NEVER judge a book by it's cover!!!

Now when my wonderful box of threads arrived from Handy Hands recently I must admit that I was a tad disappointed when I opened it and saw the Rainbow Splash that I'd suggested.  It didn't look half as pretty on the ball.  More to come on Rainbow Splash in a day or two.

I then took myself in hand and reminded my other half (BC3) of something that happened a few months ago.  An online friend who was then running an online craft store here in the UK emailed me to say that she was selling the business and did I want any Lizbeth threads at a reduced price.  Well I had a look and bought £20.00 worth (to get free postage) and was pleased when they arrived - having chosen carefully, of course.

Life moved on for another month or so and she wrote again to tell me that she'd just got a few left and that they were even more reduced.  I looked and thought for a while about the colours left.  None really appealed to me.  Anyway, I thought 'what the heck' and ordered the rest of her stock.  I realised that they'd come in useful for trying out new ideas anyway.  Well, when they arrived they weren't as bad as I thought they'd be - in fact they were delicious.  So I'm now firmly convinced that you can't judge a ball by it's looks!!!

This is Rainbow Splash on the ball.  Wait til you see it made up.  Your eyes will pop!

Done and dusted.

I just HAD to try the Fandango Coaster again to see what would happen with the centre when four motifs all the same colours were joined together!!!  Now I know.  A pretty flower emerges.  Oh, I love surprises like this.  Now who thought I'd designed this with that in mind?  Wish I was as clever as that but now I can 'see' what's happened it's given me other ideas!!!!

So, finally I took BC3 in hand yesterday and told him this pattern just HAD to be finished and put on the internet.  We both spotted a couple of missing abbreviations and (if you've been following) you'll know how many times I've worked this pattern and I STILL had something not quite right.  These are the times you saw it being worked but believe me - there are at least four trials that went in the bin before that!!

Whooops, before I forget and wander off to start another Monday - here's the link.

Winding shuttles

It never fails to mildly amuse me when I occasionally watch Youtube tatting videos and I see people poking the end of their thread through the hole in the centre of a post shuttle or a hole in a bobbin to wind them.  This is also suggested in many written instructions too.  

Mind, worst is when the learner is told to to wind the shuttle, cut the thread away from the ball and then TIE the two ends together!!!! Yes, cut and then tie the ends together!!!!!  Anyway, as usual I digress yet again.

Why does it amuse me poking ends through holes?  Well, being a lazy OG I worked out years ago that there's a much easier way!!!  I just do a slip knot and stick that round the  whole shuttle (or bobbin).  Then I wind away from the knot to tighten it and that's how I wind ALL shuttles.  

Well I'd better show you what I'm talking about so here are some pictures.

First the slip knot.

 Then put round the shuttle (post or bobbin).

 Tightened up.

 Wind against the knot.  This way is also easy to take off when you've finished too as you pull the short end and it should open up the slip knot!!

Four Fandango coasters

Here we are - now I've got four joined together.  I'm still calling this the Fandango Coaster as one is just right for that purpose.  Four together is just me playing really!!!!

What's interesting is the pattern formed in the middle of the four.  This would show up even more if I'd not changed the colours on the different motifs.  Maybe I'll start another set of four!!!

I will definitely get this pattern up over the weekend so you should get notice of it early next week.  I've just got to sort out a few last hiccups!!!!  

A new elephant

I'm so pleased to announce the arrival of a new elephant on my web site.  I fell totally and utterly in love with this guy when I first saw him a few years ago in a tatting newsletter.

It's owner and breeder is Geraldine who I met in town a few weeks ago.  Poor woman had hardly time to start nattering when I asked her if I could host this critter of hers.  Isn't he great?  I've put him in the guest designer's section but here's the direct link.

What I'm really looking forward to is seeing what she comes up with next.  If you want to contact her then her email address is at the bottom of the pattern.

Another Fandango and Facebook problems!!!!

