Friday Fun

First I want to announce that a good friend has begun her own blog, World Stitches. I'm really looking forward to her posts. She's the kind of person who tackles projects that I just shake my head at. She likes, and actually completes, great big projects.

Yesterday I got a gift from Jenny in London, full of awesome stuff.
It came with a birthday gift but since that's still a while away, I set it aside to save. Her finds at local outings include this cool book on smocking. I once made my husband a traditional smock from the Folkwear pattern and I made some smocked things for the nieces, way back in time. This made me want to do some more of it. The fan is a card.

This book on fabric bonsai is also very interesting. They use materials from Japan but the basics are about how to make 3-D plants from fabrics. I need to look at some real bonsai but this could be fun.

The lace pillow is made up of a patchwork of lace trims and is beautiful. Jenny's mum spotted it and I'm very happy she did. The pillow itself is of a lovely plainwoven linen with a beautiful sheen. This inspires a lot of possibilities, such as planting some silk-ribbon flowers on the lace or removing it and mounting it on a darker background and using that lovely linen on something else.

The next item in the boxful of goodies made me realize that Sharon B's journaling class has taken hold. The first thing I wanted to do with it is snip and piece and place it in my journal and then experiment with it and paints. I think it may be too soft for a rubbing. I'm pretty sure it's the rubbery stuff you use under rugs to keep them from slipping. Now it's an embroidery material. Hmmm, I wonder what would happen if it was zapped with a heat gun?

The last item in the package was this lovely red Coates box. It was chock full of lovely crochet and stitching items. Filet crochet pieces (unfinished), a round doily (unfinished), and a Battenburg lace doily (finished). There are pins, buttons, snaps, some threads and cording. Two lovely crochet hooks... And the pattern for one of the filet pieces.

There's also a mystery item--the small greenish stone toward the bottom. I think it's part of a pendant or brooch--it looks like wings and it's carved front and back.

I immediately picked up one of the hooks and began crocheting on the doily. I wonder who began this piece, if one woman started all three and why she might have stopped. I thought there might be enough thread to complete the round on the doily but it was just short. I'll take it back to the start of the previous row and end off. And then I'll search my stash to see if I have something the same weight and color as the filet pieces. Or perhaps I'll enjoy them as they are...