Package from God's Kid

I took a week off for some fun in the sun on one of Florida's beaches. It was a girls'-only trip with my mother, one of my sisters, and my two daughters. I didn't touch a computer for the entire trip. I spent lots of time enjoying the beautiful view.

Look what was waiting for me when I arrived home! God's Kid sent me beads, size 40 threads, and some lovely embellishments to play with. And look at the doily! The tatting looks perfect! Thank you so much, God's Kid.

Earring Jackets

I've finished two pairs of earring jackets and started another. The photos really don't do justice to the colors of the threads or the beads. The peach and royal blue pairs were inspired by Jennifer Williams' Two-Layered Flower. I used one of my favorite earring patterns and added that second layer using Jennifer's technique.

The one lone variegated earring jacket you see is made from Rachel Colvin Jackson's Simple Celtic Earrings. I left off the picot for attaching a wire and will wear them as earring jackets for post earrings. This one required I get out my tatting needles and refresh my rusty skills. I found it was rather like riding a bicycle. The movements came back to me very quickly. As I write this, I've only completed one piece. I look forward to playing with this one a bit more. 

My thanks to both Jennifer and Rachel. I've enjoyed playing with your techniques and see many possibilities for them.

New Earrings

I've been distracted from shuttle-tatted interlocking rings and cross patterns by the need for some new earrings. I looked through some of the patterns I've saved from other websites and blogs and found great inspiration. The pair pictured below are based on the Poinsettia Earrings designed by Rachel Colvin Jackson. I confess to taking a few liberties with Rachel's lovely pattern. I didn't want to sew in beads afterward so I made long beaded picots and I substituted double stitches for the half stitches Rachel uses in the outer round. I'm very happy with the result. Thank you, Rachel for sharing this pattern with us.

Tatting on the road

I apologize for the photo quality, but I thought a poor photo would be better than none at all.

My plans to rework my Celtic cross bookmark with the interlocking rings had to be put on hold. I've been on the road quite a bit lately for work. In fact, I'm out of town now. I chose a familiar pattern and grabbed several balls of Lizbeth variegated threads that I had not yet tried. This proved to be a great choice as I've enjoyed tatting on planes, in airports, in autos (I wasn't doing the driving), and in hotels. Loading one Aero shuttle completely and starting with shuttle and ball, I was able to make two bookmarks before reloading a shuttle.

I didn't completely unpack both suitcases after the previous trip before I started repacking one for this shorter trip. I think I must have left a couple of bookmarks in my other suitcase. By my calculations, I've tatted at least 9.

Happy tatting!

Tatted Teddy Bear progress

I finished the Teddy Bear in Inga Madsen's Tatted Animals. The thread is Lizbeth size 20, Purple Marble. He is now framed and proudly on display in my office at work.

It works!

A few posts back you saw my efforts with part 1 of Kathy's tutorial for interlocking rings with a shuttle. It took me two tries with part 2, but I'm very satisfied with the results. I had a little trouble closing that last ring satisfactorily, so I again removed the thread from the shuttle so I could pull it through to cinch the ring closed. Thank you very much, Kathy. I've place links to your tutorials on my techniques page.

I designed a cross pattern years ago that has interlocking rings in the center. I finger tatted the rings, but that was so fiddly that I've never worked the pattern again. I look forward to giving my design another tat using this method for the interlocking rings.

Tatted Elephant

I finished Inga Madsen's tatted elephant, pages 16 and 17 of Tatted Animals. The thread is Elizabeth size 20 in Seashell. I've started the Teddy Bear on pages 30 and 31. You'll see it a bit later. Inga's book contains a picture and a diagram for 12 different animals. The others are a bird, butterfly, sitting cat, dog, giraffe, horse, ladybird (ladybug), monkey, snail, and a squirrel. All of them are adorable. Inga used these designs for a quilted baby blanket and includes some instructions for doing the same. I'm tatting the animals just for fun, with no particular plans for how I'll use them. They are just fun to make.

