Friday, August 01, 2008

Summer Olympics and continuing projects

I have just about decided on my project for the Summer Olympics! I have been fawning over Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby since I bought it. My quandary in deciding has been how big a project I could reasonably take on within the short time period of the Olypmics: 17 days. That is not a long time for a lacework project – at least for me. I considered some of the more sophisticated scarf projects and then some of the simpler more manageable ones. I think I have finally decided to go with one of the simpler shawls. It will be a challenge in that the directions and process is taken directly from Victorian times. The laceweight yarns are fine and the stitches are not always as easy to “read” or count. Mistakes can be fatal during the best of times – and 17 days will add a great deal of pressure.

Once I get my swatch finished I think I will also practice the directions for knitting on the lace edging. I find these instructions to be less than clear, so let’s hope it doesn’t send me off looking for something entirely different to enter!

Current Embroidery Project

I pretty much dropped everything to finish up the Houswif project before the deadline of September 1st. Now that it is finished without any problems well ahead of schedule, I hope to have time to return to this embroidery project:

Country Geese

As program chair for my local Embroidery Guild, I brought in Ann Strite-Kurz as one of our special teachers this spring. This piece is called Country Geese and originally had a pair of geese stitched in the center. I will be substituting intertwined initials instead. These will be based on the Victorian Monograms and I am really excited about stitching them.

The piece is currently about two thirds finished. I am currently finishing up the “powdering” section at the very top of the piece. Here’s a close-up:

powdering

I’ve finished stitching all the flowers and am currently working on the background fill stitches. I’ve really enjoyed working on this piece; it reminded me of how much I love canvas work. I’ve spent countless hours on it already and it will take many more to finish it.

New Yarn

You know what unscheduled trips to the yarn store mean: New Yarn!

This bamboo was on sale…wonder what I’ll do with it?

lime green bamboo


Something fun, for sure!

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