Two things to talk about today!

Yesterday my copy of Martha's new teapot book arrived. I've just GOT to make the 3D set. It shouted out 'make me' in a very loud voice the minute I opened the book.

Thank you, Martha, for the dedication in the front of the book. I must tell you guys that Martha has dedicated the book to me. She's a naughty lass as she knows darn well that we have both learnt a terrific lot of things off each other.

I noticed yesterday that I've got a new follower on this blog. What is MOST amusing is that Ginny has used the crab that I designed as her image/photo/icon or whatever blogger calls it. I did have a giggle. Thanks for cheering me up, Ginny!

I've started!

I've actually got started on the poke proof pouches!!!

2 down and ??? to go.

I think I've got enough fabric for 16 which is great.

Guess what? I'd forgotten how I'd made them. I have to do them in a certain 'order' or there would be stitching showing on the outside and that wouldn't be very good. Here are the first two. The next two will be made in the lighter fabric.

Confession time!!

Just before Christmas I spent a whole load of money on something which I never got the benefit from. I mean several thousands of pounds!!

A couple of weeks ago we finally decided to make the trip over the pond. By this time I realised that I couldn't face carrying all my heavy electronic 'stuff' as carry on luguage so have 'invested' (no, treated!) myself to a new camera and Itouch. How's that? Confession made.

So, I needed a case for the Itouch (already have a decent camera case which will double up as an everything case when we're out and about) so this is what I made for my new 'toy'. I made another for Nick with a belt loop on the back but I prefer just a hook.

Wonder whether I should make any for the Etsy shop? I've used the same lining inside as the poke proof pouches so that the whole toy is well protected.

What about?!?!?

What about poke proof pouches in this shuttle/pansy fabric?

I'm going to make some out of these two samples!!! This will be a 'limited edition'.

Why?

Well, simply because that's all the fabric I have!!! I may have enough for 12 at the moment and won't be getting/buying anymore (IF I can find anymore) unless those 12 sell. Not only a 'credit crunch' but a 'fabric crunch'!!!

All is revealed

The name of the lady I showed two days ago is Jennifer Williams. Now to tell you a bit about her.

She lives in Wales. Her main 'claim to fame' nowadays is that she's the Chairman of the Ring of Tatters.

Now to get personal. Jennifer is a slim lady with a surfeit of energy. Spend a short while in her company and you'll find out!!! She has a bubbly personality and she laughs a lot.

What you may not know about Jennifer is that she's a stonking good designer but she's one who tends to hide her light under a bushel. BUT I think we'll be seeing more of her patterns soon both in the Ring's Newsletter and other places too.

Jennifer trained as a teacher and nowadays does lots of workshops around the UK.

She has recently taught a weekend residential course on tatting here. Hopefully this will lead to more at this venue and others. Although her main love is tatting this lass also does many, many other crafts too.

Just playing!!!

Guesses are still coming in about who the lady is on yesterday's post so I'm going to keep that a secret until tomorrow!!!!

This is what I've been doing (on and off) for the past few days. It's NOT a necklace before anybody asks!!!! There's still more to do but time will tell if it gets finished!!!

This is one of my patterns but one which I've altered slightly.

The reason for the change is I wanted a more 'substantial' edge to it and also, because I've been working in two threads run parallel together on the shuttle, I found it hard to do the CTJ joins. Those vsp's just got too fiddly when 2 threads are involved!! Instead of this I put a chain in to carry me back to the side I needed to be on!!!

IF it's worth writing the alterations up then I'll do it sometime!!!!!

Another 'guess who'

OK, I'm really, really going to make you work today. I'm just not going to tell who this is. Well, not for a day or so until everybody who wants to has had a chance to guess!!!

It's somebody I think you will have heard of.

Please don't add your guess to the comments but send directly to me at lovetotat @ gmail.com - just so I can find out who gets it right and so that nobody else can cheat!!!

Wonder who'll be first???!!! Once the cat's out of the bag I'll add more about this lady below the picture or on another post. Meanwhile ............................

Still thinking bags

Thanks for your comment, Maureen. I've been thinking about making 'ordinary' drawstring bags too. In fact somewhere I've got a couple of 'trials' I made towards the end of last summer. Must dig them out and have another look at them.

