I’m back!

After my long holiday on the TIAS blog I’m now back!!!  

Problem is I haven’t got anything particularly interesting to tell and show you on a regular basis yet!!!  

Do you remember this post back last September?  Well I’ve shown you many pictures of this particular Fandango square.  This one has a ring in the middle as I wanted a bit more ‘solidness’ there.  When I stared out on this adventure I had no idea what I was going to make and looking back it took me two months to decide. Here’s where I seem to have come to a decision.

I now have 352 motifs done and that’s ‘it’!!!!  I’m not doing anymore!!!  To be honest I’ve not been bored at all doing them.  In fact each one has been it’s own small adventure.  The poncho is NOT finished as I need to put a border on the neck edge and the bottom too.  That’s going to be another challenge!!!  

Another interesting fact - each motif took roughly an hour and a quarter to make.  I was still making mistakes from time to time and even had to cut out a whole row (8 motifs) when joining the two ‘parts’ together.  

Another fact is that it’s NOT necessary to have each square EXACTLY the same as the last.  A little variation is ‘lost’ when joining so many squares.  Thank goodness!!!!

Back with a Monday moan

First of all an update on the TIAS.  We now have 95 foxes completed.  I'm a happy tatter!

One of my favourite moans is about Facebook.  I DO NOT like Facebook!!!!  There I’ve said it.  

Why don’t I like it?  I don’t ever go to Facebook unless I’m tagged or want to pass on news (like the next stage of the TIAS).  I do have notifications that go directly into my email box and that’s where I decide if anything is worth looking at.  Most emails are deleted but some I do follow up if only to turn on 'notifications'.

I appreciate the tatting groups, though but really, really have a problem with the way that people don’t read the posts put on there.  Often they don’t read the question asked carefully but mainly they don’t read the answers already given.  The number of times somebody puts the same answer up to a question can be mind boggling.  I realise that there’s a sort of ‘tree’ of answers and comments but people don’t seem to read them and just repeat the same thing over and over.

I’m sure that there are some very interesting things going on on Facebook in the tatting world but If I wanted to look something up that I’d seen a week before I’m sure I’d never find it.  Things get ‘lost in time’ on that platform.  I prefer my blog (and other people's which I read avidly) where I can look things up and find them easily using the search on the top left corner. 

Monday moan over with and here's an Easter egg to cheer the post up!!!

Running the TIAS

So, for those who are interested I’d like to explain how I manage the TIAS (Tat It And See) once it goes ‘live’.

I have two email addresses so that I can log into two different browsers as it would be too frustrating to have to log in and out on one.  As far as I know you can't have two blogger accounts on the one email address.

I normally use Safari as I have Apple products and that’s what ‘comes with the appliance’.  For the TIAS I have to find another browser and this year I chose to try out Microsoft’s Edge which worked extremely well.  

Each day’s progress is, as you’ve already found out, placed in a new post so that there’s not so many to scroll down to get to the bottom.  

As the emails arrive in Safari or Mail (depending on whether I’m on the big Mac or the iPad) I select the message, copy and paste it into the post on the TIAS blog (which is on the Edge browser).  I’ve found that this then needs to be formatted to try and keep the look of the blog consistent.  

Pictures are downloaded into downloads on the big computer or into photos on the iPad.  Sometimes I decide to crop them to show the tatting up a bit better and then I go back to the TIAS blog and insert the picture from downloads or photos below the message.  

Next I delete the picture from ‘downloads’ or ‘photos’ so that I don’t get BC3 muddled and accidentally put the wrong ones against the wrong person.  Finally (the bit I like best) I reply to the sender.  All emails come straight into the itatlots inbox even if they’re sent to the lovetotat one.  I set up ‘forwarding’ on the lovetotat one years ago just so it made my life a bit easier!!!!

So, that's how it happens.  If anybody else would like to do a TIAS and use the blog then I can add you to the admin.  It's a fair bit of work but real fun.

