New top

When we did the changeover of the grandchildren a week or two ago I wandered into Cotton Traders which has a shop at the Evesham Garden Centre.

Now I RARELY find anything I like or which fits me but this was my lucky day. Most of the things in there are 'old lady' things.  Oh, I know I'm old but I've never claimed to be a 'lady' or want to dress like either!!!  The top picture shows the top I bought and the bottom one shows it on it's way to being 'amended'!!!! 

Plan one was to unpick the machine embroidery - it really didn't 'do' anything for me and I still have a hangover from the days when I used to make all my own (and the kid's) clothes and hate seeing people in the same things as me. After about ten minutes I realised I was on the way to nowhere!!! Plan two had to come into operation!!!!  What was that?  Well, a quick rummage in my fabric stash, a piece of newspaper and a pair of scissors and I'd made a pattern out of a piece of fabric I'd found that was a darn good match.

The next hour or two was spent hand sewing the new pieces onto the top.  The beauty of this top is that the fabric is substantial and that the yoke was two layers with a sort of 'dip' to fit the 'amendment' into.

Next task?  Well, I'll leave you to guess!!!!  It MAY have something to do with tatting, don't you think?!?!?!

A bit of a story!

Before I start - don't forget I've got an Elgiva Nicholls book finishing on Ebay tomorrow!!!  

Many years ago I used to buy most of my fabric from the Friday street market in Stratford. From before my girls were born there used to be two stalls selling fabric and when they were young I bought remnants a lot of the time which turned into their dresses. All my fabric for myself and them came from either Cliff or David (the stall owners). Both disappeared many years ago and I suppose it was around then that I stopped sewing clothes. Also ready made garments became cheaper and fabric from our local shop seemed to become more and more expensive.

Imagine my delight while walking through the market yesterday when I spotted a fabric stall. Do I need more fabric? Well, yes and no!!! No because I still have a bit left and am acquiring some from a friend but yes, because - well I get bored with what I've got and I can't resist a pretty fabric when I see it. 

So I asked the guy the prices of his roles and he said they were Liberty Lawn and that they varied. I knew that they would be more than I wanted to pay and also 'not quite' what I was looking for. He then invited me 'round the back' of his stall where he said he had some at a much more reasonable price!!!! Now 'round the back' for all you with vivid imaginations was NOT a hidey hole but the stall faced the other way too - towards the Lamplighter pub. Well I looked and looked and had to give in to these two pieces!!!! Just loved the elephants and then the brightness of the flowery one called my name too.  

So, do I feel more square bags coming over me?  Hmmmmm, yes, I think I do!!!!!

It's all Sally's fault!

Exactly that. Honestly what would you do with little sisters?!?!?! 

I think this must be one of the fastest patterns I've ever done. Sally asked for a barn owl in a bit of a hurry. Said she didn't have time to do one herself so could I?  Well I'm never slow at taking a challenge although I have several in the pipeline (one is another design I did for her too!). 

So here, after just over a week, is the barn owl. There are sooooo many owls done in tatting that I thought it would be a huge challenge BUT BC3 was around with nothing to do and he said 'how about a sideways one'?  The rest, as 'they' say, is history and here he is.

I guess that with ear tufts and a bit of 'playing around with' he could be any 'sort of' owl but really I'd have to ask 'Anitra of the Owls' for more information about that.  This link that I've added is to her and her husband's site.  Anitra and her DH take in raptors etc and look after them in a rescue refuge.  She has lovely stories about owls.  

Threads - part 2

Well the threads from Edda arrived very quickly considering that Easter 'got in the way'!!!! 

BUT imagine my surprise when I opened the packet and found these inside as well as the threads (see yesterday's post) that I'd ordered. WOWOWOWEEEEEEEEE.

I wrote to Edda straight away and thanked her profusely. Do you know what she said? Well, this is her reply "A little hank for every design of yours I made! You are so generous, too!!!"

