Monday, December 1, 2008

Three Adventures: Three "Never Say Nevers" !

Lily's back: I padded thie wings with some white fleece fabric and
free-motioned quilted them and attached them to the body with simple cross-stitches



Here are several new projects that I have been working on. Two of them - the doll & the cable knitting - I never thought I would try - or care to try for that matter! Now that I have, though, I think that there will be more of both things in my future. I have always been fond of saying that everything is easy when you know how - and I have, once again, proven that adage to myself.
Lily's face is hand painted with acrylics

So - let me introduce Lily. My first angel doll. Years ago - when I was still in the job that stultified my mind every day - I bought a pattern from Gail Wilson Designs hoping that someday I would enjoy making the angel doll. I have a fondness for primitive folk art & for angels - so this was a perfect combination. Somehow I managed to unearth the pattern & decided I would finally give it a go. I enjoyed making her - so will be making more angle dolls in a series I think. I tea dyed the fabric for her body & filled her with beautiful ,fluffy, clean wool...what a nice base this is! The face is painted with acrylics & her hair is wool that I braided into a bun (my grandmother wore her hair like this - and her aunt's name was Lily). I wasn't overly fond of the directions for the clothing - and I think that if a person had no knowledge of how to make a dress they might find the directions just a bit difficult to follow - I mean rather reading them was a bit difficult to follow. Then again - I am not the best at reading directions anyway- so it could quite easily just be me ! In general though I love this pattern and am happy that I found Gail's fine website ! She offers some really wonderful dolls and doll making supplies - and her custom made dolls are amazing.
Such a demure over dress required some rockin' stockings
and a fanciful petticoat - with just a touch of required lace trim!

Next on the "never say Never" list is cable knitting. I had always shied away from knitting cables but always knew that I might,one day, be forced to try it. I found a pattern for a hooded scarf online ( I would add the address here but I keep getting malware warnings when I try to open the site "d-made" - so I thought that I better not add the link here). It's a hood - old fashioned style - with an attached scarf - that has a cable. So here it is in it's infancy. I LOVE doing cables now and want to learn more about them. They are totally fun to do - why was I ever wary of them ??!!

Here is the beginning of one side of the scarf.....glorious simple cable and all !
Beautiful wool from Knit Picks.
What great wools they offer! What great prices too !

Last, but not least of my recent adventures is a pen roll. I had wanted one for some time - and had actually thought of making them to sell ... another odd, stray thought. I used a piece of silk with a thin layer of batting between the silk & a cotton batik. The "the pen holder piece" is silk backed with wool felt. A simple rat tail tie with a heart bead completes this happy home for 6-7 pens. I had fun making this - and will make them if any of my cyber pen friends wants one!
Silk piece from Ah!Kimono -
my favorite place for vintage kimono silk!

6 comments:

JJO said...

I just love your pen holder case. I, also, love working with wool felt. Do you have a pattern for making the case? I would like to make one to hold my knitting needles.

Juanita, from cold and snowy Michigan.

Laura said...

Lily is GORGEOUS! And love the stockings!

La Tea Dah said...

Marie, you always inspire me! I love your angel doll --- primitive has always been a favorite of mine as well. She is beautiful! And your pen roll --- exquisite! I love your style (as always).

Enjoy a great 'rest of the week'. I'm still catching up from the last one!

LaTeaDah

FARBTUPFER said...

A wonderful angel!
Have a nice weekend,
Waltraud

Fannie said...

Love your beauties, especially the doll. Have a great weekend!

Robin said...

Lily, cables, chop, pen roll and cards all super wonderful!!! Especially Lily... I'm a folk-art and angel lover too. Also, I have the same fabric you used for her underskirt. Ha!

I'll take a sample of absorbent ground with me to Gayle's tomorrow... also have the sample card of Golden grounds/mediums/gels with me there. Hope to see you! Robin A.

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