I don't have a picture to show you today so instead (just for a laugh) I'm adding one of me when I slid gracefully and elegantly into a muddy field a week or so ago.  

Back almost to normal

Well on this blog, I hope.  

Christine asked me how I design the TIAS so I thought I’d tell you a bit of what happens and how I work it.  It’s much the same as an 'ordinary' pattern.  First of all I have to decide what I think will work.  It has to be something that people will recognise all round the world.  With animals I use google images and particularly cartoons.  

Sometimes I do the design as per usual but then often realise that that particular design would be guessed too soon so have to start again from a different part of the pattern which throws up many different complications.  

I draw the whole design and do all the notation as a whole pattern and then, once I’m happy with it I chop it up (drawings as well).  This means lots of work checking the chopped up bits especially the drawings.  

After that it's a case of deciding on names to use for each url.  This I do while bearing in mind where they’ll show on the server.  Thus the AADAY1 etc names.  This keeps the current TIAS all together at the top of the server.  Once everything is uploaded I then send the links to a test tatter (thank you Ruth) who gives it a go as if it's a TIAS.  Obviously there are hiccups that have to be sorted!!

More soon on how I then run the TIAS from Planet Jane!!!

Meanwhile Mr Fox (or it could be Mrs) is available as a whole pattern here.

Forgot to show you

Towards the weekend life got a bit 'out of control' in that several things needed sorting.  The TIAS continues apace and I'm thrilled to tell you that the guesses are really good.  As you know I never admit whether guesses are right or wrong until I have to admit 'defeat'!!!  

So today I'm showing you progress on the poncho.  This has slowed down considerably due to the TIAS but there's no time schedule for it so I just keep plodding along.  

A couple of changes

Just to let you know that I've done some amendments to the large giraffe pattern thanks to Cheryl who's so kindly helped me out.  

This is an old, old pattern written (I believe) before the birth of BC3 so it had a few glitches.  Now they've been put right thanks to Cheryl I'm a very happy old git.  Oh, here's the link.

Also while I was on the file manager on my site I did a few small alterations to the wording on this file too.  I needed to make the reasons for it clearer - I think!!!  

This is now my preferred way of starting any piece of tatting as there are no knots involved!!!  I also added a link from that page to this one for ending a piece (again I always use this nowadays) which leaves only one end to sew in.  

If ONLY I could find the enthusiasm for housework and stuff then life would be a lot better!!!!  

Covid

Yesterday I put day 3 out on the TIAS blog here.

I also had my first Covid jab too which gives a small sense of ‘light at the end of the tunnel’.  

I took some Covid tatty bits with me and gave them to the wonderful NHS staff who’d given up their Sunday to do this mammoth task.  They were very pleased with them but the doctor who gave me the jab was over the moon!!!  I’ll have to make some more for the next time I go which will be in around 11 weeks.  Here's the link again for the pattern.  Wouldn't it be good if we all did that and thus spread tatting instead of the actual virus?

After getting home from the hospital I prepared the evening meal and then decided to go for a walk to get the vaccine moving round the old body!!!!

Meanwhile I’m still working on the poncho and will take another photo sometime this week.

Day 2 of the TIAS

To find the link to day 2 of the TIAS please visit the blog which you can find here.

Trudging along

With my poncho.  

Things get done nowadays in between uploads to the TIAS blog.  Still it keeps me out of mischief!!!

It all starts TOMORROW!!!

What am I talking about?  Well the Tat It And See.  

I'm sure lots of you are fed up with hearing about it but every time I put out a count down post there are more people who haven't heard about this year's TIAS.  

So, are you ready?  Just a last minute check with the introduction maybe a good idea.

Picture is the result of a previous TIAS.

Seven days to go

Until the start of the TIAS.  

For those who haven't visited the dedicated blog - here's the link.  

I'm getting excited now and really looking forward to meeting those who take part via email etc!!  Little things please little minds!!!

Another of the past TIAS patterns.

Going round the bend!

