I'm still tatting

Hi, everyone. I just want to let you know that I'm still around and still tatting. I took a vacation, then got really busy at work, and now my internet portal is down. I'll be back.

Mothers' Day Weekend

It was a weekend of special events for me rather than just one day. If you follow the blog of Jess aka Tat-ilicious, you've already seen some of the pictures from Saturday. We each drove to meet at a pre-determined location to tat, chat, and enjoy some show-and-tell. It was a wonderful day. We chose a McDonald's with an indoor play area so Jess's daughter, Livi, could have some fun, too. I must tell you that Livi is an impressive young lady with a gift for making friends.

I enjoyed seeing and handling Jess's lovely threads and brought home a number of them. While we chatted, I started Marilee Rockley's Ripple Necklace using Jess's Faerie Dust thread and Lizbeth black, both size 20. I made several mistakes, a few of which jumped out at me as I photographed it today. It's a gorgeous design, but perhaps not the best project when one is distracted. Faerie Dust looks really great in Marilee's design though, don't you think?

Jess does beautiful work.  She taught herself to tat and uses very different hand movements from those I use. I enjoyed watching her work. While her movements were different, they were graceful and effective. I've planned for a long time to try Jane Eborall's method for avoiding that blip of color in a join, but never quite got round to it. Jess demonstrated the technique, a much faster learning method for me, so the Ripple Necklace benefited tremendously. Jess also showed me how she does her ring-only heart. When I glanced at the design last week, I had assumed it used split rings. Jess's design is more great evidence that there is more than one way to achieve a particular outcome.

As Jess mentioned, we had a tatting student, too. He handled the shuttle while I held the core threads. Then Jess helped him try it holding both the core thread and the shuttle.

Jess, Livi, and I hope to get together again before the summer is over. If any of you tatters live within a reasonable driving distance of Wynne, Arkansas, we would love to have you join us.

Tatted Bookmark

This is another of my bookmark efforts. I recently shared this one in an exchange. The thread is one by Lizbeth, size 20, but I can't find the color name.

Finished the Anne Orr doily

I finished the Anne Orr doily I started several weeks ago. In fact, I finished it before I started playing with Jess's threads, but it needed some pressing before I took pictures. So while I'm playing with more of Jess's threads, I'll try to get a few photos of recent projects posted.

I think it could benefit from a bit of blocking. The outer round looks slightly out of shape. I confess it got tossed about a bit before I got around to taking the picture. The thread is size 20 Lizbeth, Sea Green Dark.

Tatilicious thread inspires a bookmark

Jess at Tatilicious sent me some of her hand dyed thread a few weeks ago. I had to try the red/white/blue combo first and loved it! (See previous post.) The second one I tried was "Fancy Meadows," and it arrived already loaded on a Bob-Eez. The thread seemed to require a floral theme so I went with a simple traditional bloom and designed a new edging for the strip portion of the bookmark. I still have Pinkaholic and Rainbowlicious to tat up. Again, I thank you, Jess. I'm really enjoying your threads. I think my next design needs to incorporate some of those other goodies you sent with the threads. It's time to meet your challenge and see what I can come up with.

Tatilicious thread in a new bookmark

I tried the first of the threads Jess sent me in the package last week. It is the red, white, and blue that never made it into her shop. I call the bookmark Star Spangled Bookmark and the image is of the prototype. The second one has some beads in the star and it will be the one to go into my shop. Jess's thread is wonderful. As you can see, the colors repeat in a pattern small enough to add lots of interest to the finished piece. I look forward to trying the others. And, Jess, I enjoyed using the purple bag with my googly-eyed
friend today to carry round my work. He makes me smile every time I see him.

A package from Jess

Jess aka Tatilicious sent me a package last week. I was one of two winners of a give-away she did through her blog. It was full of goodies. She included four skeins of her beautiful hand-dyed threads, beads and other goodies for tatting onto, a couple of Bob Eez, and all packaged up in some lovely and versatile containers. The googly-eyed key ring really made me smile.

But an extra bonus to this package was the artwork provided by Livi. Can you see her drawing decorating the outside of the envelope? Thank you, Livi!

The first picture just doesn't do Jess's threads justice so I've provided another picture with better lighting. The threads are so beautiful. I haven't had a chance to try them yet as I had to finish a bracelet order this weekend, edit an APA paper, and finish the taxes. All three of them are done, though, so I think I'll load up these new threads and some shuttles to play with during my lunch breaks this week. The Ann Orr doily can wait a few more days.

Happy International Tatting Day!

