A Needlecraft Goodie for My Friends

I won't have the opportunity to write in this, as far as I know, from June 2 - 9th. I also hate the idea that so many of my friends will not be able to go to Palmettos, so I thought I'd leave them with a challenging and unusual pattern.

This collar is comes from the February, 1914 issue of Needlecraft. I'm dying to try it, in colors, but it's going to be awhile before I have time. I finished copying the instructions last night and today I proofed it to make sure it's the same was the magazine. I tried to break it up so that the rings and chains are on separate lines to make it a little easier to follow. I noticed while proofing, that this pattern utilizes purl tatting, although it's not called that. I think you'll have to read the pattern through a few times to get the gist of it and you'll be on your own figuring out how it all goes together. The directions do tell you where to join, but you'll have to anticipate each part yourself.

I just love old patterns! I'm trying to imagine this made up in a rose for the roses, green for the fernleafs and bright colors for the flutters. I invite anyone who chooses to take up the challenge to send me a scan of their completed item and I'll feature it here. I would also like to see these motifs used in other ways. Would this make an edging on a mat? A placemant or rectangular doily? Anything!

Have fun!





A new and very pretty collar, of rose-and-fernleaf pattern, with also the butterfly border, is presented. Commencing with the fernleaf motif,
make a ring of 8 ds, p, 8 ds, clr;
make a chain of 6 ds, p, (2 ds, p) twice, 1 ds, j to p of ring, 1 ds, p, (2 ds,p) twice, 6 ds, j to base of ring;
make 2 more double leaves in the same way, joining last chain by side p to preceding ch, so the fern will curve slightly at the tip.

This gives you a cloverleaf, in effect, the tip and two side “fronds” of the fern. If preferred the double leaf need not be joined; simply make the r of 17 ds and surround it with 6 ds, p, (2 ds, p) 6 times, 6 ds. All double leaves are made in like manner, varying in size only. The stem may be a plain chain, but in the model is a double chain, made with three threads. [purl tatting] Join in the 3rd thread at base of the cloverleaf, hold it straight, as you do the thread in making a chain, winding around third or little finger, make a ds on it with one shuttle, then with the other, on the other side. It is very easy to do, once the “knack” is caught, and forms a very pretty and durable stem or cord. If picots are put in at regular intervals it very much resembles the featheredge braid and may be used in the same way. (Made) of coarse thread or cord, it makes a firm drawstring for shopping bags or other uses.

Make the stem of 4 ds (8, if counted on both sides),
R of 18 ds (or 9ds, p, 9ds, if you join at the top) surrounded by 6 ds, p (2 ds, p) 8 times, 6 ds; make the same opposite,
then a stem of 5 ds (counting one side only),
R of 20 ds, surrounded by 7 ds (joined always to side picot last made) p, (2 ds, p) 8 times, 7 ds.

Make the double leaf or frond opposite, thus having seven in all,
then a stem of 11 ds, p, (3 ds,p) 3 times, 13 ds; fasten off the 3rd thread.
R of (4 ds,p) 5 times, 4 ds, close; ch 4 ds, fasten in 1st p, a double ring like the last 2 of the fern, 4 ds, fasten in the next p, repeat until you have the 5 petals of leaflets, 4 ds, join at base of ring and fasten off. Join to fern by middle picots of 2 surrounding chains.

Make a 2 d fern in the same manner as the 1st, joining to the rose as on the other side and finished with a stem of 7 ds (counting on the outer side only), picot, (3 ds, p) twice, 6 ds and j to previous long stem in 7th ds below the rose. Fasten off.

Seven of these motifs (the rose with fern on each side) are required for the collar. Join the ferns by middle picot of 1st chain from the base.