Well you may think I've been round the bend for many, many years and others would confirm that too.  

The saga of the poncho continues and I've now got about halfway through, I think!!!

This is the link I used to get the general idea of how to make mine.  Basically it's two rectangles joined together.  So that's what I'm doing.  If it doesn't work out then I'll be able to adjust it when they're done, I hope!!!

So here are a couple of pictures - one of how it looked a few days ago and the other the ongoing choosing of threads to use.  

Another snowman!!!

I LOVE this snowman from Mary Jane. A definite improvement with the mask as well as the Covid-19 virus too.

The snowman pattern is here and the virus pattern is here.

Meanwhile I'm making preparations for the TIAS and am continuing to do the Fandango poncho.  More about both next week!!

How many?

If anybody EVER says they're bored in front of me they get a humungous glare!!!  In all my years I've never been bored.  There's always something to keep me interested and involved whether it's crafts or people, problems to solve etc.

The only two things I'm not keen on are cooking and gardening!!!!  I could happily skip those but I do them albeit reluctantly.

Even a semi lockdown Christmas didn't mean any boredom - no family visits but no boredom either.  This is the Fandango poncho at the moment.  160 motifs!

I can't get bored with this because of the way I'm working it.  As you can see there are 8 motifs in a row so that means I 'hit the stash of threads' every row or so to work out what I'm using next.  This is part of the way I don't get bored.  

It may look as if one end is wider than the other but that's perspective causing that!!!  

More planning and more progress

This is another row being planned on my 'not quite sure yet' project!!  Still think it might become a poncho.  

Would you believe that I still make mistakes from time to time and either have to unpick or sometimes even abandon the odd square.  

Also when winding the shuttles I sometimes get the threads sort of tangled. Some motifs have two HWT together and some have three.  Occasionally just one which is a relief!!!

Another project finished!

After my stupid hiccough with the oven gloves and a few minutes undoing the stitching I was back 'on the case' as 'they' (whoever they are!) say.

First of all I sewed the edge of the lining along the main part and in the right place this time!!

Next I crocheted doubles through the two parts of the outer pocket and including the inner lining too.  That was a bit of a struggle at times!!

I then found that I'd got enough odds and ends of cotton yarn left to add a stabilising couple of rows of double crochet to the joining part between the two gloves!!!

I've since tested them and they work a treat.  All for the price of nothing!!!  Some of that yarn by the looks of the label must've been almost as old as me - if not older!!!!!  

Where things went wrong!!!

I think BC3 decided he was on holiday far too soon and this is what he did next.  

First of all I divided the remaining pink/green into two and made a treble crochet 'filler' (don't know how to explain it any better!) to join the two pockets and I had 'just enough' to make a good space between the glove ends.  I started from each pocket and joined in the middle 'just in case' I hadn't got enough to reach and had to infill with the cream.

I sewed the two ends to the lining and started to put it all together.  

Then the penny dropped (as they say!) and I realised that I'd sewn the extra lining into the wrong place!!!  Not a huge problem and it was soon undone and put right.  I've done a second photo to show where I should've sewn the lining - follow the black arrows!!

Progress on the oven gloves

Having done the 'hand pockets' I tested them out and realised that just the one thickness of double crocheted fabric wouldn't be enough to stop my poor old aged hands getting burnt.  So, next plan was another layer.  

I realised that another layer of crochet would make whole hand pockets far too stiff so resorted to knitting a layer to put inside the palm part of the pink/green pockets.  

Good idea and it worked.  (Tested it out on Sunday when I was cooking a chicken).  

Odds and ends

I've always liked making 'something for nothing' which I think is inbred in all of us crafty people!!  

Going through my yarn stash a week or two back I found the odds and ends of cotton yarn (roughly double knitting size) and wondered if I could use any of it to make some oven gloves.  We have several oven gloves but both of us always go to the one set which are heat proof and ''bendy' too.  

I decided to crochet the two pockets for the hands first.  I knew I'd got plenty of this green/pink yarn.

