25 May 2007

Corner

OK, Gina, I take your point - it does look like a row of molars!!! Very funny!! That's just reminded me - dentist next week - YIKES!
Yesterday I drew the corner out as I find this is the easiest way for me to work. I just drew a few sections, copied and turned one group at right angles, added another single element for the corner and then remove the parts of the corner piece that are not needed. You can see this here.

In the evening I tried it out and it's perfect. All I have to do now is put the pattern together along with a few others that need finishing!!

24 May 2007

Hey, who stole yesterday?

I lost yesterday and didn't get round to updating the edging onto the blog. I'm actually quite pleased with it now. Not sure I like these colours, though!! Very 'un-Jane'!!! They do go with the tshirt that I want to add the piece to so, if I still like it later today I may well continue to the 'bitter end'!!! You can see that replacing the SR with a chain between the 'elements' enables the piece to be used either straight or curved. I started to think about the corner I want to make for it last night but I was so tired I didn't pick a shuttle up yesterday! I may well do a drawing for this as the weather isn't good enough for gardening (good excuse!) and sometimes doing it this way rather than using a right angled mirror is easier for me. I'll let you know!!

22 May 2007

Too much

I've tidied up the piece as I said I would yesterday and it looks a lot better, I think. There is more space now but I haven't altered the stitch count at all! The only part that changes is the header which I think (when I get it finished) will be published with the 'alternatives'!
Towards the end of this piece I decided to replace the 'spacer' SR with a chain. I think this will make the finished edging more flexible so that if you want to sew it onto a tshirt (which is my intention) it will 'go with the flow'!

21 May 2007

Progress

I did do a bit on the edging last night in spite of not being in the mood. I tried the way of working using a split ring and no continuous join. It's looking a lot neater but I'm now wondering if the two small picots I've put on one of the central SR's really need to be there. I think I'll try it without. The problem with those two is that they may again be 'cluttering' the area just under the SR and I do want a bit more space showing.
This pattern (when it's finished) could have many headers to it and I hope to be able to give those eventually.
I'd also like to give it a corner as I remember seeing edges when I was a teenager that I wanted to work but they didn't have corners! In those days I couldn't get my head round doing them myself!

A few hours later and I've just been down the town to get some milk. Actually I almost walked straight past our new neighbour I was so deep in thought!! Whilst I was wandering along I was thinking about this edging (sad woman, or what!) and it's occurred to me that it might be as well to make the SR in the centre of each section a little wider. I've been using 4 - 4 / 4 - 4 but I think I may now try 6 - 6 / 6 - 6. This would throw the lower section outwards. See where the small SR's are heading to the foot of the edging? Hang on, I'll draw it out

See where the arrows are pointing? That's where I mean to alter it to 6 - 6. This should make a bit more of a space between the lower small SR's and R. Having done this then there may well be more scope for a fancier top!!!! Time will tell!!

20 May 2007

Thoughts on designing

I'm about to return to the edging again but really this is due to inspiration given to me by the latest copy of Shuttle to Shuttle. This little magazine is published in order to keep some of the groups in the U.K. in touch with each other. I think it must be like the Palmetto fronds!
Now, the main reason I'm thinking about this today is that inside issue 4, which I received on Thursday, there is a small edging called 'Little Maids all in a Row' by Jennifer Williams. This pretty but simple edging has made me realise yet again where I am going wrong with mine. Mine is too complicated! Typical of me - I can never 'think simple'!!! So I'm going back to look at it again!! This is the one I'm talking about (below).

I'm now using a different 'tactic' on myself by drawing it up in order to make myself think long and hard on what I'm doing. I've already spotted that I don't need to use the CTJ in this particular 'version'. I DO like the lower part of this edging but it's the top that concerns me most. If I now 'space' the parts out a bit it may look better - less cluttered. The problem I can see thanks to the drawing is that the sections might not join to each other easily at the bottom - perhaps a ring on a SR or a chain may help OR AM I GETTING TOO COMPLICATED AGAIN!?!?!?!? Hey, ho, time to give the brain a rest and go out for a walk!!!

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Happy Beaks

Happy Beaks
I beg your pardon? I didn't quite catch what you said.