Bougainvillea - Quilling an Indian Beauty.

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The Ravishing Pink Bougainvillea

 

The Flamboyantly Colourful Bracts
of the Bougainvillea

A lot has been happening a couple of month. We have no car and this means I get to spend 4 days in  the library and this in turn means I get to get lots of me craft time and did lots more quilling, crocheting, knitting. I even volunteered in the Library to teach Quilling. My hubby has given an idea of joining Etsy and selling some of the things I make so as I get some hold on the time well spent or do a craft show.

So one of my quilled beauty is Bougainvillea. These flowers are found in dry regions and I have grown up seeing these flowers in different shades and hues. The actual flowerof the plant is small and generally white, but each cluster of three flowers is surrounded by three or six bracts with the bright colours associated with the plant, including pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white, or yellow. It is also called "paper flower" because the bracts are thin and papery.

 

This design is also from the book "A Guide to Quilling Flowers by Helen Walter". After sometime I had a chance to take this book to quill flowers again. I loved the magenta of the flower. I would love to make more in orange or in other colours.

 

1. 

   

    

   Each flower is made of 3 pink diamonds. The 3 pink diamonds a glued together with points and sides touching so they form an upside down pyramid. Glue a white tight coil to the centre. Make as many flowers as needed
2. Glue the stems so as to make them fall as climbing shrubs.
3. Glue the leaves and the flowers.



 

Retro Checkered Scarf



A Pure wool Scarf for My Better Half

After doing a couple of scarves in Crochet I wanted to Knit something and I enrolled for knitting classes.But the knitting bug didn't catch on me for a long time. I tried putting off knitting as I found it kind of difficult than crochet. My husband to increase my interest challenged me to knit him a scarf before the winter ends and voila I am knitting now. Like most girls who Knit, I am in Scarf craze.

 "Chic Knits for Young Chicks" by Sarah Paulin has some interesting patterns and I found one which can be altered to suit Men.This book has very good illustartions on how to knit, Purl, and other combination stitches.
 

I am trying the  Retro Checkered Scarf.

By alternating Knitting and Purling we arrive at a checkered pattern which would suit men. . It is easy to knit and has turned out lovely so far. I used knitting worsted medium(4) pure wool yarn and size10 straight needles. My husband chose a lovely black and white varigated yarn..

I learnt how to do M1 increase and how to decrease stitiches and by the end of the scarf I became adept in knitting. What else could be lovlier than presenting a hand knit scarf to my hubby on his birthday.

The Pattern from Chic Knits for Young Chicks is as follows :

GAUGE: 17sts and 20 rows = 4" in Garter Stitch.

FINISHED SIZE           51/2 " X 65".

SCARF CO 25 sts K 5 rows in Garter Stitch Continue to work as follows Checkered Pattern is formed by Alternating Knitting and Purling Row 1: K5 P5 K5 P5 K5 Row 2: K5 K5 P5 K5 P5 Row 3: K5 P5 K5 P5 K5 Row 4: K5 K5 P5 K5 P5 Row 5: K5 P5 K5 P5 K5 Rep rows 1-5 till it reaches 64 inches Work in Garter Stitch for 5 more rows. BO akk stitch Knitwise. Weave in ends. Note: You create garter stitch by knitting every row. and also  create garter stitch by purling every row, too.  You can recognize garter stitch by the horizontal ridges formed by the tops of the knitted loops on every other row.

Embroidered A- Line Frock

 

The Plain Blue Stitches and the Jazzy Sequins & Beads

Add Beauty to the Dress

I have juggled between various crafts but my passion for embroidery has never diminished as this was something I learnt from my MOM and my Granny. I had done quite a few Kameez and wall art and now my daughter wanted something embroidered by me. I am previleged to work on her frock which she can wear to school/ parties.  I took this as a oppurtunity to look out for clean, simple, gometric design suitable for her age. I also thoguth why not design and sew the dress myself. I choose A- line frock which can be independently work as a frock or can be paired with jeans or tights to give as modern look.

 

I worked on a pinkinsh orange pure silk material which has a soft feel and the silk has a sheen on it own and will make her stand out. The motif I choose was a Oval and it is from the magazine "Needle N Thread" which my Mom subscribes.  

Blue in Orange Contrasta & Compliments Each Other

The Embroidery is worked in blue embroidery floss which contrasts and compliments the hue of the frock/ kameez. The stitches I have used are simple and basic, as chain and french knots, yet elegant. These are justaposed with the bluish multicolur sequins, tube beads and seed beads.

 

This design could be worked as a stand alone or as multiples and will look elegant in T-Shirts, Kameez and is quite simple that one can finish in a day.

 

The Dress Pattern is a simple A-Line frock lined inside. This dress was basically cut by me but my Mom who sews faster than me sewed it for my daughter.

 

My Daughter loved the dress and she looked ravishing when she had coupled this dress with a black T- Shirt and Tights for a dance she performed in the Harrisburg Area Tamil Sangam Pongal Festival of 2013.