Fandango coaster

Now this is going to be a quiet week on the blog as I get my head down to finalise the patterns I'm going to submit for Palmetto in September.

The deadline is February 20th so I really need to settle down and get things done. As I'm applying for a full-time post that means a lot of patterns to get ready. Some new and some older ones which have been brought out of mothballs, re-vamped and are just needing final formatting etc.

Meantime I do allow myself some 'down time' or my brain would fry!!! I saw this pattern on Facebook a month or so ago that somebody had done in one colour. I was amazed at the new elements that showed up because it was worked in just the one colour. So, of course, I've had to start the experiment myself!!!! Here are four middles ready for their next round - and joining to each other too, of course!!!

Keeping quiet!

I can do it and I do do it (keep quiet, I mean) - particularly on Facebook which I don't use very much anyway!!! 

A month or so before Christmas I had a notification I'd been mentioned on Facebook so went to have a look. It was a lady I'd not heard of before and she'd stated that she'd used my seahorse pattern (and another one) and made a cat out of it. 

Well I was most impressed with what she'd done and offered to help her draw it up or whatever and then host it on my site. This has kept the two of us quiet for ages as she'd not written it down and her hand drawn pictures didn't 'tally' with the text. It's been interesting voyage of working it all out and we're not there yet but I'm going to show you our 'work in progress'.

As her method of notation is quite different to mine it's causing BC3 lots of problems but I'm determined to stick to what she wants as it may well be better/easier for people than my normal way.

Storing threads

I've been very lucky over the years to acquire a LOT of thread. I won some off Handy Hands when Barb asked for colour suggestions and she chose a few of mine. 

I have a set of drawers which I keep my 'best' threads in - Lizbeth ones and even though I'm pretty careful they used to still tangle themselves up and come unwound.

Then I went to Canada and in our goody bags were some of these little netting things. Well I came home and tried to find them everywhere. In Canada they're used by florists to protect the blooms of certain flowers while in transit. Over here? Nah, zilch!!!! 

On my second trip to Canada Kelly presented me with a whole bunch of these which you can see in the top picture. I found the best way to use these is to 'seal' one end so the ball of thread doesn't jump out. I did this on the sewing machine - backwards and forwards a few times over each end. Took no time at all. I pop the ball of thread inside and the 'open end' can be tucked into the centre of the ball - gets easier as you use more thread.

Snail without beads

Well this little guy has been waiting to be blogged since probably November!!! I'm currently working on submissions to apply for a teaching 'job' this year and he's one of the 'probabilities'. 

He's been on the web site forever but I wanted to see how he looked with new and improved feelers and no beads!!!

Well here he is in all his glory!!!! Well, perhaps 'glory' is the wrong word and the right one should be slime!!!! 

This is the link should you want to see the original version.

Ready and waiting

I've not got a lot to show you this week - well, I don't think I have but I do have the Llama finished and teetering around cyberspace!!!

I know - I'm boring but here's the picture I finally decided to use on the web site.

So, I suppose you'd like the link? 

Shall I, shan't I, shall I, shan't I give it to you or will I let you go looking round my web pages?

Oh, I give in - here it is!!!!

Coriolis moving on apace

Introducing you to the next round of this adventure with the Coriolis!!!

I got this far with this design once before and then I fell out with the colours I was using!!! This happens to me all the time - does it happen to you too? I either get bored with the selection I made or I just find they don’t work.

Anyway I carried on as this is a simple project to carry with me to craft gatherings and I've learned the pattern pretty well now!!!

My next problem is going to be what colours do I use next!!! Yes, I'm going to put another round on. 

I think I need to return to something like the central motif but I don't want to/can’t use the same colours as I've no idea which balls of thread I used!!! Yes, I'm that stooooopid!!!!

Llama finished

Well here's the final version of the llama. I'll get the pattern up on the internet at the weekend and let you all know when it's ready.

Why have I got three pictures here? Well I couldn't decide which one was best to use on the web site so I kept trying different backgrounds. 

In the end I settled with the blue background so all I have to do now is make it a thumbnail and get it ready to waft around in cyberspace looking for somebody to make him!!!!

