Perchance to Dream

I'm still in the process of making the afghan for my nephew and his soon-to-be new wife - I think I'm safe to say that because I don't believe either one of them follow this blog! - and so I thought that doing a piece on dreamcatchers would be very appropriate for everyone's mid-summer reveries. 

Black Magic Boho Dreamcatcher by CleanS18 at https://www.etsy.com/shop/CleanSl8?ref=l2-shopheader-name

 

Many dreamcatchers have feathers - why not make your own? https://poppyandbliss.com/2017/05/19/tunisianfeathers

Monochromatic design by Marion van Kooten-Stok at http:// https://www.facebook.com/handmadebymarian

Dreams of blue are on your way - http://eslamoda.com/cositas-azules-que-necesitas-anadirle-a-tu-habitacion

Erin Black's Dream a Little Dream at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dream-a-little-dream-dreamcatcher-inspired-wall-hanging-homdec009 Dream A Little Dream Dreamcatcher

Lovely and lacy Dream Weaver's design at http:// https://www.etsy.com/shop/DreamWeaverDesigns1?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Not a dreamcatcher, but wouldn't it make a fantastic one? Starflower Mandala from Zelna Olivier, free pattern at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/starflower-mandala

Dreamcatcher on steroids! By AGAAZRA at https://www.etsy.com/shop/AGAAZRA?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Even the iconic Granny Stitch gets to show off! Rainbow Granny Spiral Sun Catcher by Jaime Ramsey at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rainbow-granny-spiral-sun-catcher

Pleasant dreams everyone!

10+ Ways to Use Doilies

Some of us have been blessed to inherit vintage doilies. Some of us still adore the delicate patterns so lovingly hand crocheted. Some of us just love all things lace! No matter what category you fall in, most of us succumb to the allure of these dainty pieces at one point or another in our lives.

But what to do with them? Our grandmothers used them as decorative protection on the backs and arms of chairs and as underlayments to centerpieces, but this is so out-of-date today. Never fear - the creative powers on Pinterest have come to the rescue!

Displaying them in frames seems totally appropriate for their beauty

Group doilies to make an eclectic table runner

What an elegant place to store the remote!

Lovely way to brighten a room

A lacy work of art from http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/2014/03/vintage-thingie-thursday-wall-art-using.html

Sooo cool - I want one!

A diminutive sachet or pincushion, from https://www.livemaster.ru/topic/470805-kruzhevo

Decorate a plain tablecloth – from http://ana-rosa.tumblr.com/post/31532747462

Fantastical light fixture from http://www.topinspired.com/top-10-home-decor-diy-tutorials/

Doilies make a stunning window screen framed in embroidery hoops; from Dishfunctional Designs

 While wandering Pinterest, I also spied many other examples for doily use - mobiles, stiffened for bowls, gift bags, jar or tea light covers, decoration for scrapbook covers/pages, to create a banner, decorate a tote bag or throw pillows, use as a stencil, to press into clay for plates/bowls/ornaments, crochet together to make a curtain/lightweight throw, or as an insert for a room divider. And please don't forget - doilies are usually made from cotton, which is a very dyeable material; you certainly don't have to limit your creativity to the traditional whites and ivories. Vive le doily!

Mother's Day Flop

About a month ago I found a beautiful Ice yarn, Air Baby Alpaca. It's a mix of alpaca, extrafine merino wool, viscose, and polyamide, and it's so soft. It has been made into a chain, and since I've enjoyed working with other chained yarns, I decided to try it. Plus it came in a very pretty shell pink (pink with an undertone of peach) that would look really good on my mom. 

I wanted to make a shawlette for my mom - just a little something to go over her shoulders without being cumbersome or heavy. I found the Dawn in the Woods Shawl by Elaine Phillips (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dawn-in-the-woods-shawl) which was perfect because the length.can be adjusted. I was set!

While I was working on the last third of the shawlette I realized that it wasn't going to be symmetrical. This bothered my sense of design balance (possibly a little OCD?) but my real problem was that when I tried it on it really looked "old lady-ish". My mom's style is more like Olivia's in 'Scandal', not the Victorian lacy look, so I came to the realization this would be all wrong for her. I have come up with a Plan B, but this will have to be for her birthday because I ran out of time for Mother's Day! Amazingly (or maybe not), the shawl ended up looking MUCH better on the dress form - 

So instead of this shawlette, I decided to fall back on an old standby - pigs. My mom has a wonderful collection, mostly figurines, and told the family years ago to not give her any more pigs. I have chosen to completely ignore this directive. Hence, behold the sweet little piggy bookmark (pattern from Ashlea Konecny at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pig-bookmark) - 

                                                         

    

 I also found a very unique present at Faerie Magazine that I thought my mom would like - Flying Prayer/Wish Paper (https://www.faeriemag.com/products/flying-wish-paper-mini-wishing-kit-dandelion-prayer). You write your wish on the paper, roll it up, put it on the platform card, and light it on fire. At the last moment "your wish magically lifts off the platform and rises to the heavens!". How cool is that!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom - And to all of those wonderful mothers out there! We deserve it!

A Lacy Tribute to Mother's Day

As I'm sure with many of you, I've had Mother's Day on my mind. It's only a couple weeks away and I'm in the middle of making something for my mom (with luck it'll be done in time!). Of course, I can't show or discuss what I'm making because my Mom reads this blog and I wouldn't want to give away the surprise. So that will have to wait for later. (Hi, Mom!)

The following are a gathering of what I would consider wonderful Mother's Day presents - of the lacy variety, of course!

I love this bowl - it looks just like a crown! http://meninascrocheteirasemacao.blogspot.fr/2015/03/receitas-e-graficos-de-croche-endurecido.html (Many charts available at this site)

 

 

 

 

Every mom loves a heart box! http://crochetmuestras.blogspot.com.ar/2012/09/ideas-y-modelos-para-hacer-cajas-crochet.html (Inspiration only, darn it!)

Elegant statement necklace/collar from http://www.silviagramani.com/search/label/Colar%20de%20P%C3%A9rolas (Patterns for purchase through designer's books)

Have a gorgeous doily already made? Frame it! http://crochet.postbit.com/photos/crochet-doilies/86620_1.html

Lovely tealight holder from http://www.soulouposeto.gr/2013/11/blog-post_5.html (No pattern but instruction on stiffening)

Who couldn't use a pretty purse like this? http://clubmasteric.ru/shemi-vasanie-kruchkom/sumki-kruchkom/1035-letnja-sumochka-kruchkom.html

Beautifully ethereal! http://meninascrocheteirasemacao.blogspot.fr/2015/03/receitas-e-graficos-de-croche-endurecido.html

Such a pretty candy dish - or for sparkly trinkets in the boudoir?  http://lanaecotone.blogspot.com/2010/05/scatolina-alluncinetto.html?spref=pi

You can find the pattern for the featured picture of 'Mother's Day Teacup' by Marjorie Jones at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mothers-day-teacup. Now it's back to present making for me....