I’ve been crafting at the rate of (french) knots this last week and have a completed dead fly to show for myself. I’ve never seen the Mr so enthusiastic over anything I’ve made before – which goes to show we’re all a bunch of weirdos around here. He has also suggested that I french knot us a new living room rug.
Excitingly, I have discovered that a 180 degree twirl can dramatically revive a fly.
Dead or alive, there has been serious second-thinking on the destiny of Fly. I’ve developed a fondness for the critter. Any cushion in this house, is almost entirely utilised as soft fall landing for surreptitious dive bombers off the couch. There were a lot of knots you know.
In case you’d like to gain a greater understanding of how many knots (which, I admit, was an enjoyable, extended exercise in crafty, goggle-eyed therapy), here is some scale reference for your viewing pleasure:
So, while I did source fly-spotted fabric co-ordinates for cushion backings and whatnot...
...what if there’s a grander, wittier destiny? Something involving fly swats?
Pop by and visit Kirst (who, incidentally, can teach a mean french knot) for more Spacery of the Creative kind.
77 comments:
Your kind of weird, I like.
Though I am a little slack jawed with awe right now over the whole, er, enterprise.
I love it!..and I love the fly swat idea, brilliant!
fabulous, i love the co-ordinating fabrics too, love the whole mix-up
And again I say only you, YOU could now make me want to literally dip my hand through the screen to PET A DEAD FLY!! He looks so fluffy and cute ... sort of. I love where you're headed with this .... bzzzzzzzzzz
The fly is one of the most exceptional crafty things I have seen.
He is too good for a cush...I stand by my wall hanging idea.
GORGEOUS I love it. It really is stunning and I hope becomes a lovely framed piece for everyone to enjoy.. and feel :)
and, yes, kirsty taught me my french knots..
Unique and fabulous if you ask me. I'm seeing flies in a whole new light. x
Well, I am seriously impressed! The fly turned out fantastic! I cannot believe how many french knots you made! Holy balls that's a lot. I'm still working on my Sasquatch!
I nearly put my head through the computer with the excitement of this. I vote for a wall of members of the insect world in black and you could pin them as if they were in an entomologist's trophy cabinet. Oh, the gothic, ghoulish pleasure of it all!
I love this fly so much! Personally I would frame it and hang it on the wall (plus a fly swat if you so choose). I am very impressed, my foray into embroidery did not produce anything so beautiful :-)
Oh. wow. I really love it Tania... I mean REALLY love it. Your macro shot is a feast :) Kx
Wow. I am in awe. I once filled a very small poodle outline with French knots and that about did me in! I still hate dead flies, especially when my daughter brings them to me in her hand, but this is pretty awesome. (And, I like weird!)
WOW WOW and WOW. Amazing. Love it
Holy crap! That is truly awe-inspiring. I'm tempted to try to copy it - with attribution, naturally ;-)
So unusual and so effective.... I think it is great.... Hugz
Wow, that is one impressive fly (and I can honestly say that I have never felt that way about a fly before... )
I am breathless, as in can't breathe...I am choking on my covetousness. Brilliant!
Oh. My. Goodness. That is some fly! The french knots are just so tactile, love the satin stitch, never has a dead fly been so appealing. Love love love it!
so, so cool. I love it!!
You know what i think about this, AMAZING...I'd nickname ya French-NUT if only you were French!
Kirst is right, you capture the texture beautifully. Love the swat idea...but does that mean it would involve another zillion Frenchies?
xt
Marvelous. Bloomin' marvelous!
(I'd never thought I'd write that about a fly)
Do you know the song about the woman who swallowed a fly? I think you might enjoy it.
I totally get the hesitation for the coushion, it would definitely fare the same way in this house. But I just love love love the thought of it sitting so innocently on your couch awaiting a strangers backside. As they reach around to retrieve the pillow pull it out and shriek with disgust and awe all at the same time. ha ha..Just can't get that image out of my head when I look at it. Sigh...A fly swatter idea would be marvelous too...:P
Amazing - I think it deserves to be a wall hangin, and the fly swat idea is awesome.
Maybe a GIANT flyswatter ... the whole couch could be a flyswatter.... there could be a FOREST of flyswatters! ah! So many ideas!
My vote's for a cushion. I'd love to see it styled in amongst a stack of chintz and tassels.
The fly spot coordinating fabrics are the genius final touch to the whole project! Completely mad ;-)
I'll add my voice to the multitudes... I love how this turned out! Much more interesting than all the dead fruit flies I had to look at through microscopes during my studies... I also would love to run my fingers over the design!
You've rendered me completely speechless... or should that be typeless. That is a work of ART and PATIENCE in the extreme. Love it!
you could skirt it my dear. but then again, you'd probably have people with gigantic fly swats chasing after you...(I for one, would enjoy your recollections of that picture, but I'm not sure you would).
great knotting-business!! I'm once again in awe of the perfectionism!!
x andrea
No flies on you! (sorry)
Yer a genius. A mad genius. That is ART that is.
