members. It is a lot of fun.

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  10. Yep. Traditional Teneriffe Lace. Also called Sun Lace because the rounds look like little suns. The colored variant is called Ñanduti and is very popular in South America.

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