Monday, April 30, 2012

Peter Pan Collars

Early Friday I decided that I was going to put all the remaking on hold and move forward with at least one of the new ideas floating about in my head. The one I chose was a tatted peter pan collar necklace. These things in leather, lace and other materials were featured in one of the etsy emails not too long ago and I kept thinking I should do that in hand made lace. I didn't need to start from scratch because I had already run across a vintage pattern that had the right basic shape to exploit.

Then came the countless adjustments to get it the way I wanted it. First I got rid of the thread space by replacing it with a chain. Then I redid the center flower bit to give me a wider and more stable base. I felt the collar bits should be more oval than the original design. This change was followed by changing the chains to zigzags. I think they give an older design a more modern feel...or maybe I just like them.

Next was connecting the prototypes to see if they would in fact resemble a collar at all. Then there were more adjustments to make them curve up at the outside edges and still more when I wanted the center motif to feel more joined to the outside row so I used some long picots and crossed them when joining.

In the end I think there were at least four different prototype pieces made before I busted out the white and black threads to make the actual collars. See, sometimes when I say I adapted a pattern, I mean I changed the length and slapped on a clasp and other times I mean I spent hours adjusting and tweaking until it's a different beast entirely. I made two and added silver thread so they would hand high on the neck. I think they look pretty much the way I imagined them and since they're done, I should get some proper photos today and get both a white and black one listed. I thought about embellishing them, you know hang something from the center, but I think they probably make a big enough impression as they are.

After I get these listed, it's back to remaking. I do feel completely revitalized by the new pieces. It really is amazing how taking a break to be creative gets me back to work. I do, after all, have a pretty awesome job.

4 comments:

Fox said...

I find it so strange, and yet really it isn’t, that I might see a piece so very similar to the one I am working on posted suddenly on a tatting blog. Witness bit of synchronicity in Tat-land.

Should you ever read tat-ology, you might see what I am talking about tomorrow, when I post the photo of the vintage motif I am just now finishing up, just as I spotted your collar piece.

Don’t know why I am telling you this bit of personal trivia, but it amuses me!
Fox : ))

Unknown said...

I just saw an article online the morning about how Peter Pan collars are "in" and "back" (and whatever else recycled fashion motifs are), and it just made me giggle. I had to wear blouses with these collars as part of my elementary school uniform, and I HATED them. I could not wait till I graduated to the more grown-up pointy collars.

Your interpretation, though, is lovely and puts me in mind of some scallop edging patterns I have that would serve well in this role. The more things change, the more they come back to haunt you in 25 years, I guess. ;)

Unknown said...

These are lovely.

Luv Jane XX

louine said...

Thanks so much for the pattern at Instructables......the pictures are great and I am sure it will be easy to follow....