A suprise :-)

When i checked the mail today i found a lovely suprise. My friend in Seattle, Gail, sent me a letter. It was a little bit bulky for a letter, and when i opened it up i found this Gorgeous antique doily. (i'll wash it and iron it flat later on...but for now, pictures!!!)
Here is all of the doily i could fit on the scanner...

I believe it is chemical lace, but for sure, it is a manufactured lace, however, this is the finest manufactured lace i have in my collection. It looks like they were trying to imitate figural handmade lace, possibly needlelace. (i think needlelace as i have seen some Glorious figural pieces from several hundred years ago, and this reminds me of them, especially the mermaids)
My lace identification and history books are all in storage at the moment, but when we are reunited...i will try to pin down wether this is indeed chemical lace.(Or, transversly, i could bring it along to the next Lace Makers Of Puget Sound meeting....lots of experts there:-)

A closer look at the design...


To make the day even brighter, my assessment of my sample poppy was Very positive, and i've the green light to carry on with the next piece. I will start writing down the length of time i sit and work on a piece to give you all a better idea of what Honiton lace is about.

love jen

It's About Time!

Yes indeed...here i've been busy at work with the madness that is American retail around a holiday(the Fourth Of July) and i've not posted anything in a month! So here we have a finished lace sample (FINALLY!!!)

This is Honiton lace, a Poppy flower sample, sepals and stem in whole stitch, top petals are half stitch with coarse thread crossings. Leadworks fill the sepals and pin and a stitch is the filling in the center. By no means a Finished piece of Lace, but definately a finished Sample of lace :-)
I'm quite pleased to be working onward again with the Honiton lace. I've also tatted enough of the edging for two sides of my sisters hankie.
Outside of these two minor accomplishments, i've just been working and playing with my delightful kittens, who are now a year old! Time flies.... oh, yes...and Sudoku. After spending the last year or so thinking people who did it were nuts(i Really Really do not get along with numbers :-( I picked up a book of the strange little number puzzles yesterday and have finished the first 20 puzzles(i had to spend some time at the doctors today...i should have been tatting...) I find it remarkable easy and even enjoyable, it's as if you are spelling a 9 character long word, over and over. (think me a simpleton if you must, but i do have a mathmatics hang up, while in elementary school in Louisiana i had a teacher tell me that mathmatics and computers were for boys and housekeeping and childrearing were for girls when i asked why we girls got to play outside when the boys played on the few computers the school had) Lovely, eh?
Enough, i have to get ready for work in the morning!
love jen

Love is....

I recall my Mother enjoying those little comics when i was a child, and i always thought them sweet.
Nothing could define love quite like the way young Normal made me feel yesterday, he jumped onto my lap, then wanted to be cuddled close. After 20 minutes of this, i decided to see if i could photograph this display of affection (which lasted an hour)
And here we are...


And me holding him, looking a little creepy...


No lace images, but i did finish the daisy with pearl edging sample and now get to begin a Poppy sample, once that is done, i'm on to the next unit and Fillings!!! (AARRGGHHH, which means leadworks as well) I still have yet to begin a 'real' project on Maurice, (yarn that is intended for something) as i can't decide. I Have achieved a foot of edging for my sister, which is not nearly enough, i know...but i just need to sit still with the tatting shuttles long enough to add substantial length to that. Well, work comes in the middle of the night tomorrow, so i had better run, i just had to share the sweet kitty pictures.
love jen

Meet Maurice...

Here is Maurice and Normal.
Sharon from www.bubbiesfarm.com is an amazing fiber artisan, and shepard?- She has many fiber animals, sheep,goats and rabbits. She invited me over for the evening to try out all of the Kromski wheels, i tried the ones i had been thinking about purchasing, and the Sonata, which had not crossed my mind to purchase...and guess who came home with me? The Sonata, who informed me that his name is Maurice. He is stained a beautiful Walnut, and my flash washed that tone out in the next pictures, but you get the idea of the shape...which folds into a compact little travel bag so efficiently(it's kind of wierd, really)
Well, it has a poly drive band, which i was suprised to find i really like. I was getting a feel for the tension with the last of my lime green roving. Can't wait for my first big project on this, as the bobbins hold 4 ounces(the ashfords only hold 2)
Here is the other pic- i shall take more later :-), i'm beat, yet need to get things done before crashing!
Love to all...jen

Moving along...

I turned in my little Honiton flower for assessment, it is 1.5inches tall and also 1.5inches from leaf tip to tip cute little guy, but i did make mistakes in the working. I like that Judith lets me know All of the mistakes, even if they are trivial, it gives me something to strive toward, and at least lets me know how to look at the work. I think i ended up with a mild case of eye strain last night, so intent on finishing the little guy was i!
In fact, i completely forgot to tell Sherry i received the mug i purchased from her in the mail yesterday, it's Fabulous, little tatted flowers pressed into the clay all around. So, Thank You Sherry for being a wildly talented lady, i get my pottery And tatting fix all at once! (well i'll get to add to that- my favorite beverage of choice as well!)

Speaking of tatting fixes, here it the edging i began working on at the length of service awards dinner tuesday night. Becky, let me know if you like it!!! It's for your Wedding!!!!( i was thinking lace handkerchief, but if you want to edge something else that's fine as well!)

Here is my dead gerbera daisy one week after picking it.


And that is all for tonight, i'm utterly exhausted and should hit the hay, as work comes Awfully early tomorrow.
Love to all,
jen