Antimacassar

Just in time for fall.

Curl up on the sofa with some hot tea, 

a few sewing supplies, your needles and a spool of thread 

for a little creative fun. 

Embellishing a favorite long sleeved tee

with what is known as antimacassars.

It is an odd word with an interesting history.

Macassar oil was a tonic for the hair commonly used in the early 19th century. The fashion for oiled hair became so widespread in the Victorian and the Edwardian period that housewives began to cover the arms and backs of their chairs with washable cloths to preserve the fabric coverings from being soiled. 
In 1852 these started to be known as antimacassars. 

They came to have elaborate patterns, often in matching sets for the various items of parlour furniture; they were often made at home using a variety of techniques such as crochet and tatting.

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What you will need

a pair of  antimacassars

a long sleeved top

thread to match the color of the antimacassar 

strait pins

sewing needle

scissors

Instructions

Place the  antimacassar along the edge of the sleeves hem.

Pin in place.

Carefully hand stitch it down along the outside edges of the design to keep it in place.

If the top has buttons that are not to your liking, 

consider replacing them with your favorite vintage buttons!

Grateful to share the creativity in Altered Couture Magazine!

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Embellishing with Crochet

I totally surprised myself...

I would never have guessed I would take up crocheting.

This is the story of how it came to be...

I found a dusty pink crochet-look sweater, and loving the color, classic styling, and under $25.00 price, had to have it.

Later in the day I popped into Michael's to purchase small alphabet stamps for another project swirling in my imagination. Unfortunately they didn't have any BUT I did meet the helpful and talented Diana sitting at the front of the store demoing a little green yarn crochet flower....that she gifted to me, thank you Diana!

On my way back into town I stop at Big Lots for baby oil, cotton balls, and various sundries and spy this ball of yarn in their craft section. I love the color, do not knit or crochet but feel compelled to purchase it! Really it is all of a dollar and upon returning back to the cottage and unpack, happily realize it blends beautifully with the color of my new sweater!

I pilfer through a vintage sewing basket full of odds and ends remembering seeing a crochet hook in it, and much later that evening, while curled up on the sofa in the sitting room watching the latest episode of Downton Abbey, I attempt to mimic what Diana had been demoing. After several attempts on the sleeve I finally find my rhythm, pull out the practice yarn after jotting down the algorithm that seems to work.

Not being familiar with crochet terms yet it is a bit vague but doable and I begin with the sleeves, and then tackle the long shawl collar the next evening.

There are certainly a few glitches as I struggled with the yarn that had 3 different type threads in it, but I am pleased with the overall look and especially love how the scallop edge adds to its femininity.

I highly recommend

Trying something new!

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Crochet and clay

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Vintage crochet top beginning to unravel...

is dipped into wet clay

and successfully transformed

into a treasured new ceramic vase !

For this project I had been experimenting with cotton string

dipped in liquid clay and attached as a design element to a piece,

it was quite fun and successful.

So when a favorite vintage crochet top was beginning to unravel

and I didn't have the matching yarn to repair it

I chose to repurpose it.

I began by cutting off a bell shaped scalloped edge sleeve

that I could shape into a design over a tall vase form,

and having covered it in slip I then carefully pulled it up over the wet clay form.

Next I gathered the raw edges of the top of the sleeve

and created a base to tuck them inside of and give it a finished look.

The inside and base were glazed after the first firing to make it water tight

but I chose not to add glaze on top of the crochet section on this one.

I wanted it to still have the look and texture of

the original cotton top.

Some may say this is an example of repurposing at its best,

I am thrilled with the end result !

and grateful to share the joy!

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Ceramic Lace Frames

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...still experimenting with cotton lace,

dipped in liquid clay,

then fired...

creating lacy ceramic frames!

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