Julie Patterson

Now, does that name ring a bell?  It should do.  I nearly fell off my perch when I saw Julie's name in my inbox and taking part in this year's TIAS.

For those who haven't been in Tat Land very long I'll explain.  Julie is a designer from Australia who has been megga busy for the past seven years and hasn't had time to do much tatting.  BUT the good news is that she's coming back home (that's here in Tat Land) to live.  

To give you a mere inkling of what she's done in the past please visit this link.  Oh, and this one, this one and - well, just google her!!!  

Julie now does pdf copies of her books and you can order them from her.  Her email address is clickable here.  She charges AUD$12/book or AUD$30 for all three bundled so if you want any or all please drop her a line.  She's sent me pictures and here are the covers of her 3 books to whet your appetite!!

Can't tell you how excited I am that she's back with us - well, almost!!!!

Heart for a hanky

Today it's time for day 4 of the Tat It And See.  Here's the link.  You will notice that we're all back together again - cautious and intrepid tatters alike!!!!  This will remain the 'status quo' for the rest of the game.  All together now, TAT!!!!

Oh, I forgot to show you the little heart I added to the hanky.  It's here if you want to take a look at it.  Obviously I didn't add beads to this one as - well, who wants to wipe their nose on some scrunchy, hard beads, eh?

Quick announcement!

Just a quick announcement to let  you know that Day 4 of the Tat It And See will be out tomorrow.  Links just above for days 1 - 3 and introduction.  Remember - you can start and finish at any time as there are no 'rules' really!!!!

TIAS blog is here.

Answer to the mess question!!!

Before I start today I just want to let anybody 'out there' who is taking part but hasn't sent in any pictures for the TIAS that if you're holding back for fear of privacy then please don't. 

I am very aware that some people don't want their names published and (as long as you tell me on each submission) then I will totally respect that. You could send in as just 'anonymous' or just invent a name for yourself. I NEVER pass on any email addresses to anybody unless asked to and then I would contact BOTH parties before doing it. I'm a great respecter of people's wishes.

Also even if English isn't your first language then please send things in - I use 'Google Translate'.

OK now for the answer to the mess I showed you here!!!  It's a hanky edging.  Actually there's a bit of a story behind this.  At the teacher's meeting before last Tat Days we were handed a goodie bag with some lovely goodies inside along with a handkerchief.  This had been added to the bag by Georgia (I think!) to become part of this year's scholarship fundraiser for 2013.  We were asked to add an edging to it - so I did!!!  The hanky is now back at Georgia's house for her to do whatever she's plotting with it.

Day 3 now posted.

Well thankfully the TIAS is taking a lot of my time but I am still tatting - a bit.  

I'm finding it a bit hard to cope with dealing with comments and questions on two blogs at the same time!!!!!  I think I'll blog on this blog when I'm not putting a new day out.  Hope you understand.

So today I am just giving you the links to day 3 of the TIAS!!!!

First of all the cautious tatters who can find their link here.

Next for the intrepid tatters (you can change your status to cautious if you like) the link is here.

Now what's this mess, I ask you!!!

Today it's Thursday (commonly known as gin and tonic day in this house!). I allow myself one on a Thursday but why that day I've no idea. I do have another sometimes over the weekend but Thursday is traditional!! OK, I'm rambling. Just meant to tell you that tomorrow I will put day 3 of the TIAS on the internet. We've already got over a hundred who have done day 1 and sent theirs in although that's not compulsory it's wonderful to see so many taking part. Thank you.

Go on, I DARE you to guess what this mess is. No, this isn't the TIAS but something else.

The TIAS is going SO well but you'll have to forgive me if I seem to take time getting to upload pictures and comments. There are many, many more people taking part this year, I think and I'm having such fun doing it. We should beat the goats which ended up being over 100.

Two more hearts and TIAS day 2

Here are two links for Day 2 of the TIAS. This link is for the more cautious tatter who doesn't want to tackle a split chain. This link is for the intrepid tatter who doesn't mind the challenge!!! You can easily change your mind if the split chain doesn't work out and do a cut and tie if you like. I leave it to you. Help is at hand if you want it and my email address can be found at the side of the blog.

Also more of the hearts with buttons on. Am I obsessing over these now? I don't think so - just need more odds and ends to put in my 'just in case' or 'just because' box. This is a box of these sorts of odds and ends that I can turn to when I want to give somebody something. I call them 'just because' gifts. No occasion or obvious reason but 'just because' I want to give them something.

I've been meaning to

First of all - tomorrow will be Day 2 of the Tat It And See so I'll be up early - well early for an oldie like me!!!!

