Perfect Match - Pendant and Vest

This is one of those happy occurrences when you don't plan something, but it works out perfectly!

I now have a 'matching' tatted pendant and new knitted vest, just by happenstance! 

The Lizbeth thread is one of my favorites,  Tropical Punch, size 20.
Yarn:  Michaels 'Impeccable Yarn' brand, variegated color 'Summerset'


The Unplanned Vest
It all started last month when I saw some variegated yarn  at Michaels that appealed to me.  I planned to knit a scarf, simply as a 'mindless' project to have while watching TV.   I knew it wasn't a 'striping' yarn (which I was looking for) but I liked the colors and wondered how it would knit up.   

As the 'scarf' progressed, I would hold it up in a mirror to see how the colors were evolving, and I kept thinking that the width of the scarf was just right for a left or right vest front, and I started thinking about making a vest instead.  

I didn't want to do any armhole shaping, and didn't see why it wouldn't be possible to make a vest with two rectangular pieces (fronts) and one larger 'square' for the back, keeping it simple.  

There is probably a pattern out there somewhere, but I just 'winged' it, and I was quite delighted that it worked out!  

And I had just enough yarn (2 skeins)!   Even buttoning it was easy!  The button at the waist is one of  those 'no sew' buttons that has a 'tie tack' in back. No buttonholes needed!    I now would like to make several more of these! 

The Pendant  

I wasn't even thinking about a pendant when I picked out the yarn. (Remember, I was making a scarf!)  

Only when the vest was finished did I look over my collection of pendants.   Then I realized I had the perfect one, and it's 'kind of' recent.  

The basic pendant isn't new (see below), but I added the rose a few months ago and I received lots of compliments when I wore it.     





 Interestingly, the pretty rose is made of paper(!) which comes in a packet of roses in the scrapbook/paper section craft stores. i'm sure card makers love them.  They are not self-adhesive, which surprised me, but it's easy enough to glue them down. 

I've often added flowers to my tatting (even snowflakes), but usually they are made of 'silk' or ribbon.

You may recognize the basic pendant, which I featured in my blog back in September of 2012.

This was my first 'doodad' pendant, thanks to Sue (God's Kid), who not only alerted us to these doodads at Hobby Lobby, but also generously gave us some snowflake patterns to make with them. (see link below).

However, instead of making a snowflake, I did the 1^st round of one of Sue's designs, and added chains to the outer round. 


http://hiskid66.blogspot.com/2012/09/doodad-snowflake-patterns.html

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We are finally having warm weather – almost too warm, as it got into the 80s with high humidity the other day.   I tried not to complain (I've waited so long for warm weather!), but I caved in and turned on the A/C!   I hope temps cool down a bit, as we have a lot of yardwork to do to get the lawn and landscaping back in shape!  There is always some damage after winter.   

Hope everyone has a nice Mother's Day in the U.S. tomorrow!