For the butterfly:
Commence with a ring of 5 ds, (p, 5 ds) 3 times, clr;
Ch of 6 ds, (p, 6 ds) 3 times, fasten again at base of ring;
R of 4 ds, p, (3 ds, p) 4 times, 9 ds, clr.
Ch of 6 ds, fasten in side p of looped chain (last made), 6 ds, fasten to side p of ring, 6 ds, p, 6 ds,
R of 11 ds, p, 11 ds, clr
Ch (6 ds, p) twice, 6 ds, j to p of ring last made, (6 ds, p) twice, 6 ds, join to side p (opposite first joining) of 2nd ring back, 7 ds, j at base of same ring; 5 ds, j to side p of 1st ring made,
R of 10 ds, p, 10 ds, p, 5 ds, j over p which connects last p of long chain (forming wing) to 2nd of 1st 3 rings made, 6 ds, j to next p of long chain above, 3 ds, p, 3 ds, j to p of last ring made, (3 ds, p) 3 times, 6 ds, j at base of ring, 5 ds, j to middle p of center ring.

Make the other side, large and small wing, in exactly the same way. For the other edge , fasten in the middle p of looped chain, and for head of butterfly make a r of 9 ds, long p, 4 ds, long p, 9 ds, clr.
Chain of 5 ds, j to same p of ring with the long chain of wing, (1 ds, p) 7 times, forming a picot-chain, fasten to next p of wing picot-chain, fasten at base of upper ring, picot-chain, fasten in next picot of wing chain, chain of 13 p, separated by 1 ch, fasten in next p, then a short ch as before (of 7 p) joined at top of same upper ring, where 2 sections of long chain are joined, (picot-chain, fasten in next picot) twice, the last p being that which connects large and small wing; now a ch of 3 ds, p , 3 ds;
R of 4 ds, j to next p of small wing, 4 ds, clr
Ch of 3 ds, p, (2 ds, p) twice, 3 ds, another tiny ring, joined to next p,
Repeat until you have 5 rings, make a chain as before, join to p of center ring (first made), and repeat around the other side, ending with chain of 5ds, joined at base of ring which forms the head of butterfly. Fasten off neatly and securely.

Seven butterflies are required, each joined by middle picot of short picot-chain next the tip of the wing to the middle picot at tip of the fern each side. The space between butterflies is filled by a rose, like those described but without stem.
Make the center ring of 2 ds, p, (4 ds, p) 4 times, 2 ds, clr.; this makes the petals equidistant.
Chain of 2 ds, fasten in 1st picot, and proceed as directed ending with 2 ds, joined at base of ring. Join a rose to middle p of tip of wing, by middle p of double petal each side, leaving two free petals below and one above.

For the upper edge: Make a double ring as directed for tip of fern, joining by 3rd p to side p of lower outer “frond” of the fern; join in the 3rd thread, make 3 ds, (as directed for stem), counting only on one side, , join to p of stem next below fern (3 ds, p, 3 ds, j to next p of stem) 5 times, 3 ds, make a ring as before, joining between the two ferns, 3 ds (again using the 3rd thread), and repeat, ending with the double ring, joined as directed; turn.

Using the 3rd thread, make a ch of 14 ds, j to p of last row, 7 ds, j to next p, and repeat, increasing length of chain by a knot of two if require. Along upper edge make p separated by 7 ds, and join last chain at base of ring at other end of collar.

Make a chain of 7 ds, then drop 3rd thread; *chain of 6 ds, p, 6ds
Ring of 11 ds, j to p of last row, 11 ds, clr
Repeat the length, ending row as begun.

Still using 3rd thread, ch 7 ds, fasten; repeat across and fasten off.

Tatted Frog Closure 1

I ended up tatting last night after all! After I made my blog entry, I wasn't ready to sleep so I went in and tatted this frog closure. It came from Needlecraft, February 1920. There are 3 patterns and this is the first one. I used size 30 Coats & Clark that I picked up at St. Vincent DePaul's once. I haven't seen any size 30 around here.

The first pic shows the frog unfastened and the second one shows it fastened. The directions follow. You should be able to highlight, copy and paste onto a word document if you want to use the pattern.

I've also been pulling my stuff together to take with me to South Carolina. Maybe I should rent a traincar?

