More Christmas trees!!

Once I start on these I find it very hard to stop!! I've listed some in my Etsy shop and will also list some on ebay later when it's working again - seems to be having a lie on on this Sunday morning!!!!!! Oh, I'll also list a couple of Aero shuttles.

I think my favourite trees are still the black ones but the new red ones are fighting for top place. I found the small star shaped buttons in a tiny outlet in the town yesterday. Couldn't resist using them.

Sorry, my apologies to ebay!!! It wasn't them that was at fault but my computer!! I managed to get all the other trees listed from my laptop!!!!

Favourite doily

After a remark I made on HBT I thought I'd better post this doily!!! I must have made it about 355 years ago. Well, slight exageration! I bought the Penelope leaflet (number 4, for those who are interested in the pattern) when it first came out - brand new!!!! Doesn't that date me?! In those dim and distant days there were very few things to make that interested a youngster but this always struck me as being particularly pretty. It's called 'Snowflakes' and below you'll find a picture of it as shown in the leaflet (on the left) and the one remaining finished one that I made. This is worked in sewing silk thread which was the only way I could get colour into my tatting in those prehistoric days. It measures a bare 7" across.

Tatted Christmas Tree Earrings

I made these earrings yesterday. Well, I made one and a half pairs as that darn thing - time - ran away from me yet again!!!

The first pair are white and silver and have red beads. Why am I telling you that when you can see for yourselves? Duh!!!

The second pair (when the other one arrives!) is/will be black with a silver filament running through. I would love to know anybody/everybody's opinions on these as I am thinking of putting some in my Etsy shop and/or on Ebay. I shall make some more in traditional green but want to try something different. Maybe even bright pink next?????!!!!!!!!!!

I have to finish these off as you can tell by the lack of findings and the 'tails' running from the bottom bead!

Tatting outside the home!!

Yesterday evening I went to a village a few miles outside of the town I live in to give a talk to a group of women - the subject matter was tatting (well, what else!!).
I took my small suitcase full of bits and pieces including the tattysaurus, some pattern books, a few of my shuttles etc, etc.
The meeting took place in a house - it's a posh village with a lot of wealthy people living there and enormous houses. I'd made notes to follow which were my original notes for the last talk I gave - but with a bit more added. Pamela Myers asked me yesterday how I planned this sort of thing and I told her that I took these notes along but usually just 'winged it'. I find I can't stick to a natural progression as things lead me sideways. Again the hit and miss method works well.
After twenty years in a classroom full of four/five year olds I am able 'go with the feel' of the event as it was happening.
After the talk I had about four people who wanted to learn and they all caught on pretty quickly. There's also another group in the village who have craft meetings and they asked if I was prepared to do a workshop for them. Wonder if it'll happen?
Apparently they all enjoyed it but the biggest compliment came from a lady who said she thought she was eccentric but I'd proved that I was much, much more so!!!!
I gave everybody a little butterfly to take home with them - a real crowd pleaser!!!!

Mystery shuttle - continued

A search on google using the key words 'patent tatting shuttle 1915 ' threw up a link on which I found this:- Correspondence with Mrs. Emma Law regarding her patent on a tattingshuttle. 1915. Here's the url for further information.

I had the following email from Heidi Nakayama

Even though the mystery shuttle looks very similar to the Parker patent, the Parker shuttle was made of bone and the 1868 patent date makes its years apart. Jane, I would suggest to the shuttle owner to visit the US Patent website:

http://www.uspto.gov/patft/

Look for the “Issued Patents” box. Click on “Patent Number Search”. Enter 1,173,102

Click on “Images” to see full description.

The Dill Shuttle is the closest match to this shuttle. The application was filed in 1914 and the patent approved in 1916. There’s a possibility they put 1915 on the shuttle because they thought it would be approved by 1915. The best thing to do is read the description and look at the shuttle to see what similarities there are. There's also a possibility that the mark "Patd 1915" was put on the shuttle to discourage copies or it could be an English patent.

Enjoy researching this, please let me know what the shuttle owner thinks after reading the patent.

Heidi Nakayama

For more information on all American shuttles please read Heidi's book which can be found here.

