Well, WHAT a surprise

When I got home on Thursday after handing the kids back to my daughter I found a box on my chair in Tat Corner.  I rarely get post - let alone a box!!!  It was just SOOOO exciting.  Even better it was from America.

Now I knew that BC3 hadn't been ordering anything from over the pond so I was totally puzzled.  I managed to get my coat off before I opened it - just!!!

Inside were all the goodies shown below and they came from Terry who I've met online and through the pop a bobbin shuttle sales.  Thank you SO much Terry - you really know how to keep an OG happy!!!

The lighter variegated thread is Manuela - now sadly out of production.  I loved Manuela.  The blue is, of course, the wonderful Lizbeth.  Then there are doodads and twirly whirly thingies (BC3 is hopping around at the sight of those), fabric (when WILL the weather get warmer so I can sew?) and two VERY pretty shuttles as well.  Thank you again, Terry.

Two more added

This time I've got two more motifs to show you.  I like the subtle plain light colours together. 

I suppose I really should've stuck to the one plain colour for all but that wouldn't have gone down well with BC3 who loves to experiment!!!  Really wonder where this is going to end up!!

Kids have gone home - so very quiet again here but lots of sleep needed to get my brain straight again!!!!

Not a lot else

Another 'not a lot else' post!!!!!  This is just a quickie to say I've not picked up a shuttle since Sunday so the odds and ends you've been seeing are from last week or the week before!!!  

This is what has kept me busy the past few days.

A visit to the theatre - not for a show!!!

BUT for the mirror maze - this one's for you, Sherry Pence!!!  We've been three times in two days!!  It finishes on Sunday and a costumes exhibition arrives after that.

 Also a trip up the tower to see Stratford from the top of the town!!

 

There's been a trip to the play centre called Henry's Castle, an afternoon in the rec playground, two trips to the library to get more and more books, two round the town quizzes to do, ice cream to eat (brrrrrr) and a trip out to the supermarket to buy a birthday cake because today is a young man's tenth birthday!

Finally a picture of the devastation at home - isn't it wonderful?  

Jess threads - part 3

Another of Jess's threads with another colour to 'show it off'.  I always have megga doubts at this stage as I never know if it's all going to 'work' or not.  Mainly, I'll admit because I don't have a final plan in my head anyway!!!  Makes for an interesting life, eh?

Two days gone and not a shuttle even looked at.  Why? Have I given up tatting? 

No, the answer is I'm too, too tired.  Looking after young grandkids is sooooo tiring!!!

Jess's threads - another start

OK, so having abandoned the last idea here I decided to start with another pattern (slightly modified) and another colour for the contrast. I'm hoping that when I join this one to others (notice the missing bead on the second ring of the clover!) that I'll get an interesting pattern emerging from the negative space.

This was going to be my summer project but I've got a sneaky feeling that summer has been cancelled yet again this year as it's still very cold here.

The beads are gold glass ones which really sparkle.  I bought them in America and they're truly pretty.

Skunking around

So another day and another pattern.   Yesterday I totally forgot it was Easter and couldn't fathom why, when I wanted to shop, the darn shops were closed.  Hang on - I don't celebrate Easter along with a lot of people so why can't I shop?!?!?!?!  No worries - the cat didn't starve in the end and neither did we!!!!  I found one shop open which sold milk so we could continue drinking tea and we found food in the store cupboard!!!!

Here is the pattern for the skunk that I did for Tat Days last year.  

Actually this wasn't particularly done for Tat Days.  It was done for a lady who wrote and asked me if I could make a skunk for her daughter!!   I can't remember who it was who asked and I seem to have lost touch with her.  I'd thought of a skunk before but they've got such a bad reputation I didn't think ANYBODY would want a tatted one.  So IF you do want one then you've now got one.  May the smell be with you!!!!

The original giraffe

So when I did the doodles last year and tidied them up I deleted one or two that I didn't think were particularly good or important.

I've had a ticking off from my friend Marie in SC for deleting 'her' little giraffe!!!  I'd put what I thought was a 'new and improved' one on instead but Marie wrote the other day to tell me that 'her' giraffe was missing and would I put him back!!!

So, specially for Marie - here he is!!!!!!  My humble apologies, Marie.  Are we still friends?

New instruction pages

About a year ago Georgia or one of the Palmetto tatters contacted me to ask if I could do a simple page or two that they could use for handouts at Tat Days.  They wanted something to help with teaching brand new tatters.  

I had a firm word with BC3 (brain cell 3) who said he was 'up for it' so off we went into unknown territory!!!  Now you must bear in mind that it was well over half a century ago that I learnt to tat along with my gran who was learning too.  So to go back to that mind set was quite hard.

