Sew Busy

Following on from my last post I planned to have completed the baby for my little lady, ‘Mama Rags’.  Unfortunately, recent thrilling events have conspired against me and I have only managed to progress the baby thus far.

The thrilling event that I previously alluded to was the first official sale on my Etsy shop this week.  Mere words cannot convey how completely thrilling this experience was and there is no greater compliment than someone who is willing to exchange their tax-deducted earnings for something you have thought about, designed and created.  Anyway, I am happy to report that the claret fish has been gift wrapped and will be received by a special lady this weekend for mother’s day.

In addition to this I received a telephone call with a commission for another fish.  What it is to be bombarded by discerning customers with fabulous taste.  Gosh, I am getting rather carried away with the self congratulations, must keep that in check.  The main requirement for this commission is the opulent colour scheme of gold and ivory.  However, trying to create the vision in someone else’s mind can be quite a task as I am sure we all perceive things differently and equally sure of our own impeccable sense of taste. Sometimes ideas can get lost in the translation so in order to avoid disappointment I propose to make several fish according the given criteria to show a range of possibilities and hopefully there will be at least one that suits.

For the first fish I am going to use the superb, designer, cotton velvet, ‘D’Urberville in Summer Ochre’, by Watts of Westminster.  This company was originally founded by three architects in 1874 at the same time that William Morris, arguably the most influential designer of the nineteenth century, was prevalent.

The pattern originates from 1795 and depicts a charming French pastoral scene typical of the period, commonly known as toile.  The cartouche and vignettes are shades of taupe and earthy tones, reminiscent of old maps and sepia tinted photographs, which fade to an ochre background giving an instant antique look.  I feel privileged to have a small quantity in my possession.

To fully appreciate this remarkable fabric it should be viewed as a pair of exquisite curtains that  lavishly adorn the windows of a fine home.  However, the scale of the pattern requires a room and the means of stately proportions and at £120 per meter it is, perhaps, not for those of us with a modest budget and equivalent room size.  However, I think it is possible to enjoy this fabric on a smaller scale by adding a touch of luxury with a subtle fabric sculpture to enhance your environment.  

‘D’Urberville in Summer Ochre’, by Watts of Westminster, trimmed with gold silk taffeta, glass seed beads and a range of sequins. 

Subtly fragranced with the essential oils, ylang ylang, bergamot and patchouli.

An aerial  view.

Fish number two coming soon.

Mama Rags' Shawl

These past few days I have been working on a shawl for Mama Rags.  Using my favourite yarn of the moment, Drops alpaca.  This is a beautifully soft yarn that rewards your efforts with excellent stitch definition and is available in an extensive palette of colours, ranging from the eye catching, jewel coloured solids to subtle muted tweeds, wonderful soft pastels reminiscent of sugared almonds and not forgetting the necessary staples of neutrals and darker tones.  Really, something for everyone no matter what the project.  I find the only difficulty this yarn presents is the lack of self control whilst in the yarn shop, quite beguiling, truly.  Fortunately, I was the grateful recipient of a fabulous gift of this yarn last Christmas .  

An indulgent treat, indeed.

The colours were chosen to add an old fashioned, vintage style to the finished doll, armed with a hook I set about making the miniature granny-squares to form a patchwork for the shawl.

The additional squares I made into miniature crochet beads to use in another project, at another time.

The completed squares were stitched together, following the blocking process, which can be a little tedious on miniature squares.

A quick fitting is in order to access the proportions, size and style, looking good Mama Rags.

..... perhaps an edging to consolidate the colours.

I think the gold, although vintage looking, brightens the whole shawl.

The addition of the forest green in the edging, I think, is a striking finish without overpowering the other colours, retaining a natural harmony and balance throughout.  However, I do need to block the edging, as you can see it is a little crimped.  In my opinion this technique is an important part of the making process, it creates a uniformity of stitch and size and gives a professional finish to the final piece, even to miniature garments.  

Originally I was thinking of a picot edging to finish but looking now it would be just an extra process with little effect.  Sometimes knowing when to stop is just as difficult as knowing what to do or how to begin.

I think it fits rather well.

I am going to finish the baby for her and try it to see if that is a step too far.  We'll see next time.

On The Ragged Edge

‘We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.’  C.S.Lewis.

It is the end of another very busy week here at Raganory headquarters.  Unfortunately, I’ve been rather preoccupied with cutting through red tape and getting to grips with the bureaucracy that surrounds self assessment.  These procedures are in place to guard against money laundering and tax avoidance, however I do find it a little excessive; I only want to sell a few dolls. 

Aside from the paper shuffling on the whole it’s been a frustrating and sluggish week productivity wise, with new ideas and outstanding work left stagnating.  Although I’m always fully occupied it’s interesting to note that since becoming self employed has resulted in a worrying reduction in my productivity, which needs to be addressed.

 Initially I wanted to write a blog that chronicles my creativity, ideas, photographs and achievements, an annual experiment to determine if I should proceed with my business ideas.  However, if this is to succeed as a valuable resource then honesty dictates that it will also be a place to record the low points and less successful times.  Reality bites!

I have included some photographs to illustrate what I have managed to achieve this week.

Mama Rags before.

Experimenting with feet and facial hair.

Assessing the potential for eyebrows.

Some of the final finishes for Mama Rags are the addition of slippers, lace cuffs and collar and an apron.

I think she also needs a baby.

The beginnings of a crochet shawl.

Finally, in the immortal words of Walt Disney ‘The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing’.  On that note I’m off to finish the shawl.