I'm going to make some poke proof pouches - 'stand alone' with no matching roly poly bags. The reason? I've got some fabric with a shuttle print on!!! What could be better, eh?

Meantime I am still tatting and crocheting but I'm not working on anything new at the moment. Just enjoying tatting for the sake of tatting!! I think I'm burnt out after working on Palmetto Tat Days submissions!!!

Still talking bags!

This is a pretty bag.

I do love it and because I love it so much - with my heart - I decided to 'pimp my bag'!!!!

I used this pattern and here are the results!! First of all the two hearts I made. Finally the results of marrying the bag and the tatting.

To those who asked whether there were compartments in this bag the answer is no!! It's only a small bag and I felt that putting in divisions would limit what I wanted to pop in there! Of course the answer is to make a smaller bag or two to put in the bag!!!!

Time will tell whether this actually 'happens' or not!!

The 'white thing' at the bottom is a toggle thingy which lets you alter the length of the strap. Sometimes I carry a bag just on my shoulder, other times over my head too. I even carry them as a 'hand bag' on occasions. This toggle gives me the opportunity to change the length!! Clever, eh?

The sewing machine is out!

Another Spring and out come the daffodils, tulips, flowers galore AND my sewing machine!!

I'm still thinking about bags!! I still have some roly poly tat bags in my Etsy store but want a new 'line'. This is one I'm thinking about. I've made this as a small bag to carry with me when I go on my afternoon walk around the river and back up through the town. Sometimes I need to pop into shops and get 'stuff' so need to have either a bit of cash or my credit card holder with me.

This is what I made this bag for but now I see many possibilities. Particularly for carrying tatting things.

IF anybody reading this post thinks it might be a useful addition to a craft worker's 'bag collection' I'd appreciate their comments. If not this could be the one and only one ever made!!!

Well, well, well

Now I know what grabs Nick's attention!!! Not a lot does phase him but yesterday (thanks to Wally) he 'sat up and took interest' when he picked up the post from behind the front door!!!

Why was he suddenly so interested? Well it's not every day of the week that a package arrives from Egypt!!! That really, really foxed him!!!

What had Wally sent? Well here are just a few of the wonderful butterflies she sent for the Ring of Tatters bookmarks. Aren't they just sweet? I've seen them on her blog but they're even better in real life.

Wally also sent me some sequins to play with too. THANKS, Wally.

This got me thinking (brain cell # 3 returned for a short visit). I wonder where the bookmarks finally finish up? Most likely in households in the UK - but I wonder. Wouldn't it be interesting to know where the furthest one has finally go to?

Totally off topic here but I had to laugh when I saw this clip from YouTube. I sent the link to my Welsh friend! I guess there are people all over Wales laughing at this now!!!

Another 'Guess Who'

I doubt anybody reading this blog will know who this is!! She's one of the Ring of Tatter's best kept secrets.

She and her hubby (Adrian) are the force behind the Ring's website which is here. Not often seen in public but I do have permission to blog her!!!!

Her name? Sally Magill.

This was one of the photos I took at the exhibition but I didn't post earlier until Sally had seen the photo. I think this sums her up really well. She's always smiling.

At LAST

Finally I've finished this handkerchief edging! Started about two years ago and intended as a project whilst on our last visit to America!!! There now, doesn't time fly!!!

We're now planning our next visit having given last year a 'miss'!!! Now before y'all get too critical. I haven't folded this hanky properly yet but just flung it on the platen 'as is'.

Please note - I NEVER use a picot gauge. OK, who said 'it shows'!!!! Do I care? Nah, life's too short to measure every darn picot. I love to live dangerously anyway!!!

This is one of my own patterns and I must admit I quite like it! This is unusual for me as once I've finished a pattern I am so fed up with it I toss it aside. Well, onto the web page!!

My next project as I'm not in designing 'mode' at the moment is another edging but this time for a tshirt. I'm going to use this one but with alterations to it to give a more substantial 'base' line for sewing on. I MIGHT use it instead for a hanky edging. Not sure just yet.