Crochet

Now while I was ill last week I didn't do anything but as I was recovering towards the weekend this crochet project came in VERY useful.  Last time I showed you it was at this stage.  Then a short while later I thought I’d finished as I thought I’d used all the yarn.  Being a ‘little untidy’ I then found more of the yarn in the ‘wrong’ place which threw me back into the project.

I was glad of the extra yarn but why?  Well it kept the old knees nice and warm while I was doing it!!!! I've now used it all up and it measures 33” approx square. 

Obviously it needs pressing but that will have to wait until the weather warms up as it’s still keeping my knees warm as I go back to my shuttles!!!

Now for some tweaking!

Still strange colours for a llama but heck, what else would you use this colour for?!?!

An improvement on the ears and I don't think the butt looks so bad now but there'll be another test tat in proper llama colours next. 

I'm getting the pattern together slowly too. I think this is one of the fastest designs I've ever done - only a few samples rather than the 12 or so it usually takes. 

Perhaps I'll one day become a proper tatting designer rather than a 'hit and miss' designer. One can always dream.

Bet you'll guess now!!!

To save myself embarrassment I'm going to tell you that this is a llama!!!

I continued with the start I made the other day and am quite happy with this attempt although the ears aren't quite right yet. I'll work on those as they need to point further forwards. Also it looks as if he’s got a hole in his butt but that maybe down to the wonky colours I’ve used. 

So, I’ll work another in strange colours and we’ll see what happens then!!!

The idea for the llama is down to my youngest daughter and a shopping exhibition with her and 11 year old Abbi. Abbi is obsessed with everything to do (or wear!) with unicorns on and I remarked to her mum that I wondered what the next craze would be. She said llamas!! After that I've seen llamas everywhere!!!

Just when you thought

Before I start today I’m going to warn you I’ve taken action against the spammers who are plaguing me with up to 25 comments a day.  I’ve put word verification on the settings so please don’t let that put you off commenting - your input and fun are so, so welcome.  

Also just when I thought things were going well it's back to the start again!!! 

I wasn't happy with yesterday's attempt (which actually happened over the weekend before Christmas) so it was another re-start!! I tend to just grab shuttles with any thread available for test tatting which accounts for the strange colours you get when I'm in designing 'mode'!!!

Any more guesses today?!?!?  NO, Maureen - it’s NOT a rabbit!!!!

A bright idea!!!

OK - I’m back I hope.  I wish I’d had the right flu jab back in October but there you go - can’t win ‘em all!

Here we go - a new idea about to happen!! 

This is the first tat of this 'bright idea' which isn't too bad. In fact, for me, it's pretty good. 

Shall we make this a quiz? 

What is this going to be? No, not a TIAS I'm afraid but it would've been good for doing a TIAS. Anyway, no prizes but a bit of fun guessing!!! What will tomorrow bring?

I know I said

That things were now back to normal but my aged body says not!! 

I’m hoping tomorrow will be the ‘new normal’ but that depends on whether this cold/flu/sickness thing has gone away.  I’ve got things to show you but not a lot and as I’m not doing anything at the moment I thought I’d keep stuff until I’m able to cope again.

New hat

I'm back!!! Wonder what next year will bring, eh?

I was wandering round one of the Christmas markets the other week and I spotted some hats. I have problems with hats as I have a small head. Yes I know that I don't need a bigger one as there isn't a lot inside the one I've got!!! BC3 rattles around inside that boney space without any other company.

I decided I needed a hat. I went round and round the markets looking and looking.  Really, really needed one that covers my ears in case it gets cold this winter. So what did I do? Came home without buying one.

As I was walking around I remembered I'd got some yarn left from a huge ball I bought from a store in Canada. So when I got back I started looking online for a pattern. Got bored with that after half an hour and found a crochet hook, the yarn and sat down to make a 'hat from thin air'.

I made a crochet chain and a few rows, tried it on and it was too big so I pulled it out, made a shorter chain and started again. This was fun to make and I didn't have any further problems til it came to decreasing. How many and at what 'rate' should that happen. Actually it wasn't a problem as I had a very convenient head to try it on as I was working!!! Least that's something I can't lose easily - my head!!! So, after an afternoon and evening's work I had a new hat which is warm and I like too!!!