Interesting experience over the past two days.  I've been bumped off a Facebook tatting group because I remarked on two patterns published there which are still under copyright.  Nobody has told me that I've been bumped and I've applied to join again.  I'm stubborn!!!!

The group blatantly has this at the top of the page:-
"In this group you can publish any tatting pattern, for sharing with other Fairies".

One of the 'offending images' was a pattern from a Mark Myers book.  If anybody else is in the group please will you back me up on what's going on there?  I've no time for people who publish other people's patterns which are still being sold in books and are under copyright.  Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

This time with the Fandango large square I've gone back to plain colours as I now want to see whether two or more can be joined and what that then needs in the way of tweaking the pattern again!!

We'll see how far this plan progresses!!!!

Sunlit shuttles

When Barb sent me the threads I won in her contest she also included some of the new Sunlit shuttles for me to see and try.  Now I started life in Tat Land with Milward shuttles as they were the only type readily available back when the dinosaurs roamed the land.  Later I changed over to the Aero bobbin shuttles and really never looked at any others until the new Aerlit which I now use along with Aero.

So, when I was asked about the Sunlit shuttles on a comment last week I thought I'd better test them.  My first fear with post shuttles is winding them!!!  I needn't have worried though as Barb has made sure there's an angled end which makes the thread so easy to wind (see pictures below).   Because of this I happily wound the shuttle taking only slightly longer than a bobbin one.

It's a very comfortable shuttle to hold and I put a lot of that down to the raised logo and writing on each side which stops them from slipping in the hand. It measures 2 1/2 inches from end to end of tip which also makes it a comfortable shuttle to hold.  I was impressed with the amount of thread it holds too.  Here are some close up pictures for you.

2000 post today

Well who would guess that I've had so much to say about making knots in thread over the years?!?!?  I started this blog in May 2006 and am still rabbiting on with BC3 beside me.

Today is my 2,000 post and I'm so grateful to those who follow and comment and thus keep me going!!!!  It's having the blog which keeps me focussed.  I'm very bad at actually getting patterns onto the web site.  I love the creation and putting them together but after that I forget I've done them and sometimes they stay on the computer for months until something or somebody reminds me they're 'there'.  I don't want fame or fortune through this daft hobby - just another idea in my head will do!!!

Looking back at that first post - I had two comments one of which was from our dear friend Gina.  It must've been Gina that persuaded me to start blogging as she'd been blogging for three years at that time.  In fact it must've been around that time that I first met her at Palmetto Tat Days.  Lovely memories but so sad she's not here to talk to anymore.

This is a pair of earrings she gave me at our last meeting in Cincinnati.

Inside the boxes

I will announce on Facebook when I've listed the Pop A Bobbin shuttles later today.  Hope that helps.

So, first I'll show you the balls of thread that I won from Handy Hands.  Here are just a few of the colours but all these are 'new to me'.  I asked for a lot of repeats as I get through so many.

Now for shuttles.  Can you see the new Aerlit ones with the 'hint of a tint' coloured bobbins?  They're SOOOO classy.

The colourful small ones are Barb's new Sunlit shuttles which (for me) would be wonderful teaching shuttles.  Only problem with that idea is that I doubt I'll EVER be able to part with them cause they're just SOOOO pretty.  Playing with them I couldn't resist doing an H H for Handy Hands!!!!!  I'm a big kid at heart!!

Guess what's in here?

No prizes as this is just an ENORMOUS tease and I'm sure you'll all be able to guess anyway!!!!  

This box arrived yesterday and when I opened it I found the boxes in the box. 

No, you'll have to 'tune in' tomorrow to see what's inside the boxes in the box although you can guess what it is from the writing on them and the two balls on top!!!  There was more than just those boxes but again you'll have to wait!!!

Change of plan for shuttles

I'm going to have to change the plan on the shuttles for Saturday.  I suddenly remembered that my family are coming over so I might not remember to set them going at 8 in the evening!!!! 

