Fretting about things!

Some people think I've got a good 'eye for colour' but it's not really true as I've never studied colour at all.  I use that good old fashioned thing called instinct!!!!

So, first today I'm going to ask you to look at the original diamond mat I made a few years ago.  See how the 'flowers' repeat in the rounds?  Now look at the one I'm working on this year.  I've repeated the flowers in this first round.

So here comes the BIG decision.  I've decided NOT to do the repeats in the next round.  No, no, NO!!!!  I'm just going to 'go with the flow'!!  The main reason is because I have so many drop dead gorgeous threads that I want to use and in some cases probably not enough to do 3 repeats.  Part of the reasoning for making this whole thing is to use the threads I've got and NOT order more (the temptation is always there, though)!!!!  

Now, can you see in the third picture where I've paired them up?  I've got a variegated for the centres and 'plains' for the outlines as usual.  I've also numbered the pairs so I know which should sit next to each other.  BOY, is this going to be fun?  I just need to finish the in fills of this round and then I'll be off on the next!!!  


When all the infills are done there will be 66 diamonds.  Each diamond takes roughly three quarters of an hour!!!  This means that I've already spent a long time over this - can anybody work it out for me?  Now the next 'round' of flowers will be made up of 90 diamonds but I'm not going to work anymore out as I'm hopeless at maths even at the best of times!!!  


I would love to know how many more days, hours etc this is going to take but there again perhaps it's best NOT to know!!!  

Book sale part 3

These are the final three leaflets - these are £1.00 ($1.50) plus post and packing.

11.  Coats leaflet number 988

12.  Coats leaflet number 461

Finally there's a crochet leaflet again from Coats and numbered 1087

Book sale part 2

All yesterday's leaflets are now spoken for - thanks, folks.


Following on from yesterday here are the rest of the booklets.  


Must quickly mention the Learn to Tat book (330) as it was from this (pages 6 & 7) that I re-learnt how to hold and manipulate the shuttle almost 20 years after I'd started tatting.  As I picked up the craft from my gran (she was learning too) the way of holding the shuttle was never mentioned!!!!  I'd lent my copy of 330 to somebody I was teaching and she pointed these pages out to me!!!!!

6.   Coats Tatting number 469

7.  Learn to Tat number 330

8.  Coats Time for Tatting number 813

9.  Coats Learn Tatting number 1088

10.  Coats Ten Tatting Designs number 1127

Tomorrow there will be three more leaflets which you may be interested in too - they will be £1.00 ($1.50).

Book sale part 1

Last week I won around 20 tatting leaflets/books on Ebay.  From the pictures I could see that a lot were ones I'd already got - several times over.  Some of those I bought new in the fifties/sixties and I've long since replaced them with 'less battered' ones.  Amongst the books were these three which I'd not got so I'm keeping these for little MEEEEE.

So, what to do with the rest?  Let me tell you why I bid on these booklets.  The seller had tried to get rid of them the previous week but there were no bids at all.  Odd, I thought, so put them back in my watch list.  I realised (things take time with me!) why they weren't selling - they were listed as 'buyer collects' which limits the take up for any item.  So I wrote to her and said I was interested in all of them (they were in two 'lots') and what would she charge for posting them.  We struck a 'deal' and eventually I won them all.

Now, as I don't want the following ones and as I don't want to make money out of them (just to cover my costs) I'm going to sell them at £1.50 ($2.50) each plus packing and postage.  

So if you see any you want below then let me know (please send me your email address and I'll put your name on it.  I'll hold on until you've seen all of them over the next few days then work it out and let you know what it will cost to post.  You'll need a Paypal account too.  Does that all make sense?  OK here's what I've got!!!

1.  Coats Tatting number 919

2.  Penelope Tatting Designs number 380

3. Penelope Tatting book 5

4.  Penelope Tatting book 2

5.  Penelope Tatting book 3 (I have two copies of this)

There will be more tomorrow so please take a look at those too but by all means 'reserve' any that you want of today's straight away.

Emilia's bookmark

A couple of weeks ago Emilia sent me a picture of these bookmarks.  They're made from my Friendship Bookmark pattern which is here.

