Ready to Top Stitch

I decided to fill the last portion of the tree with corded double brussels stitch. I started it once, but took it out because it blended in with the corded treble brussels above. I tried again, and this time I left more space between my rows. This shows off the corded line, and doesn't look at dense as the stitch above.

I feel pretty good about that, I controlled the final appearance of my stitch by changing the spacing of the rows. Not a happy coincidence, but actual thought and planning.

The tree trunk is single corded brussels and single brussels. A little sloppy, but I was running out of thread and didn't want to refill my needle.

I took my tree to the lace group meeting, and someone suggested I put beads on the tree when I'm done. I hadn't thought of that, but I may be able to find some sparkly beads to sew along my cordonnet when I'm done.

My Tree Grows Quickly

I set my knitting aside this weekend, and spent the sunny days working a little extra on my tree.

Starting at the top right, and going down, I used Double Brussels, Corded Single Brussels, Pea Stitch, and Treble Brussels. Back at the top left, I used Corded Single Brussels, Single Brussels, Corded Treble Brussels, and ToBeDetermined.

My notes say I wanted to use Corded Single Brussels with a hole. I'm not sure. I forgot to plan for the two sections of the trunk, and I think that will look best with Corded Single Brussels. Maybe I'll use Corded Double Brussels, haven't done that one yet. Haven't tried Pea Stitch Variation, either. Decisions, decisions.

Another Ornament Started

I'm at it again!
Google Images is my friend, and I had fun looking at graphic Christmas Trees.
I decided to go with a simple tree, and have just finished the outline. I'm using tatting thread, #701 Christmas Green, and plan to dress it up with a variety of stitches.

One thing I've learned is that it never hurts to think awhile before you start laying your trace thread. Especially when you are working from your own drawing. It's like a logic puzzle, or drawing a maze. If you just dive in, you may end up with a corner you can't fill. I'm sure it is even more important with complex figures.

Another thing I've learned is that I can't be careless when I lay the cordonnet. If the stitches are too far apart, I can't get good tension on my first row of buttonhole stitches.

I like this tree, too. I think it looks as though there's a ribbon or garland wrapped around it. I don't know if I could do it justice, and am saving it for another time.

These drawings are fresh from my scanner, and are very large. I'm posting them on my blog in case of a computer disaster, but you are welcome to right click and save if you want to give them a try. I pull them into MS Word and change the size, usually around 3 inches gives me enough room to work.

Needle Lace Bell - Done!

I took my time, and was very careful to keep my stitches even as I worked around the bells.

Here's a nice shot of the bell, all topstitched and ready to be removed from the base. I remembered to include my ruler, too.





After I removed the basting, I sewed up the side seams. I used the same tatting thread throughout the bell.

I found a sharp needle, and was able to stab through the loops of the button hole stitches. Just like hiding threads in tatting!



I included this view with my hand for another reality check.

The seams are a little thicker than I like, but I can live with that.

My pattern is a bit uneven, one side of the bell was longer than the other, and I had to fudge the last bit of the seam.

I should have remembered to start my seams at the bottom edge rather than the top.







I'm pretty pleased with my project, although I don't see myself doing lots and lots of bells. I think I'll stick with flat projects for awhile.

I like #80 tatting thread for my stitches. It can be twisty, but I let the thread untwist regularly.

I also discovered if I pulled my thread too fast as I made my stitch, it would always knot. I slowed down, developed a smooth rhythm, and had fewer tangles.

Starting to Topstitch the Bell

I worked my way around all three bells, adding to my original trace threads. When I got to the bottom of the bells, I added a very fine wire. It's one strand of some wire J. gave me 2 years ago.

I asked him what it was, and he shrugged, "Automotive wire" was all he said. It's 12 strands, wrapped in blue, very fine.

I have some heavier electrical wire I tried when I made my candle. That felt good in my hand, but chunky when on the lace, so I'm trying a lighter weight.

I finished top stitching around one bell, and just had to show my progress. I was so careful with my stitches, I made sure each thread was in the right place before I made the next one. So far, so good, and I hope I can sit down this afternoon and work a little more. I get into a rhythm with the stitches, and it looks good. I just have to remember to be careful until I get into the swing of things.

Ready to Finish

I chose Corded Triple Brussels for the center band on my little bell. I'm really happy with how it looks, my stitches look good and my tension is pretty even, too.

Now I have to think awhile and decide how I'm going to finish it. At first I thought I would use wire in my cordonnet. I have lots of different wire to choose from, my DH has electrical wire and automotive wire, and more I don't know about.

Then I looked at my finished leaves and compared them to my bell. The leaves are all firm and hold their shape very well without any wire. My bell will be about the same size, and I don't know that I need wire down each edge. I could use wire on the bottom edges, though. Then I could shape a rounded bottom edge, rather than a straight one.

I think of this as my practice pad, rather than a sampler. I can try out a stitch without thinking about shape, color or size. I just fill the square and see what it looks like.

You've seen the first square - Corded Single Brussels on the top, Corded Double Brussels on the bottom, both with Coats Metallic sewing thread used as the cord.

The second square is Pea Stitch. I wanted to switch to Pea Stitch Variation for the second half, but the spacing just didn't work out. I finished it, but didn't like doing the stitch at all. I kept losing the loop, and had to be very particular where I put my needle.

The third square is Corded Triple Brussles, I added the metallic sewing thread for the second half. You can see a lot of the cord that way, I think it might give you the most sparkle, but I liked the top half better.

Progress Again - With Bells On

I filled in the bottom half with corded double Brussels, and I'm really happy with how it looks. Since I'm going to join the bell at the edges, I want the stitches to look alike. I'm learning there are lots of ways to vary the same stitch. It's not like knitting, where if I use the same yarn and same size needle, I'll usually get something similar enough to call a pair.
I can inadvertantly vary stitch spacing, depth of rows, or number of rows, and the area looks as though it's been filled with a different stitch. One of the beautiful, intriguing things about needle lace, but not something I wanted to explore this time.
So I was careful and started each section with the same number of paired stitches, and tried my best to make it look the same.

I'm not sure how I'm going to fill the middle section, I have plenty of options rolling around in my head. I thought I should do something different, and actually sample some stitches before I started this last filling.

I got the idea for this sampler from Lorelei Halley's website. In the middle of this page, she shows a sampler, and I thought that was a good idea, and set out to make one for myself.
Four hours later, I'm still couching the trace thread! I quit last night when my eyes were watering so bad I swallowed tears when I yawned, and yawned and yawned.

I have a few squares outlined, that's enough for now. I tried a technique described by Elizabeth Ligeti in the Fall 2009 IOLI Bulletin. She gives patterns for 3 Christmas ornaments, and uses metallic thread. In two of them she doubles the metallic thread with the cotton, but in the candle, she uses a "two needle" method. Basically, you make your buttonhole stitches with the cotton, and the metallic for the cord.

This is a pretty good close up of my little sample. I started with single corded Brussels, then switched to double corded Brussels for comparison.

I'm still not sure if I'll be able to see any sparkle on my little bell, and I may sample another stitch or two before I decide which stitch I want to use.

The graph paper was originally 8 squares to the inch, but Open Office crunched it down to 9 squares per inch. That's the reality check for this post.