Lavender Lady

Just a quick post before I go to bed - I got a few rounds of the Crinoline Doll Tea Cosy (CDTC) done last night and then I continued it this afternoon. It's a really quick pattern, I am almost finished with one side and then I have the other side, the lining, the ends and the finishing touches...then it's done. Okay, so it sounds like there's a lot left but the crocheting part is actually quite quick, I haven't spent much time on it.

The little porcelain half-dolls are gorgeous, they're a bit pricey but I have the pattern now and plenty of 4ply cotton so all I need for future Crinoline Doll Tea Cosies are the dolls themselves. I am definitely going to make one for me at some stage. I don't know when but I will do it (maybe when I do the next PCS)...I'd like one in pink and I know another friend would love one in blue but that's about it. I guess these are the sorts of things you either love or hate.

My progress! It doesn't look very exciting flat like that but the top is done and part of one side, I preferred working in the round but that is not a technique that lends itself well to creating openings for handles and spouts so I'm doing rows now. The two sides will be joined at the bottom eventually. The ends will be the death of me, I wonder if a solid colour version would look as nice or if the variegated cottons would work? I'll do anything to escape these infernal ends!

Even though I hate gauge swatches, I'd like to check if I'm on track for sizing but there's no gauge / tension guide. Hmph. I am trying to make the four-cup size but I know I have a tendency to crochet a bit tightly so who knows what I will end up with (do they make 3-cup teapots?)? I pulled out a small teapot of mine to test it on and it does seem to fit properly so far - I hope I don't suddenly remember this teapot is a two-cup teapot, I will have to measure it tomorrow to be sure.

K does have a teapot (at least one and possibly more than one) but this is meant to be more of a display piece because she, like me, just uses the kettle and teacups - we don't seem to bther with teapots much, for one person it doesn't seem worth it. Maybe this will inspire her to play Big Ladies more often. Anyway, I might feel compelled to add a teapot to her Christmas gifts if I find a pretty one in the right size and at the right price...

This next photo shows the half-cosy and the Doll in place, over an upside-down bowl because the handle of the teapot (a little rosebud, partially visible above) interferes with Doll sitting flat and, as she is not attached to Cosy, I don't want her falling off and breaking:


And now we have a photo purely to show off Doll, she wasn't my first choice but - as my first choice wasn't available in the lilac and the lilac was something I didn't want to compromise on (purple is K's favourite colour) - she is the one I ended up with. Anyway, she (a bit like Maurice) must've grown on me and I'm very happy with the whole project overall.

So there you have it - a bit wordy but quick to write, so I wasn't fibbing at the beginning. I've got more for tomorrow but I'll probably forget half of it before then.