I’ve caught Covid-19

Well thankfully I’m teasing although I hope I’m not tempting fate!!!  I've not seen anybody or heard of anybody in Tat Land catching the Covid virus, thankfully. I've lost two friends and had one other catch it and survive (late 80's).  

That and the snowman from the other day made BC3 think.  

As  you know here in the  UK the first vaccine is being rolled out.  I won't get it yet as I'm a mere Spring chicken in my late 70's but hoping it won't be too long.  Nick will get it soon, I hope.  

Anyway, I thought I would award myself a badge/button to show I've had the vaccine.  We won't be given 'I've had the vaccine' stickers or any other type of acknowledgment that we've had a needle stuck in our arms so I'm going to give myself THIS!!!!

There are two versions - one suitable for an earring and the other to wear as a brooch - it’s tatted onto a button.

A snowman with a difference

I have a friend who lives ‘round the corner’ and who rang me a few days ago to ask if I could make a snowman for her.  Not just an ordinary snowman, though!!  

Well I showed her this one and she said that was fine BUT would I be able to replace the walking stick with a Covid virus!!!!  Apparently it’s a family ‘thing’ where she sends a snowman each year and she likes it to have something to do with the year so what could be more ‘right’ for this year than a snowman carrying a Covid virus!!!

So, here it is!!!

About halfway to halfway???

I decided after a few rows of the second ‘start’ that it wasn’t a particularly good idea so joined those rows to the original.  Made for an interesting row to work which was a ‘good thing’ as it made it moderately more challenging!!!  One HAS to keep BC3 on his toes, you know.  

This is progress a few days ago.  It now measures 32” in length and there are 118 squares!!!

Meanwhile I’ve been sidetracked yet again onto another project which I’ll show you in a couple of days.  

Choosing colours

Do you remember the knitted blankets that I did?  If not then here's a reminder!!!

That's the same idea I'm using for the 'supposed to be' poncho.

I lay the piece on the floor and then choose the colours for the next row.  This seems to work really well so that's going to be my plan from now on.  Eight squares in a row is enough  to deal with at a time and I can 'just about' do a row every two days.  Each square takes me an hour and a half and if I get two done in the afternoon (doesn't always happen!) and two in the evening then I can make steady progress.  

TIAS coming sooooooon

Well it had to happen.  Lockdown finally got BC3 to agree to a return of the Tat It And See which first appeared back in approximately 2008 with the hippo which can be found here.

For those who don't know what it is then please take a visit to this link and this link too.  

ANY questions, suggestions or complaints then please email me directly on my email address (at the top of this blog).  Or leave a comment below.

I try to keep the TIAS (as those who've done it before know) as simple as possible for those taking part.  The only real 'work' is at my end when I receive comments and pictures of your progress (or lack of!!) to put on the TIAS blog.

For the 'rules' of the game or to find further information please read this file.  The starting date is at the bottom.

My email address is in my profile on the left side of

This is what the last TIAS turned out to be!!

Breaking the monotony

Well that's a silly title for this post as I'm not finding it monotonous at all!!!!  

But I decided that if this was going to fail as a poncho then it might be a good idea to turn it into two cloths or something.  So I've started another of the 'whatever it is'!!!

Eventually I can join the two lengths and make them into the poncho.  Knowing me it'll probably get finished but at the moment I'm hedging my bets!!!  

Please don't miss Wednesday's blog post - something I really need to tell you about.  It's pretty important in Tat Land.

This makes me happy

Two empty spools that used to have thread on! 

Why would that make me happy?  Simple answer - it gives me a good excuse to buy more or makes two less things my poor kids will have to dispose of when I die!!!!

The plastic one on the right held the Nakis Simi that I’ve recently managed to ‘replace’ thanks to this site I found in Estonia.  At least two of the readers of this blog have ordered from the same people.  

The other was an old Coats thread which I also had for many years.  Happy days.

Last time there were 56 motifs

This time there are 64 and I'm still plodding on!!!!