These are her Penny size 20 and they work up brilliantly too. I'll show you a motif I'm working on another day (when I've found it again!). The thread works so well - no problems with it being slippery at all.  Now I'm torn between the size 20 and the size 30!!!  What IS an old git going to do?  Well, tat on, I guess!!!

Threads - part 1

Now if there's anything I don't need in life then it's more thread. I've gallons, yards, oodles and more threads - BUT.

Lately there's been a lot of talk about the Ankars method of tatting and I've watched all the 'goings on' about it. I've not been tempted to try it, though as the thought of SEWING ON the beads after the tatting is done is an anathema to me. Don't ask me why as I can't explain it but I really, really don't trust beads sewn onto tatting. Well, that's got that off my chest!!!

I've seen the talk of using polyester thread for Ankars and again I held back as I have a dread of polyester thread. I bought some years ago and it was awful. It fought me at every twist and turn and in the end I gave it all away cause it was just tooooo darn slippery.  Ever met an eel?  Well it was worse than that.  Well, I guess so but I've never actually met an eel really.

Anyway, reading all the comments about Edda's polyester thread on Facebook gave me the urge to try some for 'regular' tatting (not Ankars) so I ordered some. Below are the two colours I chose in Penny 30. Here's a link to her shop - which is actually easy to use and if you get stuck (like I did!) Edda is always around to help.

So, my verdict on this thread? I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. It's tame and easy to use. I like the thickness of this size 30 which will make lovely handkerchief edgings and motifs.

More on Edda's threads tomorrow.

Ebay listing and have you ever seen?

I've listed the tatting book on Ebay.  Here's the link.  Here is a link to my previous post too.

Have you ever seen a bollard cozy before? 

Well, now you have if you look below. 

This lady was at Crafternoon knitting one on Friday. For those who don't know what a bollard is - here's a link.  Now we couldn't find out what the reasoning is behind this but I think I must remind you that the last time we met she was knitting an asparagus!!!!  Bottom picture on this page.

Well, well, well

For those who have wondered (thanks for your concern, Muskaan) why I've been quiet for a while - here's the reason in the picture below.

No, NOT because I've just been making butterflies but the reason for that is because I've been 'trapped' in children's playgrounds with two grandchildren!!! I take the butterflies to work on as they are easy to do and they eventually get stuck onto my business cards (only business I run is monkey business!!!). The kids went home on Thursday, sadly for me.

Each butterfly takes around 6 minutes to make so you can see I spent a bit of time in the playgrounds!!!!  

Yesterday I noticed that the same book I'm going to put on Ebay is up for sale here. The reason I'm putting this link here is because the seller has some more pictures of the colour plates on their listing. I really didn't want to open my copy too much as it may stress the spine.

Elgiva book

Well it's been a quiet time here on the blog for a while!!! Not that I'm not busy but simply because I've had an invasion of 'small people' for the week!!! They've now gone home, sadly.

Sally has been keeping me busy too as I've been working on a couple of suggestions from her!!!  Gotta keep little sisters happy, eh?  All will be revealed in due course!!!

I'm showing you this today as I'll be listing it on Ebay sometime soon. Probably next week. It's that wonderful book by Elgiva Nicholls and is a 'rare breed'. A bit like me, I guess!!!!  This copy is in an immaculate condition and I couldn't resist buying it when I spotted it for sale.  

Royal Mail strikes again!!!

No, the postman isn't on strike - that's the good news.

The EVEN BETTER news is that Royal Fail has changed it's pricing structure on certain items which meant a very nice surprise when I mailed the last two bags to the purchasers the other day.  This all happened on the first of April.  Now instead of the items being called a 'small packet' they're now called International Large Standard Letter.  Sheeeeesh.

Now I know this is right for the purchase of the square bags now in my Etsy shop but I'll check the shuttle costs when I get more of those.  I've now lowered the cost of postage on everything in the shop and refunded the overpayment to the two lasses (returning customers too) who bought over the Easter weekend.  Every little helps!!! 

