Mask

Back to the tatting. Against my own rules, I had started this mask before it had been purchased. This tends to happen when my curiosity for the final product outweighs my better fiscal sense. I needed to see if I could create what I claimed that I could create. Lucky for me the purchase did eventually come and now I'm on the home stretch of the project.

The mask, as I'm sure I mentioned, is meant to match a dress that also has silver embroidered embellishments upon it. I thought the effect could be mimicked by using a blending filament held with the thread while tatting, but a quick experiment nixed that idea. The filament blends far too well and only peeks out every few stitches, not a bold enough look. So I finished the mask as normal and then began the task of, well actually embroidering the edges.

Using a much smaller needle, I am stitching the filament right on. I've only finished one eye and I plan to also do the entire outside edge. It's a much harder thread to work with as it is prone to stretching, but I really like the way it is turning out particularly from a distance. When it's done I'll get some more pictures and share the dress it's to match so you can see how well I did.

This project as well as surrounding myself with makers of extreme bits of frippery has inspired me to slowly work on a very high end line of one of a kind pieces. I think this is just a vanity project and I've no illusions that I'll be selling many $500 pieces, but I thought it would be neat to try something ridiculously detailed. I plan on working with some silk thread and layering several different elements to create these pieces. No, I have no idea when they'll emerge. Obviously they will take more designing and time. If you have any ideas of which direction these art pieces should go, feel free to share. I'm not certain whether I'll start with neck pieces or cuffs or something else entirely so all your ideas will gladly be stolen.