Unparallel’d, my contribution to Defarge Does Shakespeare, is an excellent introduction to hairpin lace crochet. I used Habu 1/20 silk stainless steel, beads, and a purple cord–the only color fit for a queen like Cleopatra.
Designing the necklace provided me a lovely trip down memory lane. As I wrote the essay to accompany the pattern, I re-read my MA thesis about Antony and Cleopatra and lingered over lines that captivated me 15 years ago…and still do. I especially love this description of Cleopatra:
Enobarbus: ...For her own person, It beggar’d all description: she did lie In her pavilion, cloth-of-gold of tissue, O’erpicturing that Venus where we see The fancy outwork nature: on each side her Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids, With divers-colour’d fans, whose wind did seem To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool, And what they undid did. (Act II, scene 2)
You can download the digital book today and pre-order a print copy. Take a look at the gorgeous array of pattern from the book. Which do you want to make first?