Just realised that there isn't a date on the page but using the wayback machine I've found it was first put on the internet probably in 2001.  

SO, that makes it nearly ten years old.  Time to take another look at it, I guess!!!

Another day another few diamonds!

Are you fed up with this yet?  I'm not!!!

I'm still plodding away with the mat and am dreading the next part which will be mainly 'fill ins' I think.  I may even change the colours on those too.  By fill ins I mean the ones which surround the central dark pink star.  The next ones will surround the blue and green ones.  Perhaps today I will play with diamonds on my drawing software to see what variations of designs I can come up with.

The colours are working well for me at the moment - do like the variegated ones in the centres surrounded by plain.  I'm glad I stuck with the original colours.

The next stage won't fit on the scanner so I'll have to take photos of it!!!!

  

Spring/Summer means bags!!!

As soon as the weather gets warmer I get out the sewing machine and move into the conservatory to sew!!!!  Today I have more little bags to show you!!!  I actually made these last week!!!

Amongst a big lot (100 actually!) of zips that I bought  last year off Ebay were some really, really tiny ones  - 2 1/2" to be exact.  These have been sitting in my stash luring me into temptation since then!!!

The first one I'm showing today is one that I made with a teeny zip for my camera's spare battery and spare memory card.  There is a tiny pocket in the case which is held shut with velcro but several times I've nearly lost these two items when carrying them around in there so I made a new tiny bag which is 'just right' and which clips onto the handle.

Now in preparation for the trip later in the summer I've made another weeeeee bag for the 'necessary' tatting tools I may need - a fine crochet hook (I buy mine from Georgia), a pair of clippers (safer than scissors for cutting ends) and a self threading needle.

You'll see (if you look closely) that I've added a piece of fabric to the inside to put the needle on.  The whole thing is lined with my 'secret ingredient' (poke proof stuff) that I use for the poke proof pouches.

I still have a few more zips around 3" to 4" which I'm going to think about next  - all suggestions welcome!!!  


Hang on - if anybody suggests I use them to zip my mouth shut then I'll ban them from reading my blog!!!!!!!

Winged 'things' and results!!!!

Before I start today I have a confession to make!!  I've found several new blogs to follow myself since I launched the giveaway yesterday.  Oh, quite a few people didn't add their email addresses to their comments but don't worry I'll hop on a plane and fly over to whatever country you are in (or take a bus, Jenny!) if I haven't got an email address.

OK, instead of waiting until I get back home later I've hung around until 8:45 this morning and have got my random generator on the Ipad up and ready to go.  A round figure of 80 dropped in and the winner is -  BONNIE PETERS.  Congratulations.  Can you send me your snail address, Bonnie and I'll pop it in the post tomorrow?  Off out for the day now!!!

Now for today and again looking at the subject 'winged things'.

Nope, not an aeroplane this time - I think I've seen the last of those for a while (quiet nudge for those still working on the TIAS)!!!

This is a fairy which flew in the other day from LeVert who made her from this pattern.  As she said it is a lot of work but worth it.  I've made it a few times since the pattern went onto my site and have also done it in a size 20 thread.  Guidelines for the head are available for a larger sized thread - do ask me if you want to make it.

Then a few days later she sent in a dove too.  I'm SO relieved to find somebody else can follow the dove pattern as I kept altering it every time I made one!!!  That's me, though, never have known when to leave things alone!!!!

Just wondering what the dove would look like in black - a vulture, maybe?  Hmmmmm.

Giveaway, statistics and celebration

Now I hate anything to do with maths.  Adding, subtracting (specially from my bank account) etc!!!!  I do notice numbers though, even while trying actively to avoid them!!!

A few months ago I noticed a 'gadget' in blogger which said 'page views' and thought I'd pop that on the blog - right at the bottom and out of the way.  Occasionally I have looked at it and yesterday I noticed that it had just crept over 100,000 page views.  Not quite sure what that means but heck, it's a lot of people reading my 'inane ramblings'!!!!  After a bit of research I also found that this is my 1,291st post since May 8th 2006 when I started blogging.   Crikey, that's nearly 5 years ago and I STILL haven't run out of things to say or show!!!