Before all this starts up in earnest, though, I'll warn you - I'm sewing again. I hope to have at least one wee thing to show you tomorrow!!!

New question

What is this?

OK, who shouted out - A MESS?

I'll answer the question straight away. It's my Ring of Tatters 'sticking kit'!!!

The box at the back with the green handle is holding the motifs.

To the right (and slightly forwards of that) is the nearly depleted bottle of PVA glue. There's a roll of sellotape just in front of the green handled box for holding the day's supply together when I've got enough. We 'allow' 30 bookmarks per day and exhibitions are from 3 to 4 days.

To the left of the sellotape is a green bookmark awaiting it's motif. Below the sellotape is a strip of re-cycled paper to band the 30 together.

Now to the scissors. They are used for cutting off tails of thread - a job I simply HATE as my fingers are usually sticky when this happens. Takes more time to cut tails than to stick!!!

Finally the two most important items in the 'kit'. An old CD and a double pointed fine knitting needle. Now, why would I want those? Simple. I put a blob of glue on the CD and use one end of the needle to load glue on and transfer to the motif. The other end (clean, hopefully) is used sometimes to 'nudge' the motif into place!! There you are - job done. Oh, except for a few hours of time!!!

One of the exhibits!

Thanks to those who commented on yesterday's post - you were right, Maureen it is Rosemarie Peel!! I agree, Riet and I will let her know you want a copy of the book. I asked and she told me a bit about what is going into itbtoo - but that's a secret!!!

This is my last post about the exhibition.

There was time to take a look around a bit further on Sunday and I saw these entries (the link takes you to the Ring of Tatter's site - please scroll down) for the Poetry in Stitches Competion (2008) and they were fabulous. I couldn't have chosen between these three as a favourite and there were lots and lots of other 'non tatted' entries too. The judges must've had their heads in knots over these.

The thing that tickled me most is that I'm sure, nearly sure that I spotted Sid the Scintillating Slug in the Isca tatters entry. I've put an arrow pointing to where I think I spotted him. Any of the Isca tatters care to put my mind at rest?!?!?

The others on the stand wondered why I came back from looking at the exhibits with a great big grin on my face!!! I LOVE to see something I've designed made by other people!!

Guess who?

Now I wonder if you can guess who this is?

OK, I'll give you a clue or 3.

1. She's recently published a new tatting book.
2. She's got several books which are all winners.
3. She's a 'local lass' living in the middle of the UK.

Now, I'm going to let you into a secret. She told me that she's 'on a roll' and that we can expect another new book out this year!!!!!

WHHOOOOOOPPPPPPPEEEEEEEE

More about the exhibition!

OK, a bit more about the exhibition.

Here are two of the 'Sunday' gals!!! Barbara and Sarah are in the photo on the left and on the right. The central one shows them again with some of the public who visited.

It was Barbara's 'maiden voyage' as a demonstrator and she took to it like the proverbial duck to water. We were pretty busy at times. The garden picture is Sarah's. It's so pretty that I had to pop it on the blog.

We did have two others on the stand but I'm keeping quiet about one's identity. I'll show you tomorrow - hopefully!!!

Like the horse's tail!

I'm all behind!! Just like the horse's tail!

Today I'm going to show you the bookmark that I finished at the show on Thursday. Thank you, Jane and Burda!!! I've done two more since then - when I find them again!!

I was there again all day yesterday and have lots to show you. BUT you're going to have to wait until I've got the photos off my camera!!!

I added a ring or two at the top of the bookmark to give it a different look but that's all. The reason I'm using this variegated thread is simply because I DON'T LIKE IT!!!

I thought it would be lovely as it's pink but I think the problem is that it's variegated - and not in a nice way!!! I can tolerate variegated IF it's used with a plain thread and if the design 'fits' it but not on it's own.

There will be more pictures tomorrow and a 'teaser' or two. Things could get interesting round here!!!

A day at the NEC

In my last post I mentioned that that I spent Thursday at the National Exhibition Centre with the Ring of Tatters. Here are some pictures for you to see.

Talking old and time again!!!

Well to all those who wrote in about my ramblings yesterday - thanks!!!

