Last part of the doily

Again there has to be a cut and tie after round 4 and before starting 5 and 6 but I think it's a small price to pay in the scheme of things!!

OK I know it looks as if I've gone totally stark staring bonkers but I did the same doily in lavender - just to check it out again!!!  Here are rounds 5 and 6 which is as far as I've got.  Actually I think this is the 'end of the line' for this 'Once in a Lifetime' doily.

I'll work on the pattern page over the weekend and hope to get the pattern up on the pattern page early next week.  I've got another one to show you which I think is the best version of all - I'll wait to see what you all think!!  In a size 20 thread it works out to be about 7 1/2" in diameter so I think it might be a smidgen small for a 'real' doily!!!

Martha's book and a RESULT on the blog!

Huge celebrations yesterday afternoon.  I couldn't find how to take off the word verification - drove me bonkers!!!  My good mate Gina kept making fantastic suggestions and telling me places to go on my dashboard but the 'word verification' just wasn't there!!  In the end I ploughed through the forums and found the answer.  I had to go back to the old blogger interface.  Again I was stumped because there was no link on my new interface to take me back there!  In the end I found a message on the forums which said this:- 

I've been able to track down most things that seem to have moved on the new dashboard but I can't find this one. You may have to go to the old dashboard to do it. You can do that by logging in to www.blogger.com/home instead of www.draft.blogger.com/home . If it won't open the old dashboard for you, then you may have to clear your cache.

So, what I did was sign out, paste the url into the browser bar and then sign in.  First thing I got greeted with was my old interface - the rest was history!!!!!  Oh, I also found out later in the day that I could easily manage my 'following' list here too - can't do that in the new interface - yet!!

This is one of the motifs from Martha's new book.  I added beads 'here and there' for a bit of sparkle.  Can I just mention here that I really love the designs in this book.  The broomstick picots are SUCH fun to make.

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Next stage in the doily

So, upwards, onwards and outwards!!!  

After many struggles this turned out to be rounds three and four - worked continuously.  Sadly there has to be a cut and tie after rounds 2 and 4 - not up to my usual standards!!!!

I managed to do a couple more pages on the home page of my web site yesterday and today's task is to do some drawings for a friend and try to find out (via the forums) how to stop word verification on my blog.  I did look a few months ago but not very hard!!  I had a good long look yesterday with the help of Ladytats but again can't find 'how to' yet!!  The new blogger interface doesn't make my life easy even though I like it a lot.

Starting the doily

Again before I start nattering on I must admit that I've been 'messing' with my web page again.  I think the front page now looks a lot tidier and I'm pleased that I don't have to keep scrolling down too far to find things.  I've also amalgamated one or two sections too to make life easier.  I think one or two more sections still need to be worked on and maybe the odd pictures added - if I can remember 'how to' in html!!!


Now to the new doily!!  Where to start when you don't even know what you're going to make!  Difficult but not impossible.

Actually this journey started with somebody (sorry, can't remember who) posting a picture of a pendant on their blog.  I looked and looked at it and thought it was pretty but sort of familiar!  After a few minutes I remembered where I'd seen a really bad picture of it.  Here on a web site.

Now, before the purists (are there any reading my twaddle?) start jumping up and down and think I'm being nasty about somebody I will admit I AM.  Don't worry, though.  It's me that I'm being unkind about.  It really IS a bad picture though.  

So, having seen the pendant I suddenly thought that it could be extended a bit.  So, the journey started.  I won't show you the original 'test tats' as they are pretty dreadful and anyway, I've LOST them!!!  

Here I'm showing you what I eventually did with the centre of the wotsit.  I used the motif but altered it somewhat.  Remember - there's no pre-planning on this and as usual as I just 'go with the flow'!!!

Changes have occurred

I forced myself to do something I've been 'meaning to do' (how many times do I 'mean to do' something and fail!!) for ages yesterday.  I've changed my pattern pages slightly!!!

I got thoroughly fed up with having to scroll so far down the home page to find things that I want so I've decided to tidy it up slightly!!  No, it hasn't gone 'posh' cause I don't know how to do that!!!

Can you see that I've now put the 'tips and techniques' and 'animal' sections on new links (see below)?  If this works then I'll put a few of the other larger sections on other links too.  The whole front page thoroughly got on my nerves - yes, I do have some still!!!  

Do please let me know if you have any other ideas - as long as they're not too hard as I'm self taught and not willing to waste valuable tatting time learning new web page designing skills!!!  Brain cell 3 would probably have a seizure if I even tried.

Another two bells

Before I start rambling today - is there anybody who can help a lady who wants to learn shuttle tatting and who lives in Upstate NY, just east of Syracuse (in Fremont)?  If there is, could you contact me - my email address is in my profile.  Thanks.


Here are two more - am I boring you, yet?  Well, to keep you interested I've put the pattern on my site.  It's here.  Remember it's name - The Outside In Bell!!!  Simply because it's worked from the outside to the inside - sort of!!!

I like to have several projects on the go at any one time even though I always swore I wouldn't!!!  I find that I need a project that I can pick up (like the bells) towards the end of an evening or even for a whole evening after a hard day.  That's a hard day of being retired and spending too much energy on avoiding  any form of housework!!!

I usually also have two design projects on the go too.  Why two?  Well if one is getting boring or I can't see the way forward then the other one might be a good idea!!!  Well, it works for me but does this sort of thing work for everybody?  I'd love to know if I'm 'odd' or 'normal'!!!