I've been meaning to do this pattern again for ages but not on a cabone ring.

First of all I tried to make a simple middle for it but one which would allow an easy 'progress' from there to the split rings on the inner round.  No luck.  Then I decided to try it replacing the joins to the cabone ring with beads.  It actually works REALLY well just like that!!!  Maybe I'll have another go - another day but who knows!!!

I'd also got a weeeeee bit of thread left on a couple of shuttles that I'd been using for a design idea so as there wasn't enough to make anything big out of I decided to have a go at one of these emotitats.  Maybe I'll move them to the doodle page as they're really useful for the odd bits left on shuttles.  This is my favourite one for obvious reasons!!!  I LOVE smiling and making others smile!!!

Tat It And See

Just a quick post today to say that I'm thrilled with the start of the TIAS.  26 people had already done Day 1 before I went to bed last night.  

I will leave it until Tuesday for Day 2 to be posted as quite a few people have written to say they're busy over the weekend.   I hope that's not going to upset too many who are raring to go on the next part!!!!

I've nothing really to show today as I don't get as much done while the TIAS is progressing but that's a good thing sometimes.  I spent most of yesterday morning helping a neighbour find her dog which had escaped and another to fill in a form.  ANY excuse not to get the hoovering done.   I'm pleased to report it did get done eventually.  Now you know what rubbish I talk when I'm not talking knots!!!!

Hearts on buttons 2

OK, here you are - the link to day 1 of the Tat It And See 2013!!

Just another of the hearts with beads on top of the button.  This time I've used my favourite colour on the outside of this one.  Khaki.  This shade goes with EVERYTHING but I'm almost at the end of the ball.  I think it's a now defunct Manuela one.  So sad when your favourite colour runs out.

Sob, sob, sigh, sigh!

Hearts on buttons 1

Don't forget - tomorrow's the start of the TIAS 2013.  Here's the link to the TIAS blog where day 1 will be posted.  OK, so I'll put the links up here too - IF I remember!!!

So, a few days ago I wanted something different to do!!  I'm working on a new project at the moment which should be ready soon.  It was requested just before Christmas when I put out an appeal for ideas but more than that I'm not telling until I'm happy with it!!!  

This is a heart that I did ages ago but I wanted to just play!  After my experience with the Fandango snowflake and beads on buttons this also seemed a good 'candidate' for experimentation!!!  Here's one!

Doily finished

Here it is - finished!!  Must admit I enjoyed making my first doily in years.  Well, apart from my one attempt to design one myself!!!!  

One or two people knew straight away which doily I was doing and here's the link to my previous post on it!!!

So, I won't bore you with any more about it but hope you like my colour choices.  

Oh, before I wander off I must mention the colours used on the last round - they were, once more, Lizbeth threads and the numbers are 618 and 641

I've really enjoyed the mixing and playing  with the colours as much as making my old favourite once more.  I'm sort of tempted to make it again but in HWT but it will depend on whether I can get the right colour combinations with the threads I've got to work with.  It looks a lot of thread in the drawer but putting colours together in HWT does take a lot of thought.  

Time will tell but I won't!!!!!

My bestest Christmas present

Well this is the best gift I could've had for Christmas and Nick bought it for me.  It's a set of drawers as you can see.  I realised after my last lot of threads came from Handy Hands that I'd outgrown my tatting cupboard!!!

Well, that's not strictly true - I could still get all the threads in the cupboard but they were all crammed into two large ziplock bags which were a pain to get out and then open to look and choose which colours to use.  I spotted this set of drawers online and dropped a few hints, found a place for it to 'live' and Bob's yer uncle - Santa (aka Nick) got the hint!!!!

As you can see - it's easy to keep the threads organised as the drawers are the right colours!!  So, in the top drawer I have pink, next yellow/orange colours (third picture) and so on down until the bottom two (real green and dark pink).  In those two bottom drawers I have my wonderful, wonderful stash of HDT all wound onto Ezy bobs and all my 'small experimental' threads that I use for HWT (hand wound threads).  

Of course there are a lot of odds and ends still in the original containers in the cupboard and they can be mixed and matched to the Lizbeth too.

New technique page

OK today I've got you a new and VERY simple technique.  Marie Smith in SC showed this to me during the Palmetto tatters meeting and I loved it.  Not needed very often but SO useful to have at your 'finger tips' when you do!!!!  She's not sure where it came from but it's great.

I hear you saying 'what is the daft moo' on about?  Well, it's a way to start a chain with a small picot at the start.  I know that in the past we've all used either a spare bit of thread or a safety pin/paperclip but this does away with all that hassle.