Tornadoes all around this evening, a touchdown about 6 miles from me but so far it appears to only be property damage. Am waiting to hear that my son & DIL and grandson made it home okay. They were returning from a Florida vacation and I know they were near Clinton County when the tornado warning was in effect then.....unless they stopped off somewhere. I had to leave a message on their cell phone. I'm sure all is well.......just waiting for everyone to "report in".



Tatted Frog Closure
Needlecraft, February 1920

Make a ring of 3 ds, p, (2 ds, p) 4 times, 3 ds, clr, RW
Chain 2 ds, p, 2 ds, RW
R 3 ds, j to last p of prior r, (2 ds, p) 4 times, 3 ds, clr, RW
Repeat rings and chains alternately until you have 7 rings and 6 chains
Chain 8 ds, p, 3 ds
Ring 3 ds, p, 3 ds, clr
Ch 4 ds
R 10 ds, clr
Ch 4 ds
R 3 ds, p, 3 ds, clr
Ch 3 ds,J to p opposite ch, 8 ds, j at base of 1st of 7 rings and fasten off.

Make the other half of frog in the same way, except that the loop is made of 36 ds instead of 10 ds, as on the button side.

Sew to garment. Sew a pearl button through the small loop of 10 ds, and over this slip the large loop on the buttonhole side.

I still did not get to tat today. The fellow doing my closets was here all afternoon working on them. I need to get doorknobs and they are done! Well, except for painting and I'll do that later in the month. I spent a few hours mowing while he did that and then came in and did laundry, which I'm still working on, and a lot of cleaning and sorting in the kitchen. And I made out my bills for the month so that chore is done.

Then this evening, I met with a group online so that tied me up for awhile, but then as the conversation went along other lines, I dug up all my filled shuttles (well, not all of them) and emptied them of thread so I will have shuttles for LACE DAY! I now have 20 clovers waiting to work for me. I also spent some time transcribing the Butterfly collar from a 1914 Needlecraft magazine. I'm still not done, but I think there are only 2 more short paragraphs and then I will need to proof it. It's a little confusing since it's concluded on another page and there, the paragraphs are numbered. Ah well...........I'll post it here when I've finished and tested it.

For now, I need a break from the computer.

Babies and Ebay

My great-nephew arrived yesterday morning on my mother's birthday. He weighed 8# 3 ozs. and is 21 inches long with blonde hair. He is such a beautiful baby! I held him last night. VBG!

I was just surfing on ebay. There are some quite large doilies being offered at ridiculously low prices. I also saw a couple of tatted necklace/earring sets with starting bids of $4.95 which is insanely low. It's too little for the earrings alone, to say nothing of the necklace. This is a very nice design too, that took some time and care to finish.

I started this earlier today and never got around to finishing. Spent 5 hours after work painting with my lace group.........we got the room in the community center done and it looks GOOD! Walked out of there at 10:15 p.m.

Not a bit of tatting done in the last few days and while I have stuff I want to do outside tomorrow, weather permitting, I mean to get some tattin' done!

I was surfing Needle Tatting Two today and was reminded again what a wonderful resource this is for needle tatters. I prefer the shuttle myself, but I have done a little needle tatting and it's a very good way to start the learning process if you want to tat. Roger has a huge collection of patterns and techniques on this site and I would recommend it to anyone.

I finished up the edging for the bag during session breaks at the conference yesterday. I tatted a celtic circle from Rozella's website. I haven't gotten it to the shape I really want yet, but I'll applique those to the flaps if I can get them to work out. I found a celtic star on above Needle Tatting Two site that might work too. It has to be very small.........I might just tat a small simple motif.



Got my class schedule tonight! Good thing, since I couldn't remember what I chose.
Session 1
Ruth (S)
Session 2
Nina (S)
Session 3
Jane (S)
Session 4
Karey (S)

BTW, got word about an hour ago that my niece is on her way to the hospital after her water broke. Looks like her baby will be born on my mom's birthday, which we were all kind of hoping for anyway!

Another UFO!



