I've been thinking about where I'm going with this off and on. I don't feel compelled to DO SOMETHING, but sometimes I get a little nudge, a whisper in my ear, "why don't you try this?". Recently I posted a link to an Italian website showing stunning home decor and fashion emellished embellished with tatting. Several years ago, I had links to some Japanese tatting that showed tatting displayed in beautiful backgrounds and in more detail than what we tend to see in the States. From time to time, I've encouraged readers to go one step further, stir up the imagination and inspiration. I am absolutely thrilled to see tatting growing and know that it is far from being a lost art, and is, indeed, developing in leaps and bounds. Yet most of the tatting I see is still little motifs, bookmarks, and now - jewelry, which is still a small project overall. I think one reason people like tatting is because it is so portable but another reason is the instant gratification. You can tat a snowflake or a bookmark in an evening.

It's rare that tatters go bigger though. I'm not willing to tat curtains or tablecloths or bedspreads, but I would tat sections of curtains, tablecloths or bed accessories. In fact, it's been in my mind for years now to tat inserts for some kitchen curtains as well as the edging. My first attempt wasn't pleasing and I haven't revisited it. I'm pretty much covered up with other projects for the time being.

All that said, I came across an ad for a juried show in Canada that some of you might be interested in pursuing, especially if you live in Canada. It's called Stitches Across Time, and currently has some exhibits showing but the juried show is also meant to inspire you to create even more beautiful pieces. The deadline is February 28, 2011 so I hope at least a few of you consider designing and submitting something. Tatting can use all the exposure we can give it. Update - you must be a Canadian citizen to enter!

Last night I finished crocheting the cord that goes with the beaded bag I tatted from Sharon Brigg's book, Transitions in Tatting. I have the fabric to line it with so all I have to do now is sew the lining, attach the cord, and a fastener for the flap. The lining will probably take the longest since I have to create the pattern and figure out if I want to include the flap or not. I hope to put this in our exhibit next fall at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation along with several other lace items. Too bad the beads don't show up all that well but perhaps once the lining is in, they'll pop out.

I finished the cord early enough last night to start some tatting, Sue Fuller's Heart's Desire in one of my dyed threads, the one I have so much of! I barely started before knocking off to bed so it will be awhile before I show it.

I will probably post again before the weekend is over. I'm so happy to have a 3 day weekend!

Unfortunately, I'm wide awake. Must be all those naps I took today. I haven't felt up to par, sapped of energy, aches, queasy, can't seem to warm up and have a headache. Finally figured out that I must be sick! I don't generally get deathly ill when I'm sick and I'm not now, but I was chiding myself for being so lazy and wanting to sleep all the time. Then my 3:00 lunch stayed in touch with my tummy til nearly midnight. So I sat and tatted when I couldn't sleep any longer.

You know how you get bored with a project that is long and monotonous? Well, this beaded bag is simply clover and chain, clover and chain, in the same color, for what seems like infinity, but I finally found the directions and realized it really was only for eight rows.

So that's where I am now, getting ready to tat the flap. Sharon had mentioned if she were to do it again, she would make the flap longer so that's what I'm going to do. It'll be the equivalent of two more rounds. Since I put my beads on differently, I have to give that some thought too. It's not blocked here and won't be until I have all the tatting done. I'll probably add an RPL cord for a handle. I wonder if I can make that with beads? Might be something to try.

Just to break the boredom, I used my editing program to frame this part. I've actually been playing with my scanner. This is the first time I've tried scanning in "photo" mode and I wasn't happy with it. It crops way too close for this venue. No edges to play with. I like a little space around my scans to frame the item.

I also haven't decided exactly what I will use to line the bag. I have white and ivory but I'm not sure I have blue in my stash. Probably, but I'm not up to searching for it right now.

These are some threads I bought at The Needle's Point in Rensselaer. Mettler threads with a silk finish. I expect I will have to double them up to use them and I have no idea what I'll try them on.

I bought these threads at the same place but I'll use them for embroidery. The gold is actually a cord that I thought would look so pretty couched down with the other thread.

I had all the threads on the scanner at once, which I often do when they are small items and then crop them out separately. When I scanned in "photo" mode, the scanner automatically separated them, but the resolution was not all that good. I don't like the depth resolution on this scanner either. It was super on the HP one I had. The item had to be an inch thick for it to start to blur. Not so with these.

Well, I'm starting to yawn so will go to bed after all. The time changes tonight which I hate. I hate time changes anyway, but especially since we are on Eastern Time when we should be on Central Time. It seems like it is dark when I get up 9 months out of the year. If we were on Central, it would be light in the morning for more months. Okay, enough about that!

This is one of my favorite angel patterns, by Martha Ess. I tatted it for my friend and coworker whose birthday was Tuesday.

