long time no post

I have done a number of lace and book projects since my last post, however, I've not photographed a one of them.  This year has been quite the ... ugly.  So many things got put on back burners and then turned off and forgotten about.  This Blog is one of them.

Finally getting my membership in International Old Lacers was a step in the regrouping direction.  I am going to make an effort to document a number of my projects and even post a couple of patterns. 

Curse Is Broken!

I have finally finished one of the Carol Berg books.  Here are photos of the tome I bound for my dear friend Stacy.  This is book one - Flesh and Spirit.  The covers are poplar with only a varnish, the beads are a Hungarian glass with red, green, and gold leaf.  The end papers are a hand made cotton with flecks of flower in them.  I really wanted a kind of natural feel for her copies.  I'm hoping now that I have one of them done the other 4 will not give me fits.

I also designed a tape lace bunny for Easter, but ran out of pins to keep working on it.  The pins got dumped down the air vent a week ago.  *sigh* Ah, well.

Keeping Busy

I have been working on a number of lace and book projects. I've got an Idrija lace mouse that's coming along well and a lot of tatting that I've yet to document and get up, but I've had a topsy-turvy week and hope that things will get back to "normal" soon.  Below are things I've been able to photograph and I hope they inspire you to get creative this spring.

 This is one of the Lighthouse books that I'm hand binding.  This is a French stitch over linen tapes.

 

Here is the same book after being rounded and covered in crush.

 

Here is attempt 2 at making the silk book cloth I want to cover the books with. The first one I have embroidered first and then ruined.  I'm hoping that making it paper backed first then doing the embroidery will work out.

 

On the lace front here is the finished couched threads for making my first Reticella needle lace piece.  I've filled in many of the motifs now, but haven't photographed it yet.  Reticella is the oldest form of true lace.

Ode To a Table Saw

Great table with blades ablure
which severs wood from wood
and makes great boards into shrunken planks,
such a void is there in life without thee.

Projects, long put aside for want of thy blade,
pile up in dusty corners and along crowded walls;
thier voices cry out for completion
that only thy masterful mechinisum can provide.

The Jig and Scroll lack they acuracy,
and the mighty Miter is set skew
when thy glistening teeth are brought forth
Raised from within thy bowels.

Yes, predominant power tool,
immense is thy size and great is my need.
Oh, how plane and unproductive is my art without thee.
I await your coming, consument cutter.

And when you art come to my home
shouts of "finaily, I can finish this!"
Will ring through the air like
the peel of bells upon the New Years day.

*****************

I think I need to get out more.

Proficient at Unmaking

I have, out of necessity, become quite proficient at unmaking lace.  I spent almost and hour at Lace guild yesterday undoing the tatting I had done the first hour and then re-tatting in the 3rd hour back to where I had been when the mistake was made.  I think that in any artistic endeavor one learns as much or more by fixing mistakes then in any way else.  I'm just glad that it could be fixed; I've had to cut whole section off tatting because they couldn't be fixed.  The lesson learned is to pay better attention to the pattern.

Speaking of patterns; the wonderful Margie has invited me up to her house on Friday to riffle through her bobbin lace pattern stash!  It's good to have friends.

5 Handmade Gifts Challange

I took up a challenge on facebook this week to make 5 people a hand made gift.  I have my best friend K, and old friend Lucy,  a mission companion - Mindy, and then 2 newish friends - Rachel and Lisa.  I have some ideas, but it comes down to...book or lace!?  It's a tough choice.  Good thing I have a year to do this.

Reticella Lace

Finally!

My book of Reticella lace making came.  Unfortunately the authors assume you know how to make all the stitches and know all the jargon *pout*  So, now I have to find another lace book that has the needle lace stitches and glossary of terms.  I may just try online, but I'll not hang all my hopes on that.

To give you and idea of the kind of lace I am aiming to make take a look at these lovely paintings.  The first is Reticella that is "floating" by itself, the second has the lace motifs set into linen.  Most lace in paintings from the 16th Century is a variation of this kind.  Fun fun!