Quote of the Day

 

image from the Graphics Fairy

The three grand essentials to happiness in life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for. ~ Joseph Addison

Happy Year of the Rabbit

 

From the great minds behind Canon Creative Park, a free rabbit pattern to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Crochet - Some Pretty "RickRack" Trims from 1916, Part II

 

Continuing on from last week, here are two more trims using crochet and ricrac, from the May 1916 issue of Needlecraft magazine, by Adelaide Carr Baker.

Trim #3:

"A half-wheel edging makes a pretty border for doilies, or may be used as a straight trimming.  Fasten back the (ricrac) braid 5 points, overlapping 4, and the middle folded in half.

1. Fasten thread in the half point, (chain 3, a treble in next point) twice, taking each treble through the overlapping points, then continue with (chain 3, a treble in next poing) 7 times, fold the (ricrac) braid as before, (chain 3, a treble in next point, putting hook through both or lapped points) 3 times, making 13 points, with 3 chain between, from the beginning, counting both sides folded back.

2. Chain 4, *a treble under chain between points, chain 1; repeat.

3. A treble (chain 3 for 1st, always) under each chain of last row, turn.

4. A double between each 2 trebles, chain 5, fasten across wheel in 1st double made, chain 4, fasten under last treble of 1st row, chain 4, fasten in point folded in middle, and repeat from 1st row to lenght desired."

Trim #4:

"A very pretty border with turned corner is useful in many ways.

1. Fasten thread a little at the side of a point of braid, chain 3 for a treble, make 3 trebles close together* chain 4, 2 trebles in the hollow, or depression, between points, chain 4 4 trebles in next point, repeat from * until the corner is reached, then after the 2nd 4 chain make a treble in each of the next 2 points, keeping the top loop of each on needle and working both off together, thus drawing the 2 corner points close together, then continue from *.

2. Two trebles under 4 chain (chain 3 for 1st treble of row), 4 in 4 trebles and 2 under following chain, chain 2; repeat; at corner, make 2 trebles under 4 chain, working off together, and 2 under next 4 chain, chain 2, and continue as before with the straight lace.

3. A treble in a stitch, chain 1, miss 1; repeat.  At corner make a treble in last of 8 trebles and in 1st of next 8 trebles, drawing them together above the 4 trebles of last row.

4. A treble in each stitch; at corner join to top of treble following the 2 corner trebles of last row, slip back over 2 trebles, and continue; this makes a square corner."

Trim #5:

"An insertion matching this edge differs from it slightly, but may be made exactly the same, if preferred.  

1. Three trebles in point of braid (chain 3 for 1st treble of the row), chain 6, a treble in depression between points, chain 6, repeat to corner, where chain 4, 3 trebles in next 2 points, taken together, chain 4, treble between points, chain 6, and continue as before.

2. Three trebles under chain, 3 in 3 trebles and 3 under chain following, chain 1; repeat to corner, where make 1 treble under chain, 1 in 2nd treble and 1 under following chain.

3.  Same as 3rd row of edging.

4.  Same as 4th row of edging.

5. From the outer edge, work as directed in 1st row to corner, where chain 6, 3 trebles in corner point, chain 4, 3 trebles in same place, chain 6, and continue.

6.  Like 2nd row to corner, where make 3 trebles under 4 chain, chain 4, 3 trebles under same chain, then continue as before with treble in treble, 3 under chain, and so on.

7.  Same as 3rd row to corner where make a treble under 4 chain, chain 4, a treble under same chain.

8. A treble in each stitch, with 9 trebles under corner chain to turn  nicely

The straight lace or edging and insertion are pretty for many purposes, together or singly, the insertion makes a very attractive towel end.  Used together they are very effective as a finish for scrim curtains."

Family Ties

 

My annual sisters get-together has ended, perhaps not surprisingly, with a torn ligament in my left knee. What puts the icing on the cake is that I was supposed to spend this Thursday through Saturday instructing at a Red Cross Logistics Institute in Peoria.

Caturday!

