Trolley Net

I started the fillings with Trolley Net (p.61) and it went easier than I expected. After I turned my second corner, I thought I would change to a different filling. That was harder than I expected, I couldn't do it without making an ugly gaping hole. After lacing back 3 times, I decided to stop the fight and continue with Trolley Net.

I have contained my working bobbins in my worker cloth and pinned it down to my pillow. This lets me work on my fillings with no distractions.

The green pin is in place to remind me where I ended off. I forgot to remove it for the picture.

Milanese Sampler - Cross Over

This morning was gray and cloudy, so I did my housework like I should. The sun broke through this afternoon, and I couldn't resist working on my sampler again. I finished Cross Over 1 (p.33) after 5 repeats of the pattern. I will try the fillings next, then decide if my sampler is done. I am working very close to the edge of the pillow, and the bobbins roll and they get long leashes. I am impatient and don't like to readjust the bobbins so often. This may be my determining factor, and the sampler may be done after the fillings.

The Last of the Bookmarks

I was so unhappy with my last adventure in bobbin lace, I decided to return to something simple. I printed the Young Lacemakers pricking from The Lace Guild, and made 3 'bookmarks'. One of them suffered a rather unfortunate incident when the puppy snatched it from the dining room table. I rescued it from her teeth with only a little doggy slobber, but when I pinned it out to block it, I changed the smooth curve to a pointy diamond.

I'm done with bookmarks for now, and will return to my Milanese Sampler. I was amazed to see my last entry was dated late October. I know I was busy with Christmas, but it's time to get this off my pillow.

It's not pretty, but it's done

My little bookmark is done. If I had to give it a grade, it would be a C- or D in my book. Honestly, I think it's awful, but I'm glad it's done. Since it's not a good example of bobbin lace, I am trying to put it in a positive light and think of what I've learned from this little project.

I've gained new respect for those who design bobbin lace. I need more experience before I can try something like this again. Fitting thread to pricking is much harder than I ever imagined.

I knew I needed practice on my sewings, but wow! Those sewings are bad, very bad.

Location, location, location. Part of my problems were due to the poor placement of the pricking on my pillow.

Now I will chalk this up to experience, wind more bobbins, and start another bookmark.

Little Progress on My Bookmark

I made some time this afternoon, and worked on my bookmark. I am disappointed, to be honest. What happened to those pretty scallops? They went away because of yet another beginner's miscalculation. My thread is far too heavy for the size of the pricking. I thought the Gutermann thread was too fine, and opted for the Finca Perle cotton. I should have gone with my first instincts. I am trying to finish it, but I am discouraged because it won't look like my first idea. I am forging ahead because of all the sewings, and it will be good for me to have the practice.

I got a registration form for the Great Lakes Lace Group's Spring Fling in April, and put it in the mail today. I'm going to be concentrating on my bobbin lace skills just in case I get my first choice.

Turned the corner on my bookmark

Turned the corner on my bookmark this morning, and am ready to race for the end. I finished my Pi Shawl, and so there's one less project on my plate. If you look closely, you can see where I pulled 3 pins, I wanted to see what my edge looks like. I haven't done actual picots (yet) and these little mouse ears are a compromise. Now I'm faced with lots of sewings, but it's in cloth stitch and simple divisions and holes.