An Accents, Inc. Alteration
A big source of satisfaction in needlework comes from personalizing our creations. Not only do we stitch projects with our own hands, but we often adapt patterns to our individual tastes and purposes. Gayle, owner of Accents, Inc., has adapted our Funk & Weber Designs Wild About Reading pattern for herself, her customers, her state (Louisiana), and LSU fans everywhere.
The Louisiana State University mascot is the tiger. Aside: The mascot at Rising Sun High School (my alma mater) is also a tiger. Cool, huh? Gayle and Accents, Inc. are in Louisiana. She is an LSU Tigers fan, so when Gayle saw the tiger skin pattern, she immediately made the connection to LSU Tigers, and wanted to adapt the pattern to an LSU theme.
First, Gayle stitched her model, repeating the tiger skin pattern 2.some-number of times, vertically. Then she (cleverly) made an acrostic out of LSU: Literacy Strengthens Understanding. I ask you–how much do you love that sentiment?! She charted and stitched the acrostic in purple and gold (LSU colors) around the border. Now, why exactly Tiger colors are purple and gold is not for this discussion; Gayle had nothing to do with that. The end result is what you see here. Way fun!
You might think that would be enough, but Gayle goes a step further. She provides a pattern of her adaptation so that others can recreate it, and that pattern is provided…as a laminated bookmark!
So, LSU fans, get in touch with Gayle to get hold of this pattern. The Accents, Inc. contact info is here and here.
If you’re not an LSU fan (bummer for you!), does this give you any ideas for personalizing your own bookmark?
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Kat Wrote,
Very awesome! LSU’s colors are purple and gold because Mardi Gras colors are purple, green and gold. Tulane’s colors include the green from Mardi Gras. Or so I was told at one point while growing up in Baton Rouge!
Link | March 28th, 2008 at 6:26 am
Becca Wrote,
The design is fabulous! Thanks for the clarification, Kat. That makes sense! More sense than my son’s high school purple panther or the purple wildcat of Kansas State!
Link | March 28th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Karen Wrote,
How about purple dinosaurs? Really though the laminating a free chart into a free bookmark is way too cool, and really innovative, mind if I barrow it??
Link | March 28th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Jen Wrote,
Thanks for enlightening me, Kat. Is there any connection between Mardi Gras and tigers?
Purple panthers and purple wildcats…I guess that sort of thing goes on quite a bit. We were orange-and-black tigers.
Karen, Gayle would be happy to have you adopt the laminated bookmark idea. She actually has a laminating machine in her shop.
Link | March 28th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Gayle Wrote,
Actually there’s legend behind how LSU and Tulane choose their colors. True? who knows? But New Orleans always loves a good tale and tells the really good ones until they become fact! You can read about the history/legend at this blog:
http://blog.nola.com/gumbo/2008/02/mardi_gras_lsu_tulane_colors.html
Link | March 29th, 2008 at 3:01 am
Jen Wrote,
Thanks for the link, Gayle. Interesting. I wonder when the tiger came to be the LSU mascot. I’m guessing sometime after the colors were adopted.
Link | March 29th, 2008 at 8:49 am