I finally got out my small balls of 60, 70 and 80 threads the other day and have discovered that I can easily use those so the 'running out of thread' problem just WON'T happen which I'm pleased about.

Still not committed to the poncho idea but I'm going to employ another 'tactic' to keep it still interesting.  More next time!!!!

Onion rings

No, not the sort I prefer (the ones you eat) but the ones you can make with tatting.  

NOT my favourite thing to do but since I've been in deep discussion with Judith Connors she's shown me a really neat way to get the bottom of the onion ring to sit so, so neatly.  In fact my onion rings will now have a neater bottom than ever before!!  I'm so, so grateful for Judith bringing this to my attention and then helping me get the drawings right.  Not easy when you're at opposite ends of the planet!!!

Meantime I must tell you about my woes with the pattern site.  I upgraded the IOS on my computer and then found that the SeaMonkey app (which I've used for many, many years) wouldn't work. Oh, such deep sorrow.  

I asked Sue Duckles if her hubby could help me and he very kindly did his best but the BC3 is allergic to learning html or anything new for that matter.  I did manage to insert some text and a link using a tutorial online but it really 'strained my brain'.  

When I'd almost given up hope but the following day I opened SeaMonkey to find they'd done an update.  Downloaded and installed it and it WORKS again.

So, here's the link to the onion ring that has a very neat bottom!!!

Rock and Roll

No, no, NO!!!  I mean Slope and Roll.  Sheesh - send for BC3 FAST!!!

Seriously now.  Today I'm putting a new page on my pattern pages to show the slope and roll join.

This join was originally shown by Deb Arnold but I can't find a link to her very clear diagram and page about it.   In fact I can't even find her shop anymore which is a shame.  The link from a google search took me to a blank page.

This join is particularly useful if you want/need the core shuttle thread to keep 'on the move' in the join and can replace the lock join to also give a smoother looking join.  

It's a great technique for an onion ring too.  Which reminds me on to tell you that over the weekend I'll be working on getting the onion ring page up on the web site too.  Yes, I've covered this before but that was before I got into a great discussion about onion rings with Judith Connors.  More next week.

Here's the link and a picture to 'liven up' the post!!!

56 motifs done!

Now this measures 10½” x 11½” and I'm trying to decide what to do with it still.

I've had this totally RIDICULOUS idea of making it into a poncho.  How STOOOOOOOOOOOOPID is that?  

I worked it out yesterday and this part is almost ¼ of the way to being a poncho but my new problem will soon be - how much thread will it now need?  I'm rapidly getting down my stock of odds and ends. 

I'm going to do another row and then take a careful stock check of what I've got.  If I'm not careful I'll be finding I've got none of some colours left!!!

The psychology of tatting

Well, maybe!!!

I was pondering about the whole psychology of this lace or any other craft, come to that.  

I read a lot of blogs and Facebook posts and sadly the main ‘aim’ it seems to me is quick gratification. By that, I mean, people mainly want something small and fast to make.  

This intrigues me as I’ve never felt that way about anything in life.  I’m happy to wait for gratification in all aspects of my life.  I’ll wait for anything.  If I order something online, or in a queue in a shop, waiting for a bus, etc, I don’t mind how long it takes - the anticipation is what makes my adrenaline flow.  I feel almost deflated when the item arrives or I get to the front of the queue.

I occasionally like to make something that only takes an evening but then I’m left with that feeling of ‘what’s next’?  So, to cope with my weird way of dealing with tatting projects is to have two projects (sometimes three) ‘on the go’.  One a short term one and the other a longer one - although I never commit totally to how long that long term one may be as at my age (77) you never know how long ‘long’ will take and if you’ll be around to finish.

So, I would say to the younger generation - make a commitment.  Both to what you’re making now and your life in general.  

Does that make sense and would you like a picture to liven this post up?

More bells

I’ve been busy doing a few more bells as well as the Fandango ‘whatever it is’ but I’ve hit the skids on what I was planning.

