More of the same!

Day 8 tomorrow!

Well here's another coaster. I'm afraid I'm going through a 'just playing with colours' phase at the moment with no real reason!! I think it's cause the Tat It And See is stopping me concentrating on one thing for very long. 

The thread for this one is Pansy by Yarnplayer (that's the pretty one) along with a plain something or other. Least I THINK I've got that right!!! Not sure what size this is but it's probably 20 but there again it could be 40. Sheeeeesh, I wish I had a brain that could do 'remembering' properly.

Having said that I'm 'just playing' - I am also working on another old pattern on my site as it's one that I love but could never quite explain the final join on the second motif. That's caused me hours of struggling to 'get it right' which I hope I'll eventually manage!!!

Day 7

Again I haven't anything to show you in the way of tatting. I have been doing some but not as much as usual as I've been busy with the TIAS and out for two days on the run. No, not actually running but out 'doing things'.

This is the link for day 7.  As today's part is short I have decided that Day 8 will be on Sunday.  

Busy day

Yesterday was wonderfully busy with the TIAS blog so I didn't manage (and forgot!) to get anything prepared for this blog!!! 

BUT I can tell you that Day 6 of the TIAS will be available tomorrow so stand my folks!!!!

Two old patterns return!

Day 6 is now available on this link.

It was kindly brought to my attention by a member of Craftree (still haven't found out whether there's anything happening about the TIAS on the Craftree site - any help, links would be welcome) that two of my patterns probably weren't on my site. 

They were originally hosted by the Ring of Tatters which I've now left. I asked them to take everything of mine off their site as I wasn't happy with it being there.

So the past two days I have been sorting out those 'missing patterns' and they're now available in the 'doodles' section and the 'motifs' section on the pattern pages.  I re-tatted them and re-wrote and drew them too.  That's why yesterday I was glad of a 'quiet' TIAS day!!!  

These are the two patterns that had 'gone on holiday' - a tiny star and a shuttle shape!!!

First of all - Day 6 will be out tomorrow morning!!!

Now I can't remember ever working a project in size 10 thread. I've always used 20 as it's what I first used as a kid. When Sue Anna generously sent me the last present of HDT there were a few skeins of 10 in the bag.

So I thought it would be an idea to try it out. I'd got the ball of off white which has been lurking in my cupboard for more years than I care to admit so the Chicken Wing Doily called out to me to that it needed an outing. 

What surprised me was that although it didn't look so good to my eyes while I was working it - one quick blast from the iron made it look really good.  I'll certainly be giving size 10 a whirl again another time!!!

So, here it is. The Yarnplayer HDT is called Tourmaline.

Sorted!

Over the past week or two I've been gradually trying to sort out the tips and techniques pages on my web site which you can find here.

I thought they were confusing so I've sort of categorised them all and put extra pages in to make the whole thing easier to navigate. 

The TIAS is going well - nobody has guess what it is so far. Least that's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!! Of course I could be teasing!!!

Day 5 now available

Day 5 of the Tat It And See is now available on this link. Hope to see you later in my inbox!!!!

Day 4

Here is the link for Day 4 of the Tat It And See. 

I will be posting Day 5 on Sunday too because day four is short.

Yet another

Tomorrow (Friday) will be day 4 of the TIAS

Now this is another of Yarnplayer's HDT threads in size 20. 

Oh, the outer is an old Flora, I think. I'm hopeless at writing down what I've used - I apologise.

Since I've 'cured' the silly middle of the coaster/doily I really love working this pattern.  

Downright theft

I've had something stolen off me again.  It doesn't often happen but when it does I get cross - VERY cross.  This time it's that wretched tooth fairy.  Now honestly, what HAVE I done to upset her?  Surely she's got enough teeth without stealing mine.  AND she didn't leave me any money - she charged ME for taking two of MY teeth.  I don't much like emergency visits to the dentist which result in the tooth fairy grabbing TWO of my teeth. She ought to get a life!!!

While the TIAS is going on I can't really settle to anything large or that will strain BC3's resources.  So I decided to have a go at the chicken wing doily as I wanted something pretty to give to a friend for her birthday. Currently I'm going through a 'number 40' phase so that's what I used for this. 

You may have noticed (or not!) that there is a slight alteration to the centre of the doily. This was because I don't like very large picots - specially ones that have to be measured (I have to make a gauge for this). I don't normally use gauges!!! So I changed both the coaster and doily patterns and they're already floating around in cyberspace in their newly changed 'state'. 

Links? Nah, go look for them!!! OK, I hear that Pigmini cursing me so here they are. Chicken wing coaster and chicken wing doily.

Day 3

The link for day 3 of the Tat It And See is here . 

Please feel free to join in at any time if you haven't already sent in the first two days.

5 chains and 4 rings

Day 3 of the Tat It And See will be out tomorrow - Tuesday.

Yes, that's all this doily needed to finish it. If you read this post you'll see what happened. 

Being a bit of a dozy old moo I'd set out to make the doily with Yarnplayer's pretty, oh so pretty hot pink and lime HDT. Never gave it a thought that I wouldn't have enough. That's how dozy I am. When I got to the last round I did sort of start to wonder but carried on regardless as with me - there's no going back!!!! I'm the sort of person who (when disaster strikes) think to myself - oh, heck, that's happened so let's see what is ahead and not regret whatever it is. My attitude was sorely stretched in my late 40's to early 50's when all the bad things happened within the space of four/five years but even then I used to think not of what 'might have been' but of what I could do to carry on. 

