Olympics

Must say I've no interest in them whatsoever and now the opening ceremony is over the telly will only be showing films or be turned off for the next few weeks.  When does it finish?

The opening ceremony - well, we decided to watch the first hour or so but found ourselves sitting there right until the end.  Fanflippingtastic.

BUT the news is out now in Tatland so I will share.  My oldest daughter carried the torch last Wednesday and here's a link for you to see.

I was dead lucky in that I got to see it live on the internet quite by accident as I wasn't given a time for it.  

And finally!!

Here are the earrings to complete the 'ensemble' but they're definitely going 'under the scissors'.  I DO NOT like them and they will NOT survive.  If you could see how many things I cut and chuck while designing you'd be horrified.  Lately my tiny granddaughter goes home with some of them but she's now getting more perceptive and asks for 'proper' tatting.  She's heading towards 5 in November and has just found out that the school uniform does not have any pink or purple in it - I fear rebellion!!!!

The fantastic beads (which came from Val in Singapore) will be recovered and be re-used but I actually almost hate these earrings.

Having made one it beggars belief that I went ahead and made another!!!  I'll find a small tray and cut them over the top so that I don't lose any of the beads and then wait for brain cell 3 to pay a visit!  He's currently working on it while I type and I've a feeling that the 'new' version will be 3D ones.  Time will tell!!!  I'll be back to show you what happens once it has!!!

Pendant

So what I decided next was that the outfit needed some more 'bling'!!! 

This is a pendant I made to go with it.  Same purple thread and the same gold too.  I used the Fandango motif for this but put a long beaded picot at the bottom with another beaded picot in the middle.  It's one of my favourite 'tricks' is using beads this way.  You can't do it unless you bead the picot as you make it. 

I need lessons!!!

Seriously -  I need lessons on how to be posh.  I bought a new top from Debenhams the other day - specially for the Tat Days banquet.  I do like to dress up a bit for the occasion.

It was a very plain purple cotton top which (when I got it home) I thought needed 'poshing up' a bit.  So I did - I think!!!

So, now I need lessons on 'being posh'.  Please can anybody help?

Now for a bracelet

So, after playing with the lanyard I got to wondering about other ways I could use that basic idea and this is what I came up with for a bracelet.  

I'm actually pleased with the quality of this/these techniques used this way as it's made a very 'firm' piece.  It's not 'floppy' and sits well just as it is.  Pretty even without any beads.  

I've scanned a closer image so you can see what I've done.  Not sure it's a 'pattern' as such but I am writing it down and also working on some drawings.  There might be another 'incarnation' of this and I want to try that first as I think the new idea will be a real improvement.  Do I see a pair of scissors heading for this bracelet?  Yes, I think I do!!!!

I always write text down as I go as I've got the brain of a gnat.

Blogging

When I first started this blog back in 2006 I only did it to keep myself amused and so that I had 'something to do'!!!!!

Looking back it's proved a real treasure as it's kept me organised and inspired.  Organised because it makes me finish off things I start!!!  Inspired - that's happening through comments and followers.

I've never worked out how people stumble over my blog posts or how they then access them.  Maybe they 'follow' me or just bookmark the url and go from there.  There may be other ways too.

I use the google reader to look at the posts that I follow when I'm on the iPad but when on the main computer I go through the dashboard.  Sometimes I pick up new people to follow through google search.  Anyway, what I really want to say is 'hi' to my 400 followers and thank you for being there and keeping me on track.  

I know it says 401 but I know that one of them is dear Gina who is no longer able to read my ramblings.  Gosh, I SOOO miss her and hardly a day goes by without I don't think of her.  In fact yesterday I went to look round her blog once more - just because I thankfully still can.

Lanyard

It's always fun at Tat Days seeing people's lanyards.  Martha's were totally amazing last time I was there.  Take a look at these and this.  So I decided I'd have a go at a new lanyard for this year.  This is what I've come up with.  

It's surprisingly sturdy too.  Any guesses how I did it?  It's really simple - I promise.  What I like is that it's 'pretty' but doesn't have any beads - which is somewhat unusual for me!!!  I tend to think that something is prettier with beads than without.

Don't worry, though - the lack of beads in yesterday's butterfly and today's lanyard doesn't mean that I'm running out of beads or trying to conserve what I've got - far from it!!!!  This is just the way brain cell 3 is running at the moment - I'm sure he'll be ready to go back to beads soon!!!

