A bit of my history!

It was waaaayyyy back when I was raising kids and working full-time that this article was published in the local newspaper.  I hope you can read it!!!  

Well, that's if you want to, of course!!!!

Monday Moan - beads

No I'm not complaining about beads at all but I do have a gripe about how they're used by some people in their tatting designs.

I test tatted a design for a new designer a while back and was gobsmacked to find that she was telling people to sew beads onto the work.  WHAT?  I could scarcely believe it.  Why would you tell people to sew on beads unless you're a new designer who doesn't know the craft from the inside out.

As it turned out this particular lass really didn't know the craft of tatted lace at all.  She'd only been tatting a short while and had then decided she'd become a designer.  Great idea but ..........  

Back to beads.  I think (do tell me if I'm wrong) there is only one situation when a bead MAY need to be 'sewn on' after the piece is finished (I'm talking about the traditional way of tatting with a shuttle) and that's when it's a very large bead that is required to sit in a ring.  Sometimes called a focal bead.  Even THAT can be avoided in many cases by including it in the tatting like this or this.  You can also add the focal bead to the centre of a split ring too.  

For those who sell on Etsy with some of these wonderful tatted jewellery pieces I do hope you're including ALL beads in the actual work and not sewing on afterwards.  I'd hate to be a customer who's glorious piece of jewellery fell apart when the sewing came undone.

So my advice (whether asked for or not - and NONE of you did!!!!) is please, please, please don't sew beads onto tatting - include them safely while you're working.  

As you know I don't 'do' videos as I feel they're making people lazy about reading patterns but in this case (techniques) I think they're valuable.  I do have a bead technique section here on my pattern site.  Free patterns are available here too.

May I add that none of the beads (except when added to a picot) were added to the thread before starting the work - see the Fantasy Flower here.

The new cardigan - progress report

I told you about the new cardigan project back here.    It’s time to report on my progress!!!  OR lack of!!!

I really haven’t read through the pattern to the end!  Although I knew it was knitted from the bottom up I didn’t realise quite how many stitches would be needed for the rows!!!!  There are 245 stitches.  Those include the button band.  It takes considerable time to knit a row but it does get more interesting as you get further up the body.  Least I hope it does!!!

IF you look very closely at the sides you’ll see where I’ve started the patterning.  Well I did a few more rows (well, quite a few more!) and then decided I’d made a mistake so ripped it all back to where you see it now!!!!  Ah, well it’ll mean I’ll be kept out of trouble for a while longer!!!!

New FREE pattern

This is the final pattern from my Palmetto teaching trip.  If you want all the patterns taught by the designers/teachers then please take a look here where they can be found on the Palmetto Tatters site.

This is the pattern that I taught and this is where you can find it.  

A Monday moan to make you laugh?

As you all know there are many, many books ‘out there’ on tatting and the new books now hitting the shelves are ones that really are hilarious.  I think they’re a joke.  I DO NOT recommend you to buy them.

They’re generated from other people’s work and often include sections of text ‘lifted’ from older books/web sites.  But what makes me laugh is this new generation of books.  You don’t even have to look very closely to see that in the first picture for needle tatting the cover has bobbin lace on it

The second ‘author’ appears to have ‘stolen’ her cover photo from the first person which is amusing.

Now when we come to the third picture “Mastering Shuttle Tatting” you’ll notice that the book cover has some type of lace which I can’t identify but it certainly isn’t shuttle tatted!!!  

Finally the last book says it’s an advance guide to beautiful lace and also needle tatting essentials!!!  I’m sure the producers of these books have never seen any tatted lace as none of the covers show any.  I feel sad for those who waste their money buying these misleading books.

Another new FREE pattern - snowflake

Well here's another of the Palmetto patterns that I taught at Tat Days about six weeks ago.  

This has become another of my favourite little tatting projects and I hope you like it.  

For all the patterns that were taught this year please go here where you can buy them. 

Well I guess you want to know where this little snowflake can be found?  Well, shall I tell you or shall I keep it a secret?

Hmmmmm - I guess it won't be a secret for very long so I may as well tell you!!!  Here's the link.

Needle tatting 2

Well I did warn you that you wouldn’t like this post!!!  If you read this post you can see what I said!!!  

