What Do You Think About Donegal Tweed?

What do you think of Donegal Tweed? I am greatly drawn to it. It seems to combined rustic weaving and elegance. I can just imagine some woman spinning the wool and see a scrap of colored thread and she grabs it and includes it in the thread. I love the beauty and the economy.

This purse is Navy Blue Donegal Tweed and is lined with Sky Blue Raw Silk. It has a Flex Frame as a closure.

I put two large Chinese coins to insure Good Luck. Rather appropriate for Chinese New Year.

I just might keep this one for myself.

The Raw Silk "Took Forever" Purse

Here it is. The fabric is raw,raw silk. I have never seen anything like this silk. It barely retains its woven shape and had to be handled very carefully. I received this fabric as a gift and I wanted to give it the respect that it deserves, so it took a long time to figure out how to handle it. At first, I wove narrow silk scarves through the fabric. I was very pleased with the effect. But then the supplier ran out of the scarves and I had to pull every tedious scarf out. Then I decided that satin cording would work. I kept running out of the cording because I knotted it and had no idea of how much cording I would need. The average amount turned out to be 4 yards. Hard to believe, huh? And the average time to do one row of cording was four hours. I used a crochet hook to pull it through the fabric.

It went quick quickly after the knotting was done. It has a flex frame closer and a braided fabric handle. I used navy blue satin for the lining.
I did find that photographing was difficult. The subtle colors of the fabric do not show up. The basic color is a dark gray with blue in it and the there is pink and black.
Now, I get to change gears and make something else. Oh happy day!

Tedious Steps In Pushin Myself Forward

This is one of the projects that I had to delay from completion because every step had to be re visioned. This one started out with different colors and different decoration. I started out with narrow silk scarves. When I found out that the scarves did not match in finish, I had to start over. This time it worked out with satin cording but each complete circle took me about four hours. That is why I say tedious. Soon the bottom row of cranberry satin will be completed. Then I will be on to the interfacing and then the lining. I can't say whether one is more satisfying than the other. I so enjoy the touch of cloth that it is all fulfilling. The body of the purse is raw silk.
The dogs now want to go for a walk, the sun is shining and sky blue. All feels good with the world.

Tedious

Trying to Jump Back Into the Pond

It has taken me longer to pick up the pieces of my life than I had expected. I have taken the time to read and rest and exercising.
I have three different projects on the "launching pad" and this is the one that is closest to completion. It will be a bag for the cosmetics that one would take on a trip. It is also the last piece of the "petit point" piece that I had cut into three purses. I am also working on a raw silk purse, and a wool afghan that I am very excited about. I am waiting for some of the pieces to arrive with the mail.
I think that life has come back to normal. I would post a few photos of my darling cats but they would not sit still!

A Little Late or Way Early

Before Thanksgiving, my son asked me to make "Christmas Stockings" for his children, Lucy and Hollis. The only thing that he asked for was to make them timeless. My sister had a stocking knitted for him when he was three and he still uses it in their decorations. That was his idea for his children.
Well, I had not problem with Lucy's but Hollis really stumped me. His main interest right now are Lego's. My son vetoed that idea. So, it took me a long time to make this stocking.
It was done for Christmas but because it was finished while I "fevered", I took it back to finish the embellishments. When I think of "masculine", I go back to basics and that means stones, silver, petrified teeth, and ceramics. I have used Amber and Oyster Shell. There are two petrified sharks teeth. The is a Ankh symbol for the peace I want in his life. And colored "Trading Beads". I guess I just put the ideas Men have used over the ages to work and grow.
This is the best Shark's tooth I have ever seen!
I hope that it grows and becomes special as the years pass.

Missy TwoShoes Was Missing

She's back home. But then she never left but I didn't know that. Yesterday, while the Sun was out, I decided to walk the dogs. I always walk Shaw first because I don't want him to think that I favor Frida. I want him to be happy here. When I came back to walk Frida, I must have not closed the door to the house securely. When Frida and I returned, bark could be heard from the house. My dogs are outside dogs. They are working dogs and their job is to be a presence around the house. They do not come in the house. I have two cats that are in the house and that is enough.
Shaw has gotten in the house about three times. He really enjoys it. He runs around and eats the cat's food, checks out the rest of the house, then he is done and wants to get out. He can't because he can't open a door. He then barks. A lot!
Meanwhile, the cats were terrorized. Chester not so much but Penelope went haywire. Penelope disappeared for about six hours yesterday and I was so upset. I thought that she had gotten out and I was walking around the neighborhood calling here name. I was in the house pleading with the cat gods to help me find her. My stomach acted like it was going to come up, I cried, I pleaded that I would be a better person. Finally, about eight thirty I heard a little voice and I could then locate where she might be. She was in a speaker cabinet. I couldn't figure how she did it but she was in there. I got my power screw driver and took out about 20 screws and pull the back off. But was she there? No, she had got out while I was going for my screwdriver! Isn't that just like a cat?The cause of it all.. He is a very sweet dog that likes to get into mischief!
The back of the speaker and all the screws.
Now I get the fun of putting it back together. But I really don't mind, since I have my darling Missy TwoShoes back home.

P.S. She is asking me to take her to therapy!