I usually use the 'followers' number (288) as a sort of gauge as to whether I'm 'doing OK' or not but this is amazing.  So, to celebrate - here is what I'm giving away!!

First of all there is a tatting bag that I made.  It's the sort with compartments inside for shuttles, hooks etc.  Next there are two tatting leaflets by May.  Rare breeds these are!!!  Also an Aero (England) shuttle.  I'll add a magnetic brooch/fridge magnet too like those in my shop.  There maybe other odds and ends but I've only just thought of this when I saw the meter reading!!  Which reminds me - must go and read the gas and electric meters now!!!!

Oh, rules?  I nearly forgot those!!!  Just leave a comment saying you want to be put in the draw with some way I can contact you and that's all.  Closing date for comments?  Oh, let's say 7th April (that's two days) at 08:45 BST when I pay my first visit of the day to the computer!!!  I'll announce the winner later in the day after I get back home.

Progression on the diamonds

Here's the next 'part' of this mat.

I'm never quite sure about colours - this next combination seems to have 'killed' the original star which is here.  I'm not giving in, though.  I've had this happen to me in the past - many times.

After an hour or two 'choosing' the colours I think may work together I then change my mind constantly!!!  They look stunning on the balls/skeins together but when worked up look - well, dreadful!!!  


Now I'm sticking with this at the moment as the next threads I've got out may well pull these back into 'a good choice'!!! We'll see!!  Stick with me on this project and we'll see how many times you change your minds like I do!!!

You've NEVER seen anything like this before

We've all seen butterflies beautifully tatted but NEVER have I seen one this fine.  This was sent to me by Tattabug along with the zinging beads (wish you could see them LIVE) and the fabric (to keep an OG busy).

All I did was get something for her and mail it and this is how she repays me!!!  WAY and above and beyond the call of duty.  Specially as I totally goofed on the where to send the package to!!!!

All those admirers of brain cell number 3 (both of you!!!) you're to stop admiring!! 

If it wasn't for Kelly who saved my life the package would never have got to Tattabug!!!  Thank you, Kelly and thank you Tattabug.  The butterfly is actually lying on top of a card that came with it.  This is also going into my 'keep forever' stash.  The little hummingbird is SO cute.  I'm going to frame the butterfly and hang that in tat corner.

Some things 'bypass' me!!

I can't remember how many years ago it was discussed on a list about setting a 'special' day for tatting.  The discussions went on until the 1st April was designated.

Now I'm all for promoting tatting as you've probably gathered but in my neck of the woods there isn't much opportunity.  So, on Thursday when the phone rang  and a lady asked about tatting I was gobsmacked.  It was from a lady who runs the Buzz Cafe. The cafe is a newly set up type of community venue  right in the centre of town (five minutes walk away from where I live).  The lady wanted to know whether I'd be interested in teaching tatting or just demonstrating it there.  I said yes and she gave me some probable dates and that was that.  I decided to pop in there to 'touch base' on the way home from a meeting and met her and the other lady.  It's going to be a very casual arrangement which is great.

Next stage was walking back from Morrisons on Friday morning (that's ITD) and a youngish woman suddenly came walking along beside me.  She stopped me and asked what that was hanging on my handbag.  Tatting, says I (my handbag is covered in motifs and dangles!!).  She said she'd like to learn and I gave her my name and said 'google' me.  I've found that's the best way to 'test' if people are really interested.  We walked along chatting for a while and she went off for her dental appointment and I went home.

Well, not an hour later I had an email from her so I've suggested that we meet at the Buzz Cafe when she gets back from New Zealand.  I'm hoping to give the Buzz more income and also spread the word on tatting.  The cafe is going to be a sort of 'drop in' meeting place for all ages and all sorts so it could become a useful place to start informal classes.  We'll see!!!   I'll keep you posted!!!

WOT?

The postie popped a package through our door t'other day and I was upstairs at the time.  Didn't give it a thought until Nick called that there was a package for me!!!  He gets loads but mine are rare!!!

I was half expecting one from Canada but he said this was from Malaysia!!!  That got me downstairs at a rare old rate of knots!!!  That's nautical knots not tatting knots!!!!

