Friday, February 3, 2012

Project List...again

Just a peek at a few more of the projects I've been working on.  Seems I have deviated slightly from dressmaking these days.  But the winter months just don't inspire me as much.  Maybe a pair of wool pants is in order, but eh, I can get by.  These quirky projects stretched my creativity a bit more than banging out another pair of pants from the old tried-and-true pattern.

Project #1:  My daughter has just decided that she wants to be a vet when she grows up.  This stems from her ever-increasing love of horses.  Oy vey!  Do you realize how much more hay we're going to have to put up?!  Well, for her birthday last month, I sewed up a doctor's bag.  I used scraps of white wool and leftover red bias binding.  It has a magnetic snap in the closure and measures approximately 8" tall by 12" wide.  It was a hit.  Perhaps she can start doctoring the calves . . .


Project #2:  I don't know any farmer who doesn't have bags and bags of used baler twine sitting around the barn.  Seriously, we have 50# dog food bags crammed with the stuff!  Yes, I've seen the Boy Scouts make rope out of it, but I'm just not in the market for lassos right now . . . not yet, anyway.  So I decided to take my crochet hook to this lone spool of twine because I am in the market for more outdoor rugs.

Technically this isn't "used" twine, but one orphan spool is not very useful (for those of you who aren't familiar with the inner workings of a baler, you have to have two spools working together to tie up your bales of hay).  It is a bit stiff, but I don't have to deal with all the knots that would be in used twine.  I'm doing a single crochet and will go until I run out. 

Project #3:  Because my first peek-a-boo pin-up towel turned out pretty well, I had try another one.  This time I went for a more risque pin-up.  This platinum blonde fan dancer has no need for a wooden spoon.  :) 

I perfected my embroidery stitch a bit so the outline is cleaner and her face turned out much nicer.  I also used lace on the hem as rickrack was just too 'domestic' for this beauty.  For a look at the original 1950s towel that inspired these, check out EllynAnne Geisel's blog on her vintage linens.

And as was true with many of the fan dancers of the 1930s, this girl is sans her sheer panties.  I really enjoyed making this towel as the peek-a-boo concept lends itself perfectly to the type of girl.  I think I need to do a BoPeep pin-up with a shepherd's crook next (and ruffled undies). 

3 comments:

  1. I love your peek a boo towels!! I amy have to try one.

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  2. That pin-up towel is too cute!!! What a genius idea to spruce up plain linens!

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  3. I cannot lie... I LOVE LOVE LOVE the peekaboo BurleyQ! So much so it's hanging in my kitchen! xoxoxox

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