Crafternoon

Yesterday it was 'Crafternoon' at Alcester library - the second meeting. 

I have two great friends who I volunteer with on Wednesdays/Thursdays and they'd asked if I would teach them to tat. 

It's ages since I've taught people right from scratch and I found it so interesting.  I realise that my hands are 'trained to tat' and that holding a thread is no problem because of that.  It's hard for new tatters to first of all 'see' the flip and secondly to achieve it.  I try very hard not to be a prescriptive teacher but to watch and see how a new student is comfortable with holding the threads and then work from there. 

Actually they did very well for a first lesson - just hope they come back for another 'go' rather than hit me over the head with a mallet!!!!  If you don't hear or see me after next Friday you'll know that the mallet came to Alcester!!!!

Remembering

A day to remember Gina. 

It's hard to believe that it's two years today since Gina died. She was my buddy for such a long, sweet time.  Although we live thousands of miles apart her quiet humour and patience with me was immeasurable.  A true lady.

I know lots of you have seen this picture before and I was really lucky to take it as we'd spent the whole day together without any cameras being taken out of our bags!! Gina was just leaving (you can see her car keys in her left hand) when I realised and took this one picture.  This was only a few months before her problems started.

Between this picture and her untimely death we spent hours emailing each other and talking about the dreadful fight with the cancer she'd got.  Always, but always Gina was positive so it came as a terrible shock when it won the battle Gina  had so bravely fought.

Miss you, Gina - the TIAS hasn't been the same since you left.  I miss you testing the pattern beforehand.  

Second version

Now this is the second version of the motif I showed you yesterday.  I went to make one of these a few weeks ago and couldn't follow my own directions.  I was tired and BC3 was on a short break away from me - said I was causing him too much stress.

Anyway, I finally got the motif finished and then decided that I really needed to do the directions again from the start.  It's only the final join that's the problem and really it's easy.  The hard part is explaining it.  In the end I decided to do it with pictures rather than drawings.  I hope this works for you.  Here's the link which I forgot to put on yesterday with this version at the bottom.

Playing around and updating.

This has always been a little favourite of my older designs.  Not sure why but I think it's cause it makes an ideal pendant.  

Often pendants swing round when you wear them and the backs aren't always as pretty as the fronts.  Well, in this case - that's not so.  As you can see - both sides are the front (or back if that's what you want to call them).

During this 'reincarnation' I decided to add beads.  Well, more beads!!  I've also changed the centre and got rid of a large picot that all the SCMR's had to join to.  Instead I've put in small vsp's and added beads to the rings on the SCMR.

Tomorrow I will show you the other version - IF I remember, of course!!!

Crafternoon

I have two things I enjoy in life - one is my crafts (mainly tatting, of course) and the other is teaching elderly people computer skills.

I teach on Wednesday mornings and nearly all day on Thursday. In the morning on a Thursday the sessions are in Alcester which is a few miles away from where I live. So ten days ago one of the library staff came into the silver surfer sessions and put a poster on the table advertising their new 'Crafternoon' which was starting on the 6th. 

Well, you know who was tempted, don't you? Yes, me. What a wonderful atmosphere in that room. Betty arrived who also attends silver surfers and she had us in stitches. Not the knitting, sewing or tatting ones but the 'can't stop laughing' ones. 

The library staff had kindly baked cakes - YUMMY and provided tea and coffee. It was a wonderful afternoon meeting new (and YOUNG) people who do a variety of crafts. I'll be back next week with a garment a friend gave me which I'm trying to felt as there's a smashing lass there who does that. I'll be picking her brain!!!

Maybe I'll pick up a few tatters along the way but mainly I just loved being with people who 'make'.

Last day

Last day of the TIAS - link here.

Another new member

First of all - tomorrow will be the final part of this year's TIAS.

Now today I'm going to introduce you to Margaret who has been making baubles for years. I've added her to the exclusive club which you can find on the tab at the top of the page.

"She says:-

"Right, Jane, nice sunny day here at the moment and I've been able to get a reasonable photo for you.