So, here's the link to the technique page on my site.  You'll find the link to the technique itself at the bottom of this page - as long as I've remembered to upload the revised technique page!!!!  I tend to wander off and forget things but my excuse is my age and NOT the honest fact that my memory has never been much good.

It's very reassuring.

When you've spent a lot of time fiddling around getting a pattern finished and on the web site it's very reassuring later to find that somebody somewhere is making it!!!!

Here are two Fandango Snowflakes that Katie made last week.  She's been sending me pictures now for a while with her snowflakes and I doooooo love seeing all the colours of threads and beads that are used.  

Thank you, Katie.  I WILL get the oval stuff finished - eventually.

Ros's birthday

Last Sunday it was my friend Ros's birthday.  I always feel sorry for people who have birthdays around this time of the year.  

Ros loves my tatting bits and pieces so the pendant, earrings and this bracelet  all went to her.

The pattern for this bracelet is here if you want it.

Oval pendant again!

I know you've seen this pendant before but it's more about the stand that it's hanging on (see second picture).  

This stand was made for me by my brother in law (commonly known as 'im in the garage).  Sally spotted similar display stands in one of the big craft stores when we were in America.  She whipped out her camera and took a picture.  When she got home she asked 'im in the garage to make her a few as she sells her lovely necklaces at shows and wanted to display them in a more professional manner.

Oh, I did pick up the pendant again last night, I did two lock chain stitches and then put it down.  I really WILL get it finished soon but other things keep calling me!!!

Mystery doily rounds 3 & 4

I must've lost round 3 after I scanned it but here you have rounds 3 & 4!!!  Any guesses yet or have y'all fallen asleep already?!?!?

Round 3 was done using colours 668 and 663 with round 4 in 613 and 605.

I'd forgotten what a lovely tat this doily is during the intervening years but I've still got to do round 4!!!!  I may change my mind after that's done!!!  We'll see!!!

Tat It And See starting soooooon.

Before I forget - Happy New Year and TIAS (Tat It And See).  

The date that the Tat It And See will start is going to be Friday 11th January at 08:45 GMT.  The link to the introduction is here and this is what you'll need to have ready.  Note - for those of a nervous disposition - there are NO beads involved this time!!

This year there will be a small 'split' in the pattern.  This is for those who are of a cautious nature and who don't want to tackle split chains.  There are only 2 and they're only a few doubles long but ............

All details of what you'll need are on the introduction but I'm bound to have forgotten something!  Please contact me if there's anything missing or if there's any further information you need.

It NEVER occurred to me!

When I was re-jigging my pattern site a while ago I decided to 'pretty it up' by putting images on each page.  It was SOOOO boring before.  

First I had to find a way to do it and I found a free program for the iMac which would help to convert images to thumbnails.  This is SO easy as all I have to do is drag the file name onto the picture of the software in the dock and it's done.  

Then (using Seamonkey) I had to find out how to add them to the boring pages.  I used my age old method - hit and miss!!  Anyway job done - or so I thought.  

Just before Christmas Georgia said that some people found it frustrating that the thumbnails didn't have links to the patterns on.  It had never occurred to me that anybody would want/need that. This proves how my simple brain doesn't work!!!  So I settled down on yet another 'rain stops walks' day and fixed those thumbnails.  Most of them now have links to the relevant patterns.  Just a few don't as they really were there just to 'pretty things up'.

Here's a screenshot of the front page to show you what I mean.  All these thumbnails are now clickable and will take you to the patterns - same on all the pages!!!!  Well, fingers crossed, eh?

Doily round 2

Here's round 2 of the mystery doily.  I wanted a complete contrast for this row so used Lizbeth thread number 691.  I think it makes the blue stand up quite well.  

It takes me a lot of agonising over which colours to use as I'm pretty sure I know what I want on the final round so all the others should lead up to that one.  Still it's quite a novelty working on a doily.  It'll never be used - just chucked in the usual box.

I really must find some time soon to make some smallies - little things I can give to people 'as and when' I need/want to.

Oval pendant

So, after the earrings then there just HAD to be a pendant!!!  Here it is.  

I'm having problems with getting myself in the 'mood' to put the pattern together at the moment.  I will get there shortly.  I think the constant rain has caused internal rust!!!

I will have a firm word with myself and make sure I listen to myself too.  Hmmmm, I hope I don't bore me as much as I must be boring you!

I hope to get the TIAS up online over the next few days too and will announce the start date too.  No, I haven't forgotten!!!

Doily round 1

No, this isn't what I was doing over the past two days!!!  I did it before the festivities but have only just got round to blogging it.  On this round I used Lizbeth thread number 658 for the rings and 665 for the chains.

