Something else I don't like

Am I becoming the 'grump of the year'?  I seem to be doing a lot of moaning lately!!!

Somebody suggested that the newly re-vamped onion ring owl, pig and elephant would benefit by using the Catherine Wheel Join.

Being the sort who always takes all suggestions seriously I set off to see if it was better.  Now I DON'T LIKE the CWJ.  It's time consuming and fiddly but I gave it my best shot (as my American friends say)!!! 

Well I wished I hadn't as it was dreadful.  I mean it sort of looks OK (picture on the left) but it really threw the pattern into a state.  You'll see I gave up on the one on the left with the CWJ - cut off in it's prime, even!!!!  The part that I did seemed to 'cup' even though I was SO careful to keep it lying flat by adjusting the chains all the time.  In fact it was just as bad as working the original onion ring!!!!  Grrrrrr.

I also realise that I actually like the definition that I get with the lock joins too.  Using the Lj gives a much firmer result to the finished piece too and I like that.

I love new techniques - well the ones that aren't 'restricted' by 'ownership' and I'm always happy to try things out but in this case the CWJ doesn't 'do' anything for this design - unless you know better - I'm always ready to take up a challenge!!

More I HATE onion rings!!

Today is Day 11 of the Tat It And See and the link is here.

During the 'refurbishment' of these three small critters I've taken the liberty of changing the stitch counts and other odds and ends.  Well, actually, it's only really been the stitch count, I think!!!

I seem to gather lots and lots of things around tat corner and never quite know what to do with them after.  So I think this little guy will shortly be converted to a bookmark (one of the Wrap It, Flip It and Mark It ones) - just to give him something to do!!!  I'm going to make another just to check him out again!!!!

More about the boxes

So after many starts and changes of mind I finally decided (as I was still in 'heart mode') to add hearts to the lids.  

Then came the 'thread hunt'.  I searched high and low for the 'right one' and in the end I used a number 40 variegated Lizbeth that somehow came home with me from America a few years ago!!!  Thank goodness it did as it's 'just right'.  I added a Madeira thread as a filament and to give it a bit of sparkle too.  I sewed the hearts onto a piece of fabric and then the inner part of the edging.  Then I used the same thread (invisible thread) to sew the outer part of the edging onto the edge of the box lids.  This has made the top sort of 'blend' into the original fabric.  I'm really pleased with them although they were VERY time consuming on the sewing front!!!

Next decision is what on this planet am I going to do with them?  I don't want them - they're of no interest now they're finished so I'm going to give this some thought. 

Anyway, enough rambling - here they are 'transformed' hopefully for the better!

Day 10

Day 10 of the Tat It And See is now posted on this link.

I HATE onion rings!

Before I start - tomorrow will be day 10 and because so many of you (I think ALL) of you now know what the piece is I'm going to speed up the last two parts. Day 11 will be on Tuesday and the last part will be on Thursday. 

I sort of keep a list of things to do.  Sometimes they're suggestions or requests from other people and sometimes they're a direct idea from brain cell#3.  Sometimes, like this time, they're a nudge from somebody!!!

A week or so ago another tatter wrote saying she was having problems with the flying pig pattern which is an onion ring design.  Now, personally and publicly I will tell you this 

I HATE ONION RINGS

There - I've said it!!!!  I've been meaning to sort out the three patterns which use this horrid technique so this was the nudge I needed.

I quite like the three patterns that I did using them but must admit I struggle with getting those darn onions to look right.  (They make my eyes water too!!).

So I'm gradually converting the stinkers into chains round instead of those wretched rings.  Here's the pig done in the 'no onion' style and now I'm working on t'others!!!  I'll upload the three patterns when they're sorted!!!!

Little boxes

Today it's Day 9 of the Tat It And See and the link can be found here.

While I was wandering through a shop in town just before Christmas I saw these little boxes.  

I'm a sucker for bright colours and especially this sort of pink.  

When I spotted them I thought - 'ah, tatting' (as you do) and scurried home with two of them.  By the way - I do a very good scurry!!!  Well, I guess it's more of a waddle really!

Time passed (as it does) and the festivities came and went  (so I'm told) and these little Pandora boxes lurked quietly in my tatting cupboard until a week or so ago when they shouted to me to be released.

I decided first of all to strip them of their 'decoration'.  Yes, I'm talking NAKED here.  Naked boxes.

I guessed that it wouldn't be easy or look very good when I finished and you can see the result in the bottom picture.  Pretty naff, eh?

So, time to restore them to something like their former glory (or even better) - but how?

Story to be continued..............

Hearts doily

Day 9 of the TIAS will be tomorrow!!!

I've done it!!!  This is almost a record for me to get something finished but then there wasn't much to do, I guess!!

