Chicken wing doily orange

While we were away last week I didn't expect to have an internet connection.  In fact I hadn't even enquired as to whether there was one anywhere near the apartment!!!  It was going to be a week of pure and simple relaxation with books and nothing else to do.  

Well, of course, I couldn't go away without some tatting could I?  I decided to make a chicken wing doily as these are relatively fast to make.  I've got two small tote bags - roughly six inches square that I want to 'jazz up' so these would be ideal to sew onto them.  When I get round to it, of course!!!

So, here's the first one.

Oh, we were in the apartment for about two hours before I 'discovered' a wifi connection from the pub next door.  As we have BT and 'allow' our hub at home to be a 'hot spot' (which, incidentally, is very safe) I downloaded the BT app onto our devices and we were both 'back in business' very quickly!!!!  Sad to say these two old gits can't last long without an internet connection!!!

TIAS 2013 (second one)!!!

It's strange but great to be on the receiving end of a Tat It And See as I found out the last time Sherry did one.  I'm taking part again this time too.

I set out with great fervour to do day 1.  It wasn't until others started to upload their day 1's here that I realised that something may be wrong with mine.  DOH.  I went back and re-read the instructions and I realised I'd followed them properly.  BUT - and here's the problem - I hadn't used the picot gauge the way round that it needed to be!!!  There are two ways of using a gauge and as I rarely use one it didn't occur to me that I might have got it wrong!!!  Well I did.  I wasn't the only one, thankfully!!!

I always hold mine so that I make the picot over the gauge which is held parallel to the core thread (top picture) but apparently there's another way of holding it so that the gauge is at right angles to the core thread (bottom picture).  Of course if you're a dozy old moo like me you get it wrong you finish up with a picot twice the size it's meant to be!!!  So I had to un tat the whole thing and start again.  I had wound my thread CTM so it wasn't an option to cut and start over.

 

Tiny owl

Today I thought I'd show you this little chap.  He's a new owl I made some time ago.  

I offered him to Riet in case she wanted him for night owl classes at Tat Days this year and I was very flattered when she did use him.  I'm not giving you the pattern for this as it's on the Palmetto Tat Days CD which can be found here.  

Of course you don't get just this one tiddly little owl on the CD - you get all these too.  I really must go and order mine before BC3 forgets!!!

The reason this pair have got rings in their heads is not because their a new species of owl but because they're going to be a new pair of earrings - for MEEEEE. 

Witch

OK, here it is - the halloween pattern.  My first halloween pattern too.

Before any of you ask - yes, I did pose for it in front of a mirror.  I had to guess at the broomstick, though, as all we'd got was a rather mangy kitchen mop!!!!!  People who know me will notice that I've elongated the nose as my 'real' one is a bit small and a total failure as far as noses go!!!!

When I first started teaching the youngest kids coming into school (here in the UK they're from 4 - 5 years old), it was Bonfire Night which was of huge interest.  Now not all kids love fireworks (I still don't - well only from the comfort of my armchair and when they're on the telly!) but November 5th (Guy Fawkes day) was celebrated hugely here in the UK.  

There used to be a small mention of Halloween 'back then' which was scary for our kids.  Mention witches, ghosts or anything like that and they were scared.  Not all, but a lot of them.  In the UK this day of the year (31st October) passed us by with rarely a mention.  Then along came the Meg and Mog books and this started to make it less scary for our youngsters.  

With global communication opening up, the Halloween celebration was  gradually imported from  America and now slowly (over here) people appear to be losing interest in Guy Fawkes day - also due to the cost of fireworks too, I suppose.

Yes, THE America with their celebration of halloween finally catching on over here.  THANK you, America.  You did us a huge favour as now witches, ghosts, hobgoblins and all those things are no longer scary but fun AND associated with sweets too!!!  Oh, sorry, I mean candy.

Another of my recent projects, which I've not shown you before, is this.  A tiny, tiny doily in size 80 threads.  Again I think these threads probably came in the batch that Sue Anna sent ages ago.  Aren't they delicious?  

I made it a couple of weeks ago as I wanted something special to send to somebody and now she's got it.  Happy belated birthday, Joanie.

Oh, this is the Twirly Doily which can be found here.  The finished piece in this size 80 measures 5 ½" in diameter.

Sherry's TIAS

I'm BACK!!!!  Coming today (23rd) is a new TIAS (Tat It And See) from Sherry which can be found here.  I meant to tell you all about it over a week ago but my BC3 went on holiday with me and I forgot!!!!

So, what else do I have to tell and show you?  Well, coming soon is a new Halloween pattern but I need a day or two to finalise it.  Also a new square motif, a Christmas pattern and goodness knows what else I've forgotten about!!!

I've re-opened the Etsy shop too - somebody asked me about something that was in it but of course I've forgotten who or what!!!!

Thought I'd add a few pictures here from our week in Dorset.  Not your 'usual' holiday photos as that would be boring.  Just the sort that I like to take although I have got 'proper' ones too!!!  Before anybody asks - I managed to get past the fossil shop without them hauling me in to sell me as a specimen!!!!