One down - three to go!!!

What with housework, shopping and other boring stuff I didn't get much time to sew yesterday!! However I did manage one of the butterfly bags and I'm delighted with it. Hopefully I'll get the others done today (hmmmm, difficult typing with my fingers crossed!) and then I'll list them.

Oh, I noticed a few days ago that I'd got 100 followers. I mentioned this to Nick who said (rather dryly) 'one of those is the Inland Revenue'!!! Which reminds me - must do some more to my tax return!!!!

A rose by any other name!

Seems like I've put the aged and gnarled old foot in it!! Apparently the double double ds that Rhoda shows in her book turns out to have been published under the name of the balanced double stitch by Ruth Perry!!! If only Rhoda was contactable I'd have a word in her ear for causing me this bovver!!!

I'm adding this link here as it gives food for thought from a well known local chap!

Anyway to turn to nicer thoughts! I'm showing a picture here of some of the prettiest fabric in my stash (well, that's my opinion for today) and to let anybody know who's interested that I've cut four bags t of it. This piece (the leftover) is enough to make a matching poke proof pouch!!! I'm hoping to get to sew one or two of them today!!

I'm delighted that I've already sold three of the six bags I listed two days ago in my Etsy shop. I wasn't intending to list them as I was trying to make a batch to sell in the vending room at Palmetto to help towards the cost of flights. I think I'll just have to make more!!!!

More about the double double idea!

Yesterday I managed to squeeze in time to do this page explaining Rhoda Auld's idea. There's a picture at the bottom of the blog of what it eventually looks like.

I'm not sure it's going to be a lot of use but it's an interesting idea!!! Well, it interested me for a few hours! I'll be returning to Rhoda's book for another look now she's woken me up again!

I also managed to list two sets of coasters and the tatting bags in my Etsy store yesterday. It was another of those occasions when I'd finished listing and wandered off to do something else. I returned half an hour later and one of the bags had already sold.

I'm now wondering whether to use the butterfly fabric or a rather nice brownish paisley print that I've got. Mind there are so many it's very hard to choose out of my stash.

How did I get so much done when I was out all morning teaching Silver Surfers?

Ever heard of a 'double double' stitch?

Back in 1974 or 5 I bought Rhoda Auld's book "Tatting the Contemporary Art of Knotting with a Shuttle". I bought it for patterns, of course, as it was in the days of 'no tatting patterns'.

There are no patterns in the book BUT it's a mine of information and inspiration. I still take it out from time to time to just read for sheer enjoyment and whilst doing that the other day I came across the following paragraph.

I decided to play with this idea and found that it works well for chains too. I'll make up a technique page for it and maybe call it the 'double double' stitch (dds). Not that it really NEEDS a page as it's so simple and SO obvious!!!

This evening I'll play with it and show you what happens tomorrow. I was going to play yesterday evening but the latest project 'took over'!!!

On the horns of a dilemma!

Well, not really but I do need to decide which fabric to use next!!!

I LOVE these butterflies but also the sewing notions too.

So hard to decide which to use.

First of all here's a close up of the bobbin fabric that I used for the last two bags. Isn't it lovely?

Oh, before I wander off for a shower, breakfast etc I must share this link with you. What FUN. I wish I'd been there to see this performance - I'd have tried to join in, knowing me!!!

Two more bags

I dragged myself away from the computer yesterday for long enough to finish these two bags!! The print is of bobbins which is one that I love. I've only got enough for these two bags - I think. Must check that!!!

I started them on Thursday but time and tide waited for no man (nor me either!).

I'm getting more and more excited about the tatting design I'm working on at the moment but I'm NOT giving any clues - yet!!! I think I might be able to make a sort of challenge/game out of part of it too. That's the reason I was spending SO long on the computer yesterday - I want to make the drawings VERY clear so that most people can make it/them/whatever!!!

I HATE not sharing - just isn't in my nature!!!

Yesterday

Yesterday I wore these earrings for the first time when I did something a little 'naughty'. I made them about two years ago and they've been in a box since so had never been worn before.

I did something VERY brave yesterday - I gatecrashed a 'do' which I thought I ought to have been invited to!!!

I was greeted with great big hugs and had a FINE time talking to people - some of whom I hadn't seen for forty years!! Everybody to whom I spoke thought I should have been invited.

Moral of the story? Don't exclude Jane from things as she'll turn up anyway!!!! The proverbial 'bad egg'!!!!!!