Knitted Lace Sampler

Origin : Austria - 19th Century

46 Patterns - 165 x 8 cm

I very much support the act "to expose" if a trader is not correct ... But then, I also fully support "to expose" any trader who performs a great job and deserves every penny spent!

This lovely little package was in my PO Box yesterday :)

And it bore the two petite vintage tea-strainers :)

The two tea-strainers now joined their new family :)

The two tea-stainers were purchased from an Etsy shop and I was very fond with seller's communication so, she gets to be "exposed" :)

Shop with confidence at her shop and here is Liane's Etsy : CLICK

My booty of the flea market last Sunday

A vintage brass bowl, that was used for dripping/pouring water in a Turkish bath, thus a "bath bowl"; 

A couple vintage massive ebony candle holders :)

And a lovely cotton scarf from India :)

Progress on my hand-sewn dress so far!

Who is Who? Wanna Guess?

Historical Painting with Wikipedia Links & Mouse Over Tagging

List of People

and

Discussing the Divine Comedy with Dante

Shahmeran

In Anatolian mythology, Shahmeran ( Queen of Snakes ) is the goddess of wisdom and the guardian of secrets; the symbol of immortality and infinity!

All the pictures you see, are under-glass paintings. In Eastern Anatolia, particularly Mardin, these framed Shahmerans are hung over doors and are not removed even if broken. Removing the broken glass is ill-omen!

1879 Sampler

My "trial & error" project of airy dress after some good hours of work, has failed :( The decorative joining seam stitch did not work! The fabric is too slippery to be able to manipulate. A bit like viscose. I have not given up :) I have decided to make the joining stitches more simple and less visible and that seems to be working. I am using the wefts of the fabric as the hemstitching thread ...

Progress so far ... Another set of pleats will be stitched on the right side per picture below. Then, I plan to stitch in the arms and finally the neckline will be cut :)

Stitch Sampler

I want to make myself a nice, airy outfit for the hot hot summers here. I will use a handwoven cotton-linen fabric with a bit of sheen into it. I do not know the origin of this fabric, it is somewhere from Turkey and the width is 47 cm ( 18.5" ) with loads of colours to choose from. My fabric has been waiting for my attention for a while now and the colours is a nice khaki.

I tried to neatly hem the sides to join and will have to stitch two equal sizes (due to narrow width) together for both the front and back.

I have planned an all-oblong shape, something like a kimono, something that does not need a pattern. The arms and the body will not have any curves, just plain straight stitching to join the pieces. And once all the body is stitched, I will fold the piece from the centre and that is where I shall be cutting a hole for the collar :) ... Joining the arms could be pre or post collar activity!

I will do it by handstitching, I do not have a sewing machine and I looked into some decorative stitches to join the seams and chose Raised Chain Band for my project.

I have made a small change with the stitch though. As you'd observe with the video tutorial, instead of coming out right beneath the first straight stitch bar, I come out from the opposite side which will make a diagonal line under thus reinforcing the seam.

This will be a first in my crafty life and this project may end up being a "dust rag" but hey, so what!?

BTW Jude ... If you are reading this post, I was in the country yesterday visiting a nice lady with a farm who took me around and I saw this lovely white feather from one of her geese and surely thought of you :) Seems you have more influence on people than just being a pioneer in their crafty life!

Some snapshots from the farm; typical and universal!