Happy International Tatting Day!

We are just 3 minutes away by my time, but it has already begun in other parts of the world. I wanted to do something special for all of my tatting friends and promote the art of tatting at the same time, so I'm offering you a pattern today. It offers a chance to practice Catherine Wheel joins if you wish, along with half-stitches, split rings, and a little block tatting. The sample was tatted with one of Jess's beautiful threads available through her Etsy shop, Tatilicious. The pattern is available here. Please let me know if you have any problems with the pattern.

Shuttle-tatted Interlocking Rings

If you've been admiring the patterns with interlocking rings, but avoid them because you don't want to use needletatting or fingertatting, you really must visit Kathy Niklewicz's blog post where she has begun a tutorial for making them with the shuttle. I'm sure you can't see the problems in my efforts in the photo below as well as I can, but I'm getting close thanks to Kathy. While the variegated thread shows up better in the picture, the larger white thread has been a better choice for my practice. I'm going to devote my tatting time to working on this technique this morning.

Okay, I'm back with a progress report. I carefully followed Kathy's pictures as I went. At photo 9, Kathy says to keep the shuttle thread behind the closing ring and the first ring as you close that second ring. I tried posting my shuttle through the second ring from front to back before closing the ring and it has made a tremendous difference in the appearance of my finished work. I'm going to go over to Kathy's blog to see if she does this routinely (I know some tatters do so). Below are images of my last effort from both sides.

Dragon Wing Doily

This is my second Dragon Wing Doily by Anne Bruvold. I tatted my first one in May 2011. My tension was rather tight this time which made the piece rather stiff and a little more fiddly to block than I expected. This is a tatter issue rather than a designer one. I did not notice this problem with my first effort.  The nice thing about the stiffness is that it would hang nicely as an ornament without stiffener. I'd like to try it again with deliberately lighter tension to see if the difference was in the thread I used or in my tatting. Anne's pattern is a lovely one and enjoyable to tat. You'll find it in English here.

Wanda's Graduation Cross

I used Wanda's Graduation Cross pattern for this little cross in one of the Lizbeth variegated threads. I got off to a bad start when I made the 3rd of the starting rings a split ring and didn't catch my mistake until I had worked my way around to start the 3rd leg. Oops! I resolved the issue by making a fourth ring for the center with a SCMR. It would have been less obvious in a solid thread, but I feel it was a decent compromise that kept this piece from the trash bin. My photograph doesn't do this thread justice.

Lost tatting bag & start of an elephant

I was on a tatting roll when last I posted. I finished a cross and got a good start on a Dragon Wing Doily before I got the great idea to take my tatting to work. After a couple of weeks of getting no tatting done during my lunch break, I decided it was best to bring it back home. The moment when I made that decision is the last time I can remember seeing my tatting bag. I have no clue what I did with it and that was well over a week ago!

When I got home last night the only thing I could think of that I wanted to do was to tat. I got out Inga Madsen's Tatted Animals and started Elephant in Elizabeth size 20 Seashell. It felt so good to have a shuttle in my hand again. One forgets how relaxing tatting can be when you don't make time for it for quite a while. So this is my progress so far. I'm going to post this picture and go back to playing with shuttle and thread as I drink my blackberry tea.

Happy tatting, everyone.

Heart earrings, but no pictures

I carried my tatting with me all week, but didn't get anything done until today. At my daughter's request I whipped up a quick pair of heart earrings for her to use as a prize later this week. No pictures, I'm afraid. I used TatfullyYours' Flower Heart, size 10 Nazli Gelin Garden in a dark red, and gold earring wires. My daughter thinks they'll be a big success.

Have a great week everyone. I hope to have something to post again next weekend.

Hearts in Lizbeth Watermelon size 20

I tatted these two hearts yesterday. The one on the right is Little Bit of My Heart by Dan the Tatman. The other one is Vicki Clarke's Ruffled Heart. I had a little trouble with the ruffled chains in Vicki's pattern. My stitches wanted to twist around rather than ruffle, especially on the 2nd chain.

