Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Tropical Delight Wrap

Backtracking a bit here...

It's totally because I was waiting for pretty pictures.

I've written previously about playing the Shadowmoor LARP, and between the months of April and May, I began to do some online role-play with another Sampan.

(The leader of the Sampan storyline had made a Facebook group to keep all the Sampan in Shadowmoor 'in the loop' about shared visions. I have been trying to spread the word around to all of the other Sampan, to make sure that they know what's going on.)

Long story short: Calla (Jamie) and Feather (me) decided to take a short sea voyage out to see said leader (the Dragon Prince) using Honu's (my husband's) boat.

Anybody confused yet?

We have had some great written roleplay interactions on our journey out to the Dragon Prince (in fact, we're still RP-ing now!) and when we were originally starting out, Calla expressed concern about being recognized and drawing unwanted trouble to ourselves.  (Feather is very much acquainted with this feeling.)

"Perhaps you would consider a disguise? I mean, you didn't think my real name was Feather, did you?" Feather summons an almost conspiratorial smile. "I used to be a weaver by trade; I'm sure I have something that would keep your identity a secret."
Calla smiles, leaning forward slightly. "I... hadn't thought about your name before, but that does make sense."
She thinks for a moment. "I've made a hood that would disguise you, or a long wrap that can be worn any number of ways. Or of course I could craft something new in a color you prefer." Clearly a little delighted with the idea of disguise hijinks, Feather rummages through one of her trunks.
"And of course, a nickname would help mask your identity, too," she continues. "Even Midori went by Jade before coming back to TaiZi Rax."
Calla smiles. "I'll leave the nickname to you. It takes me ages to name kittens, and they don't even care what they're called. I would be very grateful to borrow something. They're used to seeing me in colors analogous to blue. Anything outside that color family would throw them a bit..."
"Hmm," Feather says after a long moment of consideration. She pulls a small bag out of her trunk; the contents clack softly as she opens it and pours a handful of seashells into her palm. After a thoughtful moment, she stirs the shells with a finger before selecting four and putting the rest away. Then she pulls an open-worked wrap with tones of beige and purple, accented and bordered in seafoam green.
"Periwinkle," Feather says, holding out the shells and wrap to Calla.
Calla had laughed and nodded her agreement at Feather's assessment of Town on a ship, and watched with intrest as she sorted through the crocheted goods and shells. She now looks surprised, then smiles.

"Really? I mean- Thank you!" She bows and carefully accepts the gifts with both hands. "They are beautiful."

"You're more than welcome," Feather replies with a grin. "The adventures of Periwinkle and Feather...I think we could sell a few books with a title like that."

At the time, I sent Jamie a picture of the shells Feather had given her above:

 My mother brings me shells when she goes on vacation;
these are actually periwinkle seashells, hence Calla's nickname.

If you read the description above of the 'open-worked wrap'...it does seem oddly specific.  

I'm trying to contain my crafting glee...it's not working.

Maybe it's because I had already selected a lovely pattern that I wanted to make: 

Tropical Delight Shawl by Elk Studio
Purchase available through Ravelry.

And I had wandered out to my nearest lovely yarn store and bought the colors I wanted to use.  

Jamie/Calla/Periwinkle didn't know I was doing any of this!

So I spent the first couple weeks of May crafting like a madwoman.  I ran into a couple of pattern snags, but they were entirely my fault for not reading everything correctly.  I absolutely love the result, and staged some Hawaiian-themed pictures:


Doesn't everybody have a ukulele at home?

At the last minute, however, I wasn't able to attend the May gather for Shadowmoor (too many other crochet commissions; sometimes being a responsible adult has to come first).  So I sent the wrap up to site with Mike the Coworker (with the periwinkle shells wrapped inside).

Jamie loved it!

And what was even better, I asked if I could take pictures of Calla (meaning, in costume) to show you all, and I was finally able to do it at the June gather!

The sunlight and setting were perfect; this location is just outside the larger cabin we use for the Mages' Guild.

Isn't Calla (and the wrap of course) just lovely?
Thank you to Jamie for being so gracious!

Such a pretty color combination!

Apologies for the silence in June; I've had a lot of commissions going on and will hopefully share one or two (plus another free pattern!) soon.

Craft on!

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