Start of third Coriolis

Having been so, so disappointed with my colour choices on the last Coriolis I decided to start another!!! I can never leave anything alone until I'm totally happy with it!!!! 

I'm hoping to make another six using different colour ways and than maybe even another round after that. Bit ambitious as I may well fall out of love with these colours in due course!!! Who knows.

I'm taking a break from blogging next week as I want to concentrate on my new idea!!! There'll be plenty of time while 'watching' the telly which is a skill I'm hopeless at!!! 

So, see you after the Silly Season!!!

Progress after problems!!

Remember this post with the throw that I started?

Well things progressed and I reached this stage not long after. 

Then things went pear shaped!!! I noticed that shortly after the first picture that there were two holes where there shouldn't be holes!!! Yes - calamity had struck again!!! Is this yarn fated or will BC3 simply HAVE to be replaced and if so who is going to step up and take his place?

I could've sewn up the two holes that shouldn't have been there but I didn't. You can guess what I did. I spent two days unwinding it all back to the boo boo's and then set off again!!! This is where I am now!

This Way That Way Motif

Before I start.  I had 23 anonymous spam comments yesterday and all but one were on a post I made back in 2009!!!  I find it annoying but also amusing as the comments are so obviously not thought out and whoever is doing it is simply wasting their time. Delete, delete, delete!!!!!

So today I’m showing you yet another motif which has been updated mainly because I hated the colours of threads I'd used previously!!!

I'm really loving these colours together and may have to make another. 

Of course this can be varied as the 'odd' SLT here and there would make it even more interesting to a butterfly brain like BC3's!!!!

Here's the direct link.

Block tatted motif - Coriolis

Back in November I started on another of those whirly motifs and during odd moments while out and about I've managed to finish another six!!!! Here is a picture of the first one which I showed you back on the 19th November.

Sadly by the time I'd done 3 or 4 of these I was out of love with the colours I've used!!! 

Nothing to do but throw away what I'd done or carry on!!! So, BC3 being BC3 he just carried on. Still not happy with it but I've started another now!!!

I asked Sue to test tat this (or did she ask me?) and she's also come up with a stonking GREAT name for it. The Coriolis. Here's an article to explain what that is!

Another re-tat!!!

This week MIGHT be a quiet week in my corner of Tat Land although I seem to have got a few things to show you.  Enough for my daily blog posts from Monday to Friday!!!  

Stop yawning - you don't HAVE to read them if you don't want to!!!

The main reason for a little quietness is because I'm busy on a new idea!!! Also I've lots of other things I'm working on too but which aren't yet ready to show!!!

This is the small motif on my Motifs and Snowflakes page. There really wasn't a lot 'wrong' with it but I HATED the green one on the link page so simply had to re-tat it and that meant reading the pattern and that meant BC3 needed to do the odd alteration!!! Never ending but still fun. 

Here's the direct link to the pattern.

I really really needed

Some new earwigs!! I mean earrings!

Now if you believe that you’ll believe anything. I think I’ve got more earrings in my bedroom than worms in my compost bin but an old git can never have enough pairs, can they?

I decided that the day before yesterday’s tiny snowflake just needed more beads to make it a little more sparkly and some findings to make it ready to hang from the aged ears!!! So, in the space of an hour or two I had a new pair of earrings.

Interestingly I’ve been wearing them now for a couple of days and people have actually commented on them. 

We had a party for the residents in our street on Tuesday lunchtime and two neighbours arrived in Christmas tree earrings that they’d bought off me. I’d been wearing my pair since the 1st December so it was a change to wear snowflake ones.

Teeny tiny snowflake

Back into definite snowflake 'mode' again and this one has been played around with too!!! 

This is the link for a quick and easy snowflake. An old pattern of mine with a new look - well, a beaded one anyway!!!

Here's the link.

