Pictures

I'm half thru with my second attempt at the Irish crochet (IC) butterfly for my lace picture mat. The only problem is, I think I made so many errors and changes that I'm not sure I can make the other side symetrical! There is another problem, it's too big for the corner using the size thread I used (size 30 thread over 4 size 10 padding cords). For anyone not familiar with IC, it is a form of crochet that has a 3d effect often using padding cords (pc) under the stitches to help them pop out and also to add shape. I think my next attempt will be with a size 70 thread and 3 size 30 pc). I'm done for today, tho.

Butterfly

Well, my first attempt at the butterfly was a bust. Trying to read the old patterns (it was written in 1912) is sometimes challenging. The head came out surprisingly well considering how much I don't like doing rings, the first part of the body was good, after that, not so much. I think I'm going to scrap that attempt and start fresh. Now I now a little better how it goes.
I also have most of the braids tacked to the pattern for the RPL. I want to figure out a way to sign and date it in the pattern somehow. Not exactly sure how quite yet, tho.

My son has gone over to help mom pack some more, so I have some time to turn on LiveIreland.com and listen to Irish music while I do some more Irish crochet!

My first blog post.

I'm going to use this blog to document my progress on my largest lace original design. I'm using a combination of Romanian point lace and Irish crochet lace to make a picture mat for my mother's going-away gift. (I hope she doesn't find this!)

I created the pattern a couple of weeks ago using templates from the book "Romainian Point Lace" by Angela Thompson & Kathleen Waller. I also made my own flower with some polar graph paper I found at http://mason.gmu.edu/~mmankus/Handson/polar.htm. The angel in the corner is from a pattern in the files at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CrochetLace/. I'm also involved in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Irish_Crochet_Lovers/ where I found a pattern for an Irish crochet butterfly that's going to be in the blank corner.

Speaking of the butterfly, time to go get started on it!