Oops! One of my half-moon rings turned back during blocking!

This is a pattern by Yarnplayer. I've been meaning to make it for some time. It reminds me of a butterfly shape and I've considered leaving off the top rings and stem next time. I'll also rewrite it so I won't have to keep shuffling between papers. That slowed me down considerably! I think she captured the gingko leaf shape superbly however! This was tatted in an unlabeled Lizbeth thread, size 20.

I've been doing more stitching than tatting but it's a good change of pace as long as I don't let myself get overwhelmed with it.

Humor

Doily Done!

It worked out to 11 inches square in size 20 thread. The directions claimed 7 1/2 inches square but they must have used a smaller thread.

There aren't a lot of tatted pineapple patterns available but I did find a few. Here is one by Doretha Albee, Pineapple Heaven, at Bellaonline.com.

There are six patterns HERE by Teri Dusenbury. They include a bag, some butterflies, and a doily.

There is a small project, an earring, by Sheron Goldin which can be found HERE. That's a good way to try out the technique if you haven't before.

Last night I started tatting the calf in Christel Weidmann's Farm Animals. The directions used RW (reverse work) in some spots so I assumed that unless RW was there, I shouldn't reverse work. I haven't gotten very far and apparently that assumption is wrong. I need to start over. There is a diagram too, and lots of color coding so I'm not sure why I'm confused. I've had this book for a long time and thought I should tat something from it! I love the calf and will probably also tat the cow and the bull if I can figure it out, but I especially like the rooster and have wanted to tat him for a long time. Wish me luck!

I've really appreciated all your wonderfully supportive comments and thoughtful prayers. Life is good!

I've been really busy this week but most of it will go on my lace blog. I'm almost done with the pineapple square doily - one more round which I hope to do today, block and then show tomorrow. Please don't ask me to share the pattern. I cited the source in the post.

I met with my lace friend Sally on Tuesday night and used up some thread on my bobbins with this bookmark. It's going into the "dye pile" to play with when the weather gets better. We do our dyeing outside so have to wait for good weather.

I'm also working on this week's TAST which is the blanket stitch. I'll post the page on my lace blog when I'm finished with it. We also started Karen's Embroider, Embellish and Create class but so far, all I've done is gather potential fabric and think about it. I'll focus on it more when I'm done with the doily and this TAST page. I may look for some snippets of white tatting to include on the piece.

Snow is in the forecast - only the 2nd snow so far this season. I'm really not missing it although it's beautiful when it first falls. I don't miss layers and layers of outer and inner clothes, cleaning off the car, warming it up and then wading through several inches of snow and avoiding falls wherever I go. I do miss sunshine. I hope it comes back out soon.

I can't believe it is Thursday already!

The Best News!

Photo by Jim Sorbie

I saw my doctor today. I haven't posted anything about it but last fall it was discovered I had early stage small cell cancer in my left lung. After some pretty aggressive treatment during September - December, I'm officially in remission! That was the expectation, but still, I didn't want to constantly field questions while undergoing treatment.

I go back to work in February. It will be nice to see everyone again. In the meantime, I'm still regaining strength and stamina. It will be awhile before I have hair again too. The photo on my blog is with my wig. It's good to have, but I'll be glad to no longer have to wear it.

Celebrate your good health!

A few years ago, someone emailed and asked me to try to tat a pineapple from a very old vintage pattern. The instructions were somehow wrong and no matter how I tried, I could not get it to come out.

A few years before that, I'd been fortunate enough to view in person the pineapple tatting by Camelia Crapo. She has made it an art form.

You might remember I've mentioned I don't like to tat doilys. I don't use them and it's very time consuming to tat them so I'd rather use my tatting time for other projects. Still...the pineapple spoke to me. (whaaaa? talking pineapples?)

So I'm tatting the Pineapple Square by Camelia. The pattern is in a back issue of KNOTS!, a now defunct publication by Mary McCarthy. (Volume 2, Issue 4) I don't believe she has any back issues left since I bought mine some time ago but you can always try to contact her and find out.