Tiny star OR snowflake

First of all a notice to the 19 ‘anonymous’ people who left comments on yesterday’s blog - don’t bother.  You won’t get published.  If I’ve accidentally deleted a genuine comment then I apologise.  It is quite amusing to think that people who leave comments like those would even think they’d get past BC3’s eagle eyes!!

I did warn you that it was snowflake week and I bet you didn't believe me!!! 

This is another star/snowflake type motif that needed a new picture and, of course, that led to beads too!!!!

Here's the link for a quick Christmas tat!!!

Snowflake week!!!

Yes it's officially snowflake week in my corner of Tat Land!!!! I'm on a roll with updating patterns so nothing new but hopefully a lot of improvements!!!

This is another re-tat of a snowflake I did waaaaay back in 2004. I totally HATED the image on the pattern site so have been trying to get round to sorting that out since forever!!!!

This is the link to the pattern where you'll also notice that I've tinkered around with it a bit!!!!

Another cat!!!

Yes another Pam Palmer cat. They're now ready to give as a little Christmas present and are 'sitting' (or rather, lying) on a hand towel. 

Can you see - I remembered to give them whiskers too!!! Proper looking cats!!!

Further progress on the throw

Just a quick post today to show I've not been lazy!!!! I'm really beginning to love this throw - or whatever it's going to be!!!!!

Another test

This is another of the Silly Silly Snowflakes that I did. 

I'm a real fusspot when it comes to getting things like this 'done right' without mistakes. So, then tell me, why is it I'm always making mistakes in my patterns?!?!?

The variegated thread is some of Karey's and the maroon is a Lizbeth thread. 

I think this motif was a hard one to design as it must've been almost the first time I'd used a ring on the second side of the split ring. Doesn't time fly when you're having fun?

How can anybody resist?

My friend has just become a grandma for the first time and I simply HAD to make these lovely bootees for the new little girl.

They're in this book (see top picture below). 

Not very good photos, I'm afraid.

It was a real fiddle to make these but SUCH a fun pattern. I LOVE fiddly things as they're such a challenge!!!

More updating

There is a reason for all this 'going back' over things!!! It's not just to drive myself bonkers but also for another reason which will be revealed one day.

This is an old and ancient motif/snowflake which I've dated as 2004 as I know it was in my early days of putting things on my web site. During this update I've had to re-draw the diagrams and have carefully changed the text too so that it should be easier to understand and make. Times change and so does my method of recording my work too!!!

I remember learning these new techniques and being afraid, very afraid of using them in patterns as (probably) nobody else would be able to use them!! Nowadays these are 'everyday' techniques so I'm no longer afraid!!! Here's the link to the newly named Motif 2. As usual it was a struggle to find a name and once I'd done that all my links and filing system had to be changed too!!! 

Now onto the next update!!!

Whoops - nearly forgot to give you the new link. 

Decisions made

And a start made too!!!

This is what I've decided to do with this yarn.

Something mindless to do when BC3 isn't up to anything stressful!!! This will be a throw in the end. Of course I've no idea how big it will get but I'll carry on until the yarn is all used up!!!

Pam Palmer's Cat

The reason I bought Pam's latest book was for this dear little cat on the cover. It's a real sweetie.

It's taken me a few weeks to get 'roundtoit' as it's written in four sections with four 'lots' of cut and ties. Well, you know me - I don't like too many stops and starts!!!

I sat down and managed to make the cat in two passes!!! Took some working out but I got there! Fortunately I've written down my 'destructions' so I can make it again.  In the picture below I’ve not got round to adding the whiskers.  Well I don’t ‘do’ miracles and get something finished in one ‘sitting’!!!!

After the next cat I may tackle the teddy bear in the book. I do LOVE Pam's patterns and I remember meeting her many, many years ago when she took photos of my back. Yes, my best photos are of my back! Why? Well, I was wearing a cardigan on which I'd sewn her elephant design!!!!

Christmas tree and puppets

The Tuesday group that I belong to consists of neighbours (mainly) who live in one of our two roads. We've been meeting regularly for a few years now and have met and made friends which may not have happened without our little group.