Bad Combination

Complex pattern with no diagram + recovering from dental surgery + migraine headache = ERROR, ERROR! I did not arrange the chains symmetrically as I started down the other side. I decided that I'm really not well enough right now to work on anything that requires this much concentration, so I'm sitting this pattern aside for later. It is a beautiful design and I should make sure I can give it the attention it deserves. So today I'm going to go back to browsing my collection for simpler patterns that will allow me to enjoy tatting without so much concentration.

Happy Tatting

Beeton Cross

Since my first project was by chance a cross, I decided to work my way through some of my cross patterns. This one is super simple. It was inspired by an edging in Beeton's Book of Needlecraft. I don't have a pattern, just notes about ring and chain sizes. I think Georgia Seitz may have shared this idea through the Online Tatting Class at some point.

I'm already working on the next cross, but I've moved to a more complicated pattern. It is Gillian Buchanan's Sharon's Celtic Cross. It is worked with 2 colors and 4 shuttles.

Thanks for the welcome

Thanks so much for the welcome back. I found your blogs and webpages inspiring yesterday. I didn't even make it to the forums before deciding to find my shuttles. I knew better than to over think it. I could have spent days just deciding what to do. I had run across one of Roger Freedman's cross patterns as I was sorting a few papers earlier in the day. I grabbed the first filled shuttles I put my hands on and started tatting.

This one starts near the bottom. I had worked my way through one side and the top before I realized I had added too many rings to the first side arm. My first thought was to cut it off and start over. (Later, of course. I was easily discouraged, I'm afraid.) However, I talked myself into cutting out and salvaging the project. My choices were to cut out a small amount and lengthen all of the arms or go back to the spot where I added the first additional ring. I chose to do the latter and got it finished before I went to bed last night. It feels wonderful to have started and completed a project. I'm going to find some more shuttles that need emptying and start another.

Thanks for the welcome and the inspiration.

Checking in with the tatting community

Hello, all. I know I've been missing in action for months and I've missed all of you. Other things have had higher priorities so that the only tatting I've done was just before Christmas and I didn't take a single picture.

I'm home this week recovering from the removal of a wisdom tooth. I'm feeling more awake today, but still not up to doing much. It seemed like the perfect time to visit your blogs and webpages to see what you've been up to. Now I'm off to visit your sites.

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.

Diagramming Tatting Patterns

I found a patch that fixed the issue I had with Inkscape 48.2. I created the wreath diagram again using a polar grid as a guide for ring placement. I think the pattern looks much better. Perhaps I'll get some tatting done tomorrow (hmm, or is it today already?) My day was filled with researching the software issue and cleaning up my kitchen. Plumbing issues left me without a dishwasher or kitchen sink for three days. It feels wonderful to have a clean kitchen again.

My progress with EazyDraw has been very slow. Gina S. discovered that Inkscape is now available for the Mac so I downloaded it. In less than an hour I had a ring only wreath pattern diagrammed. It isn't perfect, but at least it is done and I learned a few things doing it. I couldn't get Inkscape to give me a polar grid which would have helped. It requires a software fix with which I need help or advice. I've contacted my favorite computer forum for advice and await the results. I think it would also work better to place a circle behind each round of rings to simulate the connecting picots. I want to fix the software glitch  before I try anything else, though.

I'm spending this special holiday with people who brighten my life. I'll take along some tatting, but I'm unlikely to get any done. I will do lots of singing, eating, and laughing though.

Still no pictures for the blog, but I've done a little tatting. I spent my first few days off getting some shopping done. I've pulled out my tatting only one afternoon, but the result is a new use for one of my old designs. The only hint you get at the moment is that it contains some lovely red beads. My plans for this next week include lots of tatting and designing time as well as more time working with EazyDraw.

I hope each of you finds some time this week to enjoy those activities and people who brighten your lives.