The hedgehog was made, about 10 years ago, at a tatting weekend, from a Shuttle Brothers pattern.

The bee, tatted as part of the Tatters Across Time course, was done about 5 years ago. After all the talk of tatted baubles on your blog, I got busy and did a whole bunch to add to purses for presents!

They sure are fun and the possibilities are endless!

Thank you for including me in your Exclusive Tatting club.

Margaret"

Chicken coaster/doily

Well this HAS to be the last for a while. I'm not bored with them but need to move on to other things. 

The coaster at the top was made with - mmmmmm, not sure but it's an HDT and a plain. Least I think it's plain!!!   Yes it is in the coaster.

So I made the coaster and was very surprised at how the thread worked out that each flowery part was dark pink in roughly the same places all the way round. Once finished I thought that the plain outside was a bit light and it needed the doily round to contain it and add some definition.

Doesn't that sound posh? Well that's actually not quite what I thought - I really thought 'this darn thing needs the outer round' with a bit more colour!!!  So, that's what I did.  

Out of the blue

First of all - here is the link to day 12.  Next one is the last!

Quite out of the blue (don't you just LOVE blue?) came this book the day before yesterday. It's HUGE and it's WONDERFUL and I must thank publicly the very kind person who gifted me with this.  She wishes to remain anonymous so I can't tell you her name.

This hardback book is by Edwige Renaudin who has put a LOT of work into the publication. The ISBN number is 978 2 84167 685 9. You can see the title on the picture. La Frivolity Aux Navettes.

At first glance it may look like a pretty basic book but on further exploration there's loads and loads in there to make BC3 sit up and think. AND try things out. It's all in French (obviously!) but with my schoolgirl knowledge (which is over half a century old and not as sharp as it used to be) and the help of Google translate, this book will be no problem. Why? Well, simply because it's so inspiring anybody would want to understand it.

I've posted a very small picture of a page - just to inspire you.  I'm very, very wary of posting pages from books because of copyright theft so I'm hoping the second picture will turn out REALLY small!!!!

Yes, another one!!!

I really must find somebody or several people to give all these coasters to. I think I'll soon be stopping people in the street and handing them out to passersby!!! 

When not doing these coasters my day job (when I'm actively avoiding housework etc) is working on more technique pages for the web site. 

These will be very basic bead pages at the moment but if anybody has any suggestions for other pages then please let me know. I'm 'in the mood' to draw and make pages!!!!

Another exclusive member

Don't forget - day 11 is now available on this link.

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Sara to the Exclusive Tatting Club. She's sent in a mouse to share with us and says:-

"I have made a mouse too, so maybee I can join your exclusive club now!? My mouse eyes and ears is a bit funny looking, maybe I made something wrong there, but it was a lot of fun making it! I thought I should find it boring to just do knot after knot, but it was just fun to see the mouse be created between my hands!Have a nice day, and thanks again just for beeing Jane who makes tatting even more fun!!"

She's really right about the 'not being boring'. I find it fascinating to see the little critters forming in my hands. Hats off to Randy and Gary for devising the whole book. There's not just critters in there - there are flowers, baubles of all types. I reckon it's really good value for money compared with a lot of books.

Well I am biased, I suppose but then I love making the critters and have several pairs of earrings too.

Day 10

Day 10 is now available on this link.

Day 11 will be ready on Monday. After that there will be two more until it's all over!!!!

Yawn, yawn, yawn!!

Another chicken wing doily, I'm afraid. I think I've got another one or two 'inside me' waiting to come out!!!

This one is again done in Yarnplayer's thread - size 20. I think this one is Fall Garden with another plain. The plain is probably a Flora one but the label is long gone!!! 

I'm sure I've told you this before but I'll say it again as it might be a useful tip for others. 

When I make something I always fill up shuttles. When I finish the project rather than make small doodles with the thread remaining or winding it onto a piece of cardboard or a thingy that you wind embroidery thread onto I always wind the thread back onto the ball. 