Here's what was in the package.

The bottom one is from Jon in Malasia who I was supposed to meet up with back in December when she was due to pass through my town.  Sadly 'snow stopped play' and we didn't get to meet.  I was SO disappointed.

The one just under this writing is from Zarina (also in Malaysia) who so kindly asked Jon to give this to me when we met.  Zarina has a shop here but she says she hasn't got much in the way of the variegated threads at the moment.  BUT I'm going to keep an eye on her now!!!!!  She's also got an Etsy shop and if you look here under her 'sold' section then you'll see what she does do when she's got time.

I was then 'forced' into buying some more ez bobs and have now found a SUPER supplier here in the UK.  These are as rare as hen's teeth here in the UK.  This is the link for the ez bobs that I bought.  Ez bobs are not only useful for winding HDT onto they're also great for storing thread when you want to go out and about.  I use them lots.  

Naming and Shaming of 2 tatters

Today I'm going to name and shame two tatters.

I've never done this before but I've been FORCED into a corner and I feel it HAS to be done.

First of all to be named is Sue Anna for giving me SO many threads and also because they're not always what I would've chosen for myself!!!  Because of this  my life has been enriched and enexcitened (I know that's not a real word!) and I've been tempted away from what I probably SHOULD be doing to go back to this pattern.  And why, might you ask (I'm asking brain cell 3 too!)?  Because I adore playing with colours.

The next to be named and shamed is Sherry Pence (Lady Shuttlemaker) for this post!  She's being named and shamed because she's part and parcel of my distraction.  I saw that post and thought what wonderful colours and  look at how many ways you can use this pattern that I hadn't thought of!!!

So, you two - you are NAMED AND SHAMED!!!!  Thank you, very, very much I might add!!!!

More bags!!!!

Kids love bags almost as much as OG's like me!!!  

The wonderful doggy print ones (yes, there are two) are for a small chap I'll be visiting soon and the denim one is for his mum.  

I made a similar denim one for myself for carrying the 'bare essentials' when I go teaching.  I teach two mornings a week and the one session is in the local library.  I take a little money, a memory stick, my mobile phone and my volunteer's badge with me.  I won't take my regular handbag in case I wander off and it goes 'walkabout'.  I teach Silver Surfers so sometimes I need to leave my computer to get something organised with the library lasses.  It's SUCH a useful little bag and I have a long 'strap' which goes round shoulders and over the neck!!

MORE shuttles!!!

Later today I will be 'activating' some more shuttles AND a new line - cuff links.  The items will go 'live' at around nine o'clock in the evening.  That's BST - British Summer Time.  

There will be 

3 post shuttles with bird or butterfly transfers on

3 further post shuttles in rosewood - plain and gorgeous

1 pop a bobbin in American Tulipwood - without a hook

2 cherry Pop a Bobbins with hooks

3 apple Pop a Bobbins with hooks too.

Also included are some cuff links.  Two have beads mounted in the wood and four are 'plain' wood.  I say 'plain' but they are gorgeous.  Samples below.

At LAST - the dove is finished!

Before I start.  There will be a few more shuttles in the shop on Tuesday or Wednesday.  The day will depend on how much I get sorted today!!!  I'm going to 'activate' them at around nine o'clock in the evening - that's British Summer Time.  I'll let you know tomorrow which day it will be!!!

Another forgotten and re-found pattern!!!!!  I've fiddled around with this one long enough!!!

This is a pattern I was going to submit to teach at Palmetto this year but as we'll not be in the USA at the same time as Tat Days then that's flown out of the window - metaphorically speaking.  Well, not quite as it's now in cyberspace!!!

I've put the pattern on my web page at long last - please forgive me for the wait and Sally, please forgive me for further alterations to the pattern too!!!  This picture shows the dove without it's olive branch but the pattern does have one.  Very simple that part is too!!!!

More gifts for kids!!!

Once more I needed more gifts for kiddies (and a grownup)!!  It was sorta suggested that they'd like magnetic bookmarks.  That's fine by me but I didn't think my usual ones were really suitable for kids as a few 'tugs' on the lock chains would soon become a disaster!!!  