Cheers,
AJ
Love it, love it, love it. So, when do you start on the dead moth?!
You are a completely freaky genius type person. (Slight emphasis on the freaky ... but in a good way)
;)
Classic! It's important to keep your flies up.
Or you could make it a pillowcase and have a hungry looking spider on the doona cover? (Sleep well under that one!)
I love the flyswat design though.
Go the swat.
I love your frenchie fly. JUST SO MUCH.
wow!!! what a stunning bit of knottery. Brilliant!
That are a billion French knots worth of crazy dead fly going on there . . . looks incredible. Love Posie
Oh. My. God. Tania, that is AMAZING. I frikkin love it - no idea what you should do with it, it WOULD be a great cushion, but it's also art, and so, so, SO much work...
Wow.
You are AWESOME and totally unpredictable.
Love it.
WOW. Amazing, that would have driven me nuts! Is that fly-swat actually fabric? Cos you could head over to Spoonflower, or get some inkjet printable fabric...but you've probably thought of that by now!
Come and live in my street !!! Bring the kids, bring the Mr and bring the giant head !
I want to share some crazy with you !!!
I'd never realised a dead fly could be so exciting and awe inspiring, but it really is!
and I'm back for another look.....
You are truly amazing. You know that, don't you? I hope so!!
I never though I would love a dead fly so much, I could look at it all day.
It's trulyl amazing Tania, a work of art ( and many french knots.)
You're a freak, but that's a huge compliment. xo
So your mind is a-buzz with ideas? (sorry, couldn't resist!)
wow, that is a absolutely tremendously large and huge amount of french knots.
fly swat definitely needed. i'll be interested to see how you incorporate the two..
The lengths that some people will go to to avoid weaving in 300 granny square/circles is really quite amazing - avoidence looks really good on you
Thee is something so strangely appealing about your dead fly. ;-)
From one odd-ball to another: You rock! I don't have the self-discipline to do what you've done! Kudos! :)
~ANKH
Who knew a dead fly could be so very elegant? I think it is (and you are) brilliant.
I never thought I'd say this about a dead fly .... but he's very fine !!
And I think your husband's rug making idea is inspired . Does he plan to help?
Sonata .
hehe love it! have featured you on my blog today
www.rainbowchildcraft.blogspot.com
I bow in awe to your creepy talent Tania. And I have linked to you on my blog, if you want to play the Happiness 101 thing. Thanks for the funnies!
that is so gross. and it is really really beautiful somehow too. i love that your husband loves it so much. that is the kind of thing david would like too. no idea what a french knot is though!!
I have actually thought about this often over theweek wondering what it will look like. ( I know. Get. a. life.) however i KNOW the work that went into that I know the hours curled on the couch that this took and I applaud you. I applaud the work, the idea and the flyswat is just to fabulous. It can't go on a cushion- it is a work of art.
It looks AMAZING Tania!
(Next time I reckon get some PVA and poppy seeds...my lazy alternative...)
I flipping love you.
LOVE IT!
I guess the little boy is quiet happy with a dead fly cushion cover with his interest in creapy crawlies.
It looks lovely (and you might try a french notted dead mice by now).
ebxx
how you made a fly adorable is beyond me.
Holy crap!
OH lala!that is a lots of knots!My eyes would sting:)
I still have not develop a love of the flies (specially living in very isolated WA ground full of the thingy!), but I like yours :)xx
I.Love.it ! All of it ,fly , flyswatter , brilliant !
I have no idea how you did that, but I love it. Really appeals to the sense of humour around here... Love where you're heading with the fly swat too :)
Haha, you keep surprising me with the things you make and do and say. The fly is great, I'm impressed with all the French knots!
oh...the best
love it
oh...the best
love it
Gadzooks this would have to be the most gorgeous fly ever - fabulous, you're so very clever, well done ;-)
truly amazing! I am slack-jawed!
Ahhh the power of the internet, without which I would have missed this post. That someone, somewhere had the idea, the inclination, and the follow through to create a huge fly from french knots.
LOVE it!!
oh my lord Tania it's freaking amazing! who knew a fly could be so BEAUTIFUL!!
You really are such a fabulously crazy woman! xxx
Very quirky and original! Love it.
Sometimes the universe moves in mysterious ways...I was cursing french knots after lots of failed attempts.So went bloggin' for some light relief...to find a link via kootoyoo to your dead fly french knot work with link back to kootoyoo french knot tutorial!!
And I can do them now! But back to subject at hand-the fly, I am just stunned- the billions of french knots...it's all tooo good, too funny. Such fun reading the other comments too!
Thank you!
I shall add my voice to the chorus of admirers! I think you are fly-ing in the face of all sensibilities but have done a brilliant job of it. Personally love the cushion idea, has an element of mischief to it. PS. My 'dry the dishes' tea towel has been put to work slavishly and is quickly softening her touch!
Did you ever finish the french knot area rug? Would love to see a picture? I french knot dollhouse miniature rugs using 1 strand of floss. What type of yarn did you use?
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