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A New Surface, A New Focus

Recently, we bought the first piece to our new dining room- the sideboard:

Next up is the table, which we will get stained to coordinate with the chairs and sideboard. (Link is to the unfinished furniture store's supplier, but the pertinent information is that it is 48" wide, and 72"/87"/102" long (two leaves))

That's all very fine and well, you might be thinking, but what does this have to do with crochet? What doesn't it have to do with crochet?! These are my new canvases. I now have the furniture that supports and revels in vintage thread patterns to grace them.

And I have found the pattern that will do it best. I had looked at the pattern for "Cathedral Window Tablecloth" at Celt's Vintage Crochet site, but it was seeing a finished product at Crochetville that really knocked my socks off. Way to go, habetlerm!

She made the tablecloth with sz 10 thread, and I was afraid that would be too large, but it looks great. I may still use sz 20, and perhaps even sz 30 for a runner for the sideboard.

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posted by Kate on Saturday, February 24, 2007 @ 12:36 AM

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Valentine for My Sweetie

Thread Crochet Valentine

My husband is really ridiculously supportive of my crocheting in general, but he doesn't have too much use for my recent fascination with doilies. I thought of a way to make him a believer, after being inspired by my aunt.

My uncle has a valentine card my aunt made him years ago that featured a lace heart outline threaded with ribbon attached to a red card. I thought this was a perfect idea for Keith!

I had some problems finding a similar pattern, but decided the heart shaped mini-doily from Patricia Kristofferson's 99 Little Doilies would work if done in size 30 thread - beautiful! Then I couldn't find premade red cards at the craft store, but I think my sheet of cardstock and vellum worked well together and looks better than the original notecard idea would have for this doily.

Attaching the doily was another challenge, but I was able to sew it on in a manner that didn't show from the front and the back was covered by the vellum.

I am very pleased by how well the card came out; when I'm making it for someone as special as Keith, it just has to be great. Because he's great. I love you, Keith!

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posted by Kate on Monday, February 19, 2007 @ 6:00 PM

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A Star from My Aunt

You may remember my mentioning of my Aunt Whee, the crocheting sister of my mother. It is so fun to have a crocheter in the family! I did not learn to crochet from my Aunt Whee, but I do get inspired by all of the beautiful items she has created throughout the years - and I can see them when I go to the home of anyone in our family.

She gives me great ideas beyond just for projects - it was her suggestion to go to Lowe's for a piece of foam insulation to use for a blocking board.

Aunt Whee made Star of Bethlehem ornaments this year in sz. 30 thread, and stiffened with a fine glitter. The scan doesn't do it justice, but I wanted to share it with you all!

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posted by Kate on Friday, February 09, 2007 @ 4:42 PM

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Little Hooks

One year ago I had never crocheted a doily. The only thread crochet I had done was a set of about a dozen stars for my Christmas tree (my then-boyfriend-now-husband and I swapped ornaments from our trees that year, and to this day he has one crocheted star on "his tree" and I have a red bow on "my tree").

I jumped right in with doilies, and my first doily was somewhat of a behemoth. My second doily was also a larger one, but both worked up fairly quickly with "larger" steel hooks (sz. 7) and "larger" thread (sz. 10).

Since then I've made dozens of doilies, including a large collection of Patricia Kristofferson doilies (of course, to make it to "dozens", I'm counting the set I've made from her 99 Little Doilies).

I just finished a small doily from that book in sz. 30 thread and sz. 10 hook, to use on my husband's Valentine - I hope to have it blocked to share soon! - and have gone a bit more adventurous and am stitching Irene from Doilies with a Twist (PK, of course) in the same sz. 30 thread.

Now, sz. 30 thread and sz. 10 hooks are about as big as some stitchers I know like to go. I applaud them even more after working on this pattern.

One bit of inspiration for me is the collection of "Elf Doilies" Diane has posted on her website. Diane was one of my testers for my doily pattern (that I am eager to show), and her work is incredible. Most of the doilies on this page have a quarter or penny pictured next to them to give you an idea of gauge. Here is the link.

After finishing this doily, I would love to find a sz 12 or smaller hook, and try my hand at a simple doily pattern to make tiny. I just have to find some thread, too!

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posted by Kate on @ 12:13 PM

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