I did actually get the better of time yesterday!! Why? Well I was lucky enough to be chosen to help out at the NEC (for all you foreigners - that stands for the National Exhibition Centre) by the Ring of Tatters. Each year there is an exhibition called the Sewing for Pleasure held there in one of the enormous halls. For any Americans reading my ramblings - we can do 'BIG' in the UK at times!!

The Ring is given a stand there to show the public how to tat if they are interested. We always get a lot of attention and this year we were visited by a lot of youngsters (ie younger than ME!!).

Time flew by (yet again) but this time I think I was on the same wave length as time!!! Boy, did I feel old by the end of the day, though. Another great buzz to this day at the NEC is meeting fellow tatters in the Ring. We talked for England and tatted for the universe when there were quiet moments.

Hopefully I'll show some photos tomorrow. I took a few! I did have a few problems when it came to packing up. The tattysaurus decided to stay - he loves the attention!!! He (and my other mobiles) are staying until Sunday when I spend another day there.

Big surprise when I got back was the award that Sherry left for me. Blog Queen? So pleased to see the letter 'l' in that word!!! Now, when do the golden carriage, silver slippers, ruby ring, footmen, private aeroplane etc arrive, I ask myself? I'm waiting, Sherry!!

As you get old

As you get old.

Now, I'm not the only one getting old - I have it on good authority that it happens to everybody. BUT as I get old life tends to get 'silly'.

Where does that commodity 'time' go to? I wake up in the morning and the pot is full of time.

I have things to do, time to do them in and life looks good. I get to lunchtime and I realise that things are 'slipping'.

By the evening that commodity has long gone and I'm looking back over the day and wondering where it all went.

Ah, I know, I've been robbed!!! Robbed of MY time. What can I do about it?

PLEASE, if anybody's got the answer do let me know.

Bookmarks from Jane in South Africa

A few days ago I had the following sent to me from Jane. Remember Jane from a few days ago?

She said

The original pattern is from Anna Burda magazine, May 1984, page L14. I 'converted' another braid on the Anna page, but this one was very easy, as you can see. Also much easier and neater using split rings. I used size 10 thread and turned it into bookmarks by adding a tassel.

The pattern for the bookmarks looks like this:

SR 1: 6/6

R each side: 4-2-2-4

SR 4: 6/6

R each side: 5+5-2-2-5-5

Repeat, with the next small ring each side joining to the large ring, 4+2-2-4.

I ended with a split ring after two small rings, and attached a tassel to the bottom, and used size 10 thread.

Christmas baubles

My sister was in town last weekend and we went out for the afternoon on Saturday.

She showed me her Christmas baubles which I managed to sneak a photo of!!! Aren't they gorgeous? They look even better in real life.

Now, before you ask, she hasn't written the pattern down!! I've given her a ticking off about that and am hoping that with a bit of 'nagging' from me she'll eventually write down the pattern!!!

Still playing with buttons!!

Although I've officially 'finished' with buttons somebody suggested purple and red!!! So, here we go - purple and red!!! I've also added the t-shirt which I've sewn them onto. I didn't put them 'in a line' or 'round the neck' as I wanted something different. When I get the time (and inclination!) I'll take a picture of 'the old git' wearinig it!!!

I managed to upload the pattern page yesterday although I spent nearly two hours trying to get the link working back to the home page. I was almost ready to throw the computer through the window and it still doesn't work!!

I couldn't spend any longer struggling with it as I had arranged to go and try to help a lady who lives round the corner from me. We first met at Silver Surfers and she popped into the library last week to ask if I could help set up her computer on broadband. I did warn her that I'd never done that before but heroically set off to try. Before I got to her house I'd got soaked and hurt by a terrific hail storm.

I am over the moon. I managed with no bother at all to set up the broadband connection, do all the necessary downloads (virus signatures, windows updates, java, Firefox, etc). Does a new career await me?!?!?!

Back to normal!

Yesterday evening I got 'back to normal' on the tatting. I needed to sort out tat corner and see what needed finishing off!!!

