Friday, January 28, 2011

Jacket day 2




Good Morning Everyone,

My yarn just arrived for my new project, so jacket may have to wait awhile. UPS apologized for the late delivery, he could not get up my hill. I understood perfectly, as I have not been able to get down my hill. Planning to venture out today for the first time.

Yesterday I worked on the sleeves of the jacket. I took pics of the sleeves in the works and I will go into more detail about using the Mokuba Free Lace. It is easier than other water solubles that I have used, but the sewing part is just about the same.

The first photo is the sleeves just pinned into body, as I have not finished sewing the body as yet. Second photo shows sleeves with the top covering over the whole project and sewn with sewing machine. I noticed that my sewing seemed to shrink the project, but once I immersed in water, rinsed out all the product, it was restored to original size. Third photo is both finished sleeves, they are just about identical in size. When I am all done, I plan on giving the whole project a dye bath. Right now I'm thinking on staying with the ecru color, but just want to even out the difference in all the doilies. May change my mind on this as I am also thinking a color may be nice.

More on this as jacket progresses.

Have a good day,

Margaret

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

What to do on a Snow Day




Good Morning Everyone,

More Snow today, projects finished, waiting for yarn for new project, what do I do with a "free day"? Tax prep, blog, maybe start a new project or perhaps finish an old one, suddenly an idea takes shape.

I have to start at the beginning because this project is truly 2 years in the making. In 2008, I went to New Zealand on a fabulous fiber trek, with Prudence Mapstone. While we were shopping in a funky little shop, Prudence found a bin full of old, lovely doilies and started scooping them up. When I asked Prudence what she planned to do with them, she said that one day she planned on making a skirt. I thought it was a fabulous idea, but thought that I would probably never wear a lace skirt. Then I though maybe a jacket would be a possibility, so I bought some too. I have been collecting doilies in a big shopping bag for two years.

Shortly after my NZ trip (Jan 2009), I attended a TNNA show, and fell in love with jackets shown in the Mokuba Booth. So I bought books (Japanese), tons of very expensive ribbon and their Free Lace Sheets. I came home prepared to make the most wonderful stuff. Until this morning, all this stuff was still in its original packaging, sitting on a shelf in my work room.

I tell you this, because this morning, there was the brilliant (if I do say so myself) merging of the two ideas.

I started by taking out my tried and true pattern that I use for all my jackets, and I cut the pattern pieces from the Mokuba Free Lace Sheets, then I started placing the doilies on the pattern. The Free Lace is adhesive, so the doilies stick on, but they can be easily moved and replaced. Must write and ask Prudence if she ever made her skirt.

After 2 hours of work, this is my progress so far. Going to make myself some lunch, and have some more fun with this. Tax prep can wait!

Have a great day,

Margaret