Just replaced one of the sold bags as I've still got some of that fabric left.  Here it is.

A few more

Not a few more patterns but a few more of the square bags!!! Despite of or in spite of a pretty busy week I've managed to get a few more bags packaged and listed here in the Etsy shop.  There will be just that one purple bag in case you were wondering.  It's twin went 'elsewhere'!!!!!

Tatting progress is sort of slow at the moment but mainly cause I'm fiddling with ideas.  Not earth shattering ones but quite interesting, I think.  You'll get to hear of them sometime I hope.  

New pattern

Before I start - number 111 of the Tat It And See has arrived.  See it here.

Now there's quite a story behind this pattern. It was done originally for a book but the editor changed her mind after commissioning it. 

I forgot all about it until one day Pigmini asked me about an edging picture that she'd seen on my site (before I changed it the last time)!!! I was puzzled as I didn't recognise it either!! So, after a search of my main computer I finally tracked it down and it was the reject one!!! 

That's why it got re-named and is now known as 'The Forgotten Edging' - because the OG forgot all about it!!!! 

I've just made the hanky below using it and must admit I really enjoyed making it. This one is worked in size 80 thread (Lizbeth) and it holds up well. 

By that I mean that there's sufficient colour in it and it's firm. There are plentiful picots to join to the hanky (I always sew on after the edging is complete) and if you're crafty you can do SLT's (notated in the pattern) so that you never have to take the chain thread off your left hand. I'm lazy and proud of it!!!!!

It's also a simple pattern to remember - another bonus for my poor BC3!

So, I bet you want to know where the instructions are? Well, they're here!!!

More mice!

Now in the title to this post you'll see it says 'more mice'. So, you may well ask, why am I only showing you one?!?!?!?

That's to make you go and visit the others on the tab at the top called 'Exclusive Tatting Club'!!! Oh, OK, here's a direct link too.

These guys were sent in by Gaye who sent in this comment (more of the comment on the club page too).

"My photo is called "Wud we like pie for tea". Hope you like them.

Regards

Gaye"

Am I a tease? YES, I hope so!!!!

It rained ALL day!

Well when that happens what does an old git do except sew her little socks off? 

Here are some more bags which are now here in the shop. The bottom one might give you 'paws for thought'!!!

I've another five to finish off and there's another butterfly one in the shop too which replaces a similar one which sold last week. I love that butterfly print. 

There then - that's what happens when it rains!!!  I sew and sew and sew!!!

Crafternoon

A great time at Crafternoon yesterday. I forgot to show you these two pictures of tatters taken over the past two weeks. I have two friends who are learning but unfortunately they can't get to the library every week.

 

Yesterday there was a lady who is knitting. Go on, wait for it. An asparagus!!!
 

Why an asparagus? I forgot to ask but I expect it's cause there's a lot of asparagus grown locally. I'm hoping to see the finished one and if she brings it along I'll take another photo to show you.

 

Phewwww

It's been a busy and problem fraught few weeks. Not sure why everything has to 'go wrong' all at the same time!!! Leaking round the top of a bath, damp kitchen ceiling (because of that), hole then to repaired in aforementioned ceiling, broken window etc, etc. Still almost all sorted by 'men wot do' so life should settle down again now, I hope.

But tatting has been going on and sewing too. I'm pleased to say that two more bags (or is it four?!?!?) have been made. Some new fabrics will be in this next batch but I can't show you yet as I've not taken any photographs. Maybe later today? 

As the weather is slightly less cold it will soon be time to get into the garden. That will mean less time for sewing but tatting will continue as that's evening 'work'! 

Tatting at the moment is happening but only with things I can't really show just yet. I'm test tatting for a Palmetto Tat Days teacher and that's going well. An intriguing pattern which falls into place beautifully on the final round. A designer to be watched as she could force me into retirement - very soon. Good for her, says I.  

Sorry - no pictures today but hopefully there'll be some tomorrow.

