15 May 2020

First attempt small bow


I found another bow in the Dutch books which I fell in love with. Again this needed a lot of thinking about and that really hurts my brain!!!

You can see from this first and failed attempt (well, actually it's probably the third attempt as the others got thrown away) that there are spiral chains in this pattern.

This is a technique that I've happily avoided for years and years!!! I'm NOT a 'dropper of shuttles' as it slows me down. In all the destructions (sorry, instructions) I've seen it says to work 5 or so first half doubles then drop your shuttle over the work. WHAT? NO tatter wants to let go of their shuttles!!

But here's the thing. This was one clever nun/sister as she didn't do that. She said to - well, here's a technique page to show you. I’ve NEVER seen a spiral chain done this way but now it’s the only way I’ll ever do them in future!!!

I hope to get this done over the weekend and hopefully on my pattern site by the middle of the week.

14 May 2020

Another earring design

Well that's what it started out as but it ended up being far too big so it's now become a pendant!!!

The necklace part is one of a whole LOT that my dear friend Joanie gave me when I was staying with her in America last September. I've used quite a few as I do tend to wear pendants.

Can you see that with this doodad I've actually joined to the centre by taking the thread up and down underneath the outer holes. Took a bit of fiddling but after the first one it was easy!!! That's my story and I'm sticking to it too!!!!

I've only got notes for this design as I'm not sure if anybody would want it. I'm definitely going to make more for myself though!!!!

12 May 2020

I DID it!!!

I sat my sorry butt down on my chair in the 'office' (another of our clutter rooms) and made myself do the links for the Medina angel yesterday.

I'll admit that I was going to do it on Sunday but I suddenly saw a glaring mistake (or, rather three) in the drawings!!! I gave myself a thorough ticking off and sorted them out.

Meantime I'm now starting on another Dutch adventure - by the time I've finished with these little books I'll have earned myself a pair of Dutch clogs and probably even a windmill!!!!


This is the original picture that I worked from for the bow.



11 May 2020

I've finished Medina


Well, almost!!! With thanks to the test tatters.

The 'only' thing I've got to do now is to put the page on my pattern site. I think I stand a chance of getting it done today!

This was a relatively easy project as I'd beaten the original bow into submission already!! The only problem I've had with this is I got a bit 'lost' with which shuttle should have which beads on but I've left it as it is as I figured (least BC3 did) that most tatters who would tackle this project would know to do a switching of shuttles etc to get them in the right place!!!

There's NO WAY I was going to go back and work out the yardage on this project either as I must admit I'm now glad to see the back of it.

BUT (and you must treat this as a public warning) I am working on another of the 'lost' patterns from these wonderful little Dutch books.

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Happy Beaks

Happy Beaks
I beg your pardon? I didn't quite catch what you said.