Of course, if there is less than a yard left it's not worth it. Why do I do this? Simply because if I put it on an embroidery thingy then I'd never know which ball it came off!!! By putting it back on the ball I know it's the right colour and shade in the right place. I also put a slip knot on the end that you can see so that I know that the thread I'm about to wind back onto another shuttle for another project in the future isn't going to be a full shuttle's worth. 

Does that make sense?  If not then file it under 'silly old woman rambling'.  Which actually is the truth!

A grump.

OK, today I'm going to do something I don't often do. I'm going to have a major grump.  Now, you may well ask, what have I got to grump about. Well, personally, not a lot as the subject of the grump doesn't affect me.

My major grump is about what is happening to my friends.  I'm grumbling about places like Pinterest and other similar boards where you can 'pin' things like patterns from books and magazines etc.  This sort of behaviour also happens on Facebook to a lesser degree and on blogs too - but not so often on those platforms.

I can understand why people scan books/patterns - I do as I want to preserve the book and not use it in case eventually it falls apart.  So, why DO people scan them and then put those scans online?  What do THEY actually gain from doing that?  Fame?  Fortune?  Followers?  It truly puzzles me.  All they're doing is denying another person or company of their income.

This action boils down to theft. Stealing. Robbery.  It's robbing the person who created the pattern/book of their income. Sometimes it's large companies and other times it's the self employed self publishing designer.  Even the large companies are affected and are less likely in future to invest their time and money in producing more pattern books.  Same with the small self publishing designers - they will give up too and probably even sooner.

Our craft only survives because of the patterns we already have and those who have the talent to provide more - don't let's destroy it.

So, please, if you're thinking of scanning and uploading ANYTHING that's from a  printed book or magazine THINK FIRST and please DON'T. Wherever you put something online it can be accessed and passed on.  

Would YOU publish your banking details online?  I think not.  By doing this it is exactly the same as publishing somebody else's bank details so that others can steal from their bank accounts.

Right - grump ended.

Day 9 and a mouse

Here is the link for day 9.

Well here is another new member of the Exclusive Tatting Club.

This time it's my friend Sue - also known as Pigmini. Her mouse arrived yesterday evening in a search for cheese, I think.

This is an unusual mouse as it's an albino one. If you go to this page you'll see him/her in the exclusive section of the club!!!

Another associate member

Yesterday was again thankfully busy with the TIAS but I'm going to hang back with day 9 until Wednesday to give the stragglers time to catch up. Also it gives me a day or two to catch up with myself too!!!!

Yesterday morning I had another application to join the Exclusive Tatting Club - see the page above this post. This time it was from Kristen who sent in a bauble so now becomes an associate member. I bet we'll soon be seeing her mouse!!!!

She says:

"I would like to apply for an Associate Membership in your exclusive club with this, my very first bauble attempt!!"

I hope to see you in the Exclusive club shortly, Kristen!

Do you like pink?

Now I DO like pink!!! Any sort of pink will do but pink it's got to be. Another chicken wing coaster for you to see.  Actually any bright colour is a favourite!!!

I am doing other things but with the Tat It And See taking a lot of time (which I LOVE) there isn't much left to do new things. 

I am trying to develop another pattern from the TIAS one and have been working on the new version since before the game started. I just find that some days BC3 just won't cooperate!!!!

Day 8

Day 8 is now ready on this link.

Just thought you'd like to know that I've been tatting along this year too!!! Well, I usually tat with everybody so I can help people out if they need it. Here's my offering!!!

More of the same!

Day 8 tomorrow!

Well here's another coaster. I'm afraid I'm going through a 'just playing with colours' phase at the moment with no real reason!! I think it's cause the Tat It And See is stopping me concentrating on one thing for very long. 

The thread for this one is Pansy by Yarnplayer (that's the pretty one) along with a plain something or other. Least I THINK I've got that right!!! Not sure what size this is but it's probably 20 but there again it could be 40. Sheeeeesh, I wish I had a brain that could do 'remembering' properly.

Having said that I'm 'just playing' - I am also working on another old pattern on my site as it's one that I love but could never quite explain the final join on the second motif. That's caused me hours of struggling to 'get it right' which I hope I'll eventually manage!!!