Custom order

Now this is a custom order from one of the guys I help with computers on a Thursday morning. He saw a pendant I was wearing the other week and asked me if I could make him one in a paler purple and also make earrings too.  Not for him to wear, I may add, but for him to give as a gift.

I like making this pattern so that wasn't a problem at all with the pendant. I was wearing longer earrings than those in this picture and he asked if I could make smaller ones. Easy peasy. I remembered this pattern which is another I like making as I can play with colours and they're reasonably sized too. 

I gave him the set last week and he seemed quite pleased with it.  

This one's for MEEEEEE

Whoops. I nearly forgot to show you this bracelet. I made it a few weeks ago but I'm not quite sure where it is now!!! It'll be 'somewhere in the house'!!!

 

Made with Rainbow Splash and using this pattern. 

 

I have more of them (but not this thread - you'd have to ask me for that!!) in the Etsy shop which is here.

A good weekend!

This weekend I managed to make a few more of the square bags. I'm really, really enjoying making these. I think I've caught a bug off Diane (here's her blog) over making things. I'm like her - I get into something I really enjoy and so have to make, make, make!!!

OK, I know you think you've seen all of these before but these are all new.  The top two are repeats as the original first ones were bought almost as soon as they were listed and the other two (the blue ones) are repeats as I'd got the fabric already cut out.  

I did make a new one but I've not had time to take a photo of it.  It's a really cheerful one - sunshine yellow.

They are also useful for traveling even if only for odds and ends or even if just popping down to the shops!!!  When they get mucky - they're easily washed and dried then they're back in use once more.  

I'm keeping some for myself - for different projects.  I usually have two or three projects on the go and normally they just 'sit there' on my table.  Sometimes they are there for ages and collect dust.  By putting projects in bags they are protected from my lack of housework skills!!  

Diamonds all round.

Well that's another tatting adventure finished!! Least I think I've finished although I could well pick it up again sometime in the future and add more diamonds.

It always amazes me how even bonkers colours can work together. I'd never have thought these combinations would work, would you? 

I've been tempted to keep the small square bags I'm making (see my Etsy store) to store different projects in.  I find them really useful.  I'm really pleased that I've already sold four of them and hope to get time to sew once more next week.  

This past week has seen me juggling problems which no normal person has to deal with.  They've taken time and energy with no solution yet in sight.  Still I have kept my sense of humour throughout - it's my most valuable asset!!!

Shuttles and more bags

I'm going to list six Pop A Bobbin Shuttles and all the square bags today as soon as this post goes live. 

I've managed to make four more bags over the past few days and they're going in the shop too. 

Now just thinking about the bags.  Are there any colours or suggestions that anybody would like me to make?  I'm also happy to make from your own fabric too if you want to send it to me.  Small cost for the zip and time plus the postage back to you.  Just a thought!!!!  Contact me first before sending, though so that I can give advice on how to avoid me having to pay import duty.  Mind, it would have to be a HECK of a lot of fabric to cause that!!!!

Elizabeth's crocodile

This is a crocodile who came to visit me last week!!! Isn't he cute? I really loved the background of Elizabeth's picture and told her how I admired it. She said that - well, I'll let her tell you.

"One thing about the background. I was going to my brother's one day about 6 miles from here and looked over to the side of the road and saw those trees and water. I stopped and just had to take a photo of it. It was so strange because it was just there in the middle of nothing. Always nice to have your camera with you. Have a good day."

I think the picture is great.  Not sure I'd want to wander through those trees 'just in case' there was a tatted crocodile in there!!!  He might nibble my toes!!

The reason for the new toys!!

This is why I bought the new 'toys'!! I'm back in sewing mode already - although it's really too cold in the conservatory at the moment!!! I froze my little socks off over the weekend to make these first few square bags as I really, really wanted to play.

