The importance of detail

I think I’m starting to get it. The problem with my previous attempts at cake decorating was that I didn’t think very carefully before I started, and I didn’t allow much time to do the actual work. Although today’s fare was quick to produce, I had been thinking about what to do for some time. I made two versions: the first was fully loaded with sugary stuff and the other was decorated with just a few scattered flowers. Today’s question on The Know Your Blogger Show: Which cake do you think I would rather eat?

Flame’s birthday is coming soon, so I need to think about what I am going to do for her birthday cake, and make sure I have everything I need to make it (including the skills – I must practice!) in plenty of time, or things will be, well, how shall I put this? Less than perfect. No, this will need planning down to the smallest detail, and enough time has to be left to make a second one in case the first attempt has to be thrown across the room!

Rather than being obsessed with (my apparent lack of ability in) cake decorating, I’ve actually been interested in looking at how various crafts approach detail for some time. I like to look at couture sewing books for guidance on proper construction, knitting and crochet stitch references to see what is possible, quilting books to see how the various layers of a quilt are arranged and fixed together, and so on. For the past few weeks, through, I’ve been very preoccupied with detail not from a constructional point of view as I was before, but more as an attractive embellishment such as a little embroidered motif, and particularly on the smaller types of craft where everything is scaled down and thus likely to be scrutinised more closely because of it. I have gone from hats with crocheted motifs down to the small beaded basket I made for Lam the other week. I’m definitely scaling down my crafting lately.

Also, now we are having the occasional very sunny day, I’m getting the urge to sew again. Sewing is summer to me. I want a pouch for my crochet hooks, and a roll or folder for the knitting needles. I’ve got some linen and plan to sew it with some cute cotton prints, maybe with a small bit of appliqué or embroidery. I haven’t got time to do it right now, as the Birthday Season is well under way and I have a lot of things to make, but as soon as I have some ‘me time’ again, this is what I’m planning to do with it.

Oh, and in case you were wondering which cake I ate, it was the one decorated with flowers – I don’t like icing very much…

Entry plonked in Life @ 10:43 pm
Tagged thusly: cupcakes, fairy cakes