I think this was the worst tatting I ever made.  I can remember making this not long after I bought the Ed and Selma Morin book on needle tatting.  I actually made this up myself (designed!!??) and it’s needle tatted with double knitting yarn (which is what was available cheaply and locally) back in the 1970’s. 

I never wore it and I think the reason was because it’s a ‘nasty’ shade of pink!!!!  I like pink but not this shade!!!  Also back ‘in the day’ it wasn’t fashionable, I don’t believe, to layer your clothes.  Well, whatever the reason it never got worn and last week it took its final trip to the charity shop.  Even though I never liked it I’m now wondering if it went into the ragman bag or was put for sale in the shop.  Whatever/wherever it is all I can say is that I’m glad to be rid of it1!!

I did keep the giraffes, though!!!!

Rings a Bell?

This is another of the patterns I taught at Palmetto Tat Days.  I wanted a relatively simple design and one that could probably be finished during the lesson.

Over the years I’ve tried to offer designs that can be worked during the given time but also found that that isn’t possible for most of us.  I know that I personally couldn’t get a design done during a lesson as I find it hard not to talk to other fellow students!!!  It’s called ‘gossiping!!!!

Anyway the bell is now on my website here but don’t forget that you can buy ALL the Tat Days patterns as downloads from here.  

Starting the cardigan

Before I left for Tat Days I'd decided to knit another cardigan.  I wanted something with fine yarn - not bulky.  I know, I know, it's a huge task I'd set myself!!!  

Well I got to Joanie's house and a few days into my visit she gave me this yarn.  It's Sport weight and it's really, really lovely.  The colour is actually a dark grey and it’s content is Alpaca, wool and acrylic.

I found this free pattern although I wasn’t looking for a free one this came up and I fell in love with it. 

What I didn’t realise until I started it two weeks ago is that it’s worked from the bottom up and that the whole of the back and two sides (plus button bands) are knitted together.  Makes for a LOT of stitches on the very long circular needle!!!

Needle tatting part 1

A bit of history!!!

Back in the 70's I used to belong to a newsletter group here in the UK.  They were my only way into the world of tatting outside of the UK.  Although it was a fairly good source of patterns it also ran some interesting adverts too for shuttles and books.  There was no such thing as needle tatting back before that time.

I saw a book advertised (selling in America) for needle tatting.  It was by Ed and Selma Morin.  I bought a copy and had a 'go'.  

This was made using double knitting yarn.  I'll show you another of my needle tatting pieces another day but you WON'T like it!!!!  

Gloria's angel

This is one gorgeous little angel that Gloria gave me while on my travels.  

In fact she gave two of us little baggies full of angels for us to give away.  Joanie and I did that for her and now this little one is hanging on the side of my monitor keeping an eye on me!!!!

Please don't ask me for the pattern as I didn't think to ask!!  I'm sure somebody will recognise it and comment.

An early Christmas present!

As you know (if you read my rather boring blog) I've been to Palmetto Tat Days.  I'm slowly starting to upload the patterns onto my web site and the first one can be found here.

I really would like to point out, though, that all of the patterns taught over the Palmetto Tat Days weekend can be found here.

A twisted Monday moan

If there's anybody 'out there' who reads my blog be warned that today is going to be a BIG moan!!!  

I do read what's going on on Facebook but rarely take part except when I think I can help,  

On Saturday I popped into an interesting discussion on one of the groups about twisted picots.  One person claimed the copyright on this TECHNIQUE which is, as I understand it, not possible.  Techniques aren't copyrightable.  What the person doesn't seem to realise is that I used it MANY years ago in two patterns and I'm darn sure that it would've been done before me.   Anyway I couldn't find her page about this technique so I abandoned that!!!

Along comes another person who then decides that this technique is, in HER opinion, liable to having a name and two names at that!!!  The second 'name' comes because (as I did in the past) there's a double stitch between twisting the picot and joining back.  FOR GOODNESS SAKE - all we're doing is complicating matters - can't we just have one name and point out on a pattern to read carefully.