Another message on HBT from Sharren also suggested looking in Heidi's book. See following.

Heidi Nakayama's Tatting Shuttles book has one similar on page 25, with the caption of "1868 E.N. Parker Patent #76,512, Tollinger Collection.

It looks very similar except the bobbin on the shuttle above is wound using a key. Her dad might have adapted it for her, or it might be something new.
Is there a UK patent office? It might be worth calling them or if they are online, looking through the site.

Jeannette wrote this too

I got a shuttle somewhat similar at a flea market last year. When tilted just right in bright sun light, we were able to read "Goddard". I Googled "Goddard tatting shuttle" and had some hits. It seems mine was made in the 1930's and could be a later style from the same company perhaps?

My bobbin does come out and inside the blade tips is a small piece of the same material that reminds me of a lever type spring. There are no holes in the shuttle or bobbin and no pins to hold it together. Try this: Goddard Tatting Shuttle with Bobbin Celluloid 1930's this is what mine is.

Another suggestion was that there may be a hole in the shuttle for a crank. The owner says this isn't so as there's no sign of a hole.

I will add any further information to this blog if any comes in. I tried accessing the patent site but the images wouldn't show up for me. What a nuisance!!!

Mystery shuttle

A lady recently contacted me about the shuttle below. She'd be very grateful if anybody knows anything about it. Here's part of her messages to me. If you do know anything, could you contact me and I'll pass messages back to her? I can be reached via my web site (janeeborall.com).

My father gave me this shuttle and I would love to find out more about it. If you could just point me in the right direction that would be great. It says PATD. 1915. It is a great shuttle and tats great. I would love some information about it. The bobbin appears to come out. however, I have not removed it. The shuttle is not very flexible and I don't want to take the chance of damaging it. There is also a hole in the center of the bobbin to tie the thread. It appears to be made of French Ivory or Cellulose Acetate.

Other things!

I've reached an impasse in my tatting again!!! Thankfully a friend who I do bits and pieces for rang on Thursday to ask me to do her 50 butterflies. I don't like her pattern for these as they are five 'ringers'. I prefer a six ring butterfly as they always lie flat!! Anyway I've done them so hope to get back to designing again today or tomorrow. Here is one of the bundles with an extra at the side just to show you.

Finally the bag is finished!

On Sunday I listed some more Aero shuttles on ebay - I was lucky enough to come across some more.
I also stuck animals all over the bag. I think it's finished although there is still room for more critters on it. I feel that if I add more then it will be too overpowering!!!
Here is the front.

This is another view of the front looking down onto it.

Next are the two sides.

This is the top at the back which is wider than the front. Yes, tat is a deliberate design feature.

Finally and because I just can't resist a bit of a giggle there's the back!!! Thank you Martha for this pattern and all the others of yours (mainly from New Critters on the Block) which you know is one of my favourites. Hidden because I can show it for a giggle to stop people getting tooooo sentimental over the bag!!!

Gluing onto my bag

I've been gluing the animals onto the bag. This is the glue I've been using. I do like it a lot and am very happy with the results. It really does dry clear although it's a bit 'gluggy' to use. By that I mean it's thick. In a way that's easier than using the ordinary PVA which is toooooo fluid for this type of task. I hope our local craft store continues to stock this glue as I can see me 'needing' it a lot!!

I'm going to test out a sample today to see if it's happy with Scotch Guard and once I've done that and sprayed the bag then I'll be able to use it!!! I will also take some photographs today too.

Last night I did two more Christmas giveaways. See them below.

Luck strikes again!!

In all the years I've been going to the car boot market at the end of the road I've hardly ever seen tatting. I found this yesterday. That's three doilies in two weeks!! I had to release it from captivity!!!! I think I may add the three doilies to my ebay listings eventually and/or my etsy shop. Just really need to admire them for a while, though!!!
I am going to be busy this afternoon as I've got some new pieces of tatting to put on ebay.
A few weeks ago I started making Christmas tree earrings - like the ones I did last year. These proved very popular and I was making them right up til the last few days before Christmas - in spite of having to run (well, waddle quickly) down to the library to use their computers cause our broadband had gone down!!!
I've also got a few more Aero shuttles to list (there are some already on etsy).

