I’ve been swatching quite a bit for History on Two Needles, usually just working up a Stockinette Stitch swatch so I can ‘get to know’ the yarn and decide how I’d like to use it.
But the moment I saw Cha Cha from Trendsetter at TNNA, I knew exactly what piece I wanted to use it for.
It’s a ruffling yarn, rather like Online Linie Solo, but a bit easier to control because the ruffle depth is pre determined by the spacing on the yarn ribbon.
Also, the ribbon portion of the yarn is not woven per se, it’s simply a ladder of strands, which I feel gives a better approximation of the basis of a 16th C Ruff.
So instead of swatching the Cha Cha, I put it together with Batik and created a prototype for this collar right out of the ball.
It’s not an early, Elizabethan ruff, it’s a later, soft ruff. The inspiration is the collar in this lovely portrait (National Portrait Gallery image #1931) of an unknown man by an unknown artist dated around 1625.
We’re entering early 17th C England territory, where the ruffs and collars were softening. I so love the transition periods between clothing extremes – these are the point where the people take control of fashion (that is, until the next extreme fashion movement barrels through.)
There are other paintings with soft ruffs, but I love this one for many reasons, not least of which is what appears to be a patterned knit cap with earflaps on the fellow’s head.
I’ve enlarged that portion of the painting and have approximated the stitch chart.
This will probably change, it’s just a rough (like the prototype) but it’s a starting place – and it feels wonderful to have such a promising start! And two nice projects from one painting – bonus!
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We have a Wii! I bought it used on ebay – it seems fine (and we also have a warrantee) so we’re pretty psyched.
I got it for Gerry’s 50th birthday, which is tomorrow. I get a little emotional when I think of that, and how at one point we’d figured that he might not see it. But he’s here, he’s great – and if he could get a bit more movement going he might be able to decrease his pain.
I knew that the kids would dig it, but I was really hoping that Gerry would want to get involved.
He’s made his Mii (avatar), and he “plays” along with the kids. He told me he wants to start getting up early so he can get at it first thing in the morning. The whole point of this was to get him moving, get him out of bed on those days when he wants to stay in all day, I’m hoping this will do the trick. Maybe fun will trump pain?
Last Saturday was Max’s birthday, but it was also the Minnesota Music Teachers Assoc. Piano Competition. Both kids competed at 8:30, both did extremely well (Hannah scored 94, Max 97) Max’s score, since it was above 96, allows him to continue on to the finals in March. We’re SO proud of him, and can’t believe that they’re both doing so well after 9 months of lessons.
Unfortunately, their amazing teacher’s husband has lost his job as an accountant and they will probably be moving away from this area. This is becoming so common, and is always painful.
If you happen to live in the Twin Cities area and your business is looking to hire a full time accountant, I’d be more than happy to send along his resume. Yes, it’s purely selfish – I love our kids’ music teacher and I don’t want them to move.
But I also know the readership of my blog is not just amazing, but is pretty esoteric. You never know when someone may be reading who’s company happens to be looking to hire someone!