I'd been asked to test tat a small teapot for Martha during the past week and (I'll admit it!) happily abandoned the black tatting for an hour or so to do that. Problem was I 'lost the plot' on Martha's pattern. I can tell you that it was nothing at all to do with the pattern - it was entirely MY fault. I left the teapot 'as was' with the mistake but read through the rest of the pattern to check it for her. I wasn't too far from the end.

So a priority was to retro tat and finish off the teapot yesterday evening. I was then tempted to finish off my TIAS but the purple buttons called louder. I'd got a shuttle with enough thread on to make up one. Well, I thought I had but ran out just as I got to the last ring!!! That rarely happens but will get resolved today!!!

See the teapot below. Well you didn't think I was going to give the game away, did you?!?!? I can't wait to see this book finished - it'll be another gem from Martha.

I've finished!

Finally, and after about a month, I've finished the black motifs.

Now I do occasionally enjoy this type of mindless tatting. I've enjoyed doing these but found that I got obsessed by them. I couldn't stop until I'd used all the thread that Nicole sent!! Here you can see 'almost' 12 strips of 10 per strip. Each square took around 40 minutes to make.

Today I will post them to Nicole.

Next? Well the purple buttons are calling for pure relaxation. After that? Who knows? Not me!!!!

Look what I found when I went to the shop by the tip!!!!

Aren't they just gorgeous?

Remember the mother of pearl buttons I've been working on? I'm going to have to see if one of the patterns 'fits' this size!!!

The one at the very top which is paler than the rest is one I tested for 'washability'. Well, I cheated. I poured boiling water onto it and the surface sort of started minutely to peal off. I scraped it all off with my fingernail and the result is probably even more pleasing than the originals!!!!

Two pretty pieces from across the seas

These were sent to me a few days ago. Aren't they pretty? A tatter called Jane sent in her daisy picot pictures with the pattern below too.

Now, a bit about Jane in her own words-
I'm a Zimbabwean who has been living in South Africa for a few months. I learnt to tat 30 years ago, mainly from a teach-yourself pamphlet. When I became entirely immersed in spinning and knitting, I didnt tat for many years. But when I had to close my spinning business, it was a good chance to tat again. I discovered the world of tatting on the internet - wonderful! Since then I've really learnt a lot and had a lot of fun.

Yes, you can include my e-mail address if you like.

Her email address is ikorro@vodamail.co.za

I love her comment at the bottom about writing it all down!!

Small motif

Daisy ring using yellow thread as core: 1([8 white]2), repeat 5 times, 1, Cl. 1[8]2[8]2[8]2[8]2[8]1

Using green thread and encapsulation method, 6, ring 4-4, 6

Make another 4 flowers, with 4 chains between, joining the rings 4+4. Make final chain and join to first flower.

Bigger motif

Same method, but I used 12 ds for petals, and chains were 8[r 6-6]8

Goodness, it's more difficult to write a pattern than I supposed. It looks easy when you do it! I hope this makes sense and is technically correct. I rather doubt it, so change things where necessary.

Back to the black

I'm back on the black motifs and have now done 95!! I hope to do another few strips before sending them to Nicole early next week.

I did get sidetracked again yesterday by Martha Ess. She asked me to test tat another of her little teapots for her new book which should be ready soon. I think this one is my favourite although I did go wrong at one point! I'm going to re-do it from there again today.

Today? Hmmm, time for a tidy up around my computer in the upstairs 'office'!!! I'm sitting in a sea of papers, bits of tatting etc. In fact it's the paper version of tat corner which is downstairs!! I wish I'd been born a tidy person! Always tooo busy to tidy up.

I see that Iris has published the final day of her TIAS so will try and fit that in today. I hope it pours with rain this afternoon so that I have an excuse not to go walking! I really need the time today!!

Iris's TIAS - day 4

I did it, I did it, I did it and all on my own this time!! I didn't have to be sneaky and wait for Laura to do hers first either!!!

I even (and this is totally true) did it at the end of the evening AND after a glass of red wine!! How's about that, then!! Oh, that was Saturday evening, by the way. I'm running a bit behind on posting BUT have some new things to show over the next few days!!

Now, whether it's right or not is a different matter.

Iris's TIAS

Like the donkey's tail - I'm all behind!!!! This is Iris's TIAS day 3. Just hope I'm on the right 'track'!!!