I found this celtic bracelet I started in my 1st trip to Ireland in 2000. It's a pattern from Jane Eborall. I'm not sure I know where the threads are now. They got separated from the bracelet. What a challenge! I had 4 shuttles going, each pair with a blending filament too. The scan doesn't show how aparkly it is.......if I ever finish it, it will be beeeeeooooootiful! My tatting is different from what it was 4 years ago though. The other half may be noticebly different.......providing I can find the threads I was using. I think back then I used a lot of Guttermann top-stitch and heavy duty thread.

I made a miniature Dorset Bag last night. The original calls for a 20" square but I used a 8" square. It ends up being about 3 1/2". I still need to embellish it, but I think this is my practice one, so I may save the embellishments for the real one. It's the perfect size to hold a shuttle and a size 70/80 ball of thread. More than one.....because you have the outside pockets as well as the inside. Many thanks to Joy from Oz for the instructions!

Whoo-Hoo! LOOK who's signed up for Palmettos already.....77 so far!

And look at the stuff to do! That is so kind of them to list all these activities and how far away they are. Cool!

Okay, maybe I'll enter a competition........but only if I'm not running myself ragged to do it. I have one week to prepare.



Ummmmmmm....yeah, I said I was too busy to try anything new...........but, I found this book on my bookshelf while looking for something else last night and remembered I hadn't tried anything from it yet. I'm at a point on my other project where I have to sew before I can add the tatting so I needed a project to take to work with me because I wasn't planning on going anywhere at lunch. I grabbed a ball or two of Altin Basik size 50 variegated and the book, Tatting Over a Cabone Ring by Sadie Allison, as well as a package of plastic cabone rings - we call them curtain rings, and stuffed them in my tatting bag.

After eating my McDonald's California Cobb salad and a brief meditation, I pulled out the book and got started. I picked a single shuttle pattern, which is a group A pattern, but group B patterns use 2 shuttles and Group C patterns use 4 shuttles.....clearly a challenge! If you know split chains, getting the thread on the ring is easy and if you don't, as the book says, it's excellent practice to learn the method of how the stitches are wrapped. I do know split chains so that part was easy and the rest was too......just rings with picots! The long picot becomes a double picot so you have 2 techniques to play with in this pattern. I made the 1st long picot 1/2" as it said, but it wasn't long enough to loop nicely so I made the rest more like 3/4" long. I'll use the too short one as the place to put a hanger.

It occurred to me while finishing this up tonight that these would be the perfect size for tatted ornaments for the Christmas tree our lace group will decorate and donate as a fundraiser for some group at Christmas. The rings included in the book are 3/4" but I had purchased a package of 5/8" rings and they were a bit skinnier too.

These would make charming fan pulls too. I'm getting all kinds of ideas for using them! There are 40 designs in the book so it will take awhile to try them out. I'm thinking metallic thread now too.....or glow in the dark????

Additionally........Charlotte in my lace group gave me a little bag that has a metal ring over it to hold it closed......you could do the same thing with the plastic ring, using a big one, with the tatting on it.....would be appropriate for a tatting bag too. The one Charlotte gave me has tatting on the trim. Guess I could show it here, huh?



Oh wow, I'm getting sleepy........all that heat and humidity we've been having is doing a number on me.

Ahem.....another Un-Finished Object I came across. I started this name doily for my boss when she helped me make my current position happen. Fortunately, she doesn't know about it. I'm so embarrassed.

I still want to finish it and frame it. I have high regard for her and would still like to give this to her. 4 more letters......just gotta find which book I was using for the letters.

I really enjoyed name doilies though I've not made very many so far. Tatting kind of got in the way. And here's my latest watercolor........it will never be a favorite but I learned a few things from it and it was good practice.



I also remembered today that I want to try tatting with the gradual change in color by using more than one thread and progressively changing one thread each round. Might be a good way to use some embroidery thread. I'd like to figure out how to put UFO's and future projects in a sidebar. Well....I know how, just need to do it.

The bobbins arrived from Joy in Victoria, Australia! Thank you so much Joy, I love them!