I'm not quite halfway done. I've tatted this much in barely two days but the bigger it gets, the longer it takes. The thread is Aida size 20 in a sort of pale mauve. I bought it in Australia during my visit in 2005. The color pairs up nicely with a soft green I use quite a bit in my living room so it may become yet another piece of tatting to frame.

BTW, I don't really make resolutions but I have a goal to get the pieces I mentioned in earlier posts framed: the hanky from Umi N Tsuru along with the amusement doily I tatted, and the 4 seasonal butterflies I tatted from various HDT by Marilee Rockley. They are actually on my table just waiting for me to decide on a framer.

So, to avoid this doily becoming an UFO, I'll be tatting on it steadily. THEN back to the purse which is already a bonafide UFO. Maybe if I start out the year finishing up old big projects, I'll get them done and out of the way.

TAST started this week and I finished my first stitch page. You can read about the details on my lace blog.

Yeah....I just wanted a picture in this post!

I've been tatting but it's for T.A.T. and I can't show it. Which I think is dumb. I understand about not passing the patterns on but I do think it would help their cause if they allowed participants to show what they are doing.

I still haven't started back on the purse I mentioned in an earlier post but I plan to start it again soon. It's just having to figure out what I was doing to begin with that has held me back. I think I know, but need to do a test ring first.

I hope lots of people are enjoying Jane's new TIAS 2012! I think you'll like the end result.

Warning:Cell phone rant following ~
I wish cell phone usage was banned in restaurants. Just step outside!

I had lunch today at Applebee's. Once again, I was annoyed by someone talking on their cell phone. This time the person very unwisely gave their cell phone number to the caller. Now if they were speaking quietly, it might not matter, but I've noticed so many people talk extra loud. I think it's because they can't hear well because of the noise around them so they talk louder, like that will make them hear better.

One time I had a lady two tables away go on and on about all kinds of personal matters while I was eating my meal. Much of it was not conducive to my appetite and there was no where to move to away from her. Don't people know you can hear them?

Rant over.

Otherwise - my new year is going great! How about you?

I've been tatting rosettes again. I have plans for them when I take Karen's Embroider, Embellish, Create class! I'm also taking part in TAST, Take a Stitch Tuesday, and between the two, I'll find even more new ways to use tatting as an embellishment.

May you all carry over the good of 2011 into 2012 and make it even better!

I decided to do something a little different today and bought some decaf Earl Grey which has a nice smell to it. I've brewed a pot for iced tea and it's in the fridge cooling now.

I've read 8 of the 12 Laura Childs' teashop mysteries and the constant talk about different tea flavors got me motivated. I also got some iced tea from McAllister's today which is sooooooo good.

No tatting yet today but I have a big UFO I've been wanting to get back to. I just have to do a test piece to make sure I remember how I started it. It's based on a crocheted bag done on curtain rings. I had one row done and got sidetracked (very common for me if you haven't noticed) but I really want to finish this project in time for the county fair in the summer. I also want to finish the master phase of the T.A.T. program. Really...why do we procrastinate?

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

Many years ago, when Maus hosted various tatting round robins, one that I participated in was a Christmas Round Robin. I tatted this rocking horse for one of the participants and always thought I'd make one for myself. Well, yesterday was that day!

The pattern is from Pam Palmer's Tatting Treats Two. I see Deb Arnold is selling it for $15.00 and I'm sure many of the tatting vendors also still carry it. Don't be swayed by the Amazon used copies for $38.88. I'm finding any book out of print that deals with lace is being sold for atrocious prices so make sure you shop around. I'm pretty sure Zig-Zag Corner's Tatting Corner also carries it for the normal price.

One thing I didn't catch when I tatted this horse the first time is that Pam has you add a 2nd ball thread for the rockers. I'm sure I didn't the first time and so I didn't this time. It would make it more stable, nice if you are using it for an ornament, but I'll probably stitch it to something instead. I also tatted the reins this time which I'm sure I didn't do the last time. I used the handle of a steel crochet hook as a picot gauge to make the mane picots equal size.

This book also has a Christmas Cracker, a Christmas Tree, a Candy Cane, and a Christmas Teapot. There is also a teddy bear, a frog on a lily pad, and a crinoline girl. I've continued to use the book all these years so I think it's well worth the original price.