Good news on the buttons. Some progress made yesterday!!!

I am not very bright.

When I did this pattern in 2007 I needed or wanted a way to progress from the centre of the work to the next round. I 'devised' the method shown on that page and thought nothing of it!!!!

I was talking to Georgia Seitz a week or so ago about this, tat and t'other and she sent me pictures of the Dora Young split ring.

Finally, but finally the penny dropped. Oh, if you're in America it would be a cent that dropped, I guess!!!

What I'd used in that pattern was what Dora had devised many years ago. Further playing with the idea and again another penny went 'clunk'!!! What a fantastic way of making two coloured split rings and single coloured ones. So I finally (and again with help from Georgia and Jennifer) got this page together.

Still tatting!

It's been a looong week of tatting for Nicole but today I'm going to take time out to return to the MOP's. My hands are beginning to ache by the end of the evening of constant tatting.

I realised why. When I'm working on new designs I keep stopping to type in the text as I go along but when I'm doing something like Nicole's order I just tat and tat til I drop!!!!

I've done 72 and a half motifs now in strips of 10 and I hope to get another 4 strips done at least. The deadline has now been changed from 2nd to 9th March so that gives a bit more of a breathing space.

Nicole is going to send me photos of the finished garment with a tatted collar too. Forgot to add - she's a tatter and a young 'un too which is very, very pleasing!!!

Yesterday!

Well a busy day in tat land!! In the morning I decided to do another technique page showing what can be done with Dora Young's technique - very interesting when you start using coloured threads. I'm hoping to post it on the web page either later today or sometime this week. Took ages to do and I got my fingers tied up in knots too!!

In the afternoon I wanted to get started on Iris's TIAS. I tried it a few days ago but just couldn't 'see it' without a diagram. Ah, now I know why I have to draw everything - not for other people's benefit but for my own!

Anyway I cheated and looked to see what others were doing and used their day 1's to guide me. Once I got started, though it wasn't hard at all. So, having completed day 1, I put down the shuttles and decided to see what was happening in tat land. I use my 'dashboard' here at blogger a LOT to see what the people I follow are up to.

Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs - Iris had just published day 2!! So, while I was in TIAS mode and sitting next to the shuttles I worked that up. See below!!!

Well aren't you all lucky?

I've got nothing to show and not a lot to say either!!!

I'm back to doing motifs for Nicole again. Deadly boring but at least I get to watch the telly while I'm doing them! I might take some time out when I get REALLY, REALLY bored to do the MOPs again in colours. I want to sew them onto a tshirt - a short sleeved one but first I need to find and decide which one!! Then there'll be the fun of choosing the thread and beads.

Before all this I have to take myself to one side and give myself a good lecture on tidying up tat corner. Not just a lecture but the follow up action MUST be taken too!!! How do I get in such a mess?

Set of 4 MOPs

As I'm now back tatting the black motifs for Nicole I thought I'd show you the set of four buttons together. I will get back to working them all again when I've done Nicole's work and will then put the patterns out on the web page.

I must say that although these are really, really easy to do the biggest problem has been getting the stitch count right in the middle so that the inner round of beads 'frame' the button. The next 'lot' will probably have dangles and things but - we'll see!!!!

So, below on the left is the set of 4 and on the right are the backs of the buttons.

Another MOP button!!

I decided to re-tat the largest button again to make it much simpler. There was actually no need for the complicated way I did the orginals. It looks the same - but it isn't!!!!

I did this on Tuesday evening as I didn't do any tatting at all yesterday. In the morning I went to the saddest funeral of my life, then onto a meeting for tutors who teach silver surfers followed in the evening by a tatting talk.

Now this was interesting because Phyllis Sparks used to live in the village where the meeting was held. In fact one lady there helped out with all the photographs in the book. I've got a copy of this particular book but have never worked anything from it. It was published at a time when there was a dirth of tatting books available. Sadly Phyllis died of lung cancer in her mid seventies although she hadn't smoked for many, many years.

One compliment on my talk (which was lively!) was from one lady who said that I'd kept her awake which didn't normally happen!!!! They all had a 'go' at trying to turn the knot and a few succeeded.