Yes I have been tatting!!!

Yes, I have been tatting - in the evenings while the web stuff was going on in the daytime.  


This is a pair of earwigs that I made the other evening.  It's this pattern but the outer part only.  Can you see how I've added beads to the picot coming through the button's hole?  I LOVE doing this!!!  It's a tad fiddly but well worth the sparkle it gives to a plain button.

Roundabout pattern itself

Before I start today I want to have a gripe.  I belong to lots of groups on yahoo and on one group I am on permanent moderation as the owner doesn't trust me to post messages that aren't contentious!!!  Anyway, I don't mind about that but what really makes me cross is that my messages (the same messages which I send out to all the yahoo groups) are always deleted and never appear there.  That STINKS in my opinion.  I feel like leaving the group but I do find from time to time that I can help answer a question privately (obviously no good trying to do it in public or my help would also be rejected).  Just so annoying as I can't announce a new pattern or TIAS matters on that group.  Moan over!!

Now for a big thank you for those who have been offering input on the width of both the blog and the web page.  I'm slowly getting there even though I don't understand the web page stuff very well!!!  Keep me posted, please as help is always welcome.

OK, on to more cheerful 'stuff' here it is - the pattern for the Roundabout motif.

Tat's all for now so on with the day!!!

Shuttle winners announced

The web site is finished and WHAT a relief!!!  I have had somebody say that the front page doesn't fit on their monitor and that they have to move over to the right to see it all.  Does that happen to anybody else?  Is it the settings on their computer or (more likely) is it me and the way I've got it set up?  Any and all comments and help on this would be VERY welcome.

Yesterday afternoon I had the following message from Barb at Handy Hands regarding the naming of the new Aerlit shuttles (for more information visit this post).  CONGRATULATIONS to the winners.  This is what she said.

"We have the winners for the Aerlit shuttle names. So you can post on the blog, we will let them know later. We found that there were several that had the same name idea but the ones that submitted first will be our winners."


Later in the day (early evening) I was told I'd won a set of shuttles with one of my suggestions.  I'm just over the moon and back again - thanks Barb a million times.  Here they all are with their names.  


A strange notion crossed the mind of brain cell 3 - will Barb have a ceremony to present herself with a set of shuttles (see mint chocolate) or will she mail them to herself?  There's a conundrum!!!

After the scrap bags even more!!!

At the time of this post I have just a dozen or so pages left to sort out on moving the web site.  So yesterday I decided to 'move people' over by putting a big link on the old site to the new one!!!  How's that for genius thinking, eh?  I'll be SO glad when it's done as it's a really BORING job but needs concentration while you do it.  Here's the new link if you don't know where to go!!

So, as I didn't find the last bag was 'quite me' I set off on another adventure.  

This one is squarer and has a zip on the top but under a flap.  Now, I like this one but I'm still not sure it's right for all occasions!!!  I'm such a fusspot.  It's just right for my teaching sessions in the library but not quite big enough for when I go walking!!  Told you I was fussy!!!!

More about the Roundabout motif

I'm now motoring on the web pages so will soon put a notice on to say that the changes are finished.  I'm 'down in the doodles' section.  Not looking forward to the techniques section as there are so many - BUT they'll be quick as there are only the home page and footer links to do.

Here are a few more of the Roundabout motif for you to look at while I get on with sorting the pattern.

This is a simple pattern OR an advanced (ish) one depending on how you want to work it.  I'll give instructions for both ways but the 'advanced' way has the megga advantage that you only have the finishing ends to deal with. It's worked from the inside to the end without any cutting and tying.

About Aero shuttles

Before I start - progress on the web pages is going well.  I'm about to start on the heart section today or whenever I get some time.

I had a message asking me to clarify the differences between the Aero bobbin type shuttles so I'm going to try and see if I can explain it - as I have fathomed it.

Milwards and Aero were, the same company and were at one point part of Needle Industries in Redditch - a few miles away from where I live.  This is an interesting link.  This also makes sense from what I know too.  Another link here is interesting as I read somewhere that the molds for the shuttles were destroyed in a fire but here it would appear that it was the records which were destroyed.  As my ex husband worked there after this date and found shuttles still there then I feel that it was simply that the mold was taken over to Germany for manufacturing in that country.

The company started off making the Milward black shuttles with the 'dip' in them and the hook with a green ribbon on.  I started life with those at the age of 13.  Then I tried the 'new' grey Aero ones as they had the integral hook.  It wasn't until I bought one with instructions on on how to load the bobbin and which way to put it in the shuttle that I became comfortable with using them.

So from what I've gathered over the years I thought there was just a Made in England grey bobbin shuttle.  They were easily available and cheap so I suppose I never gave them much thought.  Then the making of the shuttles was re-located to Germany and some of them were a bit problematic.  They even tried using carbon hooks on them as I've mentioned in a previous post - a disaster.  I got round the odd problems with the German ones by swopping bobbins and they used to work fine for me.

Barb actually told me the following last week which goes to prove how little I thought about it.

"I do not know if you know this or not but there are 2 different old shuttles.

1.       “Made in England” – this is all it states on the shuttle and is the OLDEST original one-in my opinion is the BEST and those that have this one agree it is the BEST!

2.       “Aero Made in England” – this is what it says on the shuttle, this was made second and has a little different design in the middle where the bobbin is.

The “Aero Made in England” one – Pony and Susan bates tried to copied this one.

The “Made in England” – this one is the same as the original Made in Germany ones. – but the mold was used so many times and needs re-worked it finally lost its click click."

At the end of the day it's all down to the skill of the mold maker and the type of 'plastic' which is used, I think!!!!