I started another motif on my doily during lunch today. Other than that, I've not gotten much done.

I got my instructions out tonight for Joy's Dorset Bag ( a different Joy) and have been trying to figure it out. I meant to make one a long time ago and still haven't gotten around to it. I think it's going to have to wait though. Too much going on right now.

I was up exceptionally early this morning so I think I'm going to have an early night for a change.

I managed to make it to the Credit Union and get some softener salt before noon today, in spite of not getting up until after 11:00 a.m. I intended to sleep in, but not that long! Guess I needed it.

Then I hit a few garage sales even though it was late and cool out. I still got some deals!




I collect small silver pitchers like the one above. They are usually used in restaurants for hot tea water or syrup. This one is nickel silver and the base is part of the pitcher which makes it unusual. Then I couldn't pass up the porcelein plate. Maybe I'll get around to tatting an Ice Crystals doily myself and can put it in the plate! She had $3 on it and took $2. I know they are quite a bit more in the store. I got 3 linens for $.50. I have quite a collection - I intend to make little bags or pouches out of most that I have. The ceremic frame just appealed to me with the dragonfly. I thought I could tat a dragonfly and put it in there. I also got some wooden craft pieces to paint on, a flower drying kit that hadn't been used, several books, sunglasses, a flamingo bird cup (family joke), a tablecloth, gold Christmas balls, a wood bead belt, and some other stuff I don't remember now. One place sold paper grocery bags for $1 and you filled it. That's where I got quite a bit! I spent less than $15.00.



Finished the baby storybook tonight. I knew the pages would be difficult to stitch neatly on the sewing machine, but it worked out okay. All I need to do is write the babe's name and who it's from. I think it is Carter, but I need to check for sure.

Here are the strivers I received from Mark today in our striver exchange. Mark used beads from "reclaimed" antique jewelry. These will come in handy on my rose garden doily. I've been using a tiny barrette to mark the direction I'm going in. It's gotten big enough and bulky enough that it's fairly easy to get confused.



And sweetie that he is, Mark also sent me 2 bobbins to start off my lace bobbin collection! Bette, my bobbinlace mentor, is designing a pattern from my teacup cookie cutter to do my first real BL project! I'll be sure to use Mark's and the ones I'm getting from Joy for that 1st project.

I get to sleep in tomorrow and I'm soooooooooooo glad! Not only have the last few weeks been busy and hectic, it's not going to change much before I go to Palmetto's. I've got my map and schedule printed out, but that's it. I hope to spend some time this weekend sorting out what I want to take. I wasn't planning to enter anything in the competitions. I have too many projects to work on as it is. However I will take pen and paper so I can write down all the great inspiration I'll get while there. I love seeing the work of other tatters.

The other night I tried to start a project from a Japanese book. It was a little bag..... only I realized I couldn't read how many repeats and the pic doesn't show. I can guess.....but I also can't see the bottom and I don't know what they've done there. I might take the book to my Chinese art teacher and see if she knows the what the characters mean. I only need a few translations. LOL!

I also mean to sew this weekend. I saw my pregnant niece today during lunch. I want to finish the storybook. Still need to frame my daughter's elephant. Still working on documenting the bonnet. I'd like to get those 3 projects done this weekend.

And plant my garden, if it dries out enough.






Another bonus.....Mark's card appeared to be his own artwork!

Making progress! 9 more motifs to go. It completely covers my scanner now.

Yep, my first foray into bobbinlacing. I popped into Bette's office yesterday with the bag of bobbins to see if she could possibly identify the owner from the bag. It's unknown still. She sent me on my way with instructions to wind a yard or two on the bobbins and with a copy of Bobbin Lacemaking by Rosemary Shepherd. It was late last night when I got around to winding the bobbins - way more time consuming than filling a tatting shuttle! And I only read a page or two of the beginning of the book. We started early at our lace meeting this morning - well, the usual 9:00 a.m., but it was a business meeting first so we had lots to dispense with. The rest of the gang was working on some kind of star with Chris mentoring. Bette got me started with the cross and twist and then we got the pillow set up for the sampler pattern in the book. Ah, checking the newsletter...........it was a workshop on the Torchon Star from Weifst Du wieviel Sternlein stehen? Me, I was just as happy to be doing the "learner" stitches. LOL!

hmmmmmmm............I didn't find out how to end or to add a new thread.



