Ice Drop & an Act of Kindness

Tatters are wonderful people. You don't have to be involved with the online community long to discover this is true. When I was very ill earlier this year, I received emails and blog messages from a number of fellow tatters. (Many thanks to all of you!) I was really too ill to tat if you can imagine such a thing, and these emails warmed my heart and made me feel still connected.

One of those emails was followed by a care package. Denise Wessman sent me an Ice Drop kit complete with a beautiful sample of one of her latest variations on Diane's, aka Lace-lovin' Librarian, original pattern. As you can see in the image below, it is a warm, beautiful color. It brings a smile to my face every time I look at it, and I've kept it close for months. I've been slow to get back to doing much tatting, but I finally got my first Ice Drop tatted using one of the drops from Denise's care package. I stuck to Diane's original Ice Drop pattern for this first effort, but I'm still toying with some ideas for my next.

As you can see, Denise provided everything I might need.

Thank you, Denise!

Ice Drop

Motif #9 of 25 Motifs Challenge of 2017

size 20 Lizbeth thread

The Old and the New

It's been ages, too, since I've posted on my blog so I thought I'd update you with the last of the old and the start of the new. 

The OLD: I promised you more pictures of the burlap ornaments I made using the snowflakes I tatted from 24 Snowflakes in Tatting by Lene Bjorn. While you can't see all of them plainly in this picture, you've seen all of the snowflakes before if you followed my blog last year. There were seven ornaments in all and my daughter loved each one. If you'd like more details about how I made the ornaments, please see my December post.

The NEW: I didn't get any tatting done for several weeks which actually left me struggling to find the motivation to pick up my shuttles again. I'm sure it was partly the winter blahs and partly that it is a very busy time of year for me so that finding time to tat is a real challenge. However, Jane Eborall's TIAS 2017 is perfect for getting back in the groove. I've enjoyed the switch to tatting with Lizbeth Jelly Bean after so many white snowflakes, too. Still no clue, though, as to what we are tatting, but that's a big part of the fun. It isn't too late to pick up your shuttles or tatting needles and join the fun.

I was rocking along quite well with the Craftree Snowflake challenge last year until November. I finished the year with both the Nineteenth of December and the Twentieth of December in progress. The challenge was lots of fun and I'm committed to finishing the remaining snowflakes in this book as well as the Renulek doily I started last year. Then there are all of the great ideas that keep popping up in your blogs! Obviously, I have plenty to tat in 2017.

Til later,

Eliz aka Tatknot

Tatting and Burlap Christmas Ornaments

I apologize for my extended absence. It's a busy season at work as well as at home. In my free time, I've been working on Christmas presents. I thought you'd like to see what I'm doing with some of the snowflakes I've tatted from Lene Bjorn's 24 Snowflakes in Tatting.

These are the first two of a set of six ornaments I'm making for my oldest daughter. The finished ornaments are approximately 5 inches in diameter. They were trickier to make than I expected. It took four test ornaments before I figured out what was going to work. The method I settled upon required the attachment of a cotton lining to each circle of burlap using a buttonhole stitch before the two circles were sewn together, turned inside out, and stuffed. I found this to be the best way to stabilize the burlap so that the seams didn't tear out when they were turned to the inside.

I finished attaching the lace to all of the ornaments this evening. All that is left is to attach the remaining ribbons. I'll post pictures of the other four next time. 

If you would like to review my original posts about the tatting, you'll find them here:

The First Day of December 

The Fifth Day of December

Happy tatting!

Additions & Updates to MyPatterns and More December 2015 tatted presents;

I've updated the links and added a few patterns to My Patterns. The newly posted ones are patterns I've shared in the past, many of them ages ago. Be warned! I have not updated the instructions. They reflect what I knew how to tat and what I knew about sharing my patterns at the time.

Here is a picture of some red ornaments I made for my niece using size 30 Cecelia thread. I apologize this isn't the best picture of the tatting, but as usual I was scrambling to get everything pressed, stiffened, and wrapped up at the last minute.

All three patterns are by Pam Palmer. 

*Santa's Sleigh is on page 8 of Tatting Treats (1994).

*Rocking Horse is on page 4 of Tatting Treats Two (1997).

*Teddy Bear is on page 10 of Tatting Treats Two (1997).