Another day another few diamonds!

Are you fed up with this yet?  I'm not!!!

I'm still plodding away with the mat and am dreading the next part which will be mainly 'fill ins' I think.  I may even change the colours on those too.  By fill ins I mean the ones which surround the central dark pink star.  The next ones will surround the blue and green ones.  Perhaps today I will play with diamonds on my drawing software to see what variations of designs I can come up with.

The colours are working well for me at the moment - do like the variegated ones in the centres surrounded by plain.  I'm glad I stuck with the original colours.

The next stage won't fit on the scanner so I'll have to take photos of it!!!!

  

Spring/Summer means bags!!!

As soon as the weather gets warmer I get out the sewing machine and move into the conservatory to sew!!!!  Today I have more little bags to show you!!!  I actually made these last week!!!

Amongst a big lot (100 actually!) of zips that I bought  last year off Ebay were some really, really tiny ones  - 2 1/2" to be exact.  These have been sitting in my stash luring me into temptation since then!!!

The first one I'm showing today is one that I made with a teeny zip for my camera's spare battery and spare memory card.  There is a tiny pocket in the case which is held shut with velcro but several times I've nearly lost these two items when carrying them around in there so I made a new tiny bag which is 'just right' and which clips onto the handle.

Now in preparation for the trip later in the summer I've made another weeeeee bag for the 'necessary' tatting tools I may need - a fine crochet hook (I buy mine from Georgia), a pair of clippers (safer than scissors for cutting ends) and a self threading needle.

You'll see (if you look closely) that I've added a piece of fabric to the inside to put the needle on.  The whole thing is lined with my 'secret ingredient' (poke proof stuff) that I use for the poke proof pouches.

I still have a few more zips around 3" to 4" which I'm going to think about next  - all suggestions welcome!!!  


Hang on - if anybody suggests I use them to zip my mouth shut then I'll ban them from reading my blog!!!!!!!

Winged 'things' and results!!!!

Before I start today I have a confession to make!!  I've found several new blogs to follow myself since I launched the giveaway yesterday.  Oh, quite a few people didn't add their email addresses to their comments but don't worry I'll hop on a plane and fly over to whatever country you are in (or take a bus, Jenny!) if I haven't got an email address.

OK, instead of waiting until I get back home later I've hung around until 8:45 this morning and have got my random generator on the Ipad up and ready to go.  A round figure of 80 dropped in and the winner is -  BONNIE PETERS.  Congratulations.  Can you send me your snail address, Bonnie and I'll pop it in the post tomorrow?  Off out for the day now!!!

Now for today and again looking at the subject 'winged things'.

Nope, not an aeroplane this time - I think I've seen the last of those for a while (quiet nudge for those still working on the TIAS)!!!

This is a fairy which flew in the other day from LeVert who made her from this pattern.  As she said it is a lot of work but worth it.  I've made it a few times since the pattern went onto my site and have also done it in a size 20 thread.  Guidelines for the head are available for a larger sized thread - do ask me if you want to make it.

Then a few days later she sent in a dove too.  I'm SO relieved to find somebody else can follow the dove pattern as I kept altering it every time I made one!!!  That's me, though, never have known when to leave things alone!!!!

Just wondering what the dove would look like in black - a vulture, maybe?  Hmmmmm.

Giveaway, statistics and celebration

Now I hate anything to do with maths.  Adding, subtracting (specially from my bank account) etc!!!!  I do notice numbers though, even while trying actively to avoid them!!!

A few months ago I noticed a 'gadget' in blogger which said 'page views' and thought I'd pop that on the blog - right at the bottom and out of the way.  Occasionally I have looked at it and yesterday I noticed that it had just crept over 100,000 page views.  Not quite sure what that means but heck, it's a lot of people reading my 'inane ramblings'!!!!  After a bit of research I also found that this is my 1,291st post since May 8th 2006 when I started blogging.   Crikey, that's nearly 5 years ago and I STILL haven't run out of things to say or show!!!

I usually use the 'followers' number (288) as a sort of gauge as to whether I'm 'doing OK' or not but this is amazing.  So, to celebrate - here is what I'm giving away!!

First of all there is a tatting bag that I made.  It's the sort with compartments inside for shuttles, hooks etc.  Next there are two tatting leaflets by May.  Rare breeds these are!!!  Also an Aero (England) shuttle.  I'll add a magnetic brooch/fridge magnet too like those in my shop.  There maybe other odds and ends but I've only just thought of this when I saw the meter reading!!  Which reminds me - must go and read the gas and electric meters now!!!!

Oh, rules?  I nearly forgot those!!!  Just leave a comment saying you want to be put in the draw with some way I can contact you and that's all.  Closing date for comments?  Oh, let's say 7th April (that's two days) at 08:45 BST when I pay my first visit of the day to the computer!!!  I'll announce the winner later in the day after I get back home.

Progression on the diamonds

Here's the next 'part' of this mat.

I'm never quite sure about colours - this next combination seems to have 'killed' the original star which is here.  I'm not giving in, though.  I've had this happen to me in the past - many times.

After an hour or two 'choosing' the colours I think may work together I then change my mind constantly!!!  They look stunning on the balls/skeins together but when worked up look - well, dreadful!!!  


Now I'm sticking with this at the moment as the next threads I've got out may well pull these back into 'a good choice'!!! We'll see!!  Stick with me on this project and we'll see how many times you change your minds like I do!!!

You've NEVER seen anything like this before

We've all seen butterflies beautifully tatted but NEVER have I seen one this fine.  This was sent to me by Tattabug along with the zinging beads (wish you could see them LIVE) and the fabric (to keep an OG busy).

All I did was get something for her and mail it and this is how she repays me!!!  WAY and above and beyond the call of duty.  Specially as I totally goofed on the where to send the package to!!!!

All those admirers of brain cell number 3 (both of you!!!) you're to stop admiring!! 

If it wasn't for Kelly who saved my life the package would never have got to Tattabug!!!  Thank you, Kelly and thank you Tattabug.  The butterfly is actually lying on top of a card that came with it.  This is also going into my 'keep forever' stash.  The little hummingbird is SO cute.  I'm going to frame the butterfly and hang that in tat corner.