Showing posts with label vardo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vardo. Show all posts

Wednesday, 12 April 2017

Frivolité - tatting with shuttles

Je viens d'apprendre une nouvelle technique. De fait c'est une ancienne technique que l'on trouve dans les ouvrages pour dames du XIXème siècle. C'est la frivolité, un travail qui ressemble à de la broderie et à de la dentelle en même temps et qui se réalise avec de petites navettes. On peut en faire des naperons, des bordures, des cols, des petites frises.
Au début, la technique n'est pas facile. Il n'y a pourtant que deux points de base qu'il faut agencer mais il faut arriver à faire le bon geste avec les navettes.
J'ai eu la chance d' avoir les bonnes explications lors d'un stage avec Sylvie Auffret de Rue Désiré, la fée des travaux à l'aiguille. Elle fait des choses superbes au tricot, au crochet, en frivolité, en dentelle, au petit point ou en cartonage et elle organise des stages pour nous apprendre les techniques.

I just learned a new technique. In fact, it's an old one, a Ladies work technique that dates back to the XIXth century.  It is tatting with shuttles, a work that resembles embroidery and lace at the same time and is made with small shuttles. The french word for the technique is " frivolité". It can be used to make placemats, borders, collars, and small friezes. At first, it's really difficult. There are only two basic knots that you have to arrange, but the hardest part is getting the right gesture with the shuttles. I was lucky enough to have them explained to me during a workshop with Sylvie Auffret from Rue Désiré. She is a needlework-fairy, and does extraordinary miniature stuff in knitting, crochet, tatting, lace, embroidery. She holds workshops to teach us these techniques.



Voilà ce qu'on peut arriver à faire après des heures, des jours d'entrainement. Il faut s'accrocher au début et s'appliquer à la régularité. Mais le résultat en vaut la peine. Ce ne sont encore que des essais mais certains petits napperons peuvent déjà être utilisés.

This is what can be done after hours and days of training. It's long but the result worth it. These are only attempts but some small placemats can already be used.




Une pièce plus complexe en frivolité que je vais installer dans ma roulotte.

A more complex piece of tatting that I will put in my gypsy vardo.



Je vais également y ajouter ce superbe châle au crochet réalisé par Sylvie Auffret. La soie artificielle très souple conviendra pour le décor un peu vintage. 

I will also add this beautifull crochet shawl made by Sylvie Auffret. The very soft artificial silk will suit the slightly vintage decor.




La frivolité grège qui sert de jeté de lit  et le châle gris près du lit bien cosy de mon gypsy vardo.

The raw tatting as a bed throw and the grey shawl near the cozy bed in my gypsy vardo.


 

Autre vue avec, sur la commode, une autre pièce en frivolité. J'ai acheté ce napperon il y a très longtemps lors d'un salon IGMA dans le New Jersey et malheureusement je ne me souviens pas du nom de l'artisan.
C'est un travail extrêmement fin et délicat dont j'ignorais la technique.

Another view of the room with a tatting placemat on the chest of drawers. I bought this placemat a long time ago at an IGMA show in New Jersey. Unfortunately, I do not remember the name of the craftsman. It is an extremely fine and delicate work. Back when I purchased it, I didn't know the technique.




Friday, 29 November 2013

Decorating the Gypsy Vardo


From time to time I go back to my Gypsy Vardo.  That’s typically when I have a new idea for the decoration. The religious theme is not complete yet but I added a tiny statue of the Black Virgin in a reliquary.




 
They also needed something to smoke there, so I made a hookah pipe. I have found the perfect glass painted beads for that.







Saturday, 16 March 2013

Details

I did some interior decoration in my gypsy vardo. It turns out to be more and more the wagon of a French gypsy not far from the Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.
Come in, I will show you...


 
 
Some pieces of lace were added around the windows and on the furnitures. I made the lampshade following the tutorial by "1 inch Minis", it looks really nice and kitsch in that corner.
I have used only LED on batteries in the wagon, I found it easier for a small moving stuff.
 