My Rose Garden doily so far. I hope to get the last motif in this round done tonight. Twelve more after that! It actually takes a bit more thread for the chains than the rings in this motif. Very close to the rings though.

I really need another day this weekend!

Last night I finished another motif on my Rose Garden doily. There are now 4 complete around the center one. Two more for this round and then I start the outer round. I measured the thread yesterday and discovered right around 4 yards on the shuttle will do the motif, so I can quit overloading the shuttle. Still not sure on time. I started that motif during lunch, spent about 20 minutes at it and then finished it last night in about a half hour. Both sessions involved unknotting something and winding a shuttle and untatting, so clearly, tatting from beginning to end of motif is less than an hour. Now that I'm started on it, I want to stay with it, but I have to set it aside and finish up the storybook tonight. Also, one of my lace guild friends loaned me book on bobbinlace to get me started before we meet tomorrow. I didn't have time to look at it last night, but tonight I have to wind the bobbins, at least.

LOL! I’ve been surfing Wally’s website. I found a cute little thing to check out what your past life is. This one is for kicks and giggles but it’s something I’ve done seriously in the past. I found it helpful in understanding and making sense of this life, but at this point, I’m more focused in the moment, as the moment I’m living now is the important one. Still, there are numerous references from dreams and regression that I’ve been involved in needlecrafts for centuries. LOL! Which is a good thing because there is no way I’m going to be able to do all the things I want to do in this lifetime.

I know this is contrary to some people’s beliefs and I honor those, but I’ve found peace with my beliefs and they serve me well. For those who are interested, years ago, when I first started quilting, I dreamt of quilts repeatedly. In one dream, I was shown numerous quilts/coverlets I had made in that lifetime and the one I remember the best was all white with elaborate quilting in a floral design. I also understood the metaphor from other dreams - the lifetimes as pieces of a quilt making up the fabric of our being. Everchanging, sometimes beautiful, sometimes utilitarian, sometimes an instructional “sampler”. I did the same thing when I started tatting, seeing piece after piece of work that had been familiar to me at one time, understanding how adding a thread here and a color there changes the whole outcome.

Well, ‘nuff of that.

Then there is the gift registry for tatters – linked from Wally’s site, but it’s Bina’s website. What a super idea! I was going to register and then realized I needed a wish list already made out before I do that. LOL! That might take some studying. Can you register a wish for “organization” or “more time”?

Last night I also remembered the Dorcas baby bonnet that I recreated from a photo Georgia gave me and that I haven't documented yet. I want to get that done before I go to Palmettos too so I can give it to her. How did I ever get so far behind?

I spent a little time at lunch working on the UFO. Still didn't finish the 4th motif, but it is in progress and currently attached to the other 3 and I remember the routine now. I also figured out how I had planned the colors of the rosettes. If I remember right, it takes me a little over an hour to do the background on one rosette. I don't have the booklet with me but the fair is the week of July 21st. I have 11 weeks and 15 motifs to go.

At the time, the colors looked really good together, but I have to admit, they go with absolutely nothing in my house. Guess it will be another give-away.

I had this noted a long time ago, but never got around to posting it. The other Gina B., Gina Butler, has 2 patterns on her website, a wedding garter (June is the month of weddings) and a tatted headband, in pdf format to boot.

I've been randomly checking my bookmarks/favorites. I really wish websites were updated more often. Anyway, here is a favorite of mine, fabric origami. I noticed they no longer have the folds on there. They used to have folds for every box they pictured and there were even more than what is there now. I hope I printed it out at the time, though I don't think so because there were so many. I believe it is a business now. I still haven't tried it but it looks like fun! The process for preparing the fabric is still there.