I remember when we began this tradition. The day seemed appropriate as people often think it foolish that we spend so much time to create each individual piece of our tatted lace. I often meet people who say, "I wouldn't have the patience to do that." But, really, tatting has always increased my patience. With my tatting in hand, I'm more likely to say, "Take your time." I've waited quite happily in a few long lines with my tatting bag on my wrist, working away on some project, while others around me grumbled about delays. I know it isn't for everyone, but that's okay. Some of my friends and family members have hobbies that don't interest me either. So it seems appropriate today to publicly mention my thanks once again to Barbara Tozzano who started me down this path a little over 20 years ago.

Today would be a great day to do an online search for "tatting" and "tatted lace." Lots of tatters are online and lots of posts are being made. I've enjoyed reading the tatting blogs today, wishing my tatting friends a happy international tatting day. Some of the tatters who are selling on Etsy are offering special items and prices to celebrate the day as well.

Following up on a post to one of my blog entries, I found Gunis-Perlenwahn.blogspot.com today which features a couple of great tutorials. The one on SSSRs includes a pattern. The tutorials are very well done and the blogger has published a few tatting books that look intriguing, too.

Nina Libin shared three lovely beaded earring patterns in the Online Tatting Class today. The patterns are well illustrated, but Nina took us through the details as well.

So, while I have not yet tatted a single knot today, I'm thoroughly enjoying the day. And since a blog entry on this special day would not be complete without a picture, here is my progress on the small doily by Anne Orr.

Now, I'm off to grab a snack and pick up my shuttles. I want to get a couple of Sport Your Colors bracelets done and perhaps get a bit more done on this doily.

Happy International Tatting Day to each and every one of you!

Flower Bookmark

I had a flower left over from the first Tischband I did as part of the Tat Along and it was purple--perfect for what I had in mind. I designed the rest of it as I went. I wanted the illusion of a small budded vine climbing the stem. The contrast between the greens is not as great as it appears in the picture. I pearl-tatted the darker  green stem. The lighter-colored vine is blended with light purple size 80 thread. I think I should have added a few picots to the little buds to give them a softer look, but my girls liked it as it is.

This was a retirement gift for a co-worker who has become a friend. I shall miss her smiling face and gentle manner which brightens the work day for all of us, but I know she is going to enjoy extra time with her husband who had already retired. They plan to do some traveling and hiking and visit their children and grandchildren who live farther away. I wish Pam the very best.

Anne Orr progress

I've been tatting up a design by Anne Orr this week using Lizbeth #688. I used some split rings to reduce the number of starts in the center and I'm tatting the clovers of the final round with the second shuttle which changes the directions of some of the chains. I tried it both ways and found I preferred this one. It will look even better when finished and blocked. I liked it so well without the final round that I was tempted to leave it off.

I've finished another project as well, but it is a gift for a dear co-worker who is retiring this week. I've taken a picture, but I'll wait until after her retirement reception Friday to post it on the internet. I'll give you a hint, though. She loves plants.

I have an order for some bracelets so I'll be working on those for the rest of the weekend.

Have a great week!

Tat Along - Tischband #3

Here it is. The flowers all have leaves now. I used a smaller center picot this time and the result was much better. I think this one is the best one yet. I've really enjoyed this challenge. I'm likely to use Ruth's gorgeous leaves again. It is a great design.

I'm already well into another project--some ideas I've wanted to develop for my Etsy shop for quite a while. I was able to get a little tatting done during my lunch break today which helped me make a good start. I'll tell you all about it when I've gotten a bit more done.

Spring is in the air

The weather here in Arkansas has been warm and lovely. This weekend was to be devoted to filing our income taxes, but I spent the day updating my Etsy shop instead--much more enjoyable. I decided to have a one week sale at Etsy, marking some of my prices down by 15 to 25 percent. Meanwhile I'm working on some new ideas as I finish up the Tischband.

Tat Along, Try #2

Here is my second effort at the Tischband by Ruth Scharf which is the focus of the Tat Along. I kept my tatted chains much looser this time which made for a longer leaf. I also added a large picot to the base of the first leaf for joining the remaining ones. As you can see from the picture, it didn't need to be as large as I made it, but this did work well for me. I'm about to start my third effort. The recipient will get to decide whether it will be the triangle shape of my first effort or the square of my second effort. The flowers are already completed and I'm starting the leaves. I confess I would have trouble choosing. I really like both. The triangle one serves as a coaster on my desk at work and I really enjoy seeing it there every day.

Tat along progress

Looser chain stitches and the center large picot are working well so far.

TIAS completed and Tat Along 2 Progress

TIAS complete! I managed to finish my TIAS goat Sunday afternoon. Here he is! Thank you, Jane.

Tat Along Progress:  I also started another set of leaves with less tension in the chains and the additional 2-2 on that final round. The first leaf did come out longer than those in my first Tat Along. I'm just now nearing the end of leaf #2 so it is too soon to tell how it is going to turn out. I'll keep you posted.

