Etsy shop

Here is another of the Starry Button Bracelets.  

I actually put three of them on Etsy yesterday along with some Pop a Bobbin shuttles.  I didn't tell anybody ahead of the listing for several reasons.  

First - I'd only got 12 shuttles and I didn't want people to be disappointed if they couldn't get them in the 'race to buy'.

Secondly I actually forgot that they were in my draft listings!!!  I'd done them on Monday and then totally forgot!!! DOH!!!

Thirdly - it's a bit easier for me when they go into the shop quietly and people just 'find out'.

Anyway, I was going to mention their presence today but they've all gone!!!  Just goes to prove that some people look at the shop from time to time!!!!

New technique page

I thought that as I was working on the Starry Button earrings I'd better put up a technique page on 'how to' add the beads on top of a button.  

Here's the link to that page.

I had a message from an online friend on Wednesday saying that she'd only got six balls of size 20 Lizbeth thread left in her online store.  She's closing down and retiring in a month or so.  By the way, this is NOT Lyn Morton's site at Tatting and Design but another supplier.  Lyn is trading as strongly as ever, bless her cotton socks, even though rumours have been going round to say otherwise!!  

Anyway, back to what I was talking about.  I looked in Karen's shop and thought that I'd better help a friend out - that's MY excuse!!!  Well, must admit they were half price too!!!  I bought the final six without checking if I'd got them.  When they arrived yesterday I realised that only one of the balls was a repeat.  I'm a very happy bunny!!!  

One Finished Curtain - with attitude!

So my plans to sit in the garden to make this curtain have proved a washout so far.  One afternoon is all I've managed.  Instead I've been sitting inside (avoiding the cold and/or the rain) watching iPlayer on the laptop in Tat Corner.

That's allowed - sitting in Tat Corner to crochet as I checked with BC3 first!!!

Now, it's really hard to know what the finished size will actually be when you're doing something like this.  Well, it is for me!!!!  I spent hours doing the maths on it and doing trial pieces but I find that hard so in the end just got on with it.

So when I'd started out, the curtain was meant to run from bottom to top (or, t'other way round!) as in the top picture below.  BUT when I laid it out on the floor I realised that the width was slightly too much.  It would give too much of a 'ruffle' effect.  I'm just SO lucky that it works t'other way round as in the bottom picture.  PLUS a big bonus is that I think the design looks better that way too!!!

Ferris Wheel motif mat - AGAIN!

Having finally come to a halt on the mat I now have to decide what sort of edging to put round it!!!  This is HARD!

Below you can see three attempts to make one and two of these failed dismally!!  I knew they were no good and thankfully Sally confirmed that for me when she stayed last weekend.  Here are the three attempts.  

The first one (excuse the colours but I used manky thread) seemed to be OK apart from the stitch count.  The second one was sort of OK but Sally thought it ought to be in just one plain colour which I agree with totally.  It also proved to be too 'wavy' even if I'd put on another round after.

The third one is what I'm working on at the moment - again a thread which is very old and which I'm just 'using up'.  This one MIGHT work but I really want to tat a bit longer on this just to be sure.

I've yet to decide but I will get round to it one day soon!!!

The bracelet has a name!!

Having made a bracelet for Ros I decided I really, really 'needed' one for myself!!!  

So off I trotted to my thread drawers and as so often happens to me, Rainbow Taffy smiled at me so I smiled back and hoiked him out of the drawer.

I'm (as regular readers will know) hopeless about naming patterns but this simple name has stuck with me throughout so it's going to be called the Starry Button Bracelet.  Least I SHOULD be able to remember that!!!!

I'll soon have the original earring pattern ready and will shortly start on the bracelet one.  Text is done but finding time to do the drawings seems to be the problem!!!

The end - nearly!!

So, 36 motifs finished of the Ferris Wheel motif.  The outer round motifs have no buttons in the centres - just because I wanted to make sure the pattern worked with and without!!!!  

Now I want/need to work out an outer round as it just doesn't look finished.  In fact it looks disastrously naked!!!  Naked tatting?  YIKES.  Send for the tatting police!

Sally was up here over the weekend - this is her blog.  She brought up a dozen pop a bobbin shuttles - all with hooks.  For those who have never met a pop a bobbin shuttle - please visit the tab at the top of this page for more information.

As there are so few of them I'm just going to list them when I have time.  It'll be a case of whoever sees them and wants them - gets them.  I did that a few weeks ago with the last batch and they went within a few days giving those in other time zones the opportunity to see them and me a lot more exercise trotting up and down to the Post Office.

No, that's wrong - in my case it's down and up to the Post Office as there's a slight incline down into the town!!!