Thank you #2

Some things are worth waiting for.

Last week I received a birthday package. It had been shipped in plenty of time, except the post office seemed to have rowed it across the ocean by hand. No problem. This is the best! The first item was actually the last item unearthed from from the overflowing box. It was wrapped in the gorgeous glitter paper behind it.

This is a really good kit. I'd have expected it from the Embroiderer's Guild, but I'm never sure until I see for myself. Very complete. Great instructions. Lovely fabric. The design is clearly printed onto the fabric (for the front, the back and for the dimensional petals). It's so complete, it even has the card for the finishing. Right now I'm savoring it--I'm sure I'll be stitching soon. It's part of a series of needlework accessories.
This was sent as a mystery item. It's a lucet. I have a lucet--here are the instructions I used to first learn to use it (and it shows the style of my wooden lucet that is buried somewhere in the piles). Here's a video on how to use one. (Lucet on You-Tube--what a combination! ancient and modern). Luceting is easy and fun.

Lucets are a very old tool (Viking era) used to create cords. It makes a squarish cord that doesn't easily come loose from bows and knots. This lucet is extra cool. It comes with bobbins and a book on advanced lucet techniques. (I am such a geek! I love this stuff.) I began making a plain cord with the threads in the kit, just to get back into practice. This lucet feels good in my hand (you keep turning it in your hand so the right size and smoothness are important) and I love the amber plastic. To me, it looks a lot older than the 1998 date in the booklet, perhaps it's the amber color, but it's quite modern and here's the website for the Lucet Co. to prove it!

The advanced technique uses the bobbins to hold the threads as you create a cord that has splits in it--open loops that can be used for buttons, toggles or for other cords to pass through. I haven't tried that technique yet, but it looks like fun.

But wait--there's more! The package also included these two generous hanks of very nice lace. After I took the picture, I unrolled the lace to find a charming Easter card inside one roll and a ragged but lovely postcard of a bobbin lace maker in the other. Most appropriate.This is a hunk of fleece (perfect for needlefelting) and a ball of lovely two-ply handspun wool. The note said it was from Jacob sheep at the Welsh border. It's lovely wool with a great deal of color variation. You can see why from the pictures of the sheep!

Last, I forgot to take a photo of the lovely jar of honey-colored rosemary jelly that was safely ensconced in the middle of the package. I haven't opened it yet. Thank you very much!