Day 7

Again I haven't anything to show you in the way of tatting. I have been doing some but not as much as usual as I've been busy with the TIAS and out for two days on the run. No, not actually running but out 'doing things'.

This is the link for day 7.  As today's part is short I have decided that Day 8 will be on Sunday.  

Busy day

Yesterday was wonderfully busy with the TIAS blog so I didn't manage (and forgot!) to get anything prepared for this blog!!! 

BUT I can tell you that Day 6 of the TIAS will be available tomorrow so stand my folks!!!!

Two old patterns return!

Day 6 is now available on this link.

It was kindly brought to my attention by a member of Craftree (still haven't found out whether there's anything happening about the TIAS on the Craftree site - any help, links would be welcome) that two of my patterns probably weren't on my site. 

They were originally hosted by the Ring of Tatters which I've now left. I asked them to take everything of mine off their site as I wasn't happy with it being there.

So the past two days I have been sorting out those 'missing patterns' and they're now available in the 'doodles' section and the 'motifs' section on the pattern pages.  I re-tatted them and re-wrote and drew them too.  That's why yesterday I was glad of a 'quiet' TIAS day!!!  

These are the two patterns that had 'gone on holiday' - a tiny star and a shuttle shape!!!

First of all - Day 6 will be out tomorrow morning!!!

Now I can't remember ever working a project in size 10 thread. I've always used 20 as it's what I first used as a kid. When Sue Anna generously sent me the last present of HDT there were a few skeins of 10 in the bag.

So I thought it would be an idea to try it out. I'd got the ball of off white which has been lurking in my cupboard for more years than I care to admit so the Chicken Wing Doily called out to me to that it needed an outing. 

What surprised me was that although it didn't look so good to my eyes while I was working it - one quick blast from the iron made it look really good.  I'll certainly be giving size 10 a whirl again another time!!!

So, here it is. The Yarnplayer HDT is called Tourmaline.

Sorted!

Over the past week or two I've been gradually trying to sort out the tips and techniques pages on my web site which you can find here.

I thought they were confusing so I've sort of categorised them all and put extra pages in to make the whole thing easier to navigate. 

The TIAS is going well - nobody has guess what it is so far. Least that's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!! Of course I could be teasing!!!

Day 5 now available

Day 5 of the Tat It And See is now available on this link. Hope to see you later in my inbox!!!!

Day 4

Here is the link for Day 4 of the Tat It And See. 

I will be posting Day 5 on Sunday too because day four is short.

Yet another

Tomorrow (Friday) will be day 4 of the TIAS

Now this is another of Yarnplayer's HDT threads in size 20. 

Oh, the outer is an old Flora, I think. I'm hopeless at writing down what I've used - I apologise.

Since I've 'cured' the silly middle of the coaster/doily I really love working this pattern.  

Downright theft

I've had something stolen off me again.  It doesn't often happen but when it does I get cross - VERY cross.  This time it's that wretched tooth fairy.  Now honestly, what HAVE I done to upset her?  Surely she's got enough teeth without stealing mine.  AND she didn't leave me any money - she charged ME for taking two of MY teeth.  I don't much like emergency visits to the dentist which result in the tooth fairy grabbing TWO of my teeth. She ought to get a life!!!

While the TIAS is going on I can't really settle to anything large or that will strain BC3's resources.  So I decided to have a go at the chicken wing doily as I wanted something pretty to give to a friend for her birthday. Currently I'm going through a 'number 40' phase so that's what I used for this. 

You may have noticed (or not!) that there is a slight alteration to the centre of the doily. This was because I don't like very large picots - specially ones that have to be measured (I have to make a gauge for this). I don't normally use gauges!!! So I changed both the coaster and doily patterns and they're already floating around in cyberspace in their newly changed 'state'. 

Links? Nah, go look for them!!! OK, I hear that Pigmini cursing me so here they are. Chicken wing coaster and chicken wing doily.

Day 3

The link for day 3 of the Tat It And See is here . 

Please feel free to join in at any time if you haven't already sent in the first two days.

5 chains and 4 rings

Day 3 of the Tat It And See will be out tomorrow - Tuesday.

