I changed my mind about showing this. I am so pleased with how it turned out. The recipient has no idea that they are getting anything from me anyway. I'm also tickled because I found my box of rocks last night too! That means I can make MORE! Most of the rocks I had just sitting around were too big or too small.

This is the front. I didn't realize when I showed the last post that it already fit over the stone. I painted the stone in a clear glitter acrylic because the rock itself wasn't all that pretty. I tend to pick up my rocks when they are wet and the color and pattern always show up more, so by putting a coat of varnish or clear sealer on it, it has the same effect as when it is wet. Except for the glitter.

Anyway, every time I put a coat on, it took awhile to dry so I had to wait to test the crochet part on the rock. I was able to use a little needle lace here too, so the rock is actually covered in multimedia lace. Tatting, crochet and needle lace. I guess I should say multi-technique lace.

The tatting is done is size 50 DMC cordonnet special and the crochet part is done in size 20 Aida. The needle lace was also done with the Aida since it was simply a continuation of the same thread.

I thought as I finished tatting this motif that I had done it before. Now that it is blocked, it is not the one I was thinking of. Or maybe I did. Ooooooh...is it bad when you can't remember if you've tatted something before or not? I'm not crazy about it but it does make a nice bookmark, a bit more masculine than some and it would make a nice mat with several of the same joined together.

It's motif #11 in this book which is still available at The Tatting Corner for $8.00 plus shipping. You might find it elsewhere but I know it's here. It's an older publication so it's all text, no diagrams, and the photos are black and white. I like to dream that some day I'll have time to simplify the text into short form notation and diagram each pattern for myself. It's well worth it for the 47 patterns inside.

DREAMS are free.

Yay! My son is home and he read my mind...he's bringing up the tree parts and decorations!

Inspiration

Where do you get your inspiration? I know I've asked this before and I'm not looking for an answer so much as prompting you to think.

I followed a link on Craftzine the other day and found this handmade doily.

Not your ordinary doily! I can't see what she is using as a hook but this is super-sized crochet! The rug will be featured in a book, Crafting a Meaningful Home, and you can learn more about it at ladiesandgentlemenstudio.com

So why wouldn't you do this in tatting? Shuttle issues, for one thing. How would you make a ring? How wide can you spread your fingers for something this gigantic? I think a doily made entirely of chains might work. A needle tatter might be able to use the largest size knitting needle to craft it too.

Just a thought......

Souvenirs ~ a stone I picked up at Winona Lake

Stones collected by my parents and myself over time

More stones that sit on my ledge outside

I've mentioned from time to time that I liked rocks. I actually have a box of rocks somewhere but with all the moving around since my son moved in, I couldn't remember where they were. So I used the stone from Winona Lake, and inspired by crochet work of Margaret Ooman from Resurrection Fern, and prompted by a tutorial created by her and featured on Purl Bee.com, I set out to make my own ~ but with a tatted center. Once I get the hang of this, I'll try tatting the remainder where I've now crocheted, but crocheting is a whole lot faster and easier to rip out than tatting! This one isn't actually quite done, but you can see how it will look. I need to make a few more rounds to secure it underneath.

I had to take this pic of Diogi guarding the rock outside my bathroom. It's pretty big to tackle now but just wait til I get better at this and she is not looking.......bwah-ha-ha...

Oh, and check out the Flickr Group of Lace Covered Stones. There are some very creative folks there!