I'm NEVER happy!!!

Nope, I'm NEVER happy with what I've done!!!  Not sure why but I never am.  Once a thing is finished I can always see a better way to have done it!!!

The same has happened with what I 'lovingly' call the OctoStarFlake pattern which Donna is teaching at Palmetto Tat Days.  Here it is on this page.  Why that name?  Well it's not a star (five sided), nor a snowflake (six sided) so it's an octaganol starry snowflake!!!

Originally this design was 'done' on the sparkly centres of the magnetic brooches/fridge magnets that are on sale in my Etsy shop.  Unfortunately Donna couldn't get the middly diddly things in the USA so I converted it to a naked middle.  Well, not naked as there are a few more beads added!!   Well, here's my amended version!!!!  


I may make these my Christmas giveaway - but there again, I may not!!!  


Here's a teaser for you.  Next week there will be new patterns and the way I join to findings on the blog!!  That'll keep you guessing, eh?!?!?  DARN IT.  Why did I just write that?  Now I'll HAVE to get all those finished off!!

More playing with beads

See the beads below?  Donna sent me these a few weeks ago.  The round black looking ones are really a very deep blue and faceted AND they have sparkles in them.  Yummy.  The tiny brown hearts are lovely - in fact they're all great.  So this is pure playtime without any end results.

Well, that's not strictly true as a few 'things' settled in brain cell number 3's grey areas - see the second picture.  This is how the bright pink and orange earwigs started off and I'm hoping to develop this idea of tatting round the beads over the next week or two.  BUT as usual I get distracted!!!

Hearts a gogo!!!

Ages ago I bought these little beads.  They have 'front to back' holes at the top and the bottom.  

Anyway I decided I needed some more earwigs so out they came again for a 'play'.  I actually made two pairs but gave one set to a friend who needed cheering up. 

SO simple - beads with split rings round worked in Zarina's size 80 HDT!!!

More tidying up!

Books, leaflets and newsletters!!!  Those were targeted over the past few days!!!

It came to the 'crunch' when a whole load of loose leaf files fell off the shelf onto the floor (and my FOOT) one day last week AND while I was also in the depths of tidying the tatting cupboard!!!  Immediately the air turned blue and I then gave further serious thoughts about what to do with them.  


I mentioned a week or two ago that a whole load of newsletters had to go as they were taking up room, so this 'incident' signed their 'death knell'  


Over the space of several days (well, the weather's pretty cold and dull) I scanned all the pages which had patterns on.  Now the paper newsletters are now ready to sell on Ebay (buyer collects),  or become the target of a box of matches (I favour the latter)!!!!   So further decisions have to be made.  Meanwhile - guess where they are?  Back on the flipping shelf.  The patterns are now easily found on my computer without having to 'fight the files'!!! Job DONE!!  I've been meaning to do this for ages and ages - way before they attacked me.

Whilst scanning I came across just three patterns by other people which I'd made from the hundreds in there over this time period (over 30 years) and was surprised at how many re-prints of  designs from Coats/Penelope leaflets there were and how many 'similars' too.  


Times have changed SO much and so has our craft!!!

Back to beads!

Oh, joy of joys - I'm back to beads again.  

This is the result - a new pair of earrings in my favourite 'shouty' colours - bright pink and bright orange!!!  I scanned these before I put the hooks on and have since worn them.  I hope to make them in other colours too.  By the way - that's a chain around the beads - not a ring.

These are made in one 'hit' with no sewing in of ends or sewing on of findings and beads!!  I love this sort of tatting!!!  I must tell you one day how I join to the findings - that's if you really want to know!!!  I often see people 'adding clasps and findings' after they've made an item and that worries me in case they become 'un added' when they're worn.  I firmly believe in adding as you tat but NOT having the wretched things on the shuttle as they get in the way!!!


Those are Swarovski crystals in between the coloured beads - and at the bottom.  

Another grand tidy up!

Well it had to happen - another day (or good part thereof) in the tatting cupboard!!!  It had got in quite a state thanks to the diamond mat!!!  


When it came to deciding which thread went with which I'd have ALL my of them out of the cupboard and then (after decisions were made) I'd just chuck them back in again.  Here are two pictures before I started the grand tidy!!!  Can you see all the odd balls just 'chucked' in there?  On the second one you can see the boxes 'bulging' with threads I DID try to put inside them.  No way would the lids go back on!!

Here's one during the process and with me trying to fit/force the balls of threads into their boxes!!!  The bead 'situation' wasn't too bad as I've not touched those while 'diamonding'.

Finally the 'after' picture.  I'm delighted to show this as ALL the threads are now in their appropriate coloured boxes.  Wonder how long I'll stay tidy this time?!?!?!