Monday, August 15, 2005
Angels in the Outfield
I was torn between just making any-angel as a Holiday Tree Ornament, Knitted or Crocheted. I have patterns for several very cute ones, saved over the years.
But I was intrigued by the angels in Knitters, starting with the Winter 1997 issue (there were several versions, offered over the course of more than a year, each with its own craft). The first 2 were knitters. There was a spinner, an embroiderer and representatives of other fiber arts as well. All of them came with lovely lace skirts.
So I decided to take the plunge! All I had to lose was a couple of days' effort if things didn't go the way I expected. I could still make a tiny knitted angel from the Jean Greenhowe book. After all, the Santa took next to no time!
So I knitted up the pieces in some Knit Cro-sheen that I purchased years ago (can't remember why) in white with a silver thread. (I have 2 balls of the same thread in the gold colorway. Not.a.Packrat.)
Really bad photo of angel parts
Then I mixed up some starch. The directions called for a tablespoon of cornstarch, dissolved in a tablespoon of cold water, to which you add BOILING water to make 1/2 cup. You are then instructed to nuke (or cook on a stove) until the mixture turns thick and translucent. Here's the thing. The second boiling water hit cold cornstarch solution, I got:
thick, translucent glop
into which I dipped, squeezed, and drained angel-parts (see photo above), then shaped and flattened them (as appropriate) to dry:
Tonight, I struggled to meld the parts into the whole. (It's hard to stitch stiff- angel-parts together!)
But, Voila!
All that remains is to sew 7 buttons onto my freshly blocked sweater and I am done, done, done! And I still have over a week until turn-in day!
.
But I was intrigued by the angels in Knitters, starting with the Winter 1997 issue (there were several versions, offered over the course of more than a year, each with its own craft). The first 2 were knitters. There was a spinner, an embroiderer and representatives of other fiber arts as well. All of them came with lovely lace skirts.
So I decided to take the plunge! All I had to lose was a couple of days' effort if things didn't go the way I expected. I could still make a tiny knitted angel from the Jean Greenhowe book. After all, the Santa took next to no time!
So I knitted up the pieces in some Knit Cro-sheen that I purchased years ago (can't remember why) in white with a silver thread. (I have 2 balls of the same thread in the gold colorway. Not.a.Packrat.)
Really bad photo of angel parts
Then I mixed up some starch. The directions called for a tablespoon of cornstarch, dissolved in a tablespoon of cold water, to which you add BOILING water to make 1/2 cup. You are then instructed to nuke (or cook on a stove) until the mixture turns thick and translucent. Here's the thing. The second boiling water hit cold cornstarch solution, I got:
thick, translucent glop
into which I dipped, squeezed, and drained angel-parts (see photo above), then shaped and flattened them (as appropriate) to dry:
Tonight, I struggled to meld the parts into the whole. (It's hard to stitch stiff- angel-parts together!)
But, Voila!
All that remains is to sew 7 buttons onto my freshly blocked sweater and I am done, done, done! And I still have over a week until turn-in day!
.