Friday, February 13, 2009

Tatting

Sadly it is difficult not to be constantly reminded of the dreadful fires, and thankyou to all the people who have sent wishes. The response with money and goods has been absolutely mindblowing.
Here in the city the air is very heavy...awful for the asthma...but nothing to compare with the devastation the country is experiencing.
I will work hard on making lovely things, I guess we are so lucky to have that resource.
Most of all I have decided I love making things for people, working on something with a particular person in mind.
My sister in law once made a joke ' be careful not to knit a jumper for a boyfriend as there is "desire" in every stitch'!!!
She was recovering from an illness many years later and I made her a quilt and told her there was "healing" in every stitch...and....she is very well now.......?
I mentioned in an earlier blog how a dear painter friend gave me some lovely pieces of tatting her mother had done.
The plan was for me to go to dinner at her home on thursday, sadly I did not make it, the dinner that is, it but I had made a book as a present for her.
These were the some of the pieces she had given to me.

The plan was to emboss the pages of the book with the little pieces.

I used different papers and found that the thicker papers were less successful than the finer.

I SOOOOOOH want a book press. I borrow one from Cathie up the road but I think everyone really, really should own one. They are not easy to come by and when I move to the inner city....what will I do then?

Enough of that.

For the underside of the cover I collaged the images using Picassa .

And the completed book

I thought that if I left all the photos in variations of white you may think you have "happened on" the wrong blog site.

So, here are two chairs I covered quite a while ago.The fabric is painted and machine stitched. It actually began because I was worried the Victorian rocking chair had borer so I thought painting would be the safest, living in a timber house with timber floors!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love the chairs - and the little book with the tatting impressions even more. A book press .. mmm .. my dear husband MADE me one, only I cannot get to it at the moment as he has stacked some of his recording equipment in front of it.

I will think of you tomorrow in a Quaker silence and hope you are not too near the horrendous fires.

Ann.

Unknown said...

This book is exquisite! I think that is such a lovely idea, and your friend is very lucky to be getting that. Love your chairs.
I haven't had the tv on in the last week and had no idea about the fires til today. What a terrible thing. I hope people have safe places to go. It is amazing and heart warming when many pull together for people in need.

Leslie Avon Miller said...

What a glorious book. I love the white photos. You didn't fool me though. I knew it was your blog!

Jacky said...

Janette the chairs are wonderful!!! I love the colour and the bright, crisp floral designs (your home looks so beautiful).
What an amazing gift you have made for your friend. The tatting looks fantastic as you have presented. What a wonderful, thoughtful friend you are. Sorry your dinner didnt eventuate on Saturday, but hope you can catch up with your friend soon.

Jacky xox

Mummy/Crit said...

I love your book too! Another blogger I read (the one called Ampersand Duck - there's a link from my blog) is a letterpress and bookmaking wonder.

Ro Bruhn said...

Fabulous book Janette, we colour fanatics are allowed to go black or white occasionally as long as it doesn't become a habit. Love the chairs too.