Here's the link for the heart doily.

Another thank you

My final thank you must go to Jess (here's her blog) who offered some of her HDT in a giveaway too.  I've been really lucky recently so I'm sure I'll not win anything now for ages!!!  Feast to famine!!!

Now as Sue Anna will tell you I didn't used to be a hand dyed thread addict until she started giving me threads.  Now she's just made me SOOOO naughty that I cannot resist them.  When I saw this on Jess's site here I just HAD to put in my comment.

When HDT arrives I am pretty dreadful.  I cannot wait to wind it off onto Ezybobs.  In fact this hadn't been in the house for half an hour before it was wound up as you can see below.  I do that so that I can 'see' better how it will look when it's tatted up.  This will be delicious - I can tell.

Thank you, Jess for doing your giveaway.

Marty's shuttle

Today I have put Day 8 of the TIAS 2012 on this blog and the other one too!

This is another of my wins in a giveaway that Marty held recently to give this wonderful shuttle away.  

Now I don't use post shuttles very often but this one's arrival was impeccable timing as I was working on the SSSR idea.  It's so much faster to pop your loop of thread round the post of a shuttle to make those last stitches that this little darling quickly got put to use.

Thank you Marty.  It's just SO pretty.

Thank you, to Teresa

I must apologise to Teresa and to random.org for not thanking you both sooner for the giveaway gift  that I received recently.  Blame - well, just blame me for not getting roundtoit sooner.

First of all I must thank Teresa for the really, really cute little mitten to hold a shuttle.  Isn't it the cutest little thing?  This was her announcement of my win.  Do take time to look at the wonderful colours of her other socks too.  Boy, that's colour heaven.

I actually keep one of my very much loved shuttles inside it - to keep it warm and cozy.

Thank you Teresa.  I'm SO pleased I won this and that you went the extra mile too.  Such a kind lady.

Lots to say but

I have lots to say but not today!!!  I am working on several things at the moment and hope to get them up and ready to show over the weekend.

What I can tell you is that Day 7 of the Tat It And See is now on this link. 

New Edging

I wanted a really easy edging so went in search of inspiration.  It was Christmas Day and I couldn't be bothered to go and look through my many, many books so googled 'tatted edging' on the laptop and found this one.

Now this was sort of what I wanted but I have some very strict 'me rules' when it comes to edgings and I'd already decided that the one I was going to do would be to go round a hanky.  Mindless boring work IMHO but sometimes needed when you're in the that sort of mood!!!!

My 'me' rules are that the edging MUST be made in a number 80 for a handkerchief.

The edging MUST be as wide as possible so that it shows up.
It HAS to be worked in one round too - I'd never finish a two part one!

The edging MUST be worked separately and then sewn on after.  Pain in the bum but it makes sense as the fabric will wear out before the tatting!

I'd got out some Rainbow Taffy and 'a.n.other' thread in size 80 and off I went.  No practising first with a grotty coloured number 20 - it was Christmas Day and I was full of food and drink so I was going to 'wing it'.  

The result?  2 repeats were scrapped but the rest 'as they say' is history.  I reckon this is the bestest edging I've ever done - well, so far!!!

I'm calling it the 'Oh SO Simple' edging and it's here!!!

Spooky snowflake!

Here it is - a spooky snowflake.

I know - you just don't believe me, do you?   It's pink and definitely NOT spooky looking.  So why do I call it that?  Well it's tatted with some 'glow in the dark' thread.  

I was kindly given this thread on a visit to America a few years ago and mentioned it to Nathan (grandson) who then pestered me for something made with it.  It's an amazing thread as it really does glow in the dark.  Looks very pretty too.

I used the thread doubled and it was quite slippery but I really like the finished piece even when it does look boringly pink!!!

An oval Chile motif

Don't forget - Day 6 of the Tat It And See is now available here!!!  This is the halfway point!!!

Now using the same finding as yesterday BUT with a little more 'poetic licence' I've made an oval shaped 'thingy'.  I reckon I could use this for a phone dangle - IF I used a cell phone!!! I do have one but it's very basic and I only use it occasionally!!!  

This again has been worked in black and cream and again I think I should use different beads on the chains.  

I am writing and drawing these little doodles as I go along and will get them up on the pattern page eventually.  I realise that a lot of people can't get exactly the same design of metal finding but these patterns will fit any with six 'joining places' and a similar size.   I like the way they give some 'firmness' to the tatting.  

While I'm playing with this design I will add a version with a tatted centre so that the metal is not needed!!!

Chile motifs

I've been playing with those wonderful metal findings that Irma sent me which you can see here.

I wanted something that would enhance the metal and yet also make the tatting stand out.  Again I've used just two plain colours - black and cream.  There's something very stylish about these two colours together.

