More about the BIG oops!!!!!

So, if you read this post the other day you'll remember that I had to cut out most of this round due to a failure of the brain!!! BUT what I haven't told you about yet is the fact that while doing it I had an even worse disaster.

Do you ever have 'those moments' when you know that you're going to do something totally stupid and also know that you can't stop yourself? I had one of those while cutting out the round. I'd bought some new lovely small scissors from Karey Solomon at Tat Days and I really, really love them but they weren't to blame at all - it was down to the 'driver' of said implement!!!

I did the inevitable - I CUT A PICOT! 

Now I wasn't prepared to cut off the rest of this round AND the previous one or mess with it further so I thought about it and had a BRAINWAVE. Yes, from BC3. So, what I did was - well, probably best if you go and look at this new technique page.  The results were fantastic and I was using a size 40 thread too on the doily.  Hopefully you'll never need to use this but it's there if you ever do cut a picot by mistake!!!

Starfish or star - you choose!

So this came about because somebody wrote to me a few days ago saying they were having problems with my starfish. I decided that the only way to see what they were having problems with was to tat it myself once again.

Hmmmmm, not as easy as it sounds, I found. There were parts that I couldn't understand either!!!

Now, bearing in mind that this pattern was written some 8 years ago and that my style of writing and diagramming changes over the years I wasn't surprised. I wrote this in the days when I assumed that tatters would be able to work out when to put a bead at the back of the hand before starting a ring it was needed in and also assumed they'd know when to switch shuttles or close or reverse work. Nowadays I try to remember to put all those things in as I notate the pattern.  Probably because my concentration goes on holiday too from time to time.

Thanks to the person who wrote about the starfish I can now present you with a - well starfish OR a star!!! As stars are usually five sided and snowflakes six I reckon this is a star but equally I'd call it a snowflake - just cause I'm awkward!!!

So the starfish is in it's usual place on the animal page but I've added it as a star to the motif and snowflake page.  Here's the link - and below the picture.

Valencia with oooops

You have NO idea how much hassle I've had with this round!!! NO IDEA!!! Sally suggested that I throw it in the bin but I'm a very, very stubborn old moo.

I took it with me to America as an ongoing project which was fine although I didn't do a lot to it but I had started this round when I was with Joanie. 

I kept counting and counting to make sure I was on the right track and all seemed fine until I got to the end!!!! I'd made a mistake. That was when I was cross with myself and Sally said to chuck it away!!!! BUT I couldn't 'see' where I'd gone wrong and for two days I kept going back to it over and over again.

Finally BC3 woke up and I saw it. So, out came the scissors and I cut it back to where the mistake had happened. At each end there are two places where there is a difference and I'd done a join instead of letting a small ring 'float'.

The rest of the story continues as matters get worse. And I MEAN worse!!!

Another new EXCLUSIVE member

Jeff sent in his mouse yesterday with the following comment:-

"I finally finished my bauble tatted mouse.  This is my second attempt. The first one seemed wonky near the beginning.  My mouse doesn't seem as long as should be; I think I may have tightened everything a bit too much.  I'll have to try a few of the other critters once I've made something else for a while.

Jeff"

I've added him to the exclusive tatting club members list on the page at the top of this post. 

I'm looking forward to your next critter, Jeff. Thanks SOOOOOO much for joining in the fun as I know you're a busy chap.

Finished angel

The worst part of any design for me is giving it a name!!! I HATE that part but sometimes it's necessary. Being of no religious belief I know very little about angels so resorted to google. I found lots of names and some covered all sorts of religions. Quite interesting, really. 

Anyway, in the end I've called her Angelica - just because I quite like the name!!!!

So, the final tweaks consisted of:-

a) A larger head. This meant, of course, working out how many more beads would be needed for the halo. I've used this method to make and 'anchor' the halo so it doesn't slip.

b) I changed the joins at the top of the wings/arms by moving the vip's to the top of the split rings.

c) Added hands to the ends of the wings/arms.

d) Made the dress (or whatever an angel wears!!) longer.

e) Added more picots to the under part of the wings.

Now I'm happy with it and I hope you enjoy it too.  Oh, heck, better give you the link!!!