We had our family Christmas today at a local clubhouse. It was great seeing all my family together. We had a White Elephant exchange that was laughingly well-received. One son asked if we were going to do it again next year - he is determined to bring his gift back - a huge stuffed Santa.

I haven't been tatting much or else the tatting was something I can't show yet. I tatted this bookmark recently but just added this tail this evening. Originally, I tatted a purl tatted tail and experimented with adding split rings along the way. It didn't turn out very well so I clipped the experiment off and added the new one this evening. The pattern is from Martha Ess's book.

I have to admit I've gotten hooked on the teashop mysteries by Laura Childs. Ambitatterous introduced them one Tatting Tea Tuesday and I've been checking them out of the library on a regular basis. I've read 4 so far. Light and fluffy, but that's about as deep of reading as I can do right now and I'm racing right through them. I can't wait to drop off the 2 I got last week and get 2 more tomorrow!

I may not have been tatting but I've been working on my RPL bells. Here are the latest five I just finished this weekend. I'm done with them for the season. These may go in some cards.

I've seen two movies lately too; Puss n Boots and Sherlock Holmes. I enjoyed both thoroughly!

Blogger says my post published but it's not even in my published posts. It may show up tomorrow and I'll have to delete one!

Jane Eborall kindly sent me a sample of the Pink Cocoa in Lizbeth and it just happened to match some of my clothing perfectly so I tatted it up in my Beginner's Beaded Blossom Brooch. Do you know how hard it is to find brown beads? I ended up using a glass 11/0 in brown iris.

I bought a new container for a thread collection that has been growing over the years. Lately I've been using it for bobbin lace and embroidery. I've only used it as a blending thread with tatting in the past. It's so sleek and shiny!

Unfortunately, I've either not been tatting or when I did, it ended up in the wastebasket. I've been without the Net for quite awhile today. I finally unplugged everything and let it reset which worked but I was beginning to wonder. My TV signal is still not coming in right. I guess it's just being one of those weeks!

My tree last year broke and I've been deliberating on what to do this year. I ended up finding this white one at Walmart fairly cheap. A woman whispered in my ear before I checked out that it would turn yellow over time but it's so cheap I'm really not concerned. I'll get my money's worth out of it. Besides, I think it looks PURTY! I haven't put ornaments on yet or the tree skirt. I have to wait for my son to bring some of the stuff up from the basement but I think this tree will do just fine for this year. The spirit is here and that's all that matters!

Years ago when I first started tatting, I found this tatted bow in Old-Time Crochet (Summer, 1994) in an article by Rebecca Hollenbaugh. I thought it was her pattern but as I read the article today, I found the pattern was originally in Better Living, April 1952. No author was credited.

I've always wanted to tat this bow but it looks a bit complicated and if I'm going to go to all that trouble, I better have a good use for it. Normally, I don't feel like I need to justify my tatting, but this one seems to call for it.

So....ideas anyone? Rebecca suggests attaching it to a hair comb but I don't have the kind of hair that will hold a comb or barrette. It's fairly large, 5" x 4" in size 30 thread. I really really need some inspiration!

The motif on the left is from Patty Duff's Minitats. The other tat is just to get the thread off my shuttle. The amount needed was not as much as she had stated in the book but I noted it for future reference.

The thread is Lizbeth Christmas size 20. I already know I don't like this colorway but I tried one more time. It's time to find a new home for it but that will have to wait until after the holidays.

We had a lovely Thanksgiving at my youngest son's house which is about 45 minutes from mine. I went the day before and got to see my 18 month old granddaughter in action. She is quite the mover and shaker already! Mom does a good job keeping up with her too.

It was good to see the rest of the family. But I have to admit I'm still tired. I decided to tackle the hallway yesterday which is a small part of what I yet want to clean out. I have the hallway closet still and then my craft/computer room. I haven't felt up to doing it and now that I do, I need to be getting ready for the holidays instead - but how do you do that when the most important room to the holidays (craft room) is a mess???? LOL! It'll all work out.

Speaking of Minitats, I noticed the binding is coming apart on that book so I need to gather up all the books I want spiral bound and get them to the copy shop. That will be my Christmas gift to myself. Or one of them.