I think this is a little large for an earring but would make a wonderful brooch.  Maybe next time I'll use different coloured beads on the chains as they don't show up very well - who knows!!!

Joined up hearts

So after the chicken wing experience (thanks to Geraldine) I thought I'd play with the hearts in a similar fashion.

Now this is a matter of 'guess work' as to whether things will lie flat when they're finished.  I'm good at guessing!!!  Least on some things.  This is perfect.  No 'tweaking' needed.  I will get the pattern sorted and put on the web site - sometime.

So, I present the joined outside in hearts doily!!!

Day 5

This is the link for Day 5 of the TIAS.

Developing a motif

Now I made this orange pendant or dangle a few days ago just to get the pattern sorted - again using the metal findings from Irma.

This is basically where my journey to the TIAS 2012 started in fact.  I looked at this design for ages and decided that with some 'modifications' it could form the basis for the 'you don't know what' - yet!!!  Now known as TIAS 2012!!!

Having then made the thingamajig I then looked at that and the idea below the orange motif evolved.  I've still got further plans for this as I can 'just' see a repeating motif here too - with a bit of playing with first, of course!

Perhaps you now understand now what a devious brain I've got!!!!

www.

So I bet you all think that www stand for the world wide web?  

Well you could not be more WRONG!!!  In the Eborall family it stands for 'world wide wood'!!!  Sally and 'im in the garage appear to be in the sad state that they're going to have to move out of the house soon and into a tent in the garden.  Why?  Well just look at this post.  The wood is taking over the house!!!  If you read all that post you can see Sally's adventures and then even in the comments it looks as if other parts of the world have now joined in the www.  Another piece was offered to Sally some time ago too.  Even the vicar has got www too.  Sally is now threatening to supply him with a saw as he keeps 'spotting' www on his travels and ringing her up to tell her!

So, where do I fit into this apart from probably having to take Sally and 'im in the garage and give them a home when the tent starts to leak or gets too cold?

Well as some of you know I walk most days round the 'rec' which is opposite the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.  I take a shortcut through the churchyard where Shakespeare is buried (well, actually his tomb is in the church and I'm allergic to churches!!).  I'd just got through the churchyard when I spotted this pile of logs!!!

No, I didn't take any cause I think they're Leylandii.  Perhaps somebody can identify the only branch I saw!!!  You can see the churchyard in the background.  This time I resisted the www.

Answer to the conundrum!!

Day 4 of the TIAS is now out - see this link.

So, this is the way I managed that heart without any cutting and tying until I got to the 'bitter end'!!!  I've put a technique page here too.

It's quite easy really but my problem is that I can never ever plan ahead so when I decided to work this heart with two colours and I got to SR13 I hit the brick wall!!!  I HATE wasting precious HDT thread and as one of the colours I was using was an HDT I simply HAD to work out how to progress this idea.  

Now I'm SURE this isn't a new idea and I MUST'VE seen it somewhere before but as my memory is so poor I can't remember where.  So, this is what I did.  

First of all I worked the ring (13) as usual but hiding the chain thread inside along with the main core thread.

Then I took the one thread (the one I wanted to show) back down to the base of the ring I was making and lock joined it.

Finally I worked back up the other side using the split chain technique.  Really not rocket science.  

Having gone through ALL that and drawing up a new technique page it was gently pointed out to me by dear Georgia that I could've done a chain to join to the last ring and to the half way point, followed by a join down to the base and then a split chain.  The Dora Young Knot DUH!!!  Ah, well, there's always two ways to do anything and I always find the hardest way!!!

Actually I prefer this way as I got a more 'rounded' ring than I get with the DYK method.  Any comment on that?

Another heart and a conundrum!!

Up-date.  Gunhild pointed out (thank you so much) that I'd made a mistake in the numbering of the rings/split rings towards the end of the pattern.  I knew I shouldn't have rushed it!!  I've changed it now - sorrryyyyy.

OK probably not the best of hearts but it's the same pattern as yesterday's.  Oh, here is the pattern, by the way - nearly forgot to tell you!!!

This time I've worked it in two colours but HOW did I do that?  I'll give you some help here.

This is worked from the outside to the inside just like the others and the critical place to look at is top SR on the right.  Now it's not REALLY an SR so what is it?  Have a guess and I'll tell you the answer tomorrow!!!

Hearts galore

Now this time I think my timing is going to be right (see this post).

I don't THINK it's Valentine's day yet, is it?  Well here's a few hearts to tickle your fancy.  I'm nearly through with sorting the pattern so will let you have it within the next few days.  Hopefully tomorrow!!

Can you see who's been having fun with her HDT threads?  All sizes too.  I love everyone of these and couldn't choose a favourite if I tried!!!!

