Saturday, January 12, 2008


I got to play with picots last night! The original pattern is by Marlene (Marty) Lewis. I don't use buttons or beads on bookmarks except on the tail part that sticks out but I wanted to use this pattern so I needed to find a way to fill in the middle. The first thing that came to me was long picots woven in the center. Even so, I was making it up as I went. LOL! I used a 1 inch picot gauge horizontally so it would actually measure 2" if you stretched it out. I tatted one side and put a long picot at each place where she joined into the button hole. When I came down the other side, I joined the long picot into the same spot I would have joined into the button or made a picot. I thought the picots were too long but once I blocked it out, they laid nicely. I may pursue this further later but for now, I've learned my idea is workable. I used a size 20 Manuela for the sample.

While I wouldn't use buttons for a bookmark, the design with the buttons would make an attractive mat or would look very effective framed and hung.

I was in Hobby Lobby today. Simplicity patterns were on sale for 99¢ each. I bought several apron patterns, one for knitting and crochet organizers, one for kitchen accessories because it had a tea cozy in it, and one for totes/organizers. Oh, one with a christening dress too. sigh...all to be added to my pattern stash. I'm really trying not to "collect". I want to make use of what I already have. It all started with wanting to make some tea cozies for my teapots. But then....I kept browsing....

Well, I'm done with the crochet for awhile now but I promised the grandkids I would knit those fingerless, flap-over mittens for them...along with a matching hat. I better get busy before Spring hits and they don't need them.

9 comments:

  1. The bookmark is beautiful. I love the thread and what you have done in the center in place of the buttons. What a wonderful idea!

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  2. Wow! I really like those long woven picots. That's such a great idea, Gina! Now I have to try it out. While I've got these bookmarks with buttons in them, it was because I wanted to try using buttons -- I'd certainly never put them in *my* books. Who wants button marks in their books? I did consider hanging them on the Christmas tree -- but it was already a bit crowded. :)

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  3. Fabulous adaptation. Love those long picots.
    JaneEb

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  4. Very pretty! I love the woven center!

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  5. Marty! Thanks for the inspiring motif! And you know.....now that you mention it...I have a bunch of "Christmas buttons" and using red and green or silver and gold or whatever Christmas colors, wouldn't those make unique ornaments?

    :-) gina

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  6. I love the woven center too! Very cool!

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  7. The woven picots made a beautiful center and the color gives the impression of hand dyed thread.

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  8. Beautiful, makes it look so dainty. How do you know how long to make the picots so that they stretch out just nicely, like in the picture?

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  9. Okay, Gina. Now you've done it. I'm going to have to go dig out my red and green buttons and see what a short button-bookmark would look like as a tree ornament. Oh -- or pastel ones for Easter or black and orange for Halloween... Too much thinking for tonight.

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