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Victorian Game Table
It’s done! I’m writing this post and this cute table is right next to me. For now.
More Bobbin Lace Spam
Unfortunately, I don’t have much time for my bobbin lace practice, only recently I finished my first Torchon lace book, and still in the middle of making the projects on Bedfordshire lace. Here’s one of them, this flower:
I have only one book and a chapter from another on this type of lace, my main source of inspiration- DVD lessons, actually there are four, so the flower was the third lesson. It’s still very complicated lace for me, sometimes I don’t get the logic of it, and have to watch one episode all over again, but the process is worth it. I’m trying to find one more book on Bedfordshire lace, but no luck so far, either it’s too expensive or sold out. So I had to move to Bucks Point for now. I have a DVD too and one book, another is on its way.
So far, I started from the first lesson on DVD, simple net, I made it before, though decided that second try won’t hurt, so here it is, still in progress.
Victorian table – part two
Well, here it is – the first part of the work, the most difficult is over, this will be a game table.
Shopping Spree
Last week was a bit busy and strange, but I’m slowly getting back to work. And I’m really happy about it!
About 2 or 3 weeks ago I bought lots of stuff for my minis. As usual, you go some place and you take a list, just to remind yourself that you don’t need anything extra. Of course, you need. You’ll need this chisel and this little thing, how could you live without it?
That’s how I go shopping 🙂
Last time I was going for furniture wax, wood blocks, veneer and japanese water stones.
Japanese water stones are number 1000 and 3000 – work great with 3mm and more chisels and knives, I wouldn’t try them with my micro chisels – still using Arkansas stone for that.
Wax and patina:
As for now I tried only wax – really liked the texture and smell.
Some new chisels – it’s my hubby’s fault. I honestly didn’t want to buy them, but he insisted. When we came home and I tried them I was really sad that he didn’t insisted on several more. They are really really good, though made in Russia. I also got some wood blocks, I’ll need them for a future project.
And something for dessert. Veritas hand plane. Some time ago my hubby was all in woodworking stuff, so he was desperate to buy one of these planes, but something was always in the way. Besides they are not that cheap. Later he moved on to metalworking and it all was forgotten.
So when he saw this plane on a shelf waiting for its new owner he offered me to get one. I wasn’t really enthusiastic (well, they are still expensive) – but in the end I gave up. I think it’s a good investment, besides I always keep hand plane and a shooting board next to me, it’s a very nice set of tools in everyday work. I bought it and don’t regret it.
Besides, we got small but nice discount. Some things are worth it.
Bobbin lace threads
2,5 months! That’s how far Belgium from Russia is! I ordered these silk threads in the beginning of December and only yesterday I was able to get my package. Unbelievable! My tracking number (I got it with the package, ha! 🙂 says that the threads arrived to Russia on the 1st of February, which I can hardly believe. But who cares now, I got my treasures! 🙂
Though I still blame those New Year holidays.
Among all these goodies – white and black silk #300, #200, super fine egyptian cotton #240, also silk 100/2 and black silk 80/2 (which was given as a present).
To compare the thickness – from left to right – white silk #300, then cotton #240 then black silk #300 and then Russian silk #65.
Silk #300 is super fine, I could hardly make a photo of a thread, I got used to cotton #170, but this one should be super hard I guess. I can’t think of a better color for paper (for prickings) and the size of a needle for sewing the work.
I also saw silk #320 on the site, but I felt that it would be too much, besides it was available only in grey color.
Here’s the site where I got all these wonderful threads – http://www.bart-francis.be/index.php?action=home&lang=EN
I almost got lost there, there are too many nice things to buy, knitting threads, for embroidery ( could easily be my next on the shopping list) – it’s amazing.
The only problem was – there was no information about delivery to Russia, so you couldn’t just order it from site. But it wasn’t the first time for me when I was discovering Russia for European countries 🙂 so I wrote them and everyone was very nice and helpful. And I got my present too! 🙂
So if you need some good, really good threads for your bobbin lace work, it’s a great place to explore.
Victorian Style
I always though I was making lots of art nouveau furniture, Victorian was on the second, no, third place for me. But seems like I was wrong, and Victorian will soon take the lead. First of all, because it’s one more commission for me 🙂 Second of all, there are too many very rare, very unusual items that you can find in antiques catalogues and auctions. So this time it’s a table again, but not the usual one. All the details will be revealed soon!
About two weeks ago I started making the working drawing for this table, carving/construction etc. And I started actually making it only last week. This time I’m planning on making two tables, one I’ll be making for myself as it’s very unusual and pretty piece of furniture.
I started with making veneer on my bandsaw then started cutting patterns for a router.
Something worth waiting
Our Russian post office is something! From November till February it collapses, you can wait for your packages for months and hope it’ll find its way to you. I almost gave up hope to receive lace threads from Belgium (I place an order in the beginning of December) and was really worried about Natalia‘s package. But finally it arrived! I cannot be happier!
And it was just the right time for me to make this dining table! 🙂
Such a beautiful cake and sweets, my holidays are not over yet 😉 Natalia, thank you so much!
Dining Table
It was pretty fast work, just two weeks I guess. I took the design from French architect and designer Leon Benouville (1860-1903). I just changed the curve of the legs a little bit. Dimensions of a table top – 10 x 15 cm, height – 7 cm.
Lots of stuff
Last week I was busy with making a fringe for my first chandelier, this was the first time I was making it with bobbins and silk. Here how it looked:
The problems started when I tried it on, the fringe wasn’t wide enough, if there would be just two extra millimeters – I’d be the happiest person. I was a bit upset, two days of work and all for nothing. I had to use pre-made fringe from the local craft store. I also think that I made a huge mistake using silk, it looks just fine on furniture but not on chandelier, you’d need much coarser thread than silk, metal threads are really the best choice here. And this time I was quite happy with the result.
Dining Room Chandelier
Happy New Year everyone! I hope you had wonderful holidays!
Mine were quite lazy and quiet, I managed to make a frame for this dining room chandelier. And as it turns out – the main problem here is making perfectly round brass or copper rings. Usually I use brass as it’s stiffer and doesn’t change the form easily. But this time I had only copper strips from photo etching.