Here are some envelope and letter folds which would make nice packaging too. Oh, some paper dolls to color and cut out, based on British tv shows, so they characters are not familiar to me, but looks like fun anyway. Okay..........so use the origami fabric stiffening process for the clothes and then use your tat boo-boos to embellish them!

Looked at some of my quilt sites. Some are there, many are gone. Might have to go a googling!

Finally! Something from the black hole emerges! I've been searching for stuff that falls into that black hole of unknown origin all night. This is the UFO I've been meaning to work on but I couldn't find it. It's the Rose Garden Doily from The Big Book of Tatting published by White House of Birches. I had been looking for some watercolor instructions for a coworker and didn't find exactly what I was looking for. Then I was looking for a document a friend sent me a few years ago and who now needs a copy. Absolutely can't find it and I KNOW I had it. And I was thinking of all this missing stuff while I was in the basement and thought I'd look for the box of watercolor pencils that is also missing real quick...............only to come across the missing tatting! So I quit while I was ahead! LOL! Actually, my dinner was cooking (yeah, I'm just now eating) and I still need to look through a few more magazines for the watercolor instructions. The pencils and document will have to wait for another time.




During Lace Day in March, I bought a little booklet off of Georgia, a xeroxed copy of "Self-Instruction in Tatting" by Eloise King. I think it was only $1 which barely covers copying. During lunch I was looking for a way to empty more shuttles and test something simple at the same time and I saw this little edging that looked interesting, on page 6 if you have a copy yourself. The tricky part is to leave enough space between the 2 ring pairs so that when it's done, you don't have to s-t-r-e-t-c-h it out to fit. The directions say to leave a little more than 1/2", depending on "fineness" of thread. Hell, I'm not even sure what size thread was on the shuttle! LOL! When I look at it now though, I don't think the space I left is even 1/2" so I need to be a bit more generous if I try it again. I suspect this edging would look best if you crocheted over the single thread edge while attaching it to the article.

Guess I won't sew the storybook tonight. Too late to start now. Tomorrow night is painting. Thursday is Scrapbooking. sigh.........................It's no wonder I'm ready to hibernate by Fridays.

Just a last minute quickie post before I go to bed - or it would be if I had a higher speed connection.
This is the Patchwork motif from Mary Konior's Tatting with Visual Patterns. I was trying to empty some shuttles during my lunch hour and this one looked interesting. I like the way the colors complemented each other. I might have to make more. The brighter, darker blue is the one I used on the body of the snail and it's Altin Basak. This particular color is white underneath, meaning a poor dye job. The other balls aren't like that. I've heard of this with this brand but this is the only ball of thread I've noticed it on myself.

I sewed the last of the critters down this evening and will start sewing the storybook tomorrow night. Too bad I can't take my sewing machine to work. Actually, a lady I used to work with did that. LOL! She was the attendent in the parking garage and she brought her little machine and set it up inside the booth and stitched away!

I've been asked to find an edging and/or insertion suitable for lingerie.....to put in a newsletter so that means checking out the old Needlecrafts to avoid copyright issues.

Got the May issue of Anna today. I was mildly disappointed. I always expect something spectacular in the tatting course and the course part usually is not, because it's for learning tatters. It has a nice doily and there is a sampler which is a great way to practice and then display technique. I think I would use something more complicated and eyecatching for motifs but it's a good beginner piece. There are also 2 bags with tatted motifs on them. The pattern for the bag is included in the pattern section.

Well, off to bed. Up early for another day of work.

Last night I tatted the Swan pattern by Lindsay Rogers and I couldn't believe how fast it went! I had the big swan done in less than an hour although I didn't check the time when I started. I did for the smaller swan and it took me 20 minutes, including hiding ends. Not much thread involved either. I had nearly filled my shuttle and got both of these done plus there is enough left for at least one more small swan, maybe two. These swans are for the great-nephew's storybook (ultrasound said boy) but I'm thinking how these would look with silk ribbon embroidery. Pretty!



