Crochet Lace Edging for Easter April 8, 2014

This edging has several symbols related to Easter. It has baskets with bobble eggs on the front and palm frond leaves. According to the symbolism used on Ukrainian Pysanky the nets represent Jesus. They can also represent his disciples. The ladders represent prayers reaching Heaven, and dots (picots here) represent Mary’s tears at the crucifixion. I may be seeing symbolism that the designer didn’t intend. Still, it is fun to think it matches the Pysanky I like to decorate at this time of year.

It isn’t an easy pattern crochet. I would like to do it again and make some subtle changes. There are so many pretty patterns tempting me that it will be a while before I try this again. I made two pieces each 24″ long. I am going to use them on the ends of a piece of linen for a table runner, or a pair of towels. I have some natural linen, but maybe a pastel color would be better.

Here are a couple of other photos.

 

The pattern is in the magazine, Burda Special E841 Crochet Lace.  It was published in 2005, so would have to be obtained by a reseller like ebay.

Red Doily April 5, 2014

A red doily to go with a few Pysanky. It also goes with a little teapot Rick gave me for Valentine’s Day this year.

Here is an overall photo.

I saw a doily similar to this one for sale on Etsy a year or so ago. Playing on Pinterest one day (a terrible time suck habit) there was a link to a similar pattern. I really wanted to see how the lattice stitches were done, so I gave it a try. The pattern has too many stitches in some areas and too few stitches in others to let this doily lie flat. It might not be the real pattern only the poster’s interpretation. Anyway I was able to get it to work, not perfectly, but usable. It is a nice size at about 16″ in diameter.

Basket Lace Edging Sample February 25, 2014

It has taken me all week, and all my attention to get this little sample made. I am hoping that crocheting a length of trim goes quicker. It is a tricky pattern because the various elements are crocheted in both directions. To make the elements match has been a trial, and mostly error, process. I think this edging will make a lovely trim for Easter decorating. I am thinking of using it as a runner or towel edging. Both would be about the same length.

I still haven’t gotten around to emailing and thanking everyone who commented on my last blog post. I will do that soon.

From UFO to FO February 18, 2014

Just a quick post because I finally finished this doily. I think I crocheted each motif twice, maybe more to get it to go together. I made this doily in ecru 15 or so years ago. This is my second one. The joins are wonky on the pattern, pull funny in places, and thought I could do it differently. I should have done it 10 years ago, because with my aging mind it seemed much harder to figure out than I had imagined. It does photograph well and I am so glad it is finished, wonkiness and all.

There are other photos on my flickr page.

I am starting another crochet edging lace that I have wanted to make for a long time. Each 2 1/2″s of lace have one of these little baskets. I think they are cute, the rest of the pattern is scallops. I had to play with these instructions too. The pattern is a Burda graph and the sometimes the amount of stitches and their exact placement are only a suggestion. I think I have worked out what I want to do to keep the baskets circular. Neither of these are exactly what I am doing, but close. The bottom one has more doubles in the leaves, which keeps the center hole from stretching out, and the top one the basket top edge is straighter. I think I have worked out a compromise where I can get both in the finished basket. The motifs are so tiny, just over 1″ in diameter.

I finished up the little toothbrush rug to go in front of my kitchen sink. This is really a fun technique that I hope to be able to do again. I love the look of the batik fabric, but it is usually too expensive to use for a rug. I will be on the lookout for it in clearance bins like the piece that I used for this rug.

Finally has anyone played with the Rainbow Loom to make rubber band bracelets? Where we live it the in thing for the 6 to 10 year old crafter set. I was curious about them, so my son being sweet bought me one for Valentine’s Day. It isn’t something I would actually buy, since we do not have any little crafters in our family yet. I went though the whole lot of 600 rubber bands in one day even taking finished bracelets apart to do another setup. It was a time waster, but fun, like sudoku, or origami. I can see why the kids like them so. They are squishy and stretchy.

Happy crafting:)

For the Breakfast Table June 28, 2013

I never know exactly what I should write.  That and knowing I get easily distracted and waste valuable crafting time on the internet keeps me from blogging regularly.

I finally finished a little table center for our breakfast table.  It was put on hold because it took more thread than I thought it would.  I used a second dyelot and worried it wouldn’t match.  I decided to finish it and then over dye it, which wasn’t necessary.  The slightly more golden dyelot is in the points, so it blends.  I love Cebeliia thread.  It has never let me down.  This one is made with a 1980 pattern from Japan.  I decided to try and loosen my gauge and use a size 10 hook and my favorite size 30 thread.  I usually use a 12 hook.  I don’t like working in the looser gauge, but the crochet blocked out thinner and more delicate than my other lace doilies.  The doily is 36″ in diameter and the table is 42″.  I plan on sewing a dark green table cloth to go underneath the gold of the doily.

I am still sewing a bit too, and playing with machine embroidery designs. I have several almost finished items like this doily. It feels really good to have this one finished.