Yes, that's all this doily needed to finish it. If you read this post you'll see what happened. 

Being a bit of a dozy old moo I'd set out to make the doily with Yarnplayer's pretty, oh so pretty hot pink and lime HDT. Never gave it a thought that I wouldn't have enough. That's how dozy I am. When I got to the last round I did sort of start to wonder but carried on regardless as with me - there's no going back!!!! I'm the sort of person who (when disaster strikes) think to myself - oh, heck, that's happened so let's see what is ahead and not regret whatever it is. My attitude was sorely stretched in my late 40's to early 50's when all the bad things happened within the space of four/five years but even then I used to think not of what 'might have been' but of what I could do to carry on. 

Unfortunately when you run out of an HDT and there's none in the seller's shop you tend to just push the item you're making in the drawer and try to forget. I suppose one day I may have cut off the final row but it would never have looked quite right.

As you know Marilee and Sue Anna 'bailed me out' and I've now finished the doily. I'm really, really pleased with it and it will make a great present for a special friend who loves bright colours like these.

A tale of two naughty ladies

Day two link is posted above this blog post.

This is a tale of two naughty ladies. Lovely, lovely lasses but nonetheless naughty. Why?

Well, remember this post here? 

Well the thread concerned was a hand dyed thread from Marilee (our one and only Yarnplayer) and I'd run out just before the finish. Me, being me, I just put it in the drawer and thought that that was the end of the story. BUT Marilee being Marilee decided it wasn't. 

Well I think it might have had something to do with Sue Anna who is her friend too and who must've read my blog and asked her if she'd anymore of the thread. Well, bless her cotton socks (bet her socks are tatted HDT cotton ones too!) she had a few yards left and she sent that to Sue Anna who (being the most generous soul you could ever meet) then added to the life saving (no, sorry, doily saving) few yards with the wonderful collection you can see in the second picture.  Thank you my dear friends - I will finish the doily this evening and blog it on Monday.  True, true mates.

Sorry the pictures aren't that good - blame the dull dreary days we're suffering at the moment.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I will release day 2 of the Tat It And See.

It's been a slow start this year which has actually worked well for me as I've had two busy days with today to follow in the same format. That's why I'm holding back on the next part until tomorrow. Gives me time to catch up with myself!!!

This TIAS is also being translated into Dutch on this blog too by my friend Riet.  Thank you, Riet.  

Started well

The Tat It And See has started well. A steady flow of day 1's coming in with not too many overnight ones either. That's a bit of a relief as I'll be in and out all day doing 'stuff'.

For those who haven't started - don't panic as you can join in at any time. Here's the link once again for the introduction. All links are at the top of this blog and the TIAS blog which is here.

Day 1 is now available

If you look above this post you'll see the links for the Tat It And See growing over the coming weeks. Here is today's link.

A bit more eye candy to show you. I really hope to sell these as I'm bored with putting things in the box in the cupboard. Well, there are two boxes and they're overflowing now!!!

Just another 24 hours

That's all there is until the start of the Tat It And See.

Meanwhile over the past week or two I've been making more Starry Button Bracelets and matching earrings. They're all in my Etsy shop right now.

Well, that's not strictly true as one bracelet is already on it's way to America - the beautiful blue one. So, if you look and say 'HOW much' then please remember the bracelets take an evening and a half to make and use a LOT of beads and six buttons. They really, really sparkle too.

I've added adjustable findings to them so they fit from a 6" - 7" wrist. Just thought I'd let you know they're there.

Oh, forgot to mention too that ALL the beads are included in the tatting and NOT sewn on afterwards. I never sew on after as I'm always afraid the beads will come off.

Updated pattern

Now some of you may have seen that I got a bit carried away with the button snowflake (Fandango one) just before Christmas. I've added a picture below. 

So as soon as I'd got the pattern pages sorted (yes, they're all done now) I decided to add the new version to the bottom of the page and you can find it here.

Two more 'sleeps' and it'll be time to start the TIAS.  Hope you're ready - I am!!!!