I did a few pages for them and it seemed a good idea to add a small pattern or two for beginners to try.

I remembered these pages a week or so ago and have been playing with them ever since.  I will add more when I next feel the muse.  Meanwhile I've had a lot of help from people checking them out and telling me what was wrong or coming up with great suggestions.  I know they're not 100% yet and probably never will be.  Let me know if there's anything you spot or if you have any suggestions for more pages.

Things can easily be changed but at least they're there (on the internet) at last.  I've had to change round the front page of the web site too slightly to accomodate the link to the links to the links!!!!!  Sounds as if I'm playing golf, doesn't it?

Missing doodle

Here it is at last!!!!  The missing doodle.

It was one of the original doodles that I did years and years ago and I thought that honestly it was of no value.  That is until Patricia asked where it was on my site!!!!  So after a bit of a search round the computer I found it, re-drew the diagrams and fiddled with the text before I put it here.

Now I'm pretty sure that that's the last of the doodles - unless you know better, of course!!!!

Jess's threads

Do you remember the threads I bought off Jess recently?  Well, here they are.  Aren't they wonderful?  Well I decided they needed something special made with them so I started playing with a new design (more of that when I get back to it - it's a long story!).

So, having given up on that idea I decided that I'd use one of my other older patterns so made this motif from this pattern.  

Isn't her thread lovely?  Trouble is I think it's sort of 'killed' by the lighter cream colour so I've abandoned that idea too.  More in due course!!

Hummer and Peacock

OK, here are the last two of the Palmetto doodles.  I think (apart from the octopus) that they're my favourites.  I love the little peacock best.

I had a note from Patricia a few days ago asking where another of my very old doodles had got to.  Hmmmm, I must have deleted it at some point from the web pages so a hunt ensued of my computer.  I'll be working on doing some updated drawings for it and will get it back on the web site as soon as possible.  

A different sort of brooch

I went outside the front door the other day to put our shopping bags back into the car.  I felt a right dipstick as I zapped the car with the key and it wouldn't unlock.  Just wouldn't do that 'flashing thing' that cars do when you zap them.  

I stood and puzzled about it and then realised that the neighbours were watching.  Then it suddenly dawned on me that it was the WRONG CAR!!!  I go by the colour of cars.  No idea of make or any other details - it's colours only with me.  A car should have a wheel at each corner and an engine that works - end of story.  Nothing else matters.

After a bit of teasing from the neighbours the lady who was visiting them spotted a brooch on  my coat.  It was this one.   I also have another one like this too.  She ooooohed and aaaaahed and asked me to make her one.  Well here it is.  I scanned it before it was properly finished - it doesn't look as 'droopy' now!!

Please take a look at the threads used by Sonja for her pram which arrived yesterday.  Fabulous.  Also Gea has sent in her pram which makes the total now to be 100.

Roar, roar in a wimpish way

This is the penultimate doodle from the third cell belonging to my brain!!!  This is a little lion.  Again not a straightforward tat but quite cute.  Actually I think this one could've done with a bit of a hair cut!!!

Wonder where I've left my scissors.

Talking scissors - I've got two pairs of scissors (one pair kindly given to me by our own Diane) which reside by my chair in tat corner.  Why two pairs?  Simply so I can find one to use!!!  Both pairs seem to have a life of their own and regularly totally disappear even though they're right beside me!!!  Ah, maybe it's cause I'm SOOO untidy!!!

My Weekly 1998 - trees again.

Here are the trees making another appearance a few years later in My weekly - 1998.  I remember checking if it would be OK and it was.  These were 'given' to the magazine as by then I realised that selling patterns was NOT for me.  Too much hassle and little financial reward at the end!!

I didn't want fame and fortune (good job as I'd never have achieved that by tatting!) so it made sense to go with just holding onto my copyright.  Problem is (I believe) that once an editor/publisher pays you then the copyright belongs to them.  No WAY, Jose!!  Not in my neck of the woods!!

No milk today!

That's a note I used to leave on my doorstep back in my long and distant past - for the milkman.  

When I was first married we used to have milk delivered to the door but when my kids were young and I went back to work I stopped having it delivered.  Why?  Well it used to sit on the doorstep all day and in the summer would be rancid by the time I got back home from work. 

Now you're wondering what I'm on about.  Well basically - no milk/tatting today!!!!  Not because I've gone back to work - nobody would employ an old git like me.  It's because I've been so darn busy with other 'life things' lately that I've really not got anything coherent to show!!!

As the BBC used to say when they had a break in service - 'normal service will be resumed as soon as possible'!!!

