More Socks

I haven't seemed to be able to get much craft work done lately.  Gardening, chores, housework, farming and bookkeeping seem to be keeping me busy.

Our congregation does a giving tree each year, this year there were several names that were still on the table after the 2nd sunday.  I couldn't afford to fill all those requests but I could help out with some socks.  So I started this past Thursday eve and Monday morning I finished the last kitchner stitches on the last pr.

I also have a friend that is battling breast cancer,  surgery, chemo and now radiation.  I have cranked a pr of socks for her too.

I have more yarn to make socks so need to get cranking. 

Tatting!

I have been Tatting!

I spent 4 days at the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion in Rollag, MN over the Labor Day weekend. Here are a few pictures from the event,

I started my days at 5:45 helping the Mercantile kitchen make about 850 Carmel rolls and 50 frosted cinnamon rolls.
Then by 8:45 I am heading to the Ladies Activity building to change into period costume and spend the day Tatting. I don't get much actual tatting done as I spend more time showing how to do the flip and teaching others to Tat.

But I did get some things done.

Ice Drop made in Lizbeth size 20

 I must tat tighter than the pattern originator, as it took 8 rings to get around the drop instead of the 6 in the pattern.

Ice Drop in Manuela pastel variegated with clear drop

Ice Drop in Manuela pastel variegated version 2 with pink drop

I don't know if I followed any one pattern exactly, but am not claiming any of these as my own design.   The patterns can be found on Diane's blog Lace-lovin' Librarian

The Ice drops were given to the Boutique at WMSTR for them to sell for fundraising.

I was able to get 2 of my Roses tatted for gifts for the other 2 ladies in the same booth.  They both do Bobbin Lace usually during the show but both ladies can also Tat.

Lizbeth Pink CoCo Size 20

Lizbeth Vineyard Harvest size 20

The Pattern for  3D Rose Earrings is  on Georgia Seitz website. If you haven't browsed through all the information and patterns on Georgia's site, you really need to carve out some time to take a long look.

One of the neat things that is available when at WMSTR is a Spark Show after dark. They use one of the old steam tractors and get the fire up and running - that takes a couple hours.  Then when everything is ready they throw in a few shovels full of saw dust, which ignites and exits the smoke stake with the smoke. See the pictures and videos below that I took.

Another Vestment Repair

I have fixed another Vestment for Father A.  This time it is a stole.  It is part of a set that was given to him by the family of a Priest friend Fr D.  They went to seminary together, but Fr D died of cancer a short atime after he was ordained.  For this reason it was a very special vestment set for Fr A.

He was wearing the Chasible and Stole a yr or so ago during a snow storm.  Some how the stole was dropped in the snow as he got in his car and no one noticed.  It was at least a few days before it was found on the other side of the street in a snowbank that had been pushed up by a skid steer.  Needless to say, it was not in the best of shape.

Fr A wanted to preserve as much of the original stole as possible, or it would have been easier to just make a new one.
I spent quit some time looking for matching material and contacted a gal who does Vestment and Liturgical sewing for a living. https://www.ecclesiasticalsewing.com 

I found some that matched pretty well.

I have to say that cutting into vestments is always a bit scary for me, but I removed only as much as I needed to and replaced it with new.  I was able to put the seam for the white under the blue velvet band and the seams for the gold lining don't show when it is being worn.
Below are the after pictures. The original white is to the right of the bands and the fringe is original. If you look really closely, you will be able to see that the new fabric is not the same pattern as the original. It is close and with the band between, it isn't too noticable.

 

 I was able to save the cross from the original and add it to the remake.

 Here you can see that I was able to save more of the lining on  side than the other.

The newer lining is a polyester satin and while in person it is close in color and shine, in the camera flash, it looks much different.

Fr A is pleased so that is good.  He wore it for Mass today.
I am in the process of ordering some linen to make the "neck protector" that is sometimes applied to the neck edge of a stole that can be easily removed for laundering and keeps the stole cleaner.  I will tat a small lace edgeing for it.

Well it is nearly 11:30 at night so will close this.

Yes, it has been a loonng time. Too long really.

I have been away from posting for a long time, I know.  I have been involved in some other things.
A granddaughter has asked me to make her prom dress.  I have 3 weeks.  She picked this pattern from my stash, I have used it before, but she is built a bit larger than my daughter was back in the mid 1990's.
So I am looking for this pattern McCall's Fashion Basics # 7086 in maybe a size 16.

If anyone knows where I can find a larger size, that would be great.  I can redraft this one, but not having to spend the time doing that would be a big help.
I have 3 weeks to get this done, and won't be shopping for the fabric until this coming weekend.

thanks in advance for any help.