Another Bracelet

This is the last one (for now). It's the one with the Whitby jet button. I love this jet which used to be a necklace and which came to me when mum died as nobody in the family wanted it. Such a shame. I used the other pieces to make bracelets for all the gals in the family and still have three or four left. I will make them into a necklace some day.
The larger cream ivory/bone button will have to wait for inspiration as I'm now working on another 'quickie' which I'll share later today or tomorrow.
As it's still raining and there are bad floods in the UK it seems as if there'll be plenty of time to tat!!!

Does anybody remember?

Many years ago (at least seven, I guess) I made the bracelet below one evening. I just tatted it writing nothing down as I went. I posted a picture of it on the list or lists that I belonged to and thought nothing much about it. It caused quite a stir at the time and in the end I wrote down the pattern and it's still somewhere on my site. I'll look for it later but breakfast calls!

The little 'button' thing in the middle is ivory and came from a 'box of bits' that I found after my mother died. I wore the bracelet a few times but was never happy with the way it twisted on itself. Last night I decided to cut it up and make another bracelet. I may get round to that later as - guess what? Yes, it's raining again!!!!

A few hours later and a bit of cutting and starting again and here's the new bracelet. This has a snug feel to it and I'm very pleased with it. All I've done is used the braid that's on my site (click on title) but adding beads and using only 1ds B 1ds for the outer row. I use this type of fastening as I can manage to put and take off bracelets by myself with these and they don't easily come undone when you're wearing them!!

Below is another piece of ivory or bone which I found at the car boot market about a year ago. The holes on this are near the top and the bottom so this will require some more thought!!

Now the last one is a bracelet that I made yet again using the pattern on my site. This has a Whitby jet 'bead' in the centre and again I'm going to alter this to make it more wearable and put another clasp on it too. I shall use the braid idea again as it's so easy to get a good 'fit'.

Oh, it's still raining. It's rained solidly for over 12 hours now. I even felt obliged to do some housework as it's way too wet to go out shopping!!!

Another pair

Here is another pair of earrings using the same pattern as yesterday with a different lower dangle! I've scanned on black and white to try and get a decent picture! This time I used the invisible thread and I'll admit they are stunning in 'real life'. The lack of colour inside the beads makes them shine even more. Just a pity that the scanner doesn't do them justice. I'll try a photograph later - if the sun keeps shining!
Each time I finish working with this thread I say 'never again'. Then I look at the results the next morning and am sorely tempted to get it out again. There are many 'snags' to tatting with it - mainly that you can't see it!!!!! Still, I suppose that's why it's called invisible!!!

More Earrings

I made another pair of these earrings yesterday. Using a number 80 thread and size 11 beads (same size as delica ones). I keep making (and wearing) this style as they never 'bend' or change shape. If you use an 80 thread then the beads really do help it keep shape. Sometimes I double the thread but this time I didn't. However much you stiffen some 'fancier' styles they still tend to 'bend in the middle' after a few wearings. These stay as 'fresh as a daisy' forever. I'm still wearing some I made years ago. Oh, the pattern is the one on my site (click the title!). Next project is to try and work these with invisible thread. I do like a challenge!!!
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Taming beads - it works!!!

Well it works!! What a pleasant surprise and all for half an hour's work with scissors, pins and the sewing machine.

Something to tame my beads!

Last Friday we bought some new throws for our chairs because our fleece throws were getting very old and grotty. Life changes do happen even here at Chez Eborall!!! The new ones are lovely too - cotton print.
Now, why am I telling you this? Well I settled down to tat in my chair with the lovely new throw and then found that my beads, hooks etc kept sliding off. Tragedy had struck at Chez Eborall.
Easy to put right and today I hope I've solved the problem. I made two 'antimacassars' out of one of the old fleeces. No, I've not lost the plot and am trying to save the new throws from wear and tear - not even I am that daft!!! These will stop things sliding off, I hope. Oh, unless they slide off themselves, of course!!!
I then had the bright idea (at least I hope it'll work) of making a 'bead container' also to sit on the arm of my chair. It's got 'floppy' sides which should allow me to be able to pick up beads easily but stop them falling off the arm of the chair where they sit.
I will report back in due course.
Here's the picture of my 'patented' bead container!!!