Gecko

Well as some of you are already aware - I do have a gecko pattern on my site already but I really wanted to do a doodle one too!!!  This was a struggle and is not easy even now to tat.  Why?  Well it needs really careful awareness of tension on the alligator joins.  It's well worth it, though.  Least I think so.

I've added this little guy to the doodles page and here's the direct link too.

More eggs!!!

Here are three more of the eggs.  I don't have these anymore - gave them to some people who are doing something for me at the moment.  I added invisible thread hangers first.  

Oh, I've had the odd day of sewing lately too and have listed one or two roly poly bags in the Etsy shop here.

Two old birds!!!

The next set of doodles to hit the web page are these two guys.  I wonder how they'd get on together in 'real life', eh?

It always amazes me how the 'odd' ds here and there can either make or break a pattern/design.  I can't tell you how long it takes to make the smallest things - far longer than the big designs if you were to analyse it.

Being a 'bear of little brain' when it comes to anything to do with numbers then I'm glad I can't analyse!!!  Suffice to say that I spend a lot more time fiddling with tatting than doing anything else in my life - like for instance, housework!!!!!

Nearly forgot to give you the link to these two!!!  

Popular Crafts 1993

Well I honestly didn't realise that this was SOOO long ago 1993.  

Well I'll be jiggered.  When I did these earrings for this magazine I was working totally on my own (no internet) which goes to prove that great minds think alike as this design has been done numerous times before me and since.  Least I'm pretty sure it must've been done before me!!!  Surely?  

I know I had a lot of tatting books even back then but I also know that I was aware of copyright laws and would never have used a design out of an already published book.  So, BC 3 must've been born quite a time before this was published!!  Why?  Well because I'd already made numerous earrings before this!!!

I remember making lots and lots of these trees for friends and others around that time.  

An egg

No, I haven't laid one but some people may call me an old duck or even an old hen!!!!  

My sister (who's blog is here) is into all Christian customs and that includes Easter (whenever it is!) and so she started dropping subtle hints about it coming up soon.  An egg just might keep her busy if I designed one.  She did a stonking great little egg herself last year which is here so I've no idea why she wanted another!!!  

Anyway, I dusted off BC 3 and off I went.  I was left with approximately six really, really naff eggs before we were both happy with the shape.  I googled 'eggs' looking for a good outline image but there were so many and they all slightly differed.  I guess everybody has a different idea of what an egg shape is!!!!  Well, except for the mother 'whatever' who laid it!!!!

Anyway, here it is in all it's 'eggness'!!!

Octopus!

First of all a reminder that the shuttles and hooks will be in my Etsy shop here at 20.00 GMT this evening.  I've set an alarm to remind me!!!!

Beware - there's an octopus about.  This is one of the doodles that was on the Palmetto Tat Days agenda last year.  Here he is!!

I'm desperately trying to get all the C @ * P off my computer and onto the pattern pages but it takes ages to do each one so please bear with me.

I'm currently working on the doodles but meanwhile playing with an Easter pattern too - in my spare time!!!  In fact the Easter egg may well be ready by tomorrow - if life doesn't get in the way!!!!

New lock chain block tatted motif.

I must apologise for the delay (yet again!) on releasing this pattern.  Don't know why it is but it seems to take me ages to remember to do the links and uploads etc.  There's an awful lot on this computer which is ready go go 'live' and I'm working on that at the moment.  All the remaining patterns (doodles etc) which I taught last year at Tat Days.  Don't worry - they'll be 'there' soon.

OK - I'm done with this!  Here's the link.

A cedar shuttle

This is the cedar shuttle I spoke about yesterday.  It's a tad smaller than the others that 'im in the garage has made and thinner too.  It's really lovely.  Sadly there's only one this time.

Don't forget I still have two bobbin holders left too from last time.  They're already listed.  

I was hoping to make more of the new season's bags before I listed the shuttles but it's been SOOOOOO cold that the brass monkey has left the UK!!!!!!

New shuttles and hooks

I spent ages getting a new lot of shuttles and hooks with hats on into the shop yesterday.  They will be released on Thursday 14th at 20.00 GMT in my Etsy shop which is here.  This time some of the shuttles have been oiled with a Danish oil.  When 'im in the garage came round with them all on Friday he told me that they were oiled and later thoroughly rubbed to remove the excess.  I'm totally in love with them.

3 COCOBOLA ROSEWOOD $33.60 each

3 PURPLEHEART $32.70 each

1 EBONY $36.25

2 ZEBRANO $32.70 each

3 OREGAN MYRTLE $28.00 each

3 MAHONIA $33.60 each

2 AMERICAN BLACK WALNUT $28.00 each

3 CHERRY $28.00 each

2 APPLE $28.00 each

3 PEAR $28.00 each

1 LABURNAM $28.00

2 SEQUOIA $28.00 each

2 MAHOGANY $28.00 each

2 ROSEWOOD $28.00 each

3 EUCALYPTUS $28.00 each

Then there are the hooks.  These vary too with many different woods.  Some are 0.4mm and some are 0.5mm.   They now have the plastic caps which came with the original hooks.  'Im in the garage said that the wooden ones took him far too long to make and he felt his time was better spent making more shuttles!!!  I agree.

