Finished

Now this was SOOOO hard to photograph but this is the best I can do!!!

I took it to Gloucester last Saturday for the Christmas competition. I'm chuffed to bits that I won. Only problem is that the prize was a BIG box of chocolates and I can't resist chocolate!!!! Bang goes the diet once again!! Diet? No I'm not on a diet but I do try not to eat 'naughty' food. I can manage most of the time but once chocolate comes onto the scene I'm a lost soul!!!! 

I'm still trying to get the pattern finished for the bells so please be patient.  It shouldn't take long so I hope to have it on my web site sometime next week.  

Tatting out and about

I've still got the diamond project on the go but I needed this project as an 'out and about' one as well as the diamonds - just as a diversion!!

This is the August Snowflake joined into a small doily/mat. I'm really pleased with it and am wondering whether to continue to another round - or not!!!!

I like that the central one has the colours reversed. If you remember - this is when I came up with the idea.

As I'm not bored with it yet I may well continue with another round.

Another leaf!!!

Here's another of Ruth's Tischband leaves. This is done with another thread.

I suppose you'll want to know which thread it is so I'd better tell you!!! Yesterday's thread was Oren Bayan 034 and today's is the same make and the colour is 033. They're both lovely to work with and I think they must work out at around a 40 - 60 in size. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. I must've bought them YEARS ago when Lyn Morton had Tatting and Design. 

I've also got another of the Turkish metallic threads (Nakis Simi) which you can find here. This is my all time favourite metallic thread but unfortunately the shade of gold that they do isn't 'right' for this project. I've used it here, though.

A leaf!!

Just a little leaf.

I suddenly had the brainwave to make a leaf (maybe two) to go with the bells which you saw on Friday just here.

Now when I was in Canada the year that Judith Connors was at the Fringe too, I had the very great pleasure of spending time with her at Terry's house. One of the pieces that Judith had made and brought with her was her Tischband leaves (pattern by Ruth Scharf). To say that Judith's tatting was exquisite would be an understatement. She'd done hers in black which must've been a nightmare as black thread just ain't easy to work with. Since then I've been wanting to have a 'go' myself at the leaves. 

I asked Mr Google for help and he came up with Umi & Tsuru's blog where Ruth had kindly given her permission to share the pattern. I remember seeing the blog posts when they were first published in 2012 but was not in the right frame of mind back then!!!! Thanks to Judith and the need to make something to go with the bells the opportunity arose last week!!!

On Saturday

Well let's start with Friday!!! That was the day that Sally arrived from her 'neck of the woods' to stay with us for two days. We don't get a lot of time together so each hour is precious.

We'd planned to go to the Gloucester Tatting Day which is organised by Linda Williams. 

It's always a good day out but Saturday was wet, wet, wet!! Still, not a problem as the event is held in a lovely hall. 

Barbara Murdoch was there with her supply of very tempting threads etc but unfortunately I'd been banned and barred from buying ANY threads. So, instead of threads I bought a book!!!! I'd pre-ordered the new Pam Palmer book from Barbara. 

Oh, you may ask who'd had the NERVE to ban and bar me from any thread buying. Shall I tell you? Well it was my ex friend BC3. Definitely ex. 

I was sorely tempted all day but I managed to leave without any threads!!!

The day was spent talking with lots of lovely tatters.  Some new tatters and some long time tatters.  Love tatting days.