Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Christmas Fan 2....Finished

What? Another fan?
Oh yes, I am definitely in "playing hooky" mode at this point, leaving the serious work of the Cottage CQ for more holiday fun. And we all know I have a thing for fans...

So here is the second one, for my sweet and elegant cousin. I tried to make this according to her taste, using my sparkly Kreinik threads.
The lace is handmade by the Lace Ladies in Southern India. You can read their inspirational story here. I felt it to be a huge privilege to work with this exquisite lace.

Here is a closer view. Click on the picture for an even better look. Made by hand!!!! I find this astonishing and humbling in the extreme.

Once this fan was completed I started thinking about another favorite cousin. She lives on a ranch in New Mexico in an adobe house that's a few hundred years old...so the colors need to be vintage Old West....turkey red and olive green would suit her. So I pieced the fan last night.

Not having light coming through the window for my usual impromptu lightbox (for getting the curve symmetrical), I had a mini-flash of inspiration.

I pulled up a "new document" on Word to get that white on my laptop screen, and I was good to go! Not pressing hard on the screen, of course....this worked like a charm for tracing one side of the curve off of the other side.

Here's the foundation muslin all marked and ready to piece.

Now I'm ready to stitch on it. Hooky is a good thing!

16 comments :

Anonymous said...

Allie!

The fans are absolutely stunning! I would love to make some-thanks for the ideas-now for the time!

Marty52 said...

Cool beans, Allie! You make me want to make some fans, too. So much you can do with them... thanks for the ideas!

Anonymous said...

These fans are cool. Ha. great christmas ornaments - and the computer lightbox - inspired!

Paddy's Daughter said...

The olive green and red one is going to look lovely, great colours.

Anonymous said...

Fans look great, and thanks for the light box hint! Two great ideas!
Judy B

Amy Munson said...

Allie, the fan ornaments are fantastic. I like to make a handmade ornament for each of my family members and I think I will put these on my "to do" for next year. This year I am making the little felted ones on my blog. I need to get crackin' on them.

Judy S. said...

What a great idea to use your laptop as a lightbox! (Now all I need is the laptop....) Your first two fans are nice, but I think this last one will be my favorite, Allie.

Susan Elliott said...

Ingenuity once again for you Mrs. Aller. Bravo!

Debra Dixon said...

Contrary to what Robert said, I think this 2nd one looks very german/folksy Christmas, which is a look I love!

Vicki W said...

Great lightbox tip and I'm enjoying the fan a lot!

Barbara C said...

I love the second fan. The print at the base reminds me of thorns--very southwestern indeed.

Mary Corbet said...

I like these, Allie! It looks like you're having a blast!!

Anonymous said...

Hooky IS a good thing! Clever lightbox, that. The fans are marvelous, can't you just see a whole tree decorated with them?

Possibilities, Etc. said...

Great light box idea!! Hooky is good. I usually get tons of meaningful work done when I take a day or two for "loafing" and doing nothing. The fans are great- they look so charmingly Victorian, but with a bit of zing.

Summerset said...

Very clever idea for a light box!

Guzzisue said...

thanks for the lacelink, my enforced "break" will at least give me chance to catchup with my net surfing and blog reading. and thanks for your comments on my embellisher work :-)