That took a little longer

First of all - I think I've now got the comments sorted out on the blog.  A few people couldn't leave comments and I was missing my lovely friends who were regulars.  BC3 finally decided to google the problem and lo and behold he found the solution.  Back to the real post, now!!!

That took a little longer.  A little longer than I expected!!!

Here's the next round of the doily - forgot to mention that it's worked in a size 40 thread. I'm not sure the colour is good on this round. In the picture it looks pinker than it actually is. I have chosen another variegated thread for the next round so I'm hoping it'll tame it down a bit!

I'm doing one more round but as I'm pretty bored with it now it'll not be the same!!! I've had a GOOD IDEA!!! Just hope it works, though!!!!

Another trip

Down memory lane!!!

This was prompted by a visit to our local Hospice secondhand bookshop in town. I pop in there from time to time searching for craft books and occasionally bring in the 'Eborall rescue team' which has a membership of one - me. I found an old Coats tatting book there a few years ago and that got rescued and relocated to Atlanta and Sandra cause she lost everything in her house fire. 

Yesterday I found this little gem. 'Pillow Lace, Book 1' by Margaret Hamer. 

I met Margaret when I was in my late 20''s when she was demonstrating in Stratford (she lived in Bedford and came from a family of bobbin lacers). I approached her as I desperately wanted to learn but there was no time during her visit. We exchanged addresses and she asked if I'd be a guinea pig for this first little book of hers. Obviously there was no such thing as the internet and Youtube in those days!!!  Thus I was in on the birth of book 1 and at least one other little book of hers.  On an aside - her sister (Margaret Waller) was an avid tatter and gave me a lot of encouragement with my work over the years.

Now that was lovely enough but when I opened this book you'll see that it was owned by a Caroline Cramp. That brought back more memories of Caroline who used to belong to Rosemarie Peel's tatting group 'way back when'. Sadly Caroline died way too young. I wonder how this little gem of a book got from Nuneaton (where Caroline lived) to a bookshop in Stratford. We'll never know the answer to that. In the last two pictures you'll see samples worked by Caroline.

Now, if anybody would like this little gem - I paid £1.50 for it and would happily let it go for that plus postage. If you want it and live in Canada and will be attending the Fringe then I can bring it with me.

Down memory lane!

My dad in his later years (he died at the age of 97) used to constantly talk about 'going down memory lane' and it used to drive me MAD!!!! I suddenly had a 'memory lane' moment myself the other day when I remembered a doily I'd started 'way back when'!!!!

I found it and have secretly been doing bits to it for the past week. This is where I'd got to last October and tomorrow I hope to show you the next round completed.

Another off my list

Now what list is that? Well I'm sure I don't know cause I've lost it!!!

I suppose I do my best to keep a list from time to time but invariably it doesn't work out. IF I had a list this design would be on it!!!

Here's the link to the finished heart design. I've gone with the name Love Rings True which somebody left on the comments on my blog when I was wondering about what to call it. Ah, just found it - it was Madtatter 80. She said it was corny and I quite agree but I do like to make fun of life so I thought that fitted it really well!!!! 

Before I go there maybe a tatter 'out there' who may want the link. Well, here it is!!

Rosemarie Peel

As you can see - I'm back to my favourite Rosemarie Peel pattern - Rachel. 

This time I've made it using HWT (Hand Wound Thread). Two strands of fine (60, 70, 80) threads wound onto the shuttle together and another two strands used for the chain thread. 

This is my 'go to' pattern for travelling as it gives sufficient interest without being 'hard'. I think the book is still available but you'd have to 'google' it to find out. Here's what I said about it some years ago and I still stand by what I said.

I can never quite get my head around the fact that such a simple design can produce such a stunning effect - particularly the star in the middle.  I've done what I did to the last Renulek doily (2017) and replaced the longer picots in the centres of the florets with 'jiggling' the stitch count and using very small picots instead.  I've always been hopeless at getting those long picots you have to join back into the right size so this is my 'cheat'.