Back to geckos again!!!!!

Just for a change - another gecko!!!  Sometimes 'a change is as good as a rest' when I've had a spate of sorting other stuff out.

I've become addicted to this way of block tatting so am seriously thinking of doing more things 'on the block', as Martha would say!!!  

In case you don't know where the gecko is - here's the link.

This one is worked in Lizbeth Mountain Breeze.

Final snowflake - I think!!!

Why is it that when I first designed this snowflake back in 2002 I didn't make many?  Perhaps I should never have put the pattern on my site back then as it's sort of haunted me as I knew it wasn't 'quite right'!!!

It's taken me all this time to get back to sorting it and now I've done it I've got into a rut of making them!!!!  

Maybe this will be the last - there are two others you haven't seen as they were 'trial' ones.  Anyway - here are a couple of pictures - just for eye candy. 

Now, what shall I play with next?!?!?!

3D Snowflake sorted

This must be a first for me.  I've actually got the new version of the 3D snowflake finished and ready for you all here.

The alterations have caused it to grow to a decent snowflake size!!!  I removed the annoying beads from the very long picots in the centre and added more to the rings.  Instead of loading all the beads onto the chain thread I've made those to be added as you go (LBP).

This is a simple pattern - rings and chains only.  Oh, except for beads for those of a sensitive disposition!!!!  Even if you don't like beads - do try this pattern.  It looks even better in real life and it's a total stinker to get a good picture of it.  Remember the tips on stiffening it?  Here's a link to those.

The main challenge is joining the last three rings (10, 11 and 12) to numbers 7, 8 and 9 but just think of the designer - she does 'simple' and it's only a matter of joining through those aforementioned rings!  I've added further new drawings too to help with that part.

Stiffening tatting

I know this is an old 'chestnut' when it comes to talking about stiffening tatting.  

I NEVER use sugar water - did that about fifty years ago and that tatting looks dreadful now and in fact a lot has been thrown away.  I've never tried hair spray  either as I've never owned any (well I had a can in my teens once) - perhaps I should buy some just for tatting? 

So, on the whole I try NOT to stiffen anything.  

A few days ago (Sally 'persuaded' me) I thought I ought to look once more at this pattern which I did back in 2002 to see why I didn't make many.  First of all that's a totally HORRID snowflake on the page which would NOT appeal to me (or anybody else) as something I'd want to tat!!!  

Yes this is a design that does need stiffening.  I think I've found the answer now and will share it with you as it's useful for anybody who wants to stiffen with PVA.  I do like that glue for stiffening but I usually water it down.  In this case - well, read on..........

First of all before stiffening I feel that any tatting needs to be pressed.  I can hear somebody out there (can't quite fathom out who it is, please speak up) saying - 'how the heck can you press something 3D?

Well my solution is to wet the finished item thoroughly and then place it flat on the ironing board.  I then put a cloth over it and press firmly.  I do this again  moving the 'arms' over and pressing it the other way.  It looks almost as flat as a pancake by then but when you move the 'arms' into 'snowflake position' it looks GREAT.  Then to keep it looking good I get 'neat' PVA glue (white school glue) and squidge it in with my fingers into the now hot and damp thread.   Actually this is a method I've been using now for the past few months.  I think it's having the piece really wet before squiggling that helps.  Let me know if you've every tried it and how you get on.

You can see one of the 3D snowflakes that I did a few days ago below my ramblings.  It's not easy to photograph these little stinkers!!! 

I've changed the pattern quite a bit so will get the improvement up within a few days.  Please bear with me.

Now to dress up the ears!

As promised yesterday -  here is the pattern for the earrings.  

These are very similar to the bigger trees that are here and could be worn together - as a brooch and matching earwigs!!!  

I used a clear button for mine as they happened to be lurking in my button stash.  I prefer to have a more 'solid' earring as that stops the dreaded 'bendy disease' which can happen even in spite of megga stiffening!!!

A forest!!!

Here are the trees that I found lurking around the house.

Sally and I have inherited the same genes from our ancestors - we both consistently lose things, especially bits of tatting and beads.  We're both good at putting things in an 'obvious' place or even a 'safe' place but then we can never find them again!!!  I found a bag of trees yesterday and here they are!!!

Anyway, this is just a 'filling in' blog post to give me the time and the 'nudge' I need to get another version of this pattern ready and available for you tomorrow.  It's going to be the earring version.  That one is done solely on a button (shirt button sized) as it really does need a button to keep it from going 'bendy'.  

There's nothing in Tat Land worse than spending time making earrings only to find they 'bend' even when stiffened.  It's one reason my earring designs have a more 'solid' appearance.  I either load them with beads (which helps) or make more dense ones which solves the problem of the 'bends'.  No, I don't go deep sea diving either but I know about bends in earrings!!!

So, tomorrow, hopefully there'll be another 'dose' of trees!!!!