So, I think I'm going to just take pot luck and list them when I remember at some point in the early afternoon before everything gets out of hand.  This only means that I'll not be around to pick up on any problems - not that there are ever any. 

As nobody (including me!) will know what time to look in the Etsy shop it might be fairer too.  Comments welcome.

New in oiled shuttles are the Sycamore below.

Shuttles and purple!!

Mainly today's post is to let you all know that there will be more shuttles in the Etsy shop on Saturday.  Eight o'clock in the evening (20.00 hours) and that's BST (British Summer Time).  This time I've got

AFRIMOSA       $28.00 each

EUCALYPTUS    $28.00 each

SYCAMORE      $28.00 each

IROKO            $28.00 each

YEW               $28.00 each

OAK               $28.00 each

Here's another of the Fandango squares which would make lovely coasters.  I'm still tweaking although you won't probably be able to 'spot the difference'!!!!  Not sure what I think about the variegated on this sample.  I'm in two minds about this.  One mind says yes and t'other says no!!!  Neither mind is related to BC3 - just in case you wondered!!!

A week or two ago

Before I start - just couldn't resist showing you a card that arrived yesterday from my two bonkers friends - Pam and Riet.  I think they should go to Specsavers (English joke, sorry).

I mentioned (a few weeks ago) that I was working on the Fandango square again.  I had it in mind to make a coaster sized square out of the original.  

I've done that now and over the next few days will show you some that I've already made.  You'll see that I've added a central ring to the original motif and then the outer round (sorry, there is a cut and tie between the two rounds).

This second round sort of reflects the clovers used in the inner round.

Final word!

Final words on my birthday but before I start here's another new TIAS pram from Nikki.

First of all a humungously huge thank you to everybody who commented on this blog and on Facebook.  I was gobsmacked at how many people took the time to do that.

We had a lovely, lovely family get together with my oldest daughter and kids and Liz too.  A repeat will happen next Saturday with others in the family who couldn't make it yesterday - so the party goes on!!!!

Just had to share two cards, Mr Google's contribution on my birthday and also a wonderful flower arrangement sent by Georgia.  WOW, was THAT a surprise or what.  I love getting flowers but that very, very rarely happens.  They took pride of place on the table.

BC3

A small post today to tell you all that BC3 has now reached the ripe old age of 70 today.  

SHEEEEEEEESH, just worked it out - that makes the rest of me 70 too!!!!  

That also makes 57 years wielding shuttles.  Where did the time go?

Meeting ANOTHER tatter!!!!

On Tuesday it was Geraldine's turn to suffer my company - well the silly moo didn't HAVE to drag me out so she's only got herself to blame!!!!!

We drank copious cups of tea in a lovely tea shop here in town.  It's called Act V and is down Sheep Street if anybody wants to know.  Anyway we talked our little socks off about tatting and everybody else who lives in Tatland.  We found we had several mutual friends which was great.

Something really exciting came out of our 'natterings and tatterings'.  Geraldine is going to send me her elephant and mouse bookmark to put on my site in the guest designer's section.  It's a STONKING great design and I'm delighted to be allowed to publish it.  It was in a newsletter about two years ago so really needs to have wings to fly.

As we were parting company Geraldine shoved a small packet in my bag.  She said the message on the front was what it was all about!!!!  Now I know she really does qualify as a daft moo!!!!!  Needless to say it won't stay in one piece for long!!!

Meeting another tatter

One of the advantages of living in a tourist town is that occasionally you get to meet another tatter and one who has had the patience to track you down!!!!  This past year or so I've been very lucky that several have dragged me out of my tatting pit!!!!  You know - the place where I sit and play on my own and drive myself (and Nick) mad!!!!!

Last Saturday I met up with Pamela Myers who lives near Cork in Ireland - a most beautiful part of our planet, I believe.  She gave me this sweet little pendant made in one of her hand dyed threads which can be found here.