The past few weeks have been busy and I've moved from a temporary hire to an official part of the staff at work. The end of a school semester also offered me opportunities to do a bit of tutoring: statistics and the use of SPSS (statistical analysis software) and writing in the American Psychological Association format. I've managed to squeeze in some Christmas shopping, too. Do I sound like I'm making excuses for the lack of tatting in this blog? I am. (GRIN)

I've been learning more about my drawing program, thanks to Susan Fuller's online class. I've also got a few new designs in my head that need to get out. My plans for the holidays include many hours for both of these projects.

Latest tatting inspiration

Are you familiar with some of the tatting that is being done with Trapilho yarn? Anne Bruvold posted a link within one of the forums at Intatters that took me to the website of Liv Øyen Strind http://nupereller.no/ where I saw some huge pieces of tatting composed of a small number of very simple motifs. I suddenly envisioned tatted doormats, table runners, bathroom rugs, etc. throughout my house. Anne then shared a link to a YouTube video of herself tatting with this yarn. Now I really must find some Trapilho yarn.

Exploring my drawing program

I'm really impressed with EazyDraw. My efforts to create patterns with it so far have barely scratched the surface of its capabilities. In fact, I've done things the hard way more than once. The tips from the online design class got me so excited about the possibilities that I printed the user manual and started reading. It is easy to read and written for the layman. When it told me what options I had for exporting a drawing, it explained how the formats differ. Perhaps I should type a disclaimer here that I have no affiliation with the company! I know I sound like a commercial. I'll go read my user manual now. I'll see some of you in class tomorrow evening.

Have you missed me?

I have certainly missed all of you. I've been busy settling into the job I accepted in September and loving every minute of it. Of course, that has meant less time for tatting and keeping up with all of you. Most of my sales have been outside Etsy. I've listed the items I've restocked. Since I have less time available now, I'm listing after I tat them up.

The new tatting design online class is wonderful! It was just what I needed to help me make some progress with EazyDraw and it has sparked my creativity as well. This past Tuesday evening was my first time to get to join the fun, but I read the logs from the first two sessions and started the homework. My latest update of EazyDraw came with a few tutorials which are also proving helpful.

Reading your tatting blogs is also an inspiration to me. I'm sorry there are no pictures in my blog today other than the Etsy listings. It is almost time for the big family get-together!

Tatting for myself

I entered the weekend with no orders to fill so I decided to tat for myself. I began with one of the "Wanda" bracelets in black with gray, marbled beads. Then I needed a pair of earrings to match so I needed a new design! I then worked up some earrings by another design I created a few weeks ago that combines some ideas from "Starry Night" and "River Dancers." There is yet another new pair of earring jackets, too, but you probably won't see them until after Christmas. Here is a picture of my new bracelet and earrings.

Kidney wire pumpkin earrings for Halloween

I've been busy creating my own pumpkin patch! One of my customers ordered 13 pairs of pumpkin earrings. She picked them up this morning and delivered them to her coworkers today. I found some 3/4" kidney wires in sterling silver and some in nickel free gold colored plating so she was able to take a variety to meet individual needs. I hear they were a big hit. She sent me some sweet text messages from some of the recipients. While I tat for my own pleasure, it brings me a great deal of joy to have it wind up in the hands of people who appreciate it. 

The deadline for ordering these is October 15 as I want to be sure that everyone has their earrings before Halloween. 

Have a great week, everyone!

More bracelets

I've been busy producing more "Sarah's Sparkling Glamour" earring jackets and "Wanda" bracelets to fill orders. I am having such a great time with these bracelets, playing with a variety of colors of thread and beads. The bracelet pictures have been posted with the listing on Etsy, but I'll put them here as well. I hope you enjoy them. I got to choose from my collection of buttons for the two in the lower picture.

I started a new job last week, too. I'm helping college students prepare for the job market and recruiting non-profit organizations to partner with the university to provide internships for our students--a great benefit to both the organization and the students. I love what I'm doing. I feel so blessed. I have a people intense job that is very rewarding and a work-by-yourself business that seems to revitalize me in ways it is hard to explain to someone who does not have that desire to create.