 

 
The crystal ball is ready : the owner is a fortune teller. I will add later other accessories regarding her work. HER, it seems obvious that this is a girl's dwelling !
The very fine lace on the chest of drawers was made some years ago by an IGMA Artisan, and I forgot her name...If someone can help ! I bought it in Philadelphia Miniaturia, probably in 2008 or 2009 and, if I remember well, she was from The Netherlands. All the other pieces of lace came from my great-grandmother and are in pretty bad state.
 
 


 
There are some "bondieuseries"as they say , kind of religious knick-knack : holy picture of Mary, crucifix. I will make more of these... And still my beautiful painting by Catherine from Ninette and Co and my little needlepoint cushion : a kit by Nicola Mascall.
 
 

Thursday, 7 February 2013

Tuesday, 11 December 2012

Gypsy vardo : the painting

I had to make a choice for the colour and the exterior decoration of my waggon. First,  the colour : it's not so easy.

 
Obviously, the green "arsenic"is a real poison. I hate it ! I decided to stick to the yellow for the wheels and I changed the main colour to a bright pink.


My final decision goes to a mix between traditional overdecorated English vardo, and a more contemporary French style, overdecorated, with bright and vibrant colours and delightfully kitch interior. Overdecoration is the key to a good gypsy vardo !
A comment by Sanschichis made me see that she had already built and painted a wonderful vardo inspired by this type of waggon-fitting.
The pictures on the blog of Sanschichis HERE "Ma roulotte".
The french builder of new or renovated vardo with a personal gypsy deco HERE.


I definitively prefer PINK. I have fit the gypsy vanner horse in. This is the top of the front door.

 
Here is the lid of the back trunk.
 


Some blooming flowers for the front door.
 
 
 
And the design on the unfinished wheels.
 

Saturday, 8 December 2012

The gypsy vardo : taking apart

 

I have made my homework, looking for clues about gypsy vans everywhere. I came to the conclusion that this traditional gypsy home pulled by horse is not so old.  They have been used by gypsies for only 150 years. They developed first in France and then were used in the 1820 s' in England by showmen travelling with fairs and circuses.
The name for the gypsies'waggon is VARDO. And if they are gypsy home, they are traditionaly made by non-gypsy coach-builders. We can find 6 main types of vardoes : Brush, Reading, Ledge, Bowtop, Openlot and Burton.





My Vardo is a Ledge, no doubt. A van with side and back windows, sloping walls, portable steps, front door wich opens separately at the top and the bottom, rack at the back and a raised roof called a mollicroft. The floor is narrow and both side walls widen out at knee-level via a ledge over the wheels.

.
 
The maker of this Ledge has done a pretty good work : everything is true to a life size Ledge.
www.gerryvardoes.co.uk : Gerry builds a very complete range of vardoes you can choose of.
 
 


And now it's time to take all the pieces apart. I want to make some changes before I begin the painting. I have prepared a new door, the one I had was too thick. Same for the door of the cratch at the back. I have also changed the hay rack, to have a lighter one.

They are many informations and pictures at http://gypsywaggons.co.uk  and http://gypsyvans.com  : builders, collectors and painters of gypsy vardoes.
 

 
 

 



Sunday, 25 November 2012

KDF

Yesterday it was the Kensington Dollshouse Festival. Always a great moment with magnificent miniatures and the "crème de la crème " of miniaturists. Lots of things to see and many ideas to get.
I have made my shopping - components for my own miniatures - and I have found some little things for my Curiosities Cabinet.

 
Two coral by Cilla Hallbert from Minst www.minst.com, they are nicely set and perfect in my display. In front of them, delicate tools by Danny Shotton : magnifier, scissors, penholder, razor. I don't know yet where they will go but I will find a good place. I plan a barber case.. soon.

 
Some bottles from Kastlekelm Miniatures www.kastlekelm.webs.com. I guess they will be better in my magical shop "Aux Dragons Azimutés". I can't resist a goblin brain or a dinosaur bone.
 
And last but not least, I have now an unfinished gypsy wagon.
 
 
One of the models made by Gerry's vardos www.gerrysvardoes.co.uk. I wanted to find a place for a gypsy fortune teller with crystal ball and tarot, this time I have a good one. Now I need just one more year to finish it the way I want it.