Shuttles from Sally

Quick reminder - Day 3 of the TIAS is now available from the TIAS blog and here!!!

When Sally came to my 'neck of the woods' recently she brought me the following three shuttles as a present.  The top one (first two photos) is Maacki Chinensis and there's a very, very interesting post here about it.  It's GORGEOUS. 

The next two photos are of the one made of Laburnum and Sally's got her beady eye on a Laburnum tree that I own.  Trouble is that it might NOT have that lovely 'pinky/purply' colour to it and you can't tell until it's chopped down!  As the tree is getting old you never know but maybe Sally will get her mucky mitts on it sometime!!!

The shuttle at the bottom is Mahonia and is a beautiful yellowy colour.  Thank you SO much Sally and 'im in the garage - all are happy in their new home.

Too late or too early?

Today it's time for Day 2 of the TIAS - see link above on this blog or the TIAS blog.

I can never get it right.  I'm usually too early for everything especially appointments.  I hate to keep people waiting.  Sometimes (like Christmas and other events) I almost miss them!!!

I was 'blog browsing' just after Christmas and saw this type of decoration on somebody's tree.  For some reason that set me off on another 'tangent'.

Here is what resulted from a couple of day's work.  So am I too late for 2011 or too early for 2012!!!!  Whatever the answer is I'm definitely early on getting the pattern done too!!!  Expect more and similar sooooon!!!

Made in the UK

Made in the UK but only because of the generosity of Irma in Chile.  I've got several projects on the go at the moment but I couldn't resist using some of the metal findings that Irma so kindly sent me.

Here are two pendants that I've made - one for a member of my family and one which will probably go in my Etsy shop in a few days.  I find these colours together stunning.

Penguins

Now these two penguins have come from Germany via Anke.  They were made by a friend of Anke's who was having trouble understanding the pattern because her English isn't so good.  

I know one thing - her English is WAY better than my German.  The only German I can speak is to order two large beers which doesn't help much with tatting problems.  Sorry, I digress.

Here is a direct link to the German translation.  I have also put a link from this page too.

Thank you, Anke. 

We're off!!

Day 1 of Tat It And See for 2012 is now posted.  You can find it from this link here and I will put links at the top of the TIAS blog too.  

This is such fun for me too!!

Irma Luna

Don't forget - tomorrow's the day!!!  What day?  The start of TIAS 2012!!!!!

Do you remember seeing this post which Irma sent me from Chile?  She also sent this too.

VERY kindly Irma said she'd send me some of the metal findings that they used.  Well imagine my surprise and delight when this packet arrived all the way from Chile!!  She said a few - but I say that's LOTS and LOTS.

I've told Irma that I think I'll be using these for the next 100 years!  Can you see all the fun I'm going to have?  Thank you SO much, Irma.  That's made an OG VERY happy indeed.

Don't forget!!

Today's the day for more shuttles.  8 pm GMT in this shop here!

I have also reduced the price of the bookmarks too - a new year and a fresh start.  OR is it a fresh stop?

The shuttle featured below is one of the Zebrano ones.

More Shuttles!

I want to announce the arrival of 36 more Pop A Bobbin shuttles and 5 post shuttles.  Sally spent a day with me on Tuesday/Wednesday and a lot of tatting was talked, of course!!!

'Im in the garage is very passionate about making the shuttles and has even brought out (with no prompting from Sally!) a slight modification on the design of the bobbin shuttles.  You can see a comparison picture below.  Can you see?  More wood and less 'air'!!  They're not ALL like this this time but a lot are.

The top is the original and the bottom the new one (that's in Zebrano).

I've kept the Zebrano all safely in their plastic cases and was very careful when taking photos of the 'Etsy' one as I just droooool over this wood.

Sally and 'im in the garage gave me three shuttles 'just for me' and I'll show you those in a few days.

Ah, I bet you want to know WHEN they're going in the shop?  Saturday 7th January at 8pm (that's GMT).   Oh, that's tomorrow too!!!!!  I'm also going to reduce the prices on the bookmarks too - I'm bored with looking at them now!!!! I want to make more too.

Final butterflies

These are the last two and underneath a 'fly past' of those that are remaining.  Some have thankfully gone to new homes - I can't home them all!!  They need too much feeding and some insist on bedtime stories too!

So, perhaps you want the pattern?  Are you 'up to' the challenge?  The only 'hard' part is at the beginning of the upper wings but I think I've got it covered in the instructions.  Remember - Karen did it!!!!  Here's the direct link to the pattern.

Back into tatting

I've just heard from Sunela who has moved to the other side of America and has now just started back into tatting.   She sent in her practice piece for the TIAS which you can see below.

Here is a link to her blog which I'm hoping she'll feel able to keep up as I LOVE reading tatting blogs.