I was very naughty with poor Pamela and her husband (Alan).  I persuaded them to meet up again on Sunday morning and took them round the town on my 'alternative' guide to Shakespeare's 'neck of the woods'.  Thankfully they'd kindly brought some lovely weather with them!!!!

Oh, a picture of the two of us in the pub!!!!

Tatting Tidy pots!

First an apology.  Thanks to Georgia for picking up a couple of small hitches on the witch which is here (spelling checked on this sentence!!!).  I'd missed a picot out on the drawings (SR13) and put in a wrong join a chain or so later.  My apologies.  I think BC3 must've left the room that day!!!  Don't blame him as he lives in such a muddle in my head!!!

Also today I wanted to tell you that I've just added four more of these to my Etsy shop here.  As autumn is now upon us I'll soon be putting the sewing machine away for the winter.  I'm finishing off a few more and then that'll be 'it' until the Spring!!!!  

These below may still be in the shop - or they may have gone but the new 'lot' will certainly be there if you want to pop by!!!!  I'll let you know when I've finished the last few off!!!!

Chicken wing doily in purple

Bit boring today as it's almost a repeat of Saturday's post except that, of course, this one isn't orange!!!!  Another chicken wing doily which was 'made on holiday'.  Really must get round to sewing them onto some bags.  IF I did that then it would be another project (or two) completed but, of course, there's no chance as I've got two more ideas on the go!!!!

One is a 'thingamijig' to hang my rather large collection of earrings on.  I'll show  you another day.

The project is another new tatting design (thanks to Sally and Joanie) and I'm on about the fourth tat of it now.  Why four?  Well, simply because I'm a plonker and am never happy with the evening's results.  It'll get sorted eventually.  I think you'll like it and it's leading to another follow on idea too!!!

Chicken wing doily orange

While we were away last week I didn't expect to have an internet connection.  In fact I hadn't even enquired as to whether there was one anywhere near the apartment!!!  It was going to be a week of pure and simple relaxation with books and nothing else to do.  

Well, of course, I couldn't go away without some tatting could I?  I decided to make a chicken wing doily as these are relatively fast to make.  I've got two small tote bags - roughly six inches square that I want to 'jazz up' so these would be ideal to sew onto them.  When I get round to it, of course!!!

So, here's the first one.

Oh, we were in the apartment for about two hours before I 'discovered' a wifi connection from the pub next door.  As we have BT and 'allow' our hub at home to be a 'hot spot' (which, incidentally, is very safe) I downloaded the BT app onto our devices and we were both 'back in business' very quickly!!!!  Sad to say these two old gits can't last long without an internet connection!!!

TIAS 2013 (second one)!!!

It's strange but great to be on the receiving end of a Tat It And See as I found out the last time Sherry did one.  I'm taking part again this time too.

I set out with great fervour to do day 1.  It wasn't until others started to upload their day 1's here that I realised that something may be wrong with mine.  DOH.  I went back and re-read the instructions and I realised I'd followed them properly.  BUT - and here's the problem - I hadn't used the picot gauge the way round that it needed to be!!!  There are two ways of using a gauge and as I rarely use one it didn't occur to me that I might have got it wrong!!!  Well I did.  I wasn't the only one, thankfully!!!

I always hold mine so that I make the picot over the gauge which is held parallel to the core thread (top picture) but apparently there's another way of holding it so that the gauge is at right angles to the core thread (bottom picture).  Of course if you're a dozy old moo like me you get it wrong you finish up with a picot twice the size it's meant to be!!!  So I had to un tat the whole thing and start again.  I had wound my thread CTM so it wasn't an option to cut and start over.

 

Tiny owl

Today I thought I'd show you this little chap.  He's a new owl I made some time ago.  

I offered him to Riet in case she wanted him for night owl classes at Tat Days this year and I was very flattered when she did use him.  I'm not giving you the pattern for this as it's on the Palmetto Tat Days CD which can be found here.  