Somewhere I’ve got a dangle with bells and leaves but I’m darned if I can find them.  I’ve hunted high and low for the little box with them in but they’ve hidden themselves really well.  My heart really isn’t in making anymore until I find the missing ones.  This is what I’m looking for.

This is what I’ve got so far - sorry, not a good picture.

Oh, just looked at the date - it’s Friday 13th so maybe I’ll buck the trend and be lucky enough to find the missing bells.  Keep your fingers crossed, please.

Still plodding on

I've not a lot to show you again this week but hope to be back in full production 'mode' shortly!!!!  

This is the progress I've made on the Fandango project.  

It doesn't look a lot but I really must decide soon what it's going to be!!!  

Well, well, well!!!!

As you ALL know - America is a BIG place.  I've been so lucky to visit many times over the years and have seen a few parts of the country but it amazes me that suddenly I find that Palmetto Tatters (the main reason for my visits) have moved their venue.  

After Tat Days in 2014 I was 'kidnapped' and taken to the mountains at Lake Junaluska for a few gloriously lazy tatting days.  Wonderful memories of very dear friends.  

Palmetto have had to move from Toccoa in Georgia (because the Baptist Centre there is being sold) and are now going to Lake Junaluska which is near Waynesville in North Carolina.

I've decided not to apply to teach next year as I'm still very wary of the Covid virus but I WILL be trying for a place in 2022!!!  Already got two patterns lined up!!

Well done my lovely Palmetto friends.  Here are a few photos I took when I was there in 2014.  

30 Fandango’s

.Chilling out with the shuttles and time to add a few more Fandango squares to the ‘whatever it is’.  

I really ought to make up my mind about what I’m making here.  The idea of a sleeveless top appeals to me.  Something like a jacket?  I’m not sure.  All I do know is that it’s making a very small dent in the very fine sewing threads that Sue gave me ages ago!!!!  

If anybody has any suggestions for the project I’d be very grateful.  At the moment it measures 9” by 7”.

One done and one to do

I’m afraid this blog maybe quiet for a week or two while BC3 adjusts his brain cells!!!

The first secret project is done and due to be handed over later today.  You’ve seen bits of it (the crochet posts) and I’m afraid that’s all I’m allowed to show.  

It was an interesting experience as I had to design a crochet piece to fit onto a template and then that was sewn onto another piece of crochet and another fabric.  

I wrote down the pattern as I went along which was another steep learning curve too.  All I want/need to do now is get back into doing something which doesn’t ‘strain the brain’.  

Bear with me while I adjust, please as I know you’re going to like what I’m working on next!!!

Oh, a picture of another part of the crochet project to cheer up this dull post!!!

I had to smile!!!

I scanned this part of the secret project before I realised what I was seeing!!!

Can you see an arm with a hand holding a gun?!?!?  Now is that a clue? 

Snowflower snowflake

I needed to test the pattern out for this snowflake from a few years ago so that meant a happy evening doing something I didn't have to think toooooo hard about!!!! 

If you want to see it here's the link.

Still time

To make a spider or two before Halloween!!!

A little bit about

One of my secret projects.  I can't tell you what it's for but I can show you some bits and pieces from this long project.  So far I think I've devoted three full weeks to it but I can now see a little light at the end of the tunnel!!!!

I do have an example to work from but it's testing my poor old BC3 - and my poor old hands too!!!!

It just HAD to happen!!!

Having received the favourite gold metallic thread from Estonia last week I felt a massive sense of relief and set off to make some bauble bells.

Here's the link to my post about the metallic thread but what I didn't tell you is how tough it is!!!  

When I make the bauble bells (pattern here - which is really only guidance as you can make them bigger) I really tug and tug on the ribs and on the core chain thread too and this never EVER breaks this metallic thread.  

I made a set which you can see here and they were sold magnificently in the silent auction last year at Palmetto Tat Days.  I'm thinking this time I might cover some large beads using this pattern instead of leaves in between!!