Antennae

So what came out of the butterfly?  Well another 'DUH, why didn't I think of that before' moment.  Before I forget - the pattern is here.

Feelers - no, not men with wandering hands but the things you see on critter's heads.  That's what came about.  I know they're properly called antennae but that wouldn't make a joke, would it?

I suddenly thought of a better way to do that butterfly's antennae.  It's SOOOO simple I'm wondering where brain cell 3 has been hiding all these fifty and more years of tatting!!!  Here's what I did.  This (you brainy people 'out there' will realise) is a simple crochet chain!!!

The last SR on the butterfly finishes with a vsp and a double stitch on each side.  So, working with each shuttle separately - this is what you do.

Pull a loop up through the vsp closest to the thread.

Take another loop up through the new loop and pull the first tight. Make ten of these crochet chains and on the final loop take the shuttle right through to stop it coming undone again. Tie and cut. So ridiculously simple and it gives a stonking great feeler.

Plans change - as usual!!!

Well that design I showed  you yesterday was fine for my project - more on that soon.  

I then decided that although it worked well for me there that as a 'stand alone' it needed more work so I then did the one below.

Of course every change of mind leads to the text and drawings needing a re-vamp but something really useful did come out of this (a sort of technique) - more tomorrow.

Don't you just LOVE this HDT?  Wish I could remember which very, very kind soul sent it to me. They really cheer an OG up on a cold winter's evening.  Oooops, sorry, somebody told me it was summer here.

One funny remark I heard today about the weather.  Apparently the 'soda stream' (should've been jet stream) is now moving north so we should get better weather next week.  Love that - the 'soda stream'.  Made me chuckle.

Sort of newish butterfly

You'll recognise this butterfly - well, sort of.  The original is here.

I wanted something very pretty and this exact size for a new project BUT I didn't want to use beads for reasons which will eventually become obvious.

I'll show you what I'm doing soon but I want to get this amendment done first. I think it needs to be on a new page too.

Ah, I may well change it slightly for the final 'new' pattern as I want to make the top wings bigger.  So, hang in there, people - I'll get it done by the end of the week.

Second bangle

I hope you remember this bangle!!!  Well I finally got a second one done!!!  Having done that too I now realise that they're just 'not meeee'.  What on EARTH am I going to do with them?

If anybody wants them they're very welcome to them at just the cost of the original bangle and the postage.  I could bring them to Palmetto if anybody wants to save the postage.

There's a third 'frame' too which I'm willing to part with 'naked'.  I love, love the idea of them but know and will admit that I'll never go to the sort of places where I'd ever wear them.  

Shuttles!

Just a reminder that there will be a dozen shuttles in my Etsy shop later today.  I'll let them 'go live' at 8pm BST.  Happy hunting!!!


Remember these earrings (below) that Valerie sent me?  Well she tells me that they're from  Lijiang, Yunnan in China. They are the traditional embroidery of the Lisu tribe. 

Today's the day when they'll get their first outing and tomorrow will be their second.  Can't WAIT.

The other Fandango Boomark!

Now here's the other bookmark as mentioned in this post here

Again this was worked in a size 70 or 80 variegated tatting thread and with the same sewing thread as before too.  But, can you see the difference in size between the yellow and the red?  I can't think why this has happened except that one must've been a 70 and the other an 80.  The tension is exactly the same.  Isn't that strange that they should be so different?  I honestly didn't think that there would be much between a 70 and an 80 - well you live and learn!!

I quite like the little star shape at the end of the tail too.  All I did was use the centre of this motif and changed it very, very slightly.

A story!

This is a story of a wonderful gift.  This came from Val in Singapore.  We've been online buddies for a time now and Sally met up with Val when she was over in Singapore in June.  They went shopping.  When I say shopping I mean SHOPPING!!!!  

Val sent home (via Sally) a wonderful box of goodies for me to play with.  Can you see the contents in the top photo?  There are big beads, small beads, wooden ones and crystal ones.  Bright and beautiful.  Then there are two reels of Sulky thread and a thingamajig to make whatsits which I've got to work out how to use!!!  There are findings and charms and many many other things - BUT just LOOK at the picture beneath.  Those earrings are just plain stunning.  The colours zingadingding.  I'm going to wear them at the weekend as I'm going to two small gatherings.  They may even frighten the rain away with their brightness - well I can but hope!!!  

Pop a Bobbin News

I will be listing the following in the Etsy shop here on Saturday at 8pm (BST).  

