Finished and on my site

Well I finally got it done - the new snowflake pattern. 

You would've laughed at my first attempt to get it online and working. I somehow got the wrong links on the 'click here' words!!! Gave me a shock when I clicked on the words and it took me to a totally different place!!! Anyway I quickly got it sorted and finalised. 

Now the reason it's called 'Sally's Bugle Snowflake' is because my little sister (I have to put little as she insists I'm eons older than her) loves bugle beads. I've never been particularly fond of them but after doing this design I must say I'm rather hooked!!! 

Anyway, I sent Sally a copy of the pattern and she had a bit of a hard time with the technique at first. That's partly the reason I changed the technique page although I don't think you'll need to refer to it as I'm pretty sure everything's covered in the pattern. Remember - this is a new technique so probably not available on youtube yet!!!

So, here it is. I think this is my 'bestest ever' design and I'm still making the snowflakes weeks after I started on it.

Somebody asked a question

About the new Clover shuttles. I lost the plot on yesterday and, in fact, had a hard time even knowing where I was and what I was meant to be doing!!!

It was 'one of those' days and I didn't even get to picking up a shuttle at all!! BUT I did manage to order two more from Tatting and Design here in the UK. They are roughly the same price as from Japan but cheaper on the postage. BUT, having said that, they may take longer to get here - not because of who I've bought from but because of my 'dear' friend - Royal Fail!!! We'll see!!

Now back to the title of this post. Somebody somewhere in the morass which was called 'yesterday' asked if the containers held the Aero/Aerlit shuttles. So, I took the picture below to show you. The red arrow points to the Aerlit shuttle and you can see that it 'slightly' overlaps the slot. The yellow arrow points to it's bobbin.   As there is plenty of 'space' when the lid is closed it does work well for those shuttles too.  Actually what I'd call a 'win, win' situation.

Tomorrow I hope to have the new pattern available.  Keep your fingers crossed that today won't be another of 'those days'!!!!!

New shuttles

It's years since I've been tempted to buy new work horses!!! OK, I do buy shuttles for my collection from time to time but I'm not an avid collector. I just dabble at it. Good job too as IF I'd started collecting when I started tatting there'd be no room in the house for ME!!! 

So, when I saw these new bobbin shuttles on somebody's blog I decided I definitely needed them. I bought them from Japan but that was probably faster than buying them from 'just down the road'. They arrived well within a week which is amazing. I think they're available in America but no signs of them yet in the UK.

Now for how I feel about them just over a week later. Well they're yummy. I love the fine pick which I'm still getting used to (being a hook type of gal) but even more I love that I actually only need two shuttles like this as you can take the bobbins out and put them in the little holder thingy and the thread doesn't come undone. Brilliant mind thought of that. What's SO clever is that this holder can be held and the bobbin can be put on the little 'nub' on the side to wind it.

The shuttles feel really good too and, looking at the centres, they're made quite a bit differently to the Aero/Aerlit. It'll be interesting to see if they hold up to the use they'll get from me before they start to become loose!!! There's one little thing I don't understand and that's the little clear washers that came with the 'kit'. I think it's for winding the bobbins on a sewing machine. I'd never do that as winding by hand is faster than getting the aged body out of the chair to set up the machine!!!!

Round nine completed.

On this round I decided to use two colours to give it more interest. Well, interest for me anyway as it looked like a looooong round.

I apologise to Renulek as I did change the making of the round slightly. Instead of the large picots in the centre of the daisies I changed it and used vsp's. So, instead of 8 - 8 I cheated and did 6 vsp 2 vsp 6. In following rings you then work 6, join to previous vsp, 2, vsp 6.  This is because I'm a dozy old moo and can NEVER get those central picots 'quite right'. I've used this 'cheat' on lots of patterns in the past but thought that some of you may like to know about it too!!! Can you see on the top picture how even those centres look now? 

I also abandoned the onion ring again and did a chain with a ring on the top instead. A discussion with one of my blog readers (yes, good to know there are one or two out there!) over whether you could do a ring on an onion ring and I'm sure you can - if you use the loop tatted ring method. Keep meaning to try it but I get distracted so easily!!!!

Re-vamped technique page

Now you've had a preview of the new pattern I've been working on (see yesterday's post) I thought it would be a good idea to update the technique page. 

This technique is one I came up with last year and is brand new. I've not seen it anywhere else and I'd be delighted to think that people will find a use for it. Here's the link to the updated page.

Well?