On another 'topic', which I read on a blog post, another tatter has renamed that old idea of posting the shuttle through the ring before tightening it.  She\s calling it after the name of the tatter she learned it from.  I can see why she did it as it is a good 'self reminder' but the problem here is that other people may adopt it too and thus the future history of tatting becomes a MESS.  Just saying - popping back to my knitting.

These are two patterns that have the twisted picot in and one has an additional double before joining back.  

Bonnie's baskets

Bonnie was another friend who we visited when we were in South Carolina.  

Bonnie is an amazing craftswoman who sadly got sidelined away from tatting a few years ago.  I'm hoping she'll come back as her work is impeccable.  

Her main addiction nowadays is basket making.  Her house is FILLED with baskets of all shapes and sizes.  Again each one is perfect.  

She kindly gave me the corn stalk you can see below and the lovely little basket below.  THANK YOU, Bonnie.  

Please thank Jo for finding batteries for Hilarious if you read this!!  We have such fun at your house.

So many presents.

Here are three shuttles that I was given while I was at Palmetto Tat Days.  Aren't they gorgeous?

I have quite a collection now even though I've never deliberately bought many shuttles over the years. 

My first really antique one was given to me when I was fifteen - after I'd been tatting for a couple of years.  The lady who gave it to me was Mrs Wildig and she lived in a thatched cottage in Shottery.  It's a treasure.  Back in 1956 when I started tatting I could pop into local shops and buy new Milwards or Aero's anytime I liked and the thread was very cheap too.  A 'pocket money' hobby for me!!

Three other gifts.

During my trip I stayed for about a week in Lexington, SC.  One day a few of us got together at one friend’s house and had great fun. 

Last time I was with my ‘gang’ we talked about Bonnie’s baskets (more to come on those another day) and Karen’s beadwork.  

Karen showed us some of her designs and I must admit they were amazing.  She kindly gave me these earrings and the bracelet.  I’ve worn them almost 100% of the time since I’ve been back.  They are entirely made of the tiniest beads.  

Karen sells through retail outlets and also through her Facebook page which is here.  The name of the site is 707 Third Avenue.  She also has a fabulous range of modern items too.  THANK you, Karen.  

Just to prove

That I really did go to Palmetto Tat Days I'm going to show you some pictures.  One of all the mountains and one that I really love which shows our one and only Georgia Seitz.  So good to see her and all my other friends - plus, hopefully, new friends too.  

What did I think?

A quick summary of Palmetto Tat Days 2024.

I hadn't been to a Tat Days since 2019 so things were a bit different.  The new venue was stunning although I was so busy I didn't see a lot of it!!!  The actual place itself seemed ginormous and it was a bit confusing finding the way around for a day or so.  I really wished I'd packed my internal sat nav but it had fallen out with BC3 the week before and refused to come with me!!

Food was good with a choice of what to eat.  The rooms were fine and certainly big enough for three or even four.

The company was excellent and the vending room seemed adequate too.  Initially I was disappointed that there was to be no banquet but with the lack of that there was more time for socialising and generally I felt it was more relaxed.  

Sadly one of the top organisers was taken sick so Theresa was running round like a headless chicken.  Thanks to her the weekend ran so smoothly.  

Would I go again?  YES.  Will I go again?  Sadly I won't.  The reason for this is my age.  I'll be 81 shortly and I found this year I had so many personal worries that nearly stopped me going that I can't afford to make the commitment.  It takes me probably six months in design work and then the cost of flights plus insurance is now phenomenal.  

I was also worrying about friends I was staying with and whether their health would be OK for them to host me.  As it was it worked out perfectly but I daren't risk another trip.  Also my BC3 or body could be 'out of action' too!!!

Many, many thanks to those who put me up and hosted me so very well throughout the years Sandra, Gloria, and Joanie. To those who shared the fun of Hilarious - Karen, Bonnie and Jo (thanks for the batteries!).  To dear Marie (who we met and had lunch with (she taught me the lazy way to do a split chain) and many others.  Jerry for the games of corn hole which he generously 'allowed' me to win many times.  All the friends who I met at the 'parties on the porch' at Gloria's.  Corky - thanks for the introduction to steel cut oats.  I've been addicted for years now.  I'm sure I've missed many names but my BC3 has had jet lag since it got back.  THANK YOU ALL.