I just LOVE

Love, love, making these Starry Bracelets. I'll be listing this in my Etsy shop sometime soon - probably even today.  I'm not sure why but once I start on one I get addicted to making them and have to make more!!!! This is one I made last week.

Meantime my daytime job continues and today I can tell you that the 'odds and ends' page is finished on the web site. This is such a silly task I've set myself but at least I can find things easier now!!!  I'm receiving the odd complaint about it - mainly from Pigmini who is adding things to her 'to do' list that she's not seen before.  I'm adding things that I need to change or improve to MY list!

Finally today I must tell you about a tatting get together that I joined yesterday evening.  It was great.  I didn't even have to travel too far to get to it.

Well, I did walk from the front room to the back room!!!!  How did I do that?  Well Sue Anna Face Timed with me and she was with the Tollway Tatters.  Diane was there, Marilee and Barbara (think that was who I was pulling faces at as she tried to take a photo).  The wonders of this digital world are truly amazing.

Finally and just as I was heading for bed number 104 of last year's TIAS arrived.  Thank you, Adrian.  Here's the link to his sailing boat.

Another mouse

Well look what arrived JUST before the end of the year. A mouse from Davina-Marie. 

I'm not going to tell you all about it here - you'll just have to hop up to the Exclusive Tatting Club page which is here.

Yesterday was another long, long day sorting out the pattern pages. I've now finished the Motifs and Snowflakes page which took nearly all day yesterday (apart from a quick walk and a visit to a friend in hospital) and some of the day before too. My 'psychology' behind working the pages (in case you're interested) is to do the biggest first in the hope that the smaller pages may make the project go faster!!!

Happy New

Well, I do wish everybody a Happy New Year BUT I'm hoping that I can offer a bit more than that!!!  A Happy New Pattern Site too.

For the past week or so my poor nose (which is only small!) has been glued to the computer. Why, you may well ask. Or, there again, you may not be in the least interested.

Anyway - you're going to hear why whether you want to or not!!!

I've been re-vamping the pattern site. 

This has taken ages as I've had to upload thumbnails (after creating them) and then putting in all the links.  It's been quite a trip down memory lane too and some of the pictures aren't that good but over time I may well replace them.

This is what the first page looks like - well, part of it!!! I'll replace the usual url today - if I remember, of course. Meanwhile I'll continue with the other pages and will let you know when they're done.

Countdown

Just one more week until the start of the TIAS 2015.  Starts on January 7th.

Are you ready yet? 

Have you read the introduction here yet?

Are you taking part?

Suitable for beginners and upwards as long as you know how to do a split ring but as the game gives plenty of time it's easy to keep up and learn something new as you go.

Final Valencia

So the last few days have been quiet so I'm taking the opportunity to re-vamp my pattern site. 

It's a major overhaul so this blog may get neglected on and off for a short while. I am a terror when I get an idea in my head like this re-vamp. I simply HAVE to get it done and dusted but it's a huge task so it may take several weeks. I will update the live site as each part gets done and will let you know too.

In the evenings I've been plodding on doing several things - one of which was finishing Valencia.

There will be a short break!

Here on this blog there will be a short break over the next few days while the OG eats too much, drinks too much (maybe) and (more than likely) tats too much!!!! The diet will continue after the weekend (but tatting won't be on the diet)!!!  Spent part of this morning chasing the 'part of' a turkey we'd ordered round the car park at the local 'slightly out of town' shopping centre.  Caught the little stinker and pushed him home in my shopping trolley.  Hard work chasing 'parts of' turkeys I can tell you.  Fortunately it had been plucked and prepared for the oven.

BC3 wishes you all a Happy Christmas. May all your tats be successful during the season and the New Year.

Although I'm not a believer in anything (except waking up in the morning alive) I hope your beliefs (whatever they are) satisfy your souls.  

Last round

Gosh - forgotten I'd still got this in drafts!!!! 

This is a doily that I finished a few weeks ago and totally forgot about. I wanted to play with colours as usual and this is what happened!!!! I'll be giving this to a friend for her birthday which is soon. Poor lass - she'll have so many bits of tatting in her house that she'll soon freak out!!!