Unfortunately when you run out of an HDT and there's none in the seller's shop you tend to just push the item you're making in the drawer and try to forget. I suppose one day I may have cut off the final row but it would never have looked quite right.

As you know Marilee and Sue Anna 'bailed me out' and I've now finished the doily. I'm really, really pleased with it and it will make a great present for a special friend who loves bright colours like these.

A tale of two naughty ladies

Day two link is posted above this blog post.

This is a tale of two naughty ladies. Lovely, lovely lasses but nonetheless naughty. Why?

Well, remember this post here? 

Well the thread concerned was a hand dyed thread from Marilee (our one and only Yarnplayer) and I'd run out just before the finish. Me, being me, I just put it in the drawer and thought that that was the end of the story. BUT Marilee being Marilee decided it wasn't. 

Well I think it might have had something to do with Sue Anna who is her friend too and who must've read my blog and asked her if she'd anymore of the thread. Well, bless her cotton socks (bet her socks are tatted HDT cotton ones too!) she had a few yards left and she sent that to Sue Anna who (being the most generous soul you could ever meet) then added to the life saving (no, sorry, doily saving) few yards with the wonderful collection you can see in the second picture.  Thank you my dear friends - I will finish the doily this evening and blog it on Monday.  True, true mates.

Sorry the pictures aren't that good - blame the dull dreary days we're suffering at the moment.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I will release day 2 of the Tat It And See.

It's been a slow start this year which has actually worked well for me as I've had two busy days with today to follow in the same format. That's why I'm holding back on the next part until tomorrow. Gives me time to catch up with myself!!!

This TIAS is also being translated into Dutch on this blog too by my friend Riet.  Thank you, Riet.  

Started well

The Tat It And See has started well. A steady flow of day 1's coming in with not too many overnight ones either. That's a bit of a relief as I'll be in and out all day doing 'stuff'.

For those who haven't started - don't panic as you can join in at any time. Here's the link once again for the introduction. All links are at the top of this blog and the TIAS blog which is here.

Day 1 is now available

If you look above this post you'll see the links for the Tat It And See growing over the coming weeks. Here is today's link.

A bit more eye candy to show you. I really hope to sell these as I'm bored with putting things in the box in the cupboard. Well, there are two boxes and they're overflowing now!!!

Just another 24 hours

That's all there is until the start of the Tat It And See.

Meanwhile over the past week or two I've been making more Starry Button Bracelets and matching earrings. They're all in my Etsy shop right now.

Well, that's not strictly true as one bracelet is already on it's way to America - the beautiful blue one. So, if you look and say 'HOW much' then please remember the bracelets take an evening and a half to make and use a LOT of beads and six buttons. They really, really sparkle too.

I've added adjustable findings to them so they fit from a 6" - 7" wrist. Just thought I'd let you know they're there.

Oh, forgot to mention too that ALL the beads are included in the tatting and NOT sewn on afterwards. I never sew on after as I'm always afraid the beads will come off.

Updated pattern

Now some of you may have seen that I got a bit carried away with the button snowflake (Fandango one) just before Christmas. I've added a picture below. 

So as soon as I'd got the pattern pages sorted (yes, they're all done now) I decided to add the new version to the bottom of the page and you can find it here.

Two more 'sleeps' and it'll be time to start the TIAS.  Hope you're ready - I am!!!!

I just LOVE

Love, love, making these Starry Bracelets. I'll be listing this in my Etsy shop sometime soon - probably even today.  I'm not sure why but once I start on one I get addicted to making them and have to make more!!!! This is one I made last week.

Meantime my daytime job continues and today I can tell you that the 'odds and ends' page is finished on the web site. This is such a silly task I've set myself but at least I can find things easier now!!!  I'm receiving the odd complaint about it - mainly from Pigmini who is adding things to her 'to do' list that she's not seen before.  I'm adding things that I need to change or improve to MY list!

Finally today I must tell you about a tatting get together that I joined yesterday evening.  It was great.  I didn't even have to travel too far to get to it.

Well, I did walk from the front room to the back room!!!!  How did I do that?  Well Sue Anna Face Timed with me and she was with the Tollway Tatters.  Diane was there, Marilee and Barbara (think that was who I was pulling faces at as she tried to take a photo).  The wonders of this digital world are truly amazing.

Finally and just as I was heading for bed number 104 of last year's TIAS arrived.  Thank you, Adrian.  Here's the link to his sailing boat.

Another mouse

Well look what arrived JUST before the end of the year. A mouse from Davina-Marie. 

I'm not going to tell you all about it here - you'll just have to hop up to the Exclusive Tatting Club page which is here.

Yesterday was another long, long day sorting out the pattern pages. I've now finished the Motifs and Snowflakes page which took nearly all day yesterday (apart from a quick walk and a visit to a friend in hospital) and some of the day before too. My 'psychology' behind working the pages (in case you're interested) is to do the biggest first in the hope that the smaller pages may make the project go faster!!!