11 September 2008

Arrival of brain cell # 3!!!

Well the pink dolphin and seahorse didn't stick around for long!!!  They were snapped up out of Etsy and are well on their way to the USA!!!

I started Sherry's TIAS 4 and have one thing to say.  Just one complaint/criticism. It's VERY dangerous to tell old gits like me to 'put aside for future use'. VERY dangerous!!!! I just know I'll lose it. Well done, Sherry - looks good but so far no guesses - unless it's a basket!!!  OR am I just a 'basket case'?  Answers on a pin head please to lovetotat at gmail.com!!!!

OK I started on another idea yesterday evening.  If you take a look at the brown earwig beneath you'll see that this was made on a brass curtain ring - one I made some years ago.  Not sure where the pattern is but I think it's on my site somewhere!!!  

Anyway, having learnt how to cover a ring with knots I decided to give it a whirl the 'modern' way - I don't like the ugly brass showing through.  First of all I made the centre purple part.  I then added the beads to each picot.  Next I took the tail end of the green thread through each picot to sort of 'lock' each bead onto the picots.  Next I used the shuttle end of this thread to cover the brass ring also working over the tail running through the picots.  This locks the purple centre to the inside edge of the ring - firmly and neatly.  

In the purple/green scan on the left you can see that I haven't put enough knots over the brass ring.  The next one shows an improvement but I think I still think I need more ds.  Using the tail end I've next worked a small SR to take me to the outer round - but knowing me this could and will change.  

Now why do I bother to cover a ring when this could be made by just tatting round the purple inner?  The reason is because I cannot stand 'bendy' earwigs.  Mine have to be very firm but pretty.  On other designs I've relied on beads to help keep the shape but sometimes there are 'other ways'.  I'll play with this again and although it might sound hard it's really VERY simple and I'll draw it out when I do the pattern.  

3 comments:

LadyShuttleMaker aka MadMadPotter said...

So...umm...Are old ladies gits and old men geezers? Just trying to sort out our language differences...hee hee.

I'm not quite old yet (although I feel I am at times)...but I can certainly be a git. Is that proper usage of the word.

Ha...Now don't go losing your bits and pieces

Tattycat said...

Jane you are much too clever. I don't know how you think of all these things. Love the earrings. To echo Sherry, please don't go losing your bits and pieces!

Ladytats said...

Hi Jane, I have my thread choices and tatting tools for this TIAS in a plastic bag, all by itself, as I too was worried about losing pieces. I too like the look of firm earrings. floppy earrings without body, stay in my jewelry box.
ladytats

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