10.24.09
’s Gravenmoerse pendant
I wear my blue pendant so frequently that I thought I would make one for myself and my mom using the thread kit that I bought from Lacy Susan at the IOLI convention. This one is going to get a lot of wear also because I seem to have a lot of browns and greens in my wardrobe this year!
10.09.09
Schneeberger lace
I finally finished my Schneeberger lace bookmark that I traveled to Moline to take the class in August. It was good practice for me since I haven’t done any Schneeberger in about 10 years! There were LOTS of sewings in this project and I don’t think I would recommend it for a beginner.
So, now I’m ready to start some of the bells from the Brigitte Bellon book that I bought this summer at convention. I have the bobbins wound and the pricking ready to go; BUT I have two projects that must be finished first because they have a deadline. I hope to finish one of those things tonight and maybe I’ll start the bell tomorrow? That is, if I don’t get sidetracked by knitting…
On the knitting needles I have a pair of socks for me and a vest for me. I’m a very selfish knitter right now. But that’s only because I’ve finished one Christmas present already and am waiting for the yarn and needles to arrive so I can start more presents. I feel pretty confident about my ability to complete the items on my list except that OMG it’s October already! And nearly halfway into October! That’s okay, I know I can start one more project this weekend and get it done then I’m 2/7 of the way through my list…
08.18.09
Schneeberger lace workshop
Last weekend I was invited to attend a workshop held in Moline, Illinois with a group of local lacemakers and members of the Doris Southard Lace Guild from Iowa. I’ve done some Schneeberger before; I took a class with Lia Baumeister-Jonker at my very first IOLI convention in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1996. At this year’s convention I bought a lovely book by Brigitte Bellon and I knew I needed to brush up on my technique before starting some of the great pieces in this book.
Jacquie was the host and we set up our pillows and stands in her living room. We had some show and tell before lunch and then started the bookmark piece after lunch.
I got almost halfway through the piece in the afternoon and have worked on it some more since I got home. I would like to finish it before going to make lace in Dubuque next Monday.
Isn’t the wood in my pin pot gorgeous? John Aebi does such a wonderful job with wood. It was one of my purchases at convention.
08.12.09
I love fans
The kind that move a breeze, that is! I am a sucker for fan patterns and am likely to buy them whenever I see one. Once upon a time I tatted a mini fan in a variegated black and grey thread. This was before I learned how to hide the ends while I’m tatting, so this little piece is absolutely hidden beneath all the thread ends that need to be darned in. Needless to say that thing is lying in a drawer! Also, the best advice I ever received was to buy the fansticks first and make sure the pattern you choose fits the sticks instead of spending HOURS making the lace and not finding sticks to fit it. I had started the ’s Gravenmoerse fan pattern that I bought last summer, but I was unhappy with the start and decided to cut it off and start over.
In the display room of the IOLI convention, there were many beautiful fans to look at.
08.07.09
Copper wire bobbin lace
At the IOLI convention we saw a fantastic display of sculptural pieces made in copper by a lady named Lieve Jurger. She was born and raised in Belgium and learned lacemaking there. The large lace cube is featured in some of her other artwork in the book The Winged Tiger and the Lace Princess. http://www.wingedtiger.com
Here is the cube. I think each side was at least 18 inches squared. In the background you can also see a collar she designed and made.
Sorry for the size of the photos, but the piece is so impressive I wanted you to see it close up. She is also working on a life-size carriage. Only part of it is done; for scale know that each window is 20″ wide!
Absolutely awesome pieces!
08.02.09
Lace made at convention
I just returned yesterday from the IOLI (International Old Lacers Inc.) convention held in Los Angeles. It was a week of making lace, learning techniques, looking at lace displays, visiting with friends from all over that we only meet at convention, and buying lacemaking supplies from the excellent vendors. I’m exhausted!
I took a 12-hour class in ’s Gravenmoerse lace with Susan Wenzel. I would have gladly taken the class all day if it had been offered, but I still managed to get a lot done in the afternoons on my own. I completed the pendant and bracelet this week. The bracelet was still on my pillow when I came home, but I proudly wore it today.
I also took two bead knitting classes with Kathy Kirchner, but both those projects are only at the halfway stage, so I’ll post photos of them when they are done.
05.25.09
Back to bobbin lace
We recently had the warmest day of the year so far so I took my bobbin lace pillow out to the porch and enjoyed the sunshine.
I finished the bookmark over the weekend while camping and already have another one started so I can build up my stash.
The pattern is by Lacy Susan and the thread is size 70 Venne Colcotton with a Gold Rush gimp. It’s a pretty mossy green.
03.29.09
Productive weekend
My men are gone for the weekend and I have been focusing on projects.
- The first mitten is done and the second one has only 2″ left to go.
- I put the zipper in the Oregon vest and it worked beautifully.
- I altered a pair of pants that were too big in the waist (yay!)
- Got hours of knitting done on the Moderne baby blanket and actually saw some progress
Last weekend I finished the brown Mojo socks for myself and wore them a couple of times already. I pulled out some yarn and a few different patterns to knit a tea cozy for the teapot that I want to take to the camper. I want it to be a fitted one instead of the hood/cover that I use at home. The pot has a different shape and I think I’ve chosen the elements out of the three patterns that I want to use. I thought I had it all figured out then realized that my idea was closed at the top and bottom and no way to get it over the pot! I’ll let that idea keep “percolating” for a while and work it out some more in my head 
Still on the needles besides the baby blanket and mittens are a pair of socks for Ted. I’ll work on them tomorrow night while waiting for the boys to get home. Also I haven’t worked on my bobbin lace for a week or so. I thought to get to it today, but the mittens were just flowing for me. It was a great day for knitting with the Cast On and CraftLit podcasts to entertain and energize me.
03.17.09
Projects and progress
I’ve made some progress on the current projects, and started some new projects as well. Since new is always fun we’ll start with those.
These are the two color mittens in Galena Pirates colors. I’m taking a class at Fiber Wild and this is hard but super fun. Today I knit the thumb and attached it. Amy has a really slick method for the thumbs and the pattern just continues up it. We started the mitten at the tip and are working toward the wrist. The pattern is the same on both sides of the mitten.
I’m also working on socks for Ted. Plain, toe-up with Chain Rib for the leg.
I am making a pair of Mojo socks for myself and all I have left to do is add the after-thought heel and they’ll be done. You’d think I could’ve had that done sooner, but instead I keep starting new projects…like my bobbin lace fan!
The photo of the lace will seem dark, but otherwise the flash makes so much of a glare that you can’t see the threads.
And I’m also making good progress on the Moderne baby blanket, but the squares are getting so large that I can knit and knit and it hardly looks any different.
02.22.09
Works in progress
I’ve started a Moderne baby blanket for one of my co-workers whose wife is due in May. She was also Ian’s teacher at school last year. Our family is liking the blankie so much that I might have to make one to have as a throw at home. This seems to be a theme – making great things and giving them away! I didn’t use baby colors hoping that this will be a blankie that will last the baby well into his or her college years.
I have also been working on my lace pillow the last couple of weekends. I’ve got a little more than 26 inches of my Downton lace edging. I think I’d like to make enough to edge a hanky. I also copied the pattern and am starting to work on the pricking for my ’s Gravenmoer fan. I hope to get the bobbins wound today so I can take it to lace night tomorrow.