I've (well, brain cell 3) has almost decided what he's going to work on next but I need to draw up a rough idea first.  This one feels as if it might benefit from a 'sort of' drawing first although I normally head straight in with the shuttles - armed and dangerous!!!  We'll see.  I'll not have much time today as we have a 'grandson invasion' predicted.  Least that's if the floods don't prevent them getting here.  

A guessing game!

Before I start - a warning.  I've had to put the captcha test back on my comments.  I DO hope this doesn't put you off commenting but I was getting so much spam it was beginning to annoy the old git.

Now to my real post!  I was a war baby. Born in 1943 when rationing was on and things were tight financially.  

One of my earliest memories around the time I started tatting was that I could just afford to buy patterns and threads on a meagre amount of pocket money.  

Patterns (both books and leaflets) were few and far between 'back then'.  I bought every leaflet that was published during those teenage years and one doily really appealed to me.  I made it several times during my early years of tatting and a few weeks ago I decided that it was time to relax over the Christmas period and tat it again.

I'm not going to tell you which one I'm making - I'll leave you to guess over the next few days/weeks - if you want to.  I suppose it'll be good practice for the TIAS but in this case I'll be doing the tatting for you!!!!  I WILL tell you which one it is at the end, though.  

This time of tatting the doily I decided to use some of my new Lizbeth threads.  This part is made using size 20 Gold and the number is 611.

Oval earrings

First of all thanks for all the suggestions yesterday - they all got my adrenaline going and I'm so grateful.

Now, do you remember these earrings from a few weeks ago?  Well I had one or two people who commented (and quite rightly) that they'd be lovely IF there was a version not on doodads because not everybody can get hold of them - or probably don't want to either!!!  I decided that they were quite right, of course so off I went on another journey!!!

Well this time I had to find a way of adding a bead to the centre of the earring but as I was using a self closing mock ring to start the design off I then had to wangle a way of doing that.  Well, this led to this new page having to be made!!!  I realise that this technique has been done before but the more places that techniques are shown then (IMHO) the better!

This has inevitably led to the 'need' for an oval pendant to go with them which is where my journey is now heading!!!  I hope to have both patterns ready shortly after Christmas.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/janeeborall - Etsy shop

http://www.janeeborall.freeservers.com/ - Tatting patterns

In the doldrums

OK, so there's the TIAS to finish off (mainly uploading the links), a technique page to finish off (should be ready tomorrow) and then - nothing.  

I don't know what to do next.  I'm babysitting this evening so I have a hanky edging to take and do while I'm doing that but I've no idea what to make now.  

I want to start a new design but have no idea what to do.  I'd sort of like to do a new animal but have no idea what's wanted/needed.  ANY suggestions would be gratefully received!!

Inspiration, please contact brain cell 3 before he deteriorates into brain cell 2 or 1 and worse still, disappears altogether.

Gifts

Now a couple of days ago I had this Christmas card and gifts.

I opened the larger than normal envelope to find them inside.  Well, I thought to myself, what a pretty card.  I was just going to put it down when the 'alarm bells' went off from brain cell 3.  He said - yer daft old moo (or git - didn't quite catch what he said) - look closer at the Christmas tree card.

When I took another look I realised that it was a tree covered in trees!!!  Geraldine (blog link here) said she'd made 30 of this tree pattern for presents.  That lass has a lot more stamina than me - I got bored after about six!!!

Thank you, Geraldine - I'll be putting that in my 'to keep' drawer after Christmas.

Two fantastic guys

I took part in a Secret Santa back in 2008 and was SOOO lucky to be paired up with Carol Amich (battatter) who sent me these little guys.

They remain hidden in a secret but safe place at the back of a drawer and only come out at Christmas.  Even then I put them somewhere safe when the grandkids come along as I find it very hard to resist pleas of 'can I have one, nanny'?

Aren't they just the cutest guys and isn't Carol just THE most talented lady in this free form tatting?  An even bigger question - aren't I the luckiest person in the world to receive these?

An Ebay win

Sometimes there are things on Ebay that are soooo tempting.  Not because they're valuable or something I 'need' but just because they are cheap or SOOOOOOO pretty.

This collection of Milward shuttles and an England Aero just screamed out at me as nobody seemed to want to give them a good home.  There was only one other bidder.  I always worry that if something isn't 'won' on Ebay the seller just might throw the item/items away.  The brass shuttle also cried out to me as it's been very, very used and loved in the past.  

Now the 'thing' that puzzles me is the pretty tool that came with the collection.  Does anybody know what it is?

I've sort of got a feeling it might be for removing pins on a bobbin lace pillow but I'm not sure.  It's been hand painted and I love it for the reasons that it's been loved too.