Another two

Only two animals got done yesterday. Well it was Friday and a bottle of red wine usually finds it's way into the 'scheme of things' on a Friday evening!!!

I did, however, manage to pin the critters I've already done onto the bag during the afternoon! I raided one of my boxes of completed stuff and found a few more animals to add too. Maybe today I'll get the two new ones on and start sticking them.
Not sure if I mentioned that I got some new glue from our craft store last weekend. It said on the packet that it would stick anything to (more or less) anything but that it was also washable too. Ah, tat's exactly what I needed for my bag!!!
When I got it home and opened up the packet it said that before using you should wash the garment well! Also mentioned that denim should be washed four times before sticking!!! On yer bike, thought I!!! When I made my shopping bag (translated to American as tote bag!) about six months ago I stuck the bits of tatting on with some other glue that I'd got. This isn't washable and I didn't expect the bits to stay on. They're still there and looking just as good as the day they were added!!!
SO, I reckon that I'll just use this stronger glue on the 'virgin' denim and see what happens. After all, if the pieces fall off I can stick them on again AND knowing me - I'll not like the bag in a few months time anyway!!!!
Below are two fishes that got done before the red wine took too great a hold!!!

Playtime!

Well I'm playing. I've still no plan for what is going to go onto the handbag but I'm going to tat lots of bits and pieces. Below is what I've done over the past two/three days. If they aren't used for the bag then I'm sure they'll find a home somewhere else (unless I lose them first!).

I just LOVE Martha Ess's little New Critters on the Block book so that came off the bookshelf too. These are just the right size for the 'in between' places on the bag. I think another evening of tatting should see enough to start sticking them all on. The really, really exciting part!!!

Testing the new handbag!

For the first time in years I've now got a handbag that I like!!! So cool!! The only thing I don't like about it is the fact that it's dull and boring at the moment. So, to put this right I've started to think about decorating it. Well, what would anybody in their right minds want on a handbag?

Tatting, of course!!

As there are many 'facets', sides, ins and outs to this bag this will be a tricky one. So, last night I started on some odds and ends. As usual there is no forward planning to this task - just the regular 'hit and miss' method. I think all those years of planning lessons for youngsters has knocked this skill out of me. OR, did I ever plan that well anyway? Hmmm, won't go down that road!!!
I thought I'd make this an animal bag. So I've started with a gecko and a couple of pigs. There's an owl half done and then I thought I may do a seahorse (or 2). One of the pigs may go elsewhere as a present. Just like doing things in pairs as once a couple of shuttles are wound it's easier to use most of the thread than wind it back onto the ball (ooooooh, I LOVE my Aeros for that!). I always wind thread back onto the ball when I've finished a project so that I know where the thread came from. This also frees up the shuttles. One of the advantages of using a bobbin shuttle.
Anyway, I digress, as usual!!! I may do some flowery bits too but it's early days.
At the only local craft store we have (yes, we do have one - only one) I noticed some glue that they had. This is glue that you can use to stick stuff onto fabric AND still be able to wash the item. I'm going to give this a try on the bag as I doubt it'll need washing that often. Here are the first contestants for a placement on the bag!!!

Snowflakes

I found that the new motif (now known as snowflake 2007) fits into a 3" bangle. I spent a few hours tying the first eleven in using invisible thread.

One hint is to tie them in, put a blob of strong glue on each knot and let them dry.

I also made three more over the weekend at odd times.

Oh, I know I've been tagged by several people but the brain hasn't worked on the seven facts yet!!! I'm not sure I can think of seven but I'll try!!!! Check back later!!!!

I've been tagged

I've been tagged by TatBit and Julie - to share 7 facts about myself! I know several people have tagged me and I've been so busy that I've not done my 'confessions' until now!

1. I'm 64 and living in sin!! Actually I was married for 24 years when he walked out on me with my friend. Instead of a silver wedding anniversary party - I threw a divorce party. The hangovers lasted a full week!! I now live with a second cousin (been together for about 14 years) and we both have the same surname (Eborall IS my name and I reverted to it when the ex walked out). Actually, he ran!!!!

