This denim feather is for Jude's Magic Feather Project -- its fringed edges inspired me to fill in one side with more threads. As I was stitching, the snowball bedspread came to mind...
I bought it at a moving sale about 15 years ago. As I recall, it was marked $20, I offered $5. It turned out the older lady selling this full-size "snowball" bedspread had also made it many years prior. She said she had spent dozens of hours making it and her best friend had made one at the same time. We settled on $10.
It looks like she first hemmed a large piece of cotton and then pulled 10 strands of multi-ply cotton yarn in and then out again an eighth of an inch away. Every two inches over the entire surface. There are no knots anywhere, the bulk of so many strands holds each snowball in place. From the looks of it, I'd say it was probably more like hundreds of hours.
I should've given her five times the asking price. At least.
Happy weekending to you. xo
love your feather. I've collected scraps of chenille from here and there and have made and given 2 blankets for little girls so far. you've inspired me to try making some feathers from the chenille.
ReplyDeleteDeanna, is this bedspread considered chenille? I wondered about that but then was seeing on-line that fabric is cut to make chenille. Or is that a short-cut way to make it? I'm very confused on this!
ReplyDeletethe original chenille was made by cutting strips but later on different methods were used and the name chenille was still used. your bedspread looks like chenille to me. here's a reference for chenille:
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chenille_fabric
Funny enough I thought that your cover Peggy, was a hand made version of the commercial candlewick bedspread? Do you have them over there? they were popluar here in the 1950s and seem to be back in the shops so may be having a revival, for retro reasons maybe.
ReplyDeleteWhat a work of patience that must have been and yes I bet it took ages to make it. Interesting that the threads hold themslves in position too.
I dare say our candlwick was a commercial offshoot of the chenille technique.
The bedspread was obviously meant to be with you!
ReplyDeleteGreat denim feather.xxx
Deanna, thanks for the info.!
ReplyDeleteLyn, I know what you're talking about, my parents had one of those on their bed for many years! The handmade version of that one is with the French knot, right? That would take considerable patience, too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Trish, I'm going to leave it out where I can see it for a while. Maybe even...gasp...cut it up! ...feeling faint just thinking of such a thing!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking chenille too when I first saw it. I bought a chenille bedspread at a yard sale in the early 1980's - northern Nevada for somewhere around 25-75 cents...Yes, cents! lol Lots of the chenille threads were missing. It fit perfectly on my full size bed and I used it forever, til it fell apart. I think I still have pieces of it somewhere! And chenille was my favorite kind of bathrobe for years :)
ReplyDeleteSo, I like your chenille-ish feather, which almost goes without saying!!! :)
Nancy, oh wow, that is something... under a dollar -- ha! Times have changed, but chenille is still pretty cool!
ReplyDeletewhat a quirky creation...i kind of like the backside & love your creativity on the feather. so many of these feathers are asking to be pet.
ReplyDeleteCindy, it must've been a labor of love... I'd get so bored making something like this but hey, different strokes. Yes, more people seem to be getting into textures on the feathers now, fun!
ReplyDeleteyes, i love that someone had this idea & finished it! it's something that would probably cost hundreds in some catalog now. just a great find.
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