I think 'im in the garage has been having fun this time!!!  There's one of each of the following in different woods!!  He usually makes two or three of each wood but this time I think he's been playing!!!  

For those of you going to Palmetto Tat Days in September I'm pleased to say that you'll be able to see, touch and BUY the shuttles there.  Sally and I are taking a good supply of them with us.

Pop a bobbins all with hooks.

Zebrano 1

Yew 1

Olivewood 1

Pear 1

Cherry 1

Apple 1

Oregon Myrtle 1

Cocobolo Rosewood 1

Oak 1

Ebony 1

Maple 1

American Black Walnut 1

Purple Heart 1

Hooks with Hats (0.4mm)

Teak 2

Zebrano 1

Fandango Bookmark

Now next weekend I'm off to a housewarming party round the corner.  This time I can't really give them a bottle of wine as the people who's party it is gave ME a bottle a couple of weeks ago!!!  SO kind of them as I'd done very little to help them in my opinion.  

Anyway, I thought about things and decided that probably they'd each like a bookmark.  Here's the first one.

This is done with two strands of HWT.  One is a sewing thread (plain) which I bought on a trip to America some years ago.  The other is a variegated (old) number 70 (or thereabouts) thread.  There's something satisfying with HWT as it gives a totally different look to 'ordinary' variegated threads.

Oh, the pattern is here.  It's the Fandango bookmark.

I can't resist earrings!

I know some of  you are going to groan when you see another pair (nearly finished) like these but there are two reasons for making another reddish pair.  Well, that's my excuse!!!

Reason number one is that I wanted to have an 'all red' pair.

Reason number two is because I wanted to try adding more beads over the button.  In the last pair there were 'two beads per picot over button' but in this pair I've added four to each one coming up through the button hole.  This makes this pair really shiny.  

Now ALL I've got to do is add the shepherd's crook findings and I'll be the smartest gal in town!!!!

Sorry, amend the last sentence as I'm well past my 'sell by' date and should've put old git instead of gal!

And it rained AGAIN

As you've probably heard - we've had the wettest June in the U.K since records began in 1910 and it looks as if July's going to be the same too with a whole month's worth of rain in one day - yesterday!!!

So, because of that I was mainly 'trapped' in the house which is the worst thing that could happen to me.  In the end I settled to 'play' on the computer.  I decided to change the favicon on my sites.  

Favicon?  Did I hear somebody ask what that was?  Well it's the tiny, tiny picture that sits at the top of your page above the browser bar.  You can see what I'm talking about in the picture at the bottom - you can see my blog site and web site with the favicons next to the title.  Here's the favicon as it was generated - isn't it SMALL?

They're really easy to make - just google 'favicon generator' and follow the instructions.  Great fun and a better way to pass a miserable day than doing the dreaded H word!!!

Oh, by the way, it's going to rain again today!!!

Look what I found

I've absolutely no idea where I got this from but it certainly wasn't from France!!!!  

I've scanned this to show you because of the back of the card mainly.  Can you see that there's a picture of how to put the bobbin on the end to wind the thread?  Interesting.  

One packet I bought (in English), a thousand years ago was almost the same.  That one (long destroyed in the joy of a new shuttle to use) had the same picture BUT with another showing how to load the bobbin back into the shuttle.  That was my eureka moment and converted me to bobbin shuttles way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Two other interesting points on this packet which may point towards it's age is the bar code (see this link and this one too) and the post code (another link).  Bar codes were introduced into regular use in the UK in roughly the mid to late seventies and around the time post codes were forced upon the populace (that's what it felt like at the time) too.  Translation here for Americans - post code = zip code.  If you put the post code at the bottom of this packet into google maps you'll see that there is a modern building there nowadays.

Do you think we ought to designate it as a shrine for all tatters and go and worship there?!?!?  Just another of the daft ideas from yours truly!!!

First bangle done and dusted.

This is the first one finished.  Well it was finished a couple of weeks ago.


OK, I'll admit to it being a little fiddly but not as bad as I thought it would be.  I worked the outer parts attaching to the rims first and then the split rings last joining to both the sides as I went along - they were a bit fiddly.  

I deliberately kept it simple (rings, chains and split rings) as I felt it didn't need really fancy stuff particularly with the joining being a bit 'problematic'!!

I'm SOOO pleased with it I'm going to make another but with more 'bling'.  Oh, these are both Lizbeth colours but I'm not sure which.  As usual I'm hopeless at remembering which I've used.  My mid year new year's resolution will be to note down what I've used!!!!