Tuesday, May 20, 2008

The Lula Pillowcase - Confronting Tacky in Crochet


I finally finished my EtsyFAST May challenge - flowers - and posted it today, the Lula Pillowcase. Since I already make several items that qualify as flowers (see my crochet pins, Pink Icing Flower pins, Grayscale flowers pins, etc.), I wanted to make something really special. My grandmother loved pink roses and bright colors. Her house was full of bright pinks and greens and she liked to wear bold floral patterns. She was a very talented home sewer and very creative. 

Crochet always has the potential of being tacky; not slightly tacky or kinda tacky, but really kitschy tacky awful wonderful. Rather than skirt around the issue with this project, I wanted to really go for it and make it as full and loud and textured as possible. I guess I still have some natural restraint. There are no tassels or fringe! It was an exhausting exercise and took over a month to complete, but the finished product makes me smile and reminds me of the feeling of being at my grandma's.

Here's the pillowcase in progress. Arranging them was fun; sewing them on was a total pain. Below you can see the pillowcase peaking out from my booth-in-a-bag, see my post on Beer-B-Q Success! for more images of the pillow in action (on a table).


5 comments:

Amanda Grace said...

I love it Anne. I can't wait to see what you'll do for Grandma Buell.

Sonya...after play said...

OK, so what does that make me? I LOVE IT! Maybe its that great chair you've got it photo'd on but I think its way better than the TP covers my Gma and I made! LOL
I like my hats to be a bit on the wild side though I tone them down for my shop (crochet'd items are put away for winter season.)
GREAT job!

Anne said...

Thanks. My grandpa on the other side made the chair. It's my favorite for crocheting.

knittingdragonflies said...

I like it very much, tacky it is not.
Vicki

sam pak said...

dear ann
i really like the lula pilloecase...its my fav. form your artworks.
its makes me feel that is natural,and i could feel that i am in nature while i am siting in my room....
keep working...
art is not for art, art is for everyone...

sam pak
www.samkhoubrouypak.blogspot.com