Finally thank you to the Palmetto Tatters who first contacted me over twenty years ago and invited me to teach at the second Tat Days.  I've made so many wonderful friends through that one time invitation.  

A last comment - you know it's time to go home when the loo roll runs out in your guest bathroom.  Joanie I LOVE YOU and yes I did know where the replacement was kept!!!!

A gorgeous patchwork

Staying with Sandra she showed me a fantastic patchwork that she found and had framed.  

The pieces are so, so tiny.  

Do I feel another project coming on?!?!?

Back home

Back in the UK after an amazing trip to America.  

I arrived (along with my suitcase this time) on the 19th August and was picked up by Sandra, bless her cotton socks.  Happy days.  A bit of jet lag followed but a few days in Atlanta (plus a soaking by some very well trained dolphins at the Georgia Aquarium soon sorted me out!!!

When I say 'soaking' I really meant it.  A few photos from that wetting experience.  Whoever knew it would be so hard to pull up your underwear after needing the bathroom!!!  Not an experience I would recommend to anyone!!!

Here's one of the videos I took.

Ready, steady, can’t WAIT to

GO.   

Where?  Palmetto Tat Days.  I’ve started the long process of packing.  Later than usual due to my manic life at the moment but, as usual, I’m finding things that need correcting!!  In each little baggie I will have a sample of what the student is going to make, shuttles wound and beads if needed.   

First problem - where IS my Ann Onnymouse?!?!?!?  I guess I’ll have to make another one as the ‘several’ ones I’ve made before have disappeared!!!

I found

Two brass rings in my cupboard tidy up a few weeks or so ago.  What to do with them was the question!!!  They’re really good brass rings and I wanted to use them wisely.  In the end I used this pattern to make a hanging.  I’m really pleased with it although it was a real struggle to attach the tatting to the ring.

Why?  Because I used invisible thread to do it!!!  When I say invisible it really was invisible!!!  I nearly gave up but I’m an obstinate old git!!!

Hearts galore

Well, two anyway!!!

This little frame was just the right size for two little hearts.  I used the Fandango heart for this little gift.

I found this!!

This is a Mary Konior design whicch I made a while ago and was really pleased to find fitted into this little frame.

I wonder who’s going to get this as a gift?

Back with a Monday moan

I’ve not been away or doing anything crafty over the past few months because my personal life has interfered with my crafting life - and my walks too.  Still I do have time for a little catchup this week so here goes with day 1!!!

I do have a bit of a Monday moan about one Facebook tatting group that I’m in.  No, not about the group itself but one member who posted that they thought that it was perfectly fine to copy tat people’s designs.

Now my stance (whether you agree or not) is that it’s acceptable to do that as a way of learning how patterns are constructed and if you really want the bother of doing it.  BUT I think that should never be boasted about publicly and encouragement for others should never happen - it should be kept quiet about.  As I see it it’s a pain and time consuming to copy tat but I guess some people think they’re saving money by not buying the pattern even though there are plenty of free ones available.  I guess that they don’t realise that the money they’ve saved has cost them a lot of time when they could’ve been doing something else.  I also doubt that their results lie as well as they should if they’d followed the proper pattern.  A missing double can make a difference in some cases and techniques might be missed which would make the design flow better too.

Anyway, having said that the member then said they were going to take designer’s patterns and publish them in a book.  I really, really wish she would as then the copyright/intellectual property laws would be fully tested worldwide!!!  We could all then properly find out what can and can’t be done through a court of law.

The group moderator handled this post/person in a very calm and sensible way and hasn’t thrown her off the group.  Well done to her as it’ll keep the discussion going and again, we’ll all learn from it.

Finished cardigan

Well here it is.  I managed to get it done just before the hot weather hit us last weekend.  I’ve really enjoyed knitting this garment but I’m now back to the shuttles and maybe get a little design finished that I started last year!!!  

Who knows!!!!

Oval version number two!

The only difference between this one and the last is a slightly longer lock chain at the top and bottom.  Again this is the original pattern.  

Did you see Tim’s ‘spooky’ post on his blog last week?  Here’s the link.