Of course you don't get just this one tiddly little owl on the CD - you get all these too.  I really must go and order mine before BC3 forgets!!!

The reason this pair have got rings in their heads is not because their a new species of owl but because they're going to be a new pair of earrings - for MEEEEE. 

Witch

OK, here it is - the halloween pattern.  My first halloween pattern too.

Before any of you ask - yes, I did pose for it in front of a mirror.  I had to guess at the broomstick, though, as all we'd got was a rather mangy kitchen mop!!!!!  People who know me will notice that I've elongated the nose as my 'real' one is a bit small and a total failure as far as noses go!!!!

When I first started teaching the youngest kids coming into school (here in the UK they're from 4 - 5 years old), it was Bonfire Night which was of huge interest.  Now not all kids love fireworks (I still don't - well only from the comfort of my armchair and when they're on the telly!) but November 5th (Guy Fawkes day) was celebrated hugely here in the UK.  

There used to be a small mention of Halloween 'back then' which was scary for our kids.  Mention witches, ghosts or anything like that and they were scared.  Not all, but a lot of them.  In the UK this day of the year (31st October) passed us by with rarely a mention.  Then along came the Meg and Mog books and this started to make it less scary for our youngsters.  

With global communication opening up, the Halloween celebration was  gradually imported from  America and now slowly (over here) people appear to be losing interest in Guy Fawkes day - also due to the cost of fireworks too, I suppose.

Yes, THE America with their celebration of halloween finally catching on over here.  THANK you, America.  You did us a huge favour as now witches, ghosts, hobgoblins and all those things are no longer scary but fun AND associated with sweets too!!!  Oh, sorry, I mean candy.

Another of my recent projects, which I've not shown you before, is this.  A tiny, tiny doily in size 80 threads.  Again I think these threads probably came in the batch that Sue Anna sent ages ago.  Aren't they delicious?  

I made it a couple of weeks ago as I wanted something special to send to somebody and now she's got it.  Happy belated birthday, Joanie.

Oh, this is the Twirly Doily which can be found here.  The finished piece in this size 80 measures 5 ½" in diameter.

Sherry's TIAS

I'm BACK!!!!  Coming today (23rd) is a new TIAS (Tat It And See) from Sherry which can be found here.  I meant to tell you all about it over a week ago but my BC3 went on holiday with me and I forgot!!!!

So, what else do I have to tell and show you?  Well, coming soon is a new Halloween pattern but I need a day or two to finalise it.  Also a new square motif, a Christmas pattern and goodness knows what else I've forgotten about!!!

I've re-opened the Etsy shop too - somebody asked me about something that was in it but of course I've forgotten who or what!!!!

Thought I'd add a few pictures here from our week in Dorset.  Not your 'usual' holiday photos as that would be boring.  Just the sort that I like to take although I have got 'proper' ones too!!!  Before anybody asks - I managed to get past the fossil shop without them hauling me in to sell me as a specimen!!!!

Paying for web space

Just thought you might be interested in how I manage my web site.  

My web space is with freeserver.com and many, many years ago I signed up with them and used the free space that they gave me.  I also had space that Nick paid for elsewhere but we ditched that because he wasn't using it and it was expensive. I also had free space at BT too but they dropped that a year or so ago.  Anyway, about five years ago I decided to become independent and started paying for space with freeservers.com because I wanted a backup of everything I did.  I was lazy and just left things at BT until they dropped the free stuff and then I moved everything with all the links to freeservers.

I've been pleased with the space they provide and uploading 'stuff' is really easy.  They charge me $3.95 a month which they collect from me via credit card every two years.  I had the warning that my payment was due yesterday.  That's $94.80 (£60.00).  Interestingly I thought you'd like to know that people who read my blog actually pay for the web site!!!  How does that work?

Well I earn money through running ads on there from Adsense and a month or so ago I had a cheque from them which (along with another I had last November) will pay for the freeservers web space and a bit more!!  Thank you everybody and keep clicking on any of the ads that you like - you're supporting the pattern and technique pages by doing that and keeping an OG out of trouble too!!!  Least most of the time!!!

