Hairpin Lace

Over the last several months, if you can't tell, I've been into knitting and now into crochet. I've seen hairpin lace and felt very intimidated by it but upon further investigation, seemed simple. Over the weekend I stopped in at Joanns to see what was on sale, what new goodies they might have and possibly pick up some more yarn and use my 50% off coupons.

While perusing through the net for crochet flowers to finish my hat, I once again came across StitchDiva.com and hairpin lace. Once again, the curiosity was piqued. Walking around Joanns, fingering the yarns, wishing I had more money, I spy a hairpin lace tool, it's not expensive, not on sale, WOOHOOO! I can use my coupon. I also used my other coupon on a zippered knitting needle/hook case, which I love.

I was able to finally try out my new tool yesterday. The directions that came with the tool, were eh on being helpful. So with tool in one hand, crochet hook in the other I pull up StitchDiva and read then watch the video and have the AH HAH! moment. I start on a strip of 100 loops. I make 2, 100 loop strips and today I joined them using the "cable join" method, which is super easy. I have one test strip done and ready to start on another test strip to trying out other pieceing/finishing methods before I get started on an a hairpin lace pattern.

Here are pics of my test strip








I used some left over varigated purple yarn that is probably 15-20years old give or take 5yrs.

Frustrated

I'm trying to make some crochet flowers, simple ones, just a couple of layers of petals, no biggie, right? WRONG! I can read a basic pattern, I understand a majority of the stitches but for some reason I can't seem to get making a flower. I know how to make a crochet ring. I've even gone so far as trying to understand the concept of the "magic ring" by reading and watching youtube videos. I don't know if it's just because my current stress levels are in the red or what, that i'm just not "getting" it. I can get the 1st part, for a very simple 5 petal flower it's going to the next level of adding more petals that I just don't seem to be getting. I read and reread and compair pattern instructions and still, nada. UGH!

I am determined to get this so that I can finish the hat that I'm working on. I just need 1 flower, no bigger than say a golf ball in size. I don't have much of the vintage varigated yarn left. Yes, I bought this yarn some time back in the late 80's to early 90's. I don't know if you'd call it vintage or not, it's got to be atleast 15yrs old, give or take a few years. In fact,I have quite a bit of yarn that I've had for atleast 15yrs or so.

Well I won't give up, i'm going to get this so I can finish the hat.

Sewing machine attachments

I have a very old sewing machine, vintage, antique, whatever you'd like to call it. This machine is made from metal, not plastic parts and is probably about 50+yrs old. I only had a couple of feet for the machine and never really paid it much mind as to the uses. I've used the button holer foot and the regular foot and that's about it. I decided I needed more attachments and went on an ebay hunt. I found some, low shank, WOOHOO! I had no problem finding numerous attachments for my brand of machine but they were all long shank and totally don't fit. My grandmother had given me some attachments for doing embroidery with my machine but they were long shank and didn't fit. No big deal really, I don't plan on doing embroidery by machine anyways. If ever I do decide to do machine type embroidery, I want a machine that is designed to do that, specifically.

I get the parts from the ebay seller and it has a little booklet with it, AWESOME! They fit my machine, doing the happy dance. Only 1 foot attachment wasn't in there that should have been but no big deal because I already have that particular foot anyways, don't need 2. I'm happy, oh so happy to finally have parts that fit my machine to make some of my sewing ever so much easier.

Looking at these new attachments I'm scratching my noodle wondering how the heck they fit on my machine, consult said 1940's looking manual and get the ahh HAH feeling. The pleating/ruffler foot looks like some alien contraption or torture device. LOL! I'm almost scared to use it, hahahahaa. I open up the booklet and begin reading and realize that some projects I have done could have been sew much easier if I had known how to use the attachments, even the few I had.

One of the projects I'm somewhat working on is going to be so much easier to do because it calls for a very small hem. I now have a rolled hem attachment that will make that much easier to do. I can now do dainty and delicate materials with nice hems.

I still have to make a duct tape dummy but with my weight currently fluctuating, I'm wondering if I should wait. I do want a nice dress dummy that has adjustable nob things all over it but that's going to cost a bit and with car problems, that'll have to wait too. Glad, I'm not having to make things for other people that would require a dress dummy. Now to just find time to sit down and play with my new attachments. I still need to finish the other arm cuff too.