18 Hooks with plastic caps will be available at $10.00 each.

Oh, there's one gorgeous post shuttle but I'll tell you about that tomorrow!!!

More netting

Just to prove that this craft can be useful I wanted to show you one of the four windows I've hung netting in in our house.

Our house is a terraced one and the front 'garden' is roughly the size of a large postage stamp!!!  This means that people walk past close to our windows all the time.  I HATE net curtains with a passion but we do need some privacy.  I made some filet crochet curtains which have been up now for years and cover the main windows but got fed up with making those so resorted to my netting needles and made these. 

I've put both pictures up for you to have a giggle at the first one.  I went outside to take the picture looking back into our room.  You can see the houses opposite and the old git in the reflection!!!

Ready for consumption!!!

Finally I've got the page finished which has the pattern with the lock chain block tatting in the centre.  This was my first time using that technique and the pattern is a conversion of the snowflake on a ring (number 3) which is here.

Also on the page is the version with a large bead in the centre - I used a shell bead but any would work.  The page is now finished and up on my page here.  

Just to remind you - this is what it looks like!!!

Netting needles

Before I start today I would like to tell you that I've slowly started sewing again!!!  The weather has been a bit warmer on a few days so I've been able to get in the conservatory.  New fabrics courtesy of Miranda (many thanks) have broken my vow not to make anymore bags.  I'm easily led astray!!!!  Here's the link.

OK, so here are the netting needles I own.

Just to prove (to myself more than anybody else) that I did do a bit of combining netting with tatting in the past here is a picture of a piece that I did for a little booklet produced by Margaret Hamer and Kathleen Waller.  Interestingly I learnt bobbin lace from Margaret - via snail mail to help her write the first  of a similar series of booklets she produced.

Can you see the picture at the bottom?  One is the net made into a square mesh and then stretched onto a frame and embroidered on and the other has a tatted centre with netting round it.  That was a nightmare to do as the picots on the tatting had to be just the right size to take the knots of the round of netting.  When I look back I believe I had more brain cells than I do now!!!!

New technique page

Well I did it.  I got it done.  It's finished.  

Here's the link to the finished technique page for Lock Chain Block Tatting.

I hope you enjoy doing this as much as I did.  At the top of the page is a sneak preview of a pattern which I've been working on.  Well, actually, I've got two that need the pages finished off.  Just need to give brain cell 3 a kick up the 'you know what'!!!!

I've also listed some more Wrap It, Flip It and Mark It bookmarks in my Etsy shop.  This time they are seahorses!!!

Finally please check out the TIAS blog where you'll see number 107 from Mary Jo.  It's worth reading the link I've put on this post too.

Playing and messing around

Playing with the same pattern again.  I'm still trying to do alternative centres to the rings in the original.

Messing with block tatting with a difference too.  Can you see what I've done?

Instead of regular block tatting I'm using lock chains!!!!  Now this is MY technique and nobody's to use it and IF they do they've GOT to mention my name and ask permission yada, yada, yada.

Just kidding!!  Honest.  TEASING!!!!!  Well you know I don't take this craft or anything very seriously - specially myself!!!

I'm working on the technique page for this type of block tatting and will have it completed for tomorrow - promise!!!!!  It took a bit of fiddling to work out the best way to do it but I think I got there in the end.  All I've got to do today is work out a conversion so any block tatting can be changed to lock chain block tatting.

I've also got two new designs bubbling away using this technique.

Threads from Jess

Well after an extremely serious word with brain cell 3 just after Christmas we both decided that I'd got more than enough threads to keep me going for a good many years.  

Then along came Jess.  I met Jess and her dear little daughter Livie last September at Tat Days and was taken aback by the colours of threads on her table which she was selling.  Mind, Karey's was pretty darn cool and also Yarnplayers and all managed to leave a dent in my dollars!!!!  So after this serious word with BC 3 we both settled down and tatted and didn't look at anymore threads.

That is until Jess ran a 'free shipping' in her Etsy shop.  The stipulation was that if you lived overseas you should buy more than one skein.  Nothing but absolutely nothing was said about ordering four.  BUT once we both (BC 3 and myself) got into the shop that was what happened.  Here they are.

Left to right - Kaleidoscope, Carnival, Mindango Gum and Purple Pansy.