"Ugly" Quilt Blocks and Bobbin Lace Update

A recent newbie to the CQ4Newbies Yahoo group commented that her first attempts at piecing cq squares were "ugly". Lesa, the list mom commented that one of the other members had purchased some really "ugly" blocks at a yard sale. These blocks were farmed out and when the blocks were finished with embellishment and returned they were set together and made a definitely not ugly wall hanging.

The top photo is also using "ugly" pieced squares that were picked up at a yard sale and given to me. When I first saw them I thought "what on earth can I do with these?" I laid them out on a white bedspread, spacing them as if they had sashing between and the result was garish. Then I placed them on a blue bedspread, again, as if sashed and the tone was a bit subdued but still not the color choice for setting them together. Next I laid them out on the plaid fabric that looked like it had been pieced. Voila! I liked the result .... the "ugly" squares were definitely toned down but still exciting in their own right. This is a full size quilt and will be traditionally quilted as I'm sure that was what the maker had intended. In looking at the squares it seems to me the fabrics are post depression .... say, 30's to early 40's.

Here is a close-up of one of the squares. I haven't quite been able to place the pattern. In fact, I think it was photographed upside down LOL I'm thinking the blue is a flower in a yellow flowerpot. What I'm trying to say is that what may look ugly to begin with can change into something quite pleasing after a bit of attention.

I won't be quilting this anytime soon as I have quite a few WISPs to take care of first, second, third, etc., etc.

Now I had not planned to show my bobbin lace progress until my first actual piece of lace was completed but I couldn't wait. Since this photo was taken, I've turned the second corner and am almost halfway through the design. It will go in my sample book.

Here is a close-up of my work in progress. There are a couple of errors, but then, this is a learning piece. My teacher is well pleased with my work and has noted a big improvement in my tension .... Yeah!

Right now I'm using borrowed equipment but I am acquiring unspangled bobbins of my own. A Christmas gift from the husband of my teacher are the four handmade wood bobbins on the left of the pencil. I put the pencil in to show a comparison dimension. The dozen wood bobbins on the right are ones that I purchased. Half are totally plain and half have carving on the end. I bought two packages of those. When these are spangled (weight added to the bottom) I will have 14 pair which is not quite enough for my next lesson. So I ordered another dozen, but this time some plastic bobbins (which I'm currently using) to do a comparison test to see which fiber of bobbins I prefer working with. There is no way I will ever acquire the number of bobbins my teacher has (several thousand) .... after all she has been doing this type of lace for more than 20 years. One of her current projects uses 144 pairs .... you always use pairs of bobbins in this type of lace making.

It has taken me about 20 years to actually get up enough nerve to try making this type of lace. The first type of lace I did was crochet, then tatting, knitting and finally bobbin. I love lace making and enjoy seeing all types even if I don't know how to do all the different ones such as needle lace. I probably won't try needle lace, I just want to get good at bobbin lace.