Saturday, September 07, 2013

Three For Thirty :: Day Four

This is the photograph for day four of the thirty day challenge.
Mister Foo, passed out in the heat.

Heat. Humidity. Heat.

Movement is the the challenge that has proven most challenging. I will not pretend I've done anything worth sharing. Would cleaning the kitchen count? Afterwards, it was as though I had hiked through a sauna, with heavy boots, and woolen stockings. It's yucky.

As for sewing... no problem! All pleasure. I even previewed the vest pattern William wants to use for his first venture into garment sewing. Clothing patterns are hard for me. I don't appreciate their spare descriptions, the vague illustrations, and the gaps. The gaps are when they assume you know what they mean, or that whatever they are directing you to do next is obvious. So obvious, they don't have to bother being too explicit. My solution has been to do 1, or 5, read-throughs before I even think about cutting the fabric!

I added a pink blanket stitch to a really colorful floral print. I've had this fat quarter since it came in a grab bag from the Cotton Boll. Sometimes I love it, in a retro-floral-vibrant-bodacious way, and sometimes it's too much. When I began crocheting the long edge, I wanted to create something to match the boldness of the print, and fullness of those roses. I managed to create a pattern that I think of as rose petals. On second thought, after gazing at Foo's tongue... I see another inspiration for those pink petals!

Then, in consideration of the old fashion styled print, I thought about adding a ribbon through the open spaces. It's sort of like saying too much isn't enough!

This is the first time I crocheted the long side of a fat quarter... probably because I figured it made sense to complement the direction of the print. And the whole effect reminds me of a hostess apron. My mom used to tell me that when she was growing up, and aprons were in common use, there were cooking and cleaning aprons, and there were hostess aprons. A hostess would finish preparing in her work apron, then greet guests and serve in a pretty apron. Those were the crocheted ones, or made of a fabric that would never hold up to butter, or cat barf, they were flouncy, cute, darling, and usually impractical for anything other than displaying your handiwork, or accenting your equally lovely outfit. If I backed this small piece, and added ties, I think it would make a charming apron. Cocktails, anyone?

5 comments:

Jennifer said...

Oh, that precious pink tongue!

My mom kept her hostess aprons upstairs, in her dresser drawer, all neat and pressed and ready. Wish I still had them....

And, meanwhile, not too much in the least!

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

That is so gorgeous with the crochet trim and the ribbon! I have no idea what a 'fat quarter' is; evidently a piece of fabric? Love Mr. Foo's the little pink tongue; cats are so hilarious when they let their tongues show. It seems so undignified (in a cute way), not cat-like at all.

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

Thank you! It makes me want to host a tea party!

Do you buy fabric? I don't want to say too much! Most fabrics come 45" wide, and if you asked for 1/4 of a yard your piece would be 45" by 9"... in other words: Long and rather narrow. So, to make small fabric samples that are closer to square, shop keepers (especially those catering to quilters, cut a 1/4 yard of fabric _fat_... about 21" x 18".
Quilters love to have a variety of prints, and not always in great quantity per print... fat quarters are an affordable and fun way to build your stash!

And Foo... boy, he sure did not look dignified. It looked dead, actually, but we all look rather undignified in this weather!

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

Neat and pressed and ready. Wonder women. My goodness.

Mama Spark said...

I'm with Foo. Too hot and humid for sure. He sure is adorable.

I remember my mom saying the same thing and I bought some embroidered organza and made a few of the pretty aprons! I think my daughters thought I had lost my mind!! They sere were pretty. I would love to learn how to crochet an edge like yours on some pillow cases. Linda!