The Ice Queen

Today I'm going to show you Frivole's beautiful Ice Queen design.  Well it would've been better if I'd used smaller beads for the centre but then it was an 'emergency' test tat and those were  available in the cupboard and in a colour that would 'almost' go with the bugle beads.

The test tat really didn't involve any 'work' as such on my part as the pattern was great and easy to follow.

One thing however led to a discussion with Frivole on one part!!!  Just shows that two tatters can think in parallel ways!!

I must admit I was foxed by the term MR and then TR.  The MR (which I would also consider a chain)  and TR (which is a thrown ring - or in 'Jane' a ring on a chain) is a canny way of avoiding an SCMR for those of a nervous disposition.  Clever, lass is Frivole.  I worked it out though and instead did an SCMR!!!  I'm an awkward OG!!!!

Which reminds me - must finish a new technique page based on a new idea with the SCMR!

Christmas ribbons

When I was out and about with my daughter and two grandkids about six weeks ago we went to a nearby garden centre.  They had a wonderful display of Christmas 'stuff' and the kids really enjoyed it.

They both spotted some bows which could be hung on a tree and were really taken with them.  I told them that I'd make them some if they really wanted bows.  This is what I made.  Nathan asked for orange and Abbi asked for - well, no guesses there - pink.  She's very, very pink orientated!!!!  In fact my daughter was  concerned that the school uniform has no pink in it so when she started school in September she wore pink knickers!!!!

This pattern isn't on my site yet but you can get it along with some really wonderful patterns from the Palmetto Tatters.  It's on this year's CD which they put together with all the Tat Days patterns.  

Blue box

OK, so here's another box!!!  This is done in Lizbeth and this one is called 'Summer Fun'.  Sally and I saw this colourway when we were in the USA in September and both fell in love with it.  I've used that on the rings and a plain Lizbeth on the chains.  Can you tell that I'm enjoying my wonderful stash of threads?  This is an easy tat but you have to keep an eye on where the beads are on the tops of the buttons - after all you don't want them on the inside of the box, do you?

Ah, I bet you want the pattern, now!!!  Well, here it is in all it's 'buttonry'!!!!

My sister is a pain!!!

No, not really.  Actually I don't know how she puts up with me so every so often when she asks for something I jump to and try to do it.

Having seen the box on a doodad Sally said that she hadn't got many doodads and would it be possible for me to do one on a button!!!!  Well there's a challenge I couldn't resist!!  Guess what?  The doodad pattern works for a half inch (or thereabouts) button too.  Yippeeeee.  Not a lot of work needed doing on this which was great.  Well, that's what I thought but using a button with beads on one side of it proved difficult to explain in the pattern.  Only so that you get the beads showing on the outside and not the inside!!! Still it kept me out of mischief for a few days!!

I'll get the pattern finished off today and then let y'all (going all southern here again!) have it tomorrow.  

Another bookmark made

Now this was an order or rather something a neighbour asked for.  A bookmark.  They wanted another Fandango one but I think that it works up a tad too large in number 20 and I don't have much number 30 or 40 and certainly not in the colours required!!!

When they said they wanted it in black and white I thought 'how boring' but actually it was lovely to work.  I used a thread called Finca Bollilos which I bought off Pat at Roseground Supplies back in the dark ages.  Love this thread as it works up so easily and has a lovely finish.

I've only got black, white and (I think!) a sort of pale green colour but that's fine with me as it lasts forever.  Well, forever and a day.  

You'll notice that I allowed myself to 'play' with the tail and used SSSR's carrying the sedentary colour through the one I was working.

A 'keep it tidy' tip

Do you have the same problem as I do?  Balls of thread that somehow come unwound in the box they're kept in?  See the top picture for the example!  I've found something which may help you as well as myself!!!!  I'm sure lots of you must know this already but it's taken me a mere 55 ish years to find the solution - well, an easy one that I now use.

First you'll need a dental floss threader like the blue one in the picture below.  The coilless safety pin is there ready to hook it back on to when I've finished as they tend to get lost.  I was given these in America but have found that you can get them online here in the UK too.  I'll check locally to see if the chemists and supermarkets sell them too but that will be later today.

So, following the direction that the thread is wound in (in this case from left to right in the picture), poke your floss threader through in the same direction and a little way down the ball.  See the picture below.  It's really easy to do as long as you don't try and go too deep into the ball.

Take the end of your thread and push it through the floss threader 'loop'.

Pull your end through and it will stay where it is until you want to use that ball of thread again!

Don't forget to add the floss threader back on the safety pin - just in case!!!