The triangle Tat Along went with me to work today and has a place on my office desk. I keep a clear insulated cup on my desk to encourage me to drink lots of water and the Tat Along is now its official coaster. Since the cup doesn't sweat, I don't really need a coaster. My desk just NEEDED the tatting. You tatters will understand completely, I know.

Have a great week, everyone.

Tat Along - one complete

I finished the first of my efforts at the Tat Along Project. This is the one with the Flora #213 flowers. The thread looks purple in some light, rather blue in others. I ran into the same problem that many others did as I was tatting the leaves and adding the flowers. I haven't read enough of the other blog posts about it to know how others have resolved the issue. I had already decided that if I saw the same spacing issue developing for me, I would rearrange the elements into a triangle--leaves to the center, flowers to the outside. Here is what it looks like. I confess I flipped the final flower motif before making the final join, but this one is for me and I will enjoy using it anyway. It will sit on my desk at work. (By the way, the dark spots are just water. It wasn't quite dry, but I wanted to get this post done before other events of the day crowded it out of my priority list.)

Let me say that I love the two motifs, leaf and flower, that Ruth Scharf designed for this pattern. The flower was quick and easy to tat. While the leaf pattern was a bit harder because of the need to pay close attention to stitch counts as you went, it was still a pleasure to tat and looks terrific. I will definitely use it again. In fact, I have two more sets of blooms that need leaves!

The problem seems to me to be where the leaves join to each other. If I understand Ruth's instructions correctly, they are to join at the base. Adding a large picot to the base of the first leaf that could be used to join the remaining leaves might help, but, because of the shape of my leaves, I would have exposed picot thread between the leaves. I'm thinking that with the next effort I might add another 2-2 to that last round to let me move the larger parts of the leaf further from the join. I'll make that first leaf's picot larger to accommodate the joining of the other leaves. I'm also going to try to keep my joins looser. The leaves in Ruth's picture look longer and much less dense than mine.

I'm going to try to finish my TIAS this afternoon before I start my next effort at the Tat Along. I saw that goats are still arriving so I don't feel quite so bad about finishing late.

Happy Tatting, Everyone. Thanks for reading my ramblings.

Beginner edging pattern

I meant to share this with you beginner tatters several weeks ago, but it slipped my mind. Seeing Mary Ann's tatted crystal bracelet today reminded me. This tatter has shared a simple edging pattern which she used to decorate a hanky. Check out Mary Ann's blog.

Tat Along Progress and Tatter Needs Test Tatters

First, let me share a request for test tatters that I came across today. Jessica needs test tatters for a chocker that is completed in one pass. Drop in here to volunteer. It sounds interesting. While I'm having trouble finding enough time to finish the projects I've already got going, I look forward to seeing some of the tatted samples. It looks like it will be a lovely piece to tat and to wear.

While waiting for the leaf pattern to post for the Tat Along project, I tatted up three different sets of rosettes--purple, red, and a lovely variegated color. The tatting of the rosettes went very fast. Not so the leaves! I've finished only one leaf! I love the pattern, but I have to pay close attention to it as I work. Maybe after I've done a few it will come easier. I noticed that some of the other participants have had problems getting the pieces to fit together properly to produce a flat piece of lace.  Now that I've caught up reading your blogs, I'll go start leaf #2.

My deepest sympathies to Gina's family and friends.

My heart feels heavy with sorrow. Gina Brummett has touched the lives of so many of us--encouraging, teaching, inspiring. There are tributes to her on many of the tatting blogs this week. We shall all miss her tremendously.

Tat Along progress

Four flowers are ready for leaves. See my previous post for links to the Tat Along.

Our home is beleaguered by illness and things are very busy at the office. I really want to rest and tat today, but energy and motivation seem low, so I decided to read about tatting in hopes that inspiration would come. The first blog I visited today was Umi & Tsuri and there was the inspiration I needed. I'm reading no further for now. I'm going to load my shuttle and start the TatAlong before I can talk myself out of it. Happy tatting, everyone.

TIAS Day 5

I seem to have misplaced the shuttles I began the TIAS with, so I started over. Here is my Day 5. I think the part we just finished must be an arm or a snout. Jane has already made an elephant pattern, so that is unlikely to be it. How about an anteater?

Day 1:  What can it be?

TIAS Day 1

I've joined Jane Eborall's latest Tat-It-And-See-It event. I just grabbed a couple of shuttles with thread already on them so I could jump right in. One thread turned out to be a perle cotton and the other a cordonette cotton, but who cares. The Day 1 picture is on its way to the blog from my phone.  Thanks so much, Jane!

Remembrance Hearts Revisited

Several years ago, some of us designed small hearts which were tatted up in quantity to be shared with the family members of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist act in America. I decided to revisit the design and adapted the pattern to make a couple of different pairs of earrings for the upcoming Valentine's Day.