Another UFO Completed

Variation on Jane Eborall's Large Seahorse

 #3 in 25 Motif Challenge of 2017

This lovely seahorse is testimony that you can make lots of mistakes in a pattern and still have a nice outcome. Do follow the link to view Jane's wonderful pattern as it should have been tatted. Rings and beads are missing from mine, but I really enjoyed completing it. 

Finishing Unfinished Objects

Victorian Heart
(Designer: Kim Goetz, Victorian Hearts and Flowers magazine by Better Homes and Gardens - 1995)

#2 in 25 Motif Challenge of 2017

size 16 Finca perle cotton

Let me start by apologizing that these haven't been blocked or pressed yet. I've put this post off all week, planning to get that done first. I finally decided it was better to let you see them as they are than to have you wondering what happened to me again.

I'm still struggling to focus on anything for very long, so I've been sorting my UFOs and working on those that didn't need much to finish them up. Many of those in this picture just needed the ends hidden. I used to have a tendency to postpone that for as long as possible. Now I tend to have fewer to deal with and I make myself handle them as I go so there aren't a large number to deal with at the end.

You'll recognize the cross and the snowflake as items I've blogged about in the past few months. I've no idea where the red object came from. Was it the beginning of something larger? No clue. I had no notes with it. The teal and pink one is a design I played with that begins with the Valeire square (see my pattern page). Only the heart required any tatting. It was a little more than half finished. It's a lovely pattern I've used often. My own notes are a hand drawn diagram I made from the original text pattern. I'm sorry I can't give you the source. I was much less concerned with that kind of thing back then--many, many years ago, when I understood nothing about copyrights and the courtesy of acknowledging sources and designers. I do love the pattern and I've used it often. In sewing machine thread, it makes the daintiest earrings.

Now I'm going to go enjoy a lovely Sunday afternoon nap. Happy tatting, everyone!

Jane's TIAS 2017

#1 of 25 Motif Challenge 2017

Many thanks to Jane Eborall and muskaan for the encouragement to tat this lovely lady. I've been sick for several months with breathing difficulties which escalated to the point that I have found it difficult to do anything at all some days. It looks like recovery is going to be very slow so I've been taking advantage of good moments to implement some things that will make it easier to participate with the much-missed tatting community from the wi-fi of my iPad instead of having to sit at my computer. Today's blog post is testing some of them. 

I'm using BlogGo to read your blogs and write this post. I haven't found a way to import my reading list, so I'm forced to add your blogs one at a time. I have lots more to add to my feed, but I shall get you all in there in time. 

My other new tool is Font Candy. I used it to edit the camera image above. At the moment, I'm finding all of the ads and self-promotion frustrating, but the features seem promising. I'll have to play with it a bit more, but it's full feature price of $2.99 will be a good investment if I can get the end result I'm looking for.  

I apologize if my post sounds like advertising today. That certainly isn't my intention. I'm hoping that some of you who use your iPads similarly will share your experiences and recommendations, too. I may not be the only one of us looking for such resources. 

I've really missed all of you!

Happy tatting,

Eliz