Lotsa snowflakes in gold

In those 'odd' moments and while I wasn't feeling too good I made these snowflakes using the new Liz metallic thread.

They actually look better than this picture shows!!!

I'm now back to 'normal' thankfully so am working on other bits and pieces until I can decide what I want or need to do next. All suggestions very welcome.

Just for a change!!!!

If you've read my blog in the past you'll know I have a love affair with Rosemarie Peel's design in her book called 'Tatting Basic Patterns'. 

When Sue (Pigmini) and I were talking at some point last year about travelling and tatting I suggested she tried 'Rachel' as a relatively easy tatting project to take with her. 

I always measure out the quantities I need and wind that onto Ezbob's and I can get two 'lots' of size 40 thread on each. That's two Rachel's!!!

This Rachel is made with HWT.  Two strands of sewing thread wound together on shuttles.  

Martha's smaller butterfly

Today's blog post is to show you the other butterfly that Martha asked me to test tat for her.

This was a delightful tat and I love, love, love this design too. 

The great thing about doing all this test tatting is that I'm finally getting some of my buttons out of their containers and doing something useful!!!!  

I MAY have to source more buttons within the next 100 years!!!!!

Hanky holders

I always carry a small packet of tissues in my handbag and they ALWAYS get scrunchy/grubby looking. 

A friend was making these covers and selling them successfully to raise funds for our Tuesday group so I thought I'd make one for myself. 

I searched the internet for 'how to make them' (as you do) and found this great site.

This is almost the end of this great fabric and I'm going to miss it SO much. Always cheers me up!!

Saved!!

Not probably from 'extinction' but certainly likely to be thrown away. 

I found these two shuttles in a charity shop in Alcester just over a week ago. They simply HAD to be saved. Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!!! The lower of the two is actually a lovely shade of yellow which seems to be lost in the photograph. 

I'm already overrun with Milwards and have probably still got in the collection the ones I bought 60+ years ago with my pocket money!!! As I've tatted for so long and never been sidetracked I'm sure some of the originals have survived. 

I now use mainly the Aero bobbin shuttles (or the new Clover bobbin ones) but when the Aeros first hit the shops and I tried them I couldn't get on with the design at all. Eventually (as Milwards were becoming hard to find) I decided it was the 'Aero bobbin shuttle or nothing'. 

It always tickles me when I see people blogging or talking on Facebook about how you have to wind and hold the Aero to tat. Particularly which way the hook has to point (up, down etc). I once bought a French Aero which actually showed how the thread was loaded into the shuttle and which way the hook should 'point'. I adopted this method and have 'hooked' on Aero ever since. 

I will add here that the way the shuttle is held is entirely up to the tatter but I would suggest just persisting at finding your comfort zone.  There is no 'right' or 'wrong' way!!!