 

Quote of the Day

 

photo by Heidi Suess Filippi

Snow falling and night falling fast, oh fast

In a field I looked into going past.

And the ground almost covered smooth in snow,

But a few weeds and stubble showing last. ~ Robert Frost

The Online Bookshelf - Winchester, by Wilfred Ball

 

A history of the English cathedral town of Winchester, published in 1910, with two dozen hauntingly beautiful watercolors by the British artist Wilfred Ball.  Free download at Project Gutenberg. 

My Little Upcycler

 

Foster Fail Blitzen has been knocking over the wastebaskets to get at the fascinating rustly-ness of Christmas candy wrappers.  They make awesome cat toys and are just the right size to smack under the furniture.

(There must be some secret that the See's Candy people put in their wrappers - he's completely uninterested in Brach's).

Vintage Crochet - Some Pretty "RickRack Trims from 1916, Part 1

 I have a stack of teens and early 20's Needlecraft magazines and unfortunately several of them are in shreds and almost too fragile to scan.  These photos are from an article in the May, 1916 issue of Needlecraft magazine, and the accompanying article explained how to create inexpensive novelty trims using crochet and ricrac braid. 

Trim #1:

"A very simple needlepoint edging of 'ye olden time' is made as follows:

1. Count 6 points, join 1st and last by sewing, then draw the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th close together to form a point.

2. Count 5 points (on outside), join first 2, then draw next 3 together.

Repeat these 2 rows to required length."

Trim #2:

"The horseshoe pattern is an old and a favorite one for rickrack trimming.  It may be made as wide as desired, and serves prettily as an "allover" design for yokes, cushion-covers, etc; may also be used as an insertion, the lace to match having a crocheted chin along one edge to sew on by.

1. Fasten thread with  a double in point of braid, chain 3, *a treble in next point, chain 1, repeat from * until you have taken up 15 points of braid, turn.

2. Same as 2nd row, joining to top of 3 chain at beginning of 2nd row to form a circle, chain 8, fasten in 2 points next above circle, taking them together with 1 double, chain 4, connect next 2 points in the same manner, chain 14, a double in point opposite the 2nd treble of 1st row.  This completes the 'horseshoe.' Repeat from the beginning until you have the desired length."

From The Renaissance of Rickrack, by Adelaide Carr Baker.

Caveat: I have not attempted to translate this into modern crochet terms because...I don't crochet.  However, I did figure out that whenever Mrs Baker refers to point, she's referring to the point of the ricrac.

I wonder if it would be possible to do Trim #1 using a sewing machine, as it is a cute little trim. I will post the final two patterns next Tuesday.

Martin Luther King Day

 

We must use time creatively, in the knowledge the time is always right to do right. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Caturday!

 

Quote Of The Day

 

By all means marry; if you get a good mate, you'll become happy.  If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher. ~ Socrates.

Grrrsday

 

Vintage Sewing - three English Nighties from 1955

 

From now-defunct English magazine Britannia and Eve, March 1955, a diagram and instructions to draft three styles of nighties and a pair of matching "shorties."  The other two pages can be found on my Flickr account here and here.

Verba Docent, Exampla Trahunt

 

Caturday!

 

Quote Of The Day

 

Photo by Mary Altaffer, Associated Press

Things come apart so easily when they have been held together by lies. ~ Dorothy Allison

Grrrsday - Man Vs GSDs

 

It's that time of year, and I have to rerun one of my favorite YouTube videos (and listen to the wife dying of laughter as her husband attempts to get rid of their Christmas tree).

Vintage Tatting - A Traycloth Medallion from 1916

 

From the Bucilla Blue Book #3, a traycloth with an edging of smaller medallions and a large one to go on each side.  The instructions are on page 43 - but if you know someone who is particularly skilled at filet crochet, point them to the salamander* cake cover on pages 26-27.  The book is available as a free download from the Antique Pattern Library (but they always welcome donations).

*I think it's a salamander.

Vintage Magazines - American Magazine, January 1953

 

All of our lovely snow has melted, alas.