Just to cheer this post up - here's a teaser for you.  Yes, it's a Fandango square BUT I'm working on doing something else with it as you can probably see round the edges of this picture!! Keep watching this space!!!

I blame Sally

This is ALL Sally's fault.  I blame her a lot for what I do!!!!  

Sally saw that I'd finished this hanky edging and she decided to start one herself!!!  No problem BUT I then thought 'what a good idea' and have started yet another!!!  This (to me) is the most relaxing edging I've found to do.  Plenty of picots to sew onto the hanky, one round and enough depth to make it worthwhile too.  I can EVEN remember the pattern repeat now and the corners are easy peasy too.  

I do actually use these hankies (well not the last one yet) as ironing them is easy.  I just drop the iron onto the centre and work outwards.  No messing about with it.  I'm using old DMC threads (size 80) which Sue Anna sent me ages ago as she didn't want them.  Love using size 80 and, in my opinion, that's the right size for a hanky too.

Hmmm, some people!

What IS it about some people that makes you really, really love them?  Even though Kelly is a (hate typing this) needle tatter, I can't help loving her wacky sense off humour.

She and I are always having a 'dig' at each other and I know that some people who follow this blog get quite worried about this and think it goes a bit too far.  I assure you that Kelly and I are good mates and she's invited me many times to stay with her in Canada - if I ever get to Fringe Element Tat Days.  Mainly I think it's because she's a 'wannabe' shuttle tatter!!!

Anyway, when the last Pop A Bobbin shuttles went on sale in my Etsy shop she bought three of the flat shuttles.  I'm HOPING that she'll keep one to learn to tat properly but I'm not sure about that!!!

The picture below is how she announced the arrival of the package at her home!!!!  Nice toes, Kelly!!!

Martha's new book

Before I start today - I had a new pram arrive yesterday and it's now here on the TIAS blog.  Thanks, Monica.

Last week my copy of Martha's book arrived in the post.  

As one of her test tatters I'd already made three of the designs in there but I was DYING to have a go at the fairy called Frivolette, the Chinese dragon and the baby dragon too.  I really must recommend this book not only for the fantastic and unique designs in it but also for the clarity of the written patterns and diagrams.  Yes, you get both (pictures and text) from Martha which is how I like my patterns to be written too.  Mainly because they're SO much easier to follow than 'just diagrams'.  Here's the link to where to buy your copy of this 'must have' book.

All I need now is time as I'm currently trying to resolve another new pattern and finish off the TIAS (still re-jigging stitch counts etc).  

I went to Tat Days

Yes I DID!!  

I went there for a few minutes on Friday evening and I saw lots of my friends for a short while.  There was Joanie, Sandra, Randy (as in Houtz), JB, Anitra (of the owls), Nina (as in Libin), Pam, Shawna and loads more who passed by and waved.  WHAT a TREAT.

Joanie has an iPad and we did FaceTime which is like Skype.  It was great to be there if only for such a short time.  Working out time zones and then wondering who was on daylight saving is always a problem so Joanie emailed me a few minutes before so I could get ready.  

No, that doesn't mean I had to dash and put make up on (what IS that stuff?) or even comb my hair but it does mean that I needed to find a quiet place in the house to talk.

Oh, I also visited Bonnie's house on Wednesday (again using Joanie's iPad and FaceTime) for the pre-tat days meeting that a few of the gang have each year Sadly I couldn't stay for the ice cream (her own home made and MEGGA yummy) and even if I had it probably wouldn't have tasted very good via wi fi!!!  I adore Bonnie's ice cream.

Oh, before I forget, I'll be putting my Etsy shop on vacation on Wednesday as I'll be away from home for a week starting on Saturday.  If you want anything before I go away please make sure you pay the shop a visit.  Don't worry - I'll be back!!