2. My mum never liked me but that's never bothered me as in the end the feeling was mutual!!!

3. I've lived in the same town most of my life and I used to teach very young children and LOVED every minute of it.

4. I love to make people laugh and my only unfilled ambition in life would have been to have 'made it' as a stand up comedienne. Too late now - I can barely make myself laugh some days!!

5. When I die I want the Beatles music played, no religious 'stuff' and I want everybody to party, party, party. If somebody stood up and said 'she was OK' then that'd be good too!! Oh, I want 'Give me Sunshine' played too and I want everybody to laugh and laugh.

6. I have three grandsons aged from 7 to 3 and a granddaughter due in three weeks. She'll get all my tatting stuff whether she likes it or not!!!

7. I don't like sport of any sort - either to participate or to watch. I don't watch telly very often but listen to bits of it. (I love Corrie, though!!!) I've always got shuttles and thread in my hands and a laptop on my knees!!!!

Now I've got to tag three people and I'll do this with apologies to those who don't want to take part!!! I didn't want to either but now I've done it I'm VERY pleased I was tagged!!!!

First is Sharon she's a megga tatter.
Next is Riet a dear friend from the Netherlands
Finally Tanya another of my good tatting friends.

Got to dash - got an emergency with my dad!!!

Who said I was an old bag?

Yup, well known for it too!!! It's something that Nick and I have in common - a love of bags! Not posh bags, expensive bags, but downright useful bags!! Wherever we are we seem to be drawn to bags. We buy bags and then find that the 'new and REALLY useful' one that seemed like our dreams come true in the shop turns out to be flipping useless!!!

I also make bags - I have a 'thing' about making them too. The last one I made was a shopping bag, the one before that a tatting bag and the one before that was a 'quite useful' handbag. Most of them never really 'took off' except the shopping bag which I use all the time.

I honestly can't remember when I made the first bag but it was many, many years ago. I've made them from Laura Ashley patchwork pieces, I've made rolly polly bags and straight sided bags. My main love is denim as it 'goes' with anything.

Well the week before last we had a 'turning out' of bags. No more, we said to each other. This bag business has to stop. Duh! During the the painful operation of deciding which ones had to go I came across a favourite one which I'd put to one side as it was made of hard plastic. I liked the shape and size of this one but it sort of 'crinkled' and looked really nasty. Ah, I thought, I could make a bag like this but out of fabric and not hard, ugly plastic.
Out came the denim and the sewing machine. Making a bag is like a jigsaw puzzle. I start with a tape measure and pins. A ruler and pen are also useful. Usually I cut out the main pieces and then start putting them together as I think they should go. Seems to work. Here's the bag - fully lined and stiffened too!! Ta de dah!!! Far left is the front, then a side view followed by the back. What it needs now is some tatting on it. Tat's the next task!!!

PS - yes, I'm allowed a PS in a blog, I'm sure!! Before I put the sewing machine away I made two more little 'quickie' bags. Sad old woman!!!

How wrong can you be?

Yesterday morning I emailed Georgia about tatting stuff and personal things. At the very end of the email I said the following.

"Well, time for a trip to the car boot market. Just for eggs - there's rarely anything interesting to find!!!"

The car boot market is held each Saturday on a bit of waste land at the end of our road. A car boot market is similar to garage sales or neighbourhood sales. People come along to a given place with a stack of stuff they don't want, open the boot (trunk) of their car, put out a table and the stuff from their boot goes onto the table. Good way to get rid of stuff you don't want!!!
I normally go up to the market for eggs and vegetables cause a man sells them from his small holding. Yesterday the local hospice had a 'pitch' too and I was dozing past there when I saw the two doilies at the end of this post. I started looking at them and the lady told me they were crochet. Sorry, says I, they're not crochet - they've been tatted. Out come my shuttles and thread, which I happened to have with me, and on a very cold morning and only half awake I showed the lady how the mats were made.
Well I couldn't leave them there. Unloved, unappreciated. I told her that I didn't want or need them but that they needed liberating. So, for the princely sum of a whole round pound they came home with me.