I may not get to post more than once or twice a week, but know that I'm thinking of all of you and eager to come back and see what you have been doing.

Inverted Tatting Practice

The Online Tatting Class starts its fall series next week. The first session is going to use inverted tatting. I first learned about this technique in To de Haan-van Beek's book, New Dimensions in Tatting. My husband has requested a design for a Christmas ornament that I think needs this technique. As you can see, I've been practicing. It is really quite fun and easy. I hope I'll see some of you in class next week. I hope to make the evening session.

Custom Tatting

I'm working on a few orders this week - all bracelets at the moment. The first of these are some Sport Your Colors Bracelets for a small wrist. All of her favorite colors will be paired with black which is the staple in her wardrobe. Nice idea! Red and black is finished. Now to get the others done.

Another bracelet - Wanda

I finished the design, the test-tatting and got my first one ready for delivery. The customer loves it--says it is just what she had in mind, which is always great to hear. I already have orders for two more which is also nice. The thread in the one pictured here is Lizbeth Harvest Orange Medium and the beads are in shades of brown.

Sorry, no pictures today.

I spent a few hours yesterday trying to put things in order in my new work area and spent the rest of the day working on drawings for a new bracelet. My customer selected the thread and the beads and gave me a general idea of what she wants. I finally settled on something this morning. I'm about to begin the tatting and, if it works up as I hope, I'll send off some pictures to get the design approved. Maybe I'll have a bracelet to show you tomorrow.

All healed & River Dancers bracelet in Purple

It was hard to keep my hands off my threads for a week, but I knew my fingers would heal faster if I did so. So I played foreman to my family crew as they moved furniture around to get my workroom set up for me. I managed to get a work area established so I can get right to work on the four orders I've received for the multi-colored earring jackets. It will take me weeks to get everything organized like I want it in the two rooms I wrecked in order to make my space, but I'm already loving it.

Here is the purple River Dancers bracelet I finished just before I hurt my hand. The color of the coordinating earring in the picture is closer to the color of the purple (Flora 215). The flash makes the bracelet look a bit too red. Flora calls the color Dark Purple.

Injured Fingers

I have another bracelet finished with the River Dancers pattern, but no pictures yet. I'm taking a break from tatting for a few days to let my fingers heal. There is a routine to how I bring the dog in from the dog pen at night. He just unexpectedly veered from the routine when my back was turned. He lunged after something (I never saw what) and I didn't get my fingers out of the leash quick enough to prevent a bad rope burn across 4 fingertips. It was every bit as painful as the microwave steam burn I received a few years ago. I paced the floor with my fingers in a bowl of cold water waiting for the pain relievers to kick in. I am amazed, though, at how quickly it is healing. I may be able to tat tomorrow or Saturday.

Meanwhile, I've been working on plans for some major rearrangement of furniture. My sewing and tatting supplies have been gradually spreading out over two rooms this summer as my work area is central to the two-room area. All other users have agreed to let me have the smaller of the two rooms as my own. So I've been measuring the spaces and pieces and sorting things for storage, trash, give-away, etc. DH is off Monday so I hope to get it all set up like I want it then.

Amazing Discovery!

Okay, well it is amazing to me and I stumbled upon it by accident. If you've read the listings at my Etsy shop, you know that when my cuff bracelets get a little stretched, I pour hot water over them to tighten them up again, then lay them out to dry. Well, being a bit impatient with the drying process and determined to wear my bracelet, I put it on while still damp. It was like having an air conditioner on my wrist! Why didn't I discover this earlier in the summer?! However, since the heat wave continues, I plan to wear matching cuff bracelets spritzed with water, maybe even scented water, for the duration of this weather. Here is the latest one I listed at Etsy today. Oh, and I got the beaded one listed, too, calling it River Dancers. Thanks for your help in naming it.