I've been very, very close to completing the next doily of my series for a couple of weeks now. But you know how it is... life has other plans and sometimes the plans I've actually made have to be put aside for a while.
This weekend I finally managed to pick it up and finish those last few French knots! Yippee!
But, before I reveal the 2nd of the series it's probably a good idea to show you the first properly!
Many of you will have already seen a peek of "A Doily for Annabelle". Here it is in it's full glory.
The 3 faux-doilies included in my "Thankful" quilt pattern have caught the eye of many a stitcher, so I thought it only right to head back to the drawing board and design a few more!
Each has it's own central design.
Annabelle is filled with beautiful blooms, teardrop shaped leaves and spirals of French Knots.
Each "faux-doily" also has it's own special edging.
Annabelle is edged with simple scallops of back-stitch and satin-stitch.
And what better use for a "faux-doily" than to turn it into a real doily! Backed with more pretty background fabric, edged with French knots and lightly quilted a little in from the outer edge... Annabelle is ready to add a hint of "pretty" to any room.
I've named the second doily of the series "A Doily for Bessie". We've been delving into our family tree a lot recently, and Bessie is my Great Great Grandmother. I thought it only fitting, that this doily be for her.
"A Doily for Bessie" is a square design with a hint of curve (I'm sure that shape has a real name, that we probably learnt over my school years... but it is long forgotten I assure you.)
Leafy twigs, tiny flower buds and fully opened blossom surround a central "square with a hint of curve". The satin-stitch makes the little buds seem ready to burst open, don't you think?
Bessie is trimmed with a lacier looking edge than Annabelle, but it is just as easy to stitch with asimple combination of blanket stitch and a variation of lazy-daisy.
Bessie has been backed and finished with French knots and quilting, in the same fashion as her sister.
I'm looking forward to stitching the other 2 in the series... "A Doily for C...?" and A Doily for D...?"
Looks like I have some more family tree research to do.
The patterns for these two designs will be available in then next few weeks.
Happy stitching,
Melissa x
