Brooches - again

Once I start these I easily get addicted!!! They are fun to make and not too hard but they do involve a certain amount of beads - which I LOVE.  Also the joys of playing with colour interests me too.

I had a visit yesterday afternoon from 'im in the garage' who delivered more Pop A Bobbin Shuttles. I'll try and get them listed in Etsy as soon as possible but that will take me a few days.  I'll let you know when they're ready to go.

Just to whet your appetite!

Here are pictures of two of the patterns I've submitted to the Fringe for their Tat Days in September. The first one is worked on a button and the one at the bottom (also on a button) is somewhat based on a technique that I found in the Dora Young book. 

I've put them onto pins and even I have to admit they're pretty stunning.  

I'm going to make some more to sell too as I LOVE making them!!!!

Actually (a bit of self analysis coming up) I don't care about selling things too much except that the finished items tend to add to the household storage system (AKA clutter!!!).

The money does come in useful to put towards more thread, buttons, beads, shuttles etc etc but my real pleasure is in making.  There's rarely a day goes by when I'm not making something.  If I'm not making it's because I'm on going through some sort of personal problems.  

More about the Mochila bag

Before I start - just to let you know that we now have 88 Crinoline Ladies over on the TIAS blog.

You're just going to HAVE to suffer just like me!!! Here are more pictures of the bag which I started showing you here.

These are more of the trials and errors. If you look at top picture you'll see that I'm still having 'blips' of colour showing through - this is BAD cause they're on the right side of the bottom. Actually you shouldn't see colours showing through on either side!!!  Second one down is another of the 'back side' taken before another rip out!!!

The bottom one is a lot better but still room for improvement!!!

Dora's pineapple

Here it is - finished. The picture at the bottom is the first one I took but I decided it just didn't show the glorious pattern up properly so I cleared the bed in the spare bedroom and laid the doily on there to take another. 

I'm going to buy a copy of the re-printed book as soon as it comes out as I want to give a copy to my daughter. Why? Well it may just get her back into tatting again although it's at least 14 years since she last picked up a shuttle!!! Kirsty did learn at a young age but I'm not sure if I ever taught Lucy as I would only teach people or kids who were genuinely interested.  They probably got bored watching their very strange mother tatting at every spare moment she had.  After all - they knew nothing else and were born into a home where shuttles ruled!!!  Oh, and the sewing machine!!!

Preparations!

Yes I know my trip to the Fringe in Canada is a LONG way off but I HAVE to do things when I'm 'in the mood'. 

I'm going to make around 20 brooches to sell in their vending room which helps with the cost of the trip. Even though I'm 73 and on no medication (long may that last!) the cost of insurance is expensive. So, I like to take things to sell when I get there so that the organisers can be sure they'll get rid of me back on the scheduled flight!!! Well, that'll happen anyway but you know I'm teasing again.

Here are two to start with and hopefully more will come over the next few weeks. You know me though, there will be other things 'happening' on this blog too.

Another new crochet project

I'm going to 'name and shame' Pigmini here. She got me into this fine mess!!!! 

Sue told me about Mochila bags and of course my nosiness got the better of me so I had to go and look.  There are quite a few links on Google to help you with more research and there's a great group on Facebook who have been very helpful - along with Pigmini too.

The technique is tapestry crochet and involves 'just' the double crochet (or single if you're American). Easy you'd think but it isn't!!! The number of times I started and pulled it out just to 'get' the base done was beyond a joke!!! 

Before I could start I had to choose some yarn. It can only be a cotton yarn as others just don't work. You can see my collection in the top picture. The other three pictures are from one of my many 'bad starts' and all got pulled out so I could start again. I can be so stubborn over learning new skills. Thankfully the Facebook group are really helpful and in their files section are some useful links and some terrific videos.