Still in the Tat Doldrums

I rarely get these moods but I've got one at the moment!!! I have a project 'on the go' which I'm excited about but can't get past the hiccup bit!!!
In cases like this I abandon it for a while and go off on other projects. So I'm back to doing giveaways and making some Christmas tree earrings. The giveaway below is done in brownish and pink colours - don't look toooo closely at it yet as it hasn't been pressed. I do like those two colours together. I might do another later today using other 'duller' colours together. I find that colours that don't 'look good' when you put the balls together sometimes are stunning when tatted together. Strange. Also the duller colours when mixed brighten themselves up. Do you understand what I mean? I think I know what I mean!!!!!
Ah, another project which has been keeping me occupied is nearing completion. I'll blog it when it's done. Not tatting - sewing. Well, there may be tatting on it eventually!!!

Off the subject!

During our tidying up session the other day I came across this. It's a Teneriffe wheel. It's made of brass and says 'Briggs patent' on it.
I have a book on how to do Teneriffe lace and actually saw an old lady making it half way up Mount Teide which is the highest mountain in Spain and on the island of Teneriffe. The old lady was sitting outside her house at the roadside and I was able to persuade the people I was with to stop so I could see how she was doing it. She appeared to be using a small, very old padded 'pillow', shaped like a mushroom. When we got to the end of the road I walked to the top of Mount Teide - quite a struggle. The mountain is a volcano and this was many years ago - I was aged 46!!.
Question is - do I take up Teneriffe lace now and abandon tatting? Hmmm, I think not but I may have a dabble sometime now I've found this wheel.
I have many books on all types of lace which I collected during my working years. The reason for this was so that I'd be able to learn them when I retired!!! Now, where's the time I need to do this?!?!?

Finally and at last!

Well I finally got the motif finished and uploaded onto my web site on Monday. It isn't difficult to make but proved a problem to notate. I managed to sort out all the final tweaks over the weekend. The only perceived problem for a new tatter with this pattern is that there is a split chain in it.
I was struggling to do the motif (now known as a snowflake!!) when Marie Smith emailed me and suggested a way of progressing out of the centre using a 'false split ring' which is, actually a split chain. Sounds hard but it's really easy. I'm hoping the diagrams I drew will help too. Gets easier the more you do it, of course!!!
I always agonise over using the 'harder' techniques as I feel that they may stop some people from doing patterns with them in. Then again I also think that if a person really, really likes a design then they'll either learn/use it OR find a way of tatting the piece another way!!!! Personally I like a challenge if I can see a reason for it!!! There's no better reason for using a new technique than it enabling you to avoid tying, cutting and hiding ends!!!
I also finished the alphabet beads pattern which can be made into a bracelet. I've actually used this idea to put a name on my tatting bag. Just for fun, tat's all. I'm particularly pleased with this pattern as the beads lie really well within the framework. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that they are placed between split rings which means finger tatting the centre. I may make another one of these for a 'zipper pull' as they are such fun and are fast to make.

The one thing I HATE

The one thing in my life that I hate above anything else is wasting time! I don't mind waiting for doctor, dentist or any appointment even if they are very late. After all you can always be doing something like tatting or reading dreadful magazines. I don't mind time spent on a tatting idea that doesn't work - this is a normal part of the process.
BUT I do HATE what happened to me yesterday evening!!

I remembered the other day that I'd been playing with alphabet beads before I went to USA in August. I made several bracelets as presents for friends. On Friday I realised that I'd not put the pattern on my web page yet. Well, last night I finished the centre of the bracelet which I was making to test the pattern. I tied and cut the ends and then realised I'd missed out a chain. Not too bad as all I needed to do was cut back a bit, re-join and do that part again. Oh, no, wrong again!!! I cut the wrong bit!!! So I decided that was scrap and it would be better to start again from scratch!!!
That's the sort of thing I call a waste of time!
Below is the final motif which now confirms the pattern is ready to 'go'!!! When the bracelet is finished I'll launch them both together.

