You’ll remember how I recently raved on about Solveig in Norway and her wonderful crochet ideas? I was eager to make a lampshade like she does, using an old frame and a shell stitch pattern. I’ve covered a lampshade before, but I made the cover separately and then fitted it on afterwards.

It seemed to work well, but I thought perhaps Solveig’s method would work just as well, if not better, and be more professional. It occurred to me that it might occasionally be awkward to work directly onto the frame, but I figured if she could do it, so could I.


All I can now say is that Solveig must have a zillion times more patience than I do, and maybe smaller hands. And a bigger lap. It’s a real flipping mission to get the angle of the thing right as you go round, balancing it on your lap at the same time. I have tried doing it leaning far back, then leaning far forward, propping the frame against a small table, even tried holding it sideways. Aargh. Nothing is comfortable and it makes for very very slow work. It has taken me two entire evenings to get this far:

At this rate, it might not even be finished by Chanukah, let alone Christmas. I will finish it, and I’m sure I will be pleased with the result, but those other old frames lying in the garage waiting to be covered…? — they are definitely getting the Jill-quickest-way-possible-Goldberg treatment. And I bet no-one will be able to tell the difference. (Except Solveig!)
To be continued…