So, back to my very first idea (when brain cell 3 was as fresh as a daisy!) which was to sit critters on the top of the book like these two are.  The worm one is for the boy and the butterfly for the girl.  Then there needed to be another for mum so she gets the one with the lock chain!!!

Spot the difference!

Can you see the difference?  Easy question and easy answer!!!

I needed to make this little motif so that anybody could make it whether they could get the findings or not!!!  The motif itself would work with most findings but there again some don't have access to them so an new 'middle' was needed.

I still have to 'refine' this and I'll get round to it one day!!  The one on the left isn't what I'd call perfect yet  but then I'm never 100% happy with what I've done!!!  Tat's just me, though!!!!

The one thing I'm megga, megga fussy about is beads, findings and decorations in my work.  I could never ever consider glueing or stitching things on - I'd never consider it 'safe'!!!  The 'new' version (sans finding) is still worked in one 'hit' with a little jiggory pokery at the beginning!!!!

A surprise visit and a NEW join!

Before I show you what I made two days ago I MUST show you this link if you haven't already seen it.  I think it's a fabulous idea - another avoiding the folded join to the alternative avoiding the folded join - if you can follow that!  It's from Teri Dusenbury who I SO admire.  This is an intriguing and very sensible way of achieving this join.  Better than the way I showed you.  In fact I managed it at my first attempt and just from watching her video a couple of times!!!  Here's my first try.

Now, I needed to make a couple of brooches (or, in American - pins) for gifts so mathered about 'what to make'!!!  They are for little girls so anything with a magnet on just isn't a good idea!!! Not only are they easy for kids to lose they are easy for even tinier kids to swallow!!!

Then I remembered the Tatbead Family and thought I'd do those.  Here they are - ready to 'go' with tiny pins on their backs!!!

 This is the back view.

Pigs do fly!!!!!

I'm always happy to make up orders for people as it gives my tatting a more personal feel.  Actually it's really nice to sort of know where the 'whateveritis' is going to as you're making it.

A few days ago I was asked to make a flying pig!!!  Not on his own but as a bookmark.  Well, here's the little grunter just before he flew over the pond.  Well and truly assisted by Royal Mail!!!

I now designate the name Royal MAIL back to the company for having paid me for one of the three missing pre-Christmas packages.  There were three missing although one did finally show it's head nearly two and a half months later.  I'm hoping to get compensation for the second package but who knows!!!  I'll keep you posted (pun totally intended). 

I must say here that I am a bit of a skinflint and have always tried to avoid paying charges for things.  I have  always sort of resented paying Ebay and Etsy charges for some inane reason!!  I think because I don't like having to cover those charges in my asking price which I try to keep low because I'm not a 'business' - I'm a 'dabbler' trying to feed my thread and bead addiction!!! 

BUT having said that I have found the advantage with selling through these places because of the backup you get.  When claiming missing goodies it's easy to do as you have the Etsy (or Ebay) invoice, the proof of posting (my local Post Office always prints one off for me without even asking) and then you only have the form to fill in.  This was part of the reason that the Pop a Bobbin Shuttles started going through Etsy - easy to track!!!

The folded join and how to avoid it!!!

Before I start - a new plane has just landed in the TIAS blog (number 83).

Well it's now 54 years since I learnt to tat and about time I made a confession!!!!

This is brought about by a tatter who asked the other day about joining the final join when you've got rings in a motif and they face outwards.  I'll admit it publicly - I DON'T KNOW how to do the 'folded join' and I've never understood it!!!!  I guess I've also never bothered as I've always done it without getting a twisted picot!!!!  

Today I'm going to try to explain something that I'm not sure I understand myself but it's the way I do it!!!  

When I get to the join all I do is hold the work as it should be with the first and last rings side by side but with the core thread below the picot it's going to join to.  I then pull this up through the first picot of the first ring and then take the shuttle through that.  

I've read and read about and studied this mysterious 'folded join' and spent yesterday afternoon studying it again before doing this blog post.  I'm still none the wiser as to how to do it the 'proper way' but as I seem to get by without it I think I'll stick to the age old, tried and tested 'Jane way'!!!!  I'm sure others must do it the same as me - don't you?!?!?