Nearly sorted

Although I've been quiet on the blog for a couple of days that doesn't mean I haven't been tatting!!! I'm still working on the motif and I think it's 'as good as' finished. Although it is really easy to do it's proved quite difficult to notate. The problem is that I was determined to make it easy for those doing 'front side / back side' or whatever people like to call it without it being something you have to conciously think about while tatting. This has meant about 11 motifs made just to resolve a few SLT's and RW's!!! Dedication or what!!!! Actually I've nearly thrown it out of the pram several times. Anyway, here are a few of my 'trials and tribulations'!!!!

Heart Picture

Finally I've got my new heart from Mark Myers framed (see below). Well it only took so long because the framing shop were lollygagging (that's my favourite American word)!! The picture will now go in my 'rogues gallery'. This is a place on the wall just in front of me when I'm sitting tatting in the evening. I've got a bell (again from Mark) and a flower which Gina (Brummett) gave me in the gallery too. I'm very proud of these little pieces.
Hanging from the lamp by the side of me are several bookmarks and other tatted pieces that I've been given in exchanges. Also a couple of little 'dangles' from the mad witch in London - love, light and peace!!! Well, we all know who THAT is!!! SueH!!!!! Ah, there's also a tiny witch hanging there too which she sent me - just as a reminder that she's forever watching me!!! Actually, she's more likely to be 'watching out' for me (as in looking after her aged tatting friend when I get myself into bother). She's the sort of mate that even if she thinks you're wrong she'll stick up for you through thick and thin.

Crochet hook

I'm popping a picture of this crochet hook that I bought at Tat Days. It's from Georgia Seitz's fair hands (or maybe Rich's)!!!! I bought two as I'm always losing things!!! It takes up to 7 seed beads at a time and will load them onto a picot worked in number 20 thread. The hook size is 0.4mm.

New Idea

Bad, bad, bad day yesterday with the new and 'top secret' (at the moment) idea. I'm ready to give up designing and tatting. BUT I've lived through these times before so I'll throw this second start at the wall, pick up the shuttles again another day and do what I always do - start again and again and again!!!!
I think the main problem this time is that I've tried to be too organised and have not used the tried and tested 'hit and miss' method. Because of what I'm going to do with it I'm also having to think very hard about the progression.
Oooooh, it's SO tempting to tell everybody about it - but I won't!!! I may make some more giveaways for a few days until I've recovered from this latest frustration.

Ta de dah! Trumpets blowing!!!

Finished. It needed some SLT's and that's made it work a treat. The only thing left to be done now is to re-organise the drawings, check it out again in a week or so's time and then put the web page together. Oh, forgot, I need to make loads and loads more for my Christmas giveaways!!! I shall do those on evenings when I'm not in the 'mood' for designing. I've made a grand start on a new design. This time I'm not sharing until it's done and then I'm going to do it a 'different' way. Not telling you what I'm up to this time but I can promise you it'll be new!!!!!!

Progress and a final solution!

Yesterday I made time to stock up my Etsy store which you can find here. As well as some new tatted items I've added some Aero England shuttles. Now to sit and wait and see what happens!!!! I've sort of given up on Ebay at the moment just to see if I can make a 'go' of Etsy. I've got some earrings listed which are pretty cool and very sparkly. Also a couple of seahorses and a butterfly or two!!!!

Another look at the centre of this motif and I decided (not only to make it faster to work) to change it quite drastically. Instead of small SRs I changed them to larger ones and then left out the round of chains joining to them. This now means I can add beads to the centre which is always a good thing as far as I'm concerned. I'm really pleased with the way the 'odd' sort of split chain is working but I promise to write out the pattern for those who don't like split chains and who are happy with tying, cutting and hiding ends!!!
Don't look toooooo carefully at the scan as you will see that I haven't blocked it. I don't very often block things out relying on a 'perfect' (I know, there's no such thing!) design to make things lie flat in the first place. So I will block this later BUT I'll also look at the stitch count on the lock stitch chains too. Tat'll keep me out of mischief for a while!!! This is, by the way, at least the 5th whole test tat of this motif and I'm still not quite happy with it!!