Brief Additions

My completed lace socks. I can't believe I completed them so quickly. Working with two circular needles makes short work of knitting socks. The first sock was worked on the traditional double pointed needles while "watching" the gymnastic and swimming events of the Olympics (off and on for about ten days). The second sock took about half the time or less than five days .... of course I was familiar with the pattern before starting the second half of the pair LOL They fit perfectly and are very comfortable. Can't wait for cooler weather so I can wear them.

Working through the TREASURY OF CRAZY QUILT STITCHES by Carole Samples here is my segment of Chevron Stitches. The fabric is 18ct Aida and I used three different colors of Sassa Lynne hand-dyed threads. There were other choices I could have stitched but my little piece of fabric doesn't hold many choices and I did so want to try some of the more different ones presented, although the first one (upper left) is a typical Chevron Stitch as well as the third one (upper right).

My very first attempt at bobbin lace .... well almost ..... I kept taking it out and starting over. The more solid area is worked in Cloth Stitch and is in reality a piece of plain weaving aka as Weaving Ground. Just below is an attempt at Half-Stitch Ground. Part of it looks ok (at least to me) but there is too much space on the left side. I need to practice this pattern a whole lot and I'll try again so I can use up the thread on my bobbins as I need to give them some weight.

Today after my quilting session at the senior center I went by the craft and hobby shop to purchase some 30 gauge wire and 5mm screw eyes to add some weight to my bobbins, a technique known as spangling. I have an old broken necklace that I will use with the wire and screw eyes. Weighted bobbins helps give better tension to the lace making. Comments from bobbin lacers would be most welcome! Trying to get the second part correct kept me up way past my bedtime several evenings and I think I finally went to bed about 1:30am one morning and 4am another. The next morning, before I even had my first cup of tea I went and undid everything so I could start over. Have I become addicted to learning this technique or what! Of course this sample worked in a thicker, non-traditional lace thread doesn't have the delicaate, fragile look of true lace but I need to know what I'm doing before "advaancing" to the proper lace thread.

We'll see how long it takes before I have a proper piece of Bobbin Lace to "show"!