First Quarter Challenge 2015 - Color

[Frances]

Gorgeous - love the tatting - that really sets them apart!

[koffipot]

Beautiful wrist warmers Zara and I love the details, the tatting makes a lovely contrast. So appropriate for your story-telling 'Lady of the Forest', who I'm sure will be an interesting and entertaining addition to the family. Story telling is such a gift.

I know a lady who is a story teller and I could see her wearing something like this! She dresses to fit the stories and often wears a voluminous, multi coloured, patchwork coat in velvets, with lots of pockets from which she extracts small 'props' to illustrate her stories, weaving tales of fairies and woodland folk. Children in particular listen in wonder at the 'magic' of her tales.

[zed]

Gorgeous arm warmers, zara

[zara]

Many thanks! :-) I have seen photos of the "Lady of the Forest" in question, in action, wearing a bright green fairy dress. So these my just be the right style for her. ;-)

The "lace" is an old hand-crochet doily (cut in two halves) that I bought at a charity shop, for less than the thread it is made of costs. I have accumulated a whole box of these. Always feel terrible about cutting and experimenting with them - but at least they get a chance at a second life. ;-)

[lyn]

Beautiful warmers Zara.

[luvswool and dyestuff]

I’m all for giving vintage pieces a second life. I have done that with old hand-embroidered pieces but always do feel a bit sad about cutting into the work.

[koffipot]

Better to cut into those pieces than leave them for a moth feast!

When I was very young a friend of my father's asked my parents to look through some linen which had belonged to his recently deceased sister. She was a wonderful needlewoman and used to make church vestments amongst other things. There were drawers full of beautifully embroidered and lace finished tablecloths, bedlinen etc. When mum opened each drawer, out flew the moths and much of the linen fell apart at the folds. I still have a couple of those which escaped the moths.

[Deleted]

Hello Judith.

How sad about the beautiful linen being ruined by moths... What would be a way to prevent moth from eating lovely handmade treasures??

[luvswool and dyestuff]

That’s an important lesson, Judith! I had always thought the folds fell apart from age and did not realize the moths had any part in destroying linens. I do have some lovely sweaters, though, which I can never again wear because of those nasty moths!

Cedar is supposed to prevent moths, but I have never tested the validity. I do keep my antique quilts in a cedar chest, and the quilts are wrapped in bed sheets. I read somewhere you are supposed to rotate the quilts, refolding as time goes by. They should not touch the wood of the chest.

[Pandagirl]

Growing up we had a cedar closet just for that purpose. We also had cedar chests. I don't recall having moth problems. :-)

[koffipot]

I've not had a moth problem. I do use lavender in cupboards and drawers for the pleasant smell, though it's also said to be a deterrent.

[Shepherdess]

cedar only works as long as it smells. you have to refresh with cedar oil. I have been told to do the refolding too. not for moths but because of the strain on the fabric at the folds. I fix holy socks with needle felting. It should work for sweaters too.

lavender and orang oil are supposed to help but moths hate light and air movement and being disturbed. You can get pheromone traps for them too.

[luvswool and dyestuff]

Very helpful, Ann and Judith! Great tips. Now I know what to do with my leftover lavender buds.

[lyn]

Cedar and Lavender sound much nicer than the mothballs my grandparents used. As a child I remember being asked to fetch a tablecloth from my nan's sideboard. I opened the cupboard door and several mothballs fell out and rolled on the floor like marbles - my eyes watered and the smell was overpowering.

[luvswool and dyestuff]

I played with colors today!  Perhaps I was a bit shy with the paint.  First time using gouache.

gouache by catwycliff, on Flickr