I have 5 more repeats for the sixth row on the beaded bag. Still have several rows to go. I can do about half a round per evening. The lighting is bad here but when I'm finished, I'll make sure it's color-true and clear.

I stopped at Trader Buck's on Monday night to see if that one booth vendor ever brought in her mother's shuttles and tatting stuff. This is about the 3rd time I've stopped and while they've added new stuff, none of it seems to be in the line of tatting or any kind of needlework. So...I end up buying other stuff in other booths! I love this Christmas tin. Only $1.00.

Inside, there were about two dozen crocheted snowflakes, big ones in big thread, all starched up very nicely. Unfortunately, I don't really care for them so will probably pass them on somewhere.

I loved this little vase - butterflies inside and out! I think it needs a little tatted doily to go under it ~ one that has butterflies around the edge.

There was this sweet old fashioned sort of shabby chic candy dish too. I believe this was $3.00. Everything else was $1.00 or less!

This plate has a stubborn sticker on it. I'll have to soak it off. I thought the flowers showed up better than they did. Have you noticed something about the lattice hole pattern around the outer edge? They are not consistent. Only one is evenly spaced in a 2/3/2 arrangement. All the others are 3/3/2 or 3/3/1, depending on the angle you view it from.

This is a close-up of the flowers on the plate.

I have just got to find a way to display all these romantic precious beauties!

Tatting Tea Tuesday 10/27/09

Who knew? The Tat Rap by The Tat Mafia

NOTE: Please REVIEW this before playing in hearing distance of children!!!! You may not want them exposed to some language.



That said, I'm totally unprepared for today's TTT. I have an angel scanned that I tatted for my good friend Paula Vitello whose birthday is today. She has the angel now but I didn't upload it before I left for work this morning.

So...I was going to show you the links to some of my favorite tea sites but then I found this video, which I think is amusing, so I decided to post it instead. I teafed it (teaf being a word from a non-tatting friend meaning to steal it from someone else's blog) from Tea Guy Speaks. You knew something like this had to come from a guy, didn't you? Actually, now that I look at his blog more, he has all kinds of videos on there about tea and music!

I guess I'll show the angel in another post. I'm also on my 6th row of the beaded bag. I test tatted another motif from the design tat course, but have not worked on my own drawing as I expected to do. My bad. I've been really tired lately for some reason. Must be the Autumn Haze coming over me. LOL!

I started physical therapy on my ankle and I'm amazed at how much better I'm walking in just days. No wonder people kept remarking that I was limping.

Well...off to an inspection!

I was tickled by a post on a new blog that I've put in my sidebar, Katiemacs Tatting, a new tatter. Unfortunately, she does not have comments enabled so Katie, if you are reading this by some chance, GOOD FOR YOU!!!

Katie finally found a way to learn to tat from the DVD by Janette Baker. It reminds me that when I was demonstrating tatting at the Feast last week, I heard that many times..."I tried and tried and couldn't learn". It was mostly from written text so I would go through the motions slowly and explain the "flip" and saw the lightbulb go on for a few people. BUT...seeing it in person is only as good as the memory. Will those people remember it by the time they get home? How many times did I take a class, feel like I had a concept down, only to be confused a few days later at home? I don't just mean in tatting either - anything. That's where the value is in DVD's, videotapes, and videos on YouTube. Great memory refreshers!

I haven't yet viewed the DVD so I can't attest to this particular one, but I've heard several people say they learned from it so it can't be too bad. Jane Eborall has mentioned a DVD created by the Ring of Tatters on her blog and I suspect it is equally good, so it comes down to postage costs for the buyer. I don't have any idea what the difference might be, but if you are a struggling wannabe tatter with few people resources, I would strongly encourage you to get one however you can. LEGALLY!!!

Someone recently emailed me and asked if I knew how this was tatted. I gave it a pretty good shot, thinking the flowers were done with chains, using graduated picots, turned to tat in a different direction for the top curve, and then tatted and joined down the other side. You can see some some other examples here.

Turns out it is actually Oya, a Turkish needlelace. You can see examples and an explanation here and here and here and here!

How's that for inspiration???? I have a photo album I titled "inspiration" and I keep all those inspiring photos I find in it. I have yet to do anything with them, but perhaps the design class will motivate. Whoa...inspiration and motivation is not the problem...it's TIME and ENERGY! LOL!

This weekend is devoted to domestic issues, getting ready for winter inside and out. I'll probably work on the beaded bag late. It's a very simple pattern and something easy, almost mindless to do when I want to relax. I'm only on the 3rd of 8 or 9 rows, so it will be awhile before I show any progress. My bottom corners appear different and I'm perplexed about it. I certainly don't want to start over at this point. Ah well....