Experimenting with a new idea!!!

Three false starts but I had a better idea during the night. Yes, even dream tatting - sad, isn't it?

New Heart

Now this one just 'fell' off the shuttle!! The pattern is being offered to a tatting group first and will eventually appear on my site. I've been playing with the idea of clovers on the second side of a split ring but this time I've used beads to move them further away from the ring.

More finished Star Catchers!!!! (click here for the pattern)

Even MORE of the same but each one is different

Oooh, I'm definitely going to make more of these for my Christmas giveaways. I love playing with the colour combinations of threads and beads. Got to use up some of my beads as Sue and I have bought yet more off ebay!!! Are we beadaholics?

More of the same but different!!!

Two more pairs of earrings and some other 'stuff'.!

Another version

Second, and last, version of this suncatcher. There, I've even got a name for it!!! It actually fits in a bangle so I shall mount them all in those as Christmas giveaways. Quite pleased with this one!!! The unfinished one on the right is just me playing with bead and thread variations.

Another attempt

I had another 'play' with this motif last evening and it lies flat now!!!

Playing

This is an idea I'm playing with now!!! Not sure if this will be useful or not. The stitch count needs 'jiggling' and perhaps the 'spokes' need to be separated and not joined at the outer green places. I shall play with this later and also not use the very long picots with loads of beads. It may look a lot less cluttered with beads on the actual SR's and chains. Back to another re-tat!!!!

3 Pairs of Earrings (click here for the pattern)

My dear friend Sue sent me these earring hoops and I just HAD to make something to go in them. I used my own pattern which and when finished 'tied' them into the rings using some invisible thread. I just can't wait to wear them but MUST go get a shower, dressed before I do!!!!

Play time with new ideas!!!

This looks pants at the moment but it MAY turn into something pretty in the end!!!!

Also I've started back on Motif 7 and at Gina's suggestion I am now doing 'tatted middles' to the different versions so that if people don't have small plastic rings they can still use the motifs!!!
Here's one already done.

Finished the MAT!!!!

At long last and this is the final round. The garden mat is finished. It measures 26" from 'point to point' and 22" from side to side.

YIPEEEE

This afternoon I finally finished the garden mat. I hope to take pictures tomorrow and then I'll post it on here. I'm now going back to check over motif 7 and to make alternative centres so that each version can be made without using a plastic ring.

Good News/Bad News

Finally found the missing elephant - that's the good news. Bad news is that he/she suffered many washes in the pocket of my favourite jeans!!! This is the one I'm talking about towards the bottom of this page - http://janeeborall.blogspot.com/2006_06_01_janeeborall_archive.html . A dead elephant. Still the finished one is happily on my web site now!!! http://www.e.n.e.btinternet.co.uk/elephantonion.htm

Version 5 - my favourite and last (I think!!!)

This is the last one. I don't feel another one popping into my head at the moment. VERY pleased with this one and it's just the right size for the Christmas giveaways. Again I've used three rings on the second side of the split ring to form a clover. It'll need stiffening slightly with the beads, I think.

Version 4 - finished (with beads)

This is the finished five pointed version 4. I'll do a six pointed version and I think I'll have run out of ideas after that! We'll see, though!!!

Version 4 - five point

This is the latest. Still based entirely on the original. Where will it all end? This evening I'll do it again in the pink and blue and add beads. Also want to do a six point version too. Time will tell!!!

version 3 - fiinished!

Here it is version 3 finished with beads. This one I quite like. Love doing the clovers on the split ring. I think it could do with being pressed to make sure the long beaded picots lie in the middle of the points but that's all that needs doing to this one.

Version 3 - trial!

This version uses the same basic idea on round 1 that I used before. I've had to slightly alter stitch counts. This version will be a five pointed star (yes, Sue, I do listen!). The interesting part of this is the clover on the split ring. I wondered if it would work and it does. Lies very well too. Need to now add beads and 'play' with stitch counts on round 2. I'm not happy with the chain coming out of round 1 so will try another idea. Can't wait to use beads on this one!!

Version 2 - finished!!!

Well, finished this one and both look a lot better after a brief acquintance with the iron!!!

And this is version 2 which I started late last night. This is an interesting way of adding beads along the core threads joining to the vsp on the previous round. Might just follow this through with another version. Time will tell!!!!!

Progress on motif # 7

Here's a scan of the finished version number 1 which can be seen being worked in yesterday's post below.

Latest ideas - motif # 7 (aka suncatcher, snowflake or whatever!)

I'm not entirely sure yet what I shall call this but I'm hoping it will be simple enough for my Christmas 'giveaways'. Time will tell!!! Kept me outa trouble for ages and I'm not sure it's going to work yet!!!

Christmas giveaway (aka motif # 7)

This is what I'm now playing with. Starting from the bottom and working up you will see the progression from

Next round started!

After a very pleasant hour or so on the living room floor I decided to go with the idea of another round. This will sort of represent the sky and will be made in blues, purples and mauve combinations. I'll post another picture when I've got a few motifs done. Meanwhile the next new pattern 'idea' has gone on the back burner!!

Next round of my garden mat finished!!

Finally got the next round of this mat finished last night. What I really love about this one is that it doesn't need 'blocking' before pressing! I just threw it on the ironing board (WHEN I found it - that's the ironing board) and then (having finally located the iron) threw that on top!! It now measures 19" from 'point to point' and 17" from side to side. Now, do I do another round? Hmmmm, fancy a 'sky' round in blues, purples and mauves. This is proving a good way to use up my stash of 60, 70 and 80 threads. I'm using whatever is in 'the box' and adding a filament type to go with it. The filaments are also lurking in the same box. Great fun deciding which combinations to use next and trying to work out whether there's going to be enough!!