We've had a very mild November, especially compared to the subzero temps of last year, but I'm not complaining. I love mild temperatures and it could stay like this all winter as far as I'm concerned.

Angels and Needlebooks

I started this Praying Angel from Nine Tatted Angels by Monica Hahn last night and finished it up this morning. I know the I.O.L.I. Library has a copy but I'm not sure it's available elsewhere anymore.

Most of Monica's angels tend to have pointy wings and I like rounded or gently sloped wings. She likes to use clunies for the hands too but not being a very cluny-oriented person lately, I decided to use Bina Madden's Puff stitch instead for the praying hands. The wings could be done with or without the addition of needlelace. I thought, hmmmm....why not just make long picots? Well, the one side turned out but not so good the other side. The better side is the 2nd side so practice must be the key to good tatting, AGAIN!

I used Manuela/Hakelgarn thread that I bought a long time ago, size 20. It looks red and white striped on the ball but ends up looking more pink than anything. I was planning on a Peppermint Praying Angel, but she looks a bit more sherbert-y, I think.

There are boy angels in this publication too so if you have been looking for a boy angel, look for it. In I.O.L.I., it is #T-098. You do have to be a member to borrow from the library though and you have to pay shipping.

I don't actually promote other people's products but I do show what I like and what I'm pleased with. I have several blogs in a "Inspiring Blogs" list on the left sidebar and I do get lots of inspiration and ideas and enjoyment from them. Recently I was moved to buy this needlebook from the Etsy Shop of The Feathered Nest. I couldn't believe how fast it arrived and it's so sweet!

I've been keeping my needles in a separate pincushion but I think I'll put a few of the sizes I use the most in this needlebook and put it in my "to-go" bag. It also gives me a few ideas for all those vintage but damaged linens I seem to hoard. A shuttle-book, maybe? A tea book?

#25 in 25 Motif Challenge

Yes, I'm done, The End.

These are Figures 20 and 21 of Plate III to complete the final motif!

I've gotten more detailed with this last one. I used split rings and split chains and switched shuttles quite a bit as I threw rings off of chains. You can use rings for the outer round or take liberty with the pattern as I did and make them Josephine Rings instead. Use 2 shuttles, with 6 yards on the main shuttle and 2 yards on the secondary shuttle. These were tatted in size 20 thread.








I hope you have enjoyed this series as much as I have. I did not do the plate with inserts since I've already covered well over 25 motifs for this challenge. I hope you understand vintage patterns and how they can be adapted with current techniques better. Please feel free to email me with questions about any of these! I did not have a test tatter for Plate III and used what I had come up with at the beginning of this challenge. I'd already completed Plate III and offered it elsewhere but it wasn't used, so it's been awhile since I've done this one and there could be even more improvements.

You can get the pdf file for Plate III Figure 20 here: Plate III Figure 20

And for Plate III Figure 21 here: Plate III Figure 21

#24 in 25 Motif Challenge

Here's Figures 18 and 19 of Plate III for the #24 Motif in the 25 Motif Challenge.





Pattern link is here: Plate III Figure 18 Medallion Pattern.






Pattern link is here: Plate III Figure 19 Medallion Pattern.

Mary's Butterfly Stats

This time I did my homework. The butterfly is all rings so it matters how much thread is on the shuttle. I've found that 25 winds around a Clover shuttle is about one yard. I couldn't remember how much I wound the last time so I wound plenty this time, about six yards worth. Well....80-90 turns will complete the butterfly and leave a 10-12 inch tail for sewing. That's a tiny bit less than four yards. I think this was size 30 instead of size 20 thread but it's still the same distance around the core of the shuttle so you certainly wouldn't need more thread unless you use larger than size 20.

I also completed it in 50 minutes, under the hour! I left the long tail because I am going to stitch it to a muslin bag eventually.

Sometimes when you admire something online, you are pleasantly surprised by the postie in record time! I really liked this pendant Jane tatted up recently and dear friend that she is, she gifted me with it! I just found a pink-ish chain in my stash to wear it with. Thank you Jane!

Hmmmmmm....I see Blogger has changed the posting box format. All the key elements are still there though.

Well....off to something else!