We hire a room in a local house which is used for alternative therapies and holistic type healing 'stuff'. Our 'remit' is really just to meet and drink coffee/tea and chat over any crafts we may or may not be doing. We try to make things for different groups who may need help in the neighbourhood and have made bunting (for our own road) and for several other charity groups. 

Each year we aim to make a quilt and raffle it for a chosen charity and this year our theme is trees. 

I've told you all this just so I could 'show off' my tree which is still work in progress. I'll be sharing other trees as time goes by!!!

Below is a group of therapy glove puppets (another of our projects) which Sandra and I delivered to a local children's group last week.

Testing a pattern!

One of the things I did last week is re-visit this pattern once more.

This was after a discussion with another tatter who very kindly pointed out that it might be helpful to add numbers to the figure 4. Of course this led me to remake the whole thing just to see what else might be needed to improve it!!! 

I did a few more tweaks and then uploaded it over the weekend. I still can't fathom how I managed to design this with two very different thicknesses of thread!!! I remember it was quite a challenge at the time but one I'm proud of managing to complete. I must try this idea again - sometime!!!!

About Anonymous

Houston I have a problem!!!

Well not a big one but an annoying one!!! It's all about the blog commenting again. 

I've got it set up to allow anonymous comments so that those who don't have a Google account can still leave a comment. This has led to around 30 spam comments in the last week. 

Sometimes it's difficult to work out if it's a genuine friend (thank you to those who do sign with a name) or a truly 'anonymous' person. One or two have been quite unkind too but that's something I can ignore!!! I don't want to be forced to prevent anonymous comments so please leave some name (real or not!!) that will make me realise the comment comes from a lovely tatting friend.

The end of a cardigan and the start of ....

Well I'm not quite sure yet!!!

The yarn was originally a cardigan that I made a year or two ago. For some strange reason I can't find any pictures of it when it'd been finished. This is weird as I'm pretty good at keeping track of things.

Well I didn't wear the garment more than once or twice. I'm not totally sure why but I know I didn't like it. Here's a picture of the pattern I used and you can see that I've used the same yarn as stated - etc, etc.

It fitted just fine but never felt comfortable so it simply 'had to go'.

Now it would've been easier to send it to a charity shop or recycle place but I'd paid good money for the yarn. It took me hours and hours and hours last week to unravel it all. As it's a fluffy yarn it kept sticking to itself.  Nightmare!!!

Here's the result below the pattern!!!!

Double bobbin shuttle

Not quite sure what to do with this shuttle!!!!

A friend has passed it on to me to sell or whatever. I don't want to keep it if somebody else can make use of it. It's hardly been used and just has a little thread on each bobbin. There are two bobbins in the shuttle and another spare.

So, if anybody would like to make me an offer I'll happily sell to them. Anna asked me to put the money to a charity and, if it sells and if she agrees, I'd like to give it to the Air Ambulance charity.

I've looked the value up online and they seem to be $14.00 from the only place I can find who sells them - Lacis. So really I think this would be an ideal offer for those in the UK. I'm happy to send it anywhere, though. 

Anybody who's interested please email me and the highest bidder by Saturday morning (9am GMT) will have it. Don't forget there will be postal charges on it.

Gloves adventure

I decided that I simply HAD to tidy up my yarn a couple of weeks ago!! I've got quite a lot of odds and ends of yarn which seem to be breeding in one corner of our back room. 

First was to sort it into thicknesses. I'm not a lover of chunky wool and much prefer four ply and double knitting too.

Sadly while I was going through the yarn I found three balls of four ply!!! Why sadly? Well it's the love of fiddling, I suppose. Me and fine thread of any sort have a fatal attraction!!!

One of the balls I found was a lovely ball of merino four ply so I simply HAD to make that into a pair of gloves - see below.

First problem was finding the 'right' pattern and that turned out (about halfway through) to be 'not so quite' right!!! Anyway with just three yards of yarn leftover when I'd finished I got the stinkers done!!!

Then I lost them!!!  Completely and utterly for several days.  It's not been cold enough to wear gloves really until yesterday.  After agonising about where they'd gone I finally found them in a bag!!!