Another view of the motif!!

This one caused me a lot of heartache with the final ring.

One suggestion is to read the pattern CAREFULLY!!!!!

Wouldn't you think that after more than 50 years with a shuttle in my hand I'd learn to READ the pattern carefully? Even my own?

The last part of this one isn't hard but the first part of the last ring is fiddly.

I DO like this pattern though and the picture shows both sides of version two. This is version one that I posted some days ago.

Last of this season's bags

I think I've now got enough bags to take with me to tat days!!!

This is the final (and I think the prettiest) fabric. It's a gorgeous print and I've used a lovely deep lilac plain lining for them. I've made four so that I can keep one for myself!!!

I performed a ceremonial 'putting away' of the sewing machine and all the bits and pieces that go with it. I doubt it'll stay put away for long, though.

Bagging again!!

This is what I made over the space of a couple of days for a friend.

On the left (plain blue) is a regular 2009 style tatting bag with a poke proof pouch lying in front. My friend brought the shuttle print fabric and her own bag and asked me if I could make one like it. This is the one on the right and it is a lot bigger. I DO hope it's OK!!! The design difference is that it has pockets on the outside.

I actually have a similar bag which I used as a 'model' but decided (personally) that as I'm such a ditz I'd be safer having pockets on the inside of a bag!! Less chance of losing things!!

I'm on the 'home run' for bag making. I've another five or six cut out and 'ready to go'. Some are half done so won't take long to finish.

Once these are done I'll put the machine away and start preparing for Palmetto.

I like to - well, I'll tell you another day. Tell or bore you!!!

News about my new shuttle

Carol Lawecki left this comment on my blog yesterday which I'm copying over here as it contains interesting information about my raffle win on Saturday:-

"I love that shuttle. I saw that shuttle in a catalog in 1998 and sent away for the catalog hoping to someday order that shuttle. Well I still have the catalog, but didn't order the Toucan Shuttle.

The catalog was called Sebalace and they are in the UK. Here is the address, but I don't know if they are still in business. Waterloo Mill, Howden Rd., Silsden, Keighley, W. Yorkshire BD20 OHA Tele: (01535) 655885. No web site listed.

There was also a fish shuttle and a seahorse shuttle like the toucan in this catalog along with other unique lace related items."

Following on from her comment I also had an email from Rosemarie Peel who also said the following:-

"Dear Jane I tried to write this comment on your blog but of course I was not logged in.

If the shuttle came from Sabalace it probably came to Caroline via the late Audrey Jackson who used to live up in Yorkshire.

She worked for Sebalace when they were still in business before she moved down to Warwick.

Prior to forming the Heart of England Tatters in 1999, I had a tatting meeting at my house and both Caroline and Audrey came."

Sadly as Audrey is no longer with us so I can't check with her. Thank you, Carol and Rosemarie. This makes the shuttle even more precious. Hmmm, I'd now love the other two in the set!

Where did yesterday go?

If anybody has the answer could they let me know?

After a messing around sorting stuff out morning, a lunchtime sorting out utility bills - grrrrr - I finally got round to some sewing. I'm desperately trying to build up a stock of bags to take to Palmetto Tat Days. I seem to be fighting a losing battle lately as life keeps getting in the way!!!

In the evening I settled down to tat another dangle but was really too tired to fiinish off the last ring of the round which is a little hard. Still there's always today, isn't there?!?!?!

I've been asked to do a design for an upcoming and top secret publication but so far the muse is eluding me. Maybe I'll get fed up with dangles soon and get cracking on that!!!

Below is one of the pictures that I took at Rosemarie's tatting afternoon on Saturday.

Butterflies

Remember my friend that I did the small snowflakes for the other week? Well she asked me to make her 10 small (5 ring) butterflies.

I'd done them for her before many, many years ago but had 'lost' the pattern and hadn't got any of her blue thread. I had to ask for both!!!

The thread arrived on Saturday morning with the pattern. I'd forgotten that she doesn't do anything other than rings and chains so her pattern started with a back wing and followed on round with a long picot on the head ring which was later cut for the feelers.

Anybody who knows me and the way I design must realise that I HATE ends and will 'work round' them at every opportunity and find ways of avoiding finishing ends.

So the first thing I did was re-write her wee pattern to make the final ring the head using a SR and thus cutting the ends to form the feelers. The butterflies are done and will be flying off in the post tomorrow!!

Tatting afternoon

What a fabulous day yesterday. The sun shone. Yup, all day - until it got dark!! Not only that but Jennifer Williams drove all the way from Welsh Wales for a tatting chatting day.

She arrived mid morning and that meant time for coffee and - well, you've guessed - tat chat in the garden.

We then went to Nuneaton (about thirty miles away) to join the Heart of England Tatters. This is the group run by Rosemarie Peel. We got there slightly late but it didn't matter. Rosemarie had a fabulous pattern for us to try. A development from a Randy Houtz one.

As usual Rosemarie was well prepared and the lesson got underway. Billy Muggins here didn't do very well. I had two (or was it three?) starts on it before the final and serious attempt got under way. Then at the crucial point my 'very important' thread broke. I gave up I'm appalled to admit. I really should've taken brain cell # 3 with me but I never gave it a thought. I'll have another attempt at the pattern in a few days time.

There was a raffle and as Rosemarie announced that she was drawing it she said 'the winner is' and I muttered number 451 quietly to Jennifer just in time to hear Rosemarie say 'number 451'. I was gobsmacked which you can imagine was a first time.

The prize was that I was asked to choose a shuttle and this is the one I chose. I've never seen one like this before. It was from the collection of the late and much missed Caroline Cramp. This was a lady who was forever tatting and laughing.

After the afternoon session finished we returned to my house for something to eat (courtesy of the Chinese place at the end of the road!) and then Jennifer drove back to Wales. Thanks, Jennifer for persuading me out of my pit and taking me to Nuneaton - I enjoyed the trip and your company very much.