Here is a frog I'm going to add to one of the pages. This pattern came from Jane Eborall's site. She has dozens of patterns and her diagrams and instructions are wonderful. The frog had a kind of tricky thing with the eye beads but it worked out easily. I've debated on whether to include bead eyes or not. In the end, there are only a few animals with bead eyes and they are tiny. I wouldn't expect this book to be handled much by the baby. It's more heirloom in nature, meant to be looked at, read by mom and dad, and by the time the child is big enough to handle it, he should be moving on the regular kind of storybooks.

I've been having far more fun with this than I expected and the idea came to me yesterday that I would love to make up a book of blocks from tatters around the world with their own tatting on each block relevant to them or their country, either an animal they especially like or that is a symbol of their area. I think a 9" block of fabric would accommodate most designs and allow room for seams and finishing. If you are interested in contributing, email me at ginab6 at yahoo.com. Take out the spaces and substitute @ for at. Or click on "email tatting goddess" over there in the right handed column.

Now, I've got a lot to do today. Moving my bedroom around and I hope to work on the sewing part of the story book too.

I forgot to post the amount of thread I used for the snail!

Body
ring shuttle = 3 yards
chain shuttle = 3 yards

Shell
ring shuttle = 5 yards
chain shuttle = 4 yards (should add just a little more though I had enough)

The snail is from Tatted Animals by Inga Madsen. He's blocking now.

I got smart with this one, realizing I will probably want to tat some of these critters again, and measured my thread. I used Altin Basak size 50, which is a cross between 20 and 30 for most people. Maybe we should call it 20 1/2? I don't tat tightly or loosely either one, so the measurements should be a good base point. I wouldn't really go with any less if I was a tight tatter because I had very very little thread left over and you always want a little extra, in case you have to cut out a mistake. What I measured onto the shuttles worked out fine although I was beginning to wonder with shell part. I think I switched shuttles near the latter part to make sure I had enough for rings, but I'm not sure I didn't switch shuttles at some earlier point. There are a couple of places where you made a ring on a chain. Gosh, it's been several days now.........I made the chain ds to the point where the ring was to be, and then used the chain shuttle to make the ring. I think I looked at directions for the self-closing mock ring too when I was trying to decide what to do. The diagram shows a "switch shuttles" symbol. If you've been tatting awhile, you can figure it out but if you are a new tatter, the diagram will be a challenge. It's clear, but you have to know the various techniques to understand. When in doubt, read the directions!

I just saw in the front of the book where she gives those techniques.

I need two more animals for the storybook. I'm going to do the swan from an online source - don't have the link handy at the moment, but when I post it, I will. The other page will be butterflies and flowers I've already tatted. I thought I would have it done by now, but it's been a busy week. Someone said I should enter it into the county fair but I would rather make a new one to do that with....next year. This one goes to my niece and I don't want to ask her for it back. Besides, there are changes I would make now.

I might have the opportunity to learn some bobbin lace next weekend at our Lace guild meeting. I'm the community projects person for the group and someone from the Historical Society emailed and said they had a pillow in their storage closet...........was it ours? A quick email to the group brings up the assumption that it's a demo pillow that got left behind at some point, so I picked it up and will bring it to the meeting. The prez of the group has graciously offered to teach me on it if I like. If I like it (and I know I will) that means I'll have to get my own pillow eventually. LOL! I've been trying real hard NOT to get involved in another lacecraft but I can't pass this offer up.

On another note, I had an email from someone who lives in Oregon now but is from my area. She is a fairly new tatter.............the craft that binds us together no matter where we live.

I'm registered for the Palmettos Lace Day in June and wow! I had a hard time picking classes and sure hope I still want to take those same ones when I get there. This is going to be great fun! I'm going to be there the day or so before and a day or two after. I haven't had time to work out all the details yet.

I just played around in painting class this week with washes. One ended up being a sort of landscape, which I have no intention of finishing and the other is definitely unfinished, but a fun play with color. The instructor suggested I enter the teacup in the showing at Payless during May. I think I'd rather do a new one.

Time to close for now.