Monday moan - follow on to the last one

Well last Monday’s moan (which you can find here) opened up a can of worms so I’m giving the link so you can read any comments you might have missed. 

Now this has led me to think further about the ‘other’ problem that designers have too.  That’s the problem of intellectual property.  

Now I consider if I’ve done something totally unique that’s never been done before that this is then MY intellectual property even if it has been changed a bit.  Whoever would’ve thought of taking what we call plain bangles and turning them into a dragon or ‘tattysaurus’.  Well I know I was the first to do so but it seems that somebody thought it was such a good idea she’d copy it and never give credit to the original (which was already on my pattern page).  As far as I know this has never been acknowledged as ‘inspired by’ me but has been shown off as ‘hers’ and hers alone.  I’m mentioning no names as it’s well hidden online and I don’t want to embarrass the person concerned.  It’s happened with another design and after a ‘firm’ conversation that person did eventually put ‘inspired by’ on her version which was very close to my original.

By the way - my Monday moans may make you think I’m a real old grump - I assure you I’m not.  Honestly.  To prove it I’m showing you a picture which is titled ‘exterminate, exterminate, exterminate’!!!!  With apologies to Dr Who fans!!!

  

Oval version Celtic ferris wheel

I have some gorgeous small gold picture frames that I’ve always wanted to put something in but never quite got round to doing it.  I bet you’re the same too.  Time goes by and they’ve sat and looked at me for several years.

I’ve got some special people I want to give special presents to and that’s what I’m going to do with the frames.  

Now, what to make as they’re pretty small?  In the end I decided to use this pattern as it would bring in three colours.  It looks lovely in the frame and I will show you when I’ve got it finished.  I used a size 40 thread.  Size 80 was just too small.  

One sleeve finished.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!!!  Hooray!!!  

Monday moan. Cut off in my prime

There’s a Facebook group which used to be my favourite place when it was run by it’s original owner.  Unfortunately she disappeared and the group was taken on by three others.  

There are now two admin and one moderator who keep the list going.  I had no idea what the difference is between admins and moderators until I googled it and this is what I found.  ‘An admin is a person who created a Facebook group and has complete control over its settings. On the other hand, a moderator is someone who assists the admin in keeping track of the group's activities and ensuring that everything is running smoothly.’  All sounds like a good idea to me.

A few days ago in this particular group there was an interesting discussion going on about designs that people have done and which are very, very similar and could be classed as copyright theft.  This particular conversation was not accusing anybody of theft but was more about the fact that ‘accidents do happen’ in simple generic designs and this was being pointed out and discussed.  

What I am very puzzled about is the fact that the moderator put a total stop to the discussion.  This felt to me as if we were being treated like naughty children who couldn’t be trusted to behave when in fact it was developing into an interesting discussion.  I am now wondering if it was because the moderator has insufficient knowledge or expertise in our craft and was afraid of the outcome.  

No matter - I will not be offering my opinions on that list again.  There are other groups where life is a lot more comfortable and discussions are allowed to continue even if it does lead to a lot of disagreements.  Everybody is entitled to their opinion and we should all learn to live with that fact.

Back to the shuttles

As the cardigan is progressing pretty well I thought I’d allow myself a bit of a distraction from knitting.  There is a reason for making this motif but I’m not going to spill the beans just yet!!!!  Sorry. 

Here is the link to pattern, though!

Before sleeves

The cardigan is progressing - slowly!!!  I think part of the problem with this project is that I want to make it last forever as it’s such a lovely pattern.  I will finish it though.  I promise!!!

Look what I found!!

I was rumbling around in my VERY untidy tatting cupboard a few days ago and found a little box of bells!!  I’ve NO IDEA when I made them but it was probably after I got back from Palmetto Tat Days in 2019.  

I think the idea was to make a Christmas dangle with them to take to America two years later but then, of course, Covid hit us all.  

Why?  Well I’d done a silver cluster for the silent auction and the person (I think it was Sherry) who won them paid a considerable amount to get them.  The money raised from their silent auction goes towards their scholarship scheme, I believe.  

I may just put this little cluster together for the same reason now I’ve found them. 

Meantime I have the urge to make more but I think I’ll do silver ones next time.