Now, they may look like the squared away bags I made last year but they're actually slightly (very slightly) bigger and I've found a new and improved way of putting the zips in.  I've added ends to the zips so that there is no gap at each end of the zipper.   Does that make sense? Let me show you a close up of one.   These bags proved SO popular when I took them with me to America last year that I need to stock up again for the Canadian trip and for the Etsy shop too.

So, these bags will shortly go into my Etsy shop here along with six more Pop A Bobbin Shuttles.  Just need to get them all sorted and photographed and into the shop.  Where does the time go?

Now what am I up to now?

This arrived a few days ago. Yes, it's a box!!! A big box!! Now, what's inside? Hardly likely to be tatting tools, is it?

Well it's sort of tatting related but you'll have to wait and see why. 

If you scroll further down you'll see what I treated myself to. I blame Crafternoon for this. 

One of the ladies does patchwork and she was using a cutting mat and a rotary cutter a few weeks ago and kindly let me 'have a go' with hers. I must admit I was very impressed so decided that I'd treat myself to the 'kit' of mat, cutter and ruler. More about progress in another post!

Last of this session.

This is the last bracelet so 'normal' (if the word normal could ever apply to me) service will be resumed on Monday!!!!

I want to talk about two different issues today. Well, not so much 'talk about' but more 'tell you about' two recent experiences.

The first one was when I was contacted by a lady from Italy who had used the body of my octopus and made a 3D owl pattern from it. She wanted permission to publish it mentioning the source of the body of the owl.  I happily said that was fine. Lovely conversations were had and I did a few drawings for her owl. I hope that in time we can get both versions (English and Italian) up in the guest designer's part of my web site. 

The second issue I want to talk about happened when I was added to a Facebook group. Now I'm not a great lover or user of Facebook (I still don't understand 'tagging') but I'm really nosy!!! So I went to the group and had a look around. Imagine my dismay when I found at least five copyrighted books in the files section. I did mention this on the timeline and I'm hoping these will be removed.  

The other thing that worried me (in the same files section) was the translation into Italian of another English person's pattern. That would be fine, in my opinion, if the designer had been contacted (out of politeness) and if the designer's name had been put on the translated document.  If you think about it - if a pattern is translated from one language to another then it really ought to have a link to the original page and the designer's name (also the person who translated it) should be on the new translated page. To not put the designer's name on is rude and would probably count as copyright theft.  What do you think?

Well the lady who translated it did put the name of the designer on the pattern so again I thank her.  Thank her for respecting the designer.

Now my problem is - I seem to no longer be a member of that group.  I probably inadvertently pressed the wrong button on Facebook.  I don't like Facebook much - have I said that before?  Probably.  BUT remember I am a boring old woman who's brain cells are dying fast!!!

Am I boring you?!?!?

Sorry but if I am then I apologise but I must get these out of my system before I forget!!!! 

If anybody wants a pair of earrings to match then they can be made!!! I used a very subtly variegated Coats thread for this bracelet. I really like this one. No, Jane, you can't keep all you make. 

Now available in my Etsy shop here.

Another one done

The reason that there seems to be a sudden rash of bracelets here in the Etsy shop is because I tend to make them steadily over the weeks. I'll do a bit of one then put it down and go off and do something else. Then I find I've got several made but then BC3 reminds me I could perhaps do 'just one more'!!!

Eventually, after losing and finding them, (usually under the scanner) I need to finish them off. That's another hurdle. I do slightly stiffen them with slightly diluted white glue so it's easier to wait until I've got several finished and then do them all at once.

So, that's another stage done but the final hurdle has to be achieved. Packaging and photographing (or scanning) them all. That's why it takes so long to get them in the shop!!!

Now IF I have a custom order then I work like a bat out of hell to get the order done in double quick time. I sometimes wonder where I got BC3 from. Was he inherited or is he an infection?

A progression of diamonds!

Well I've finished another round of diamonds. Notice - the 'odd man out' has been snipped and consigned to the bin!!! You can see which one it was on this link.

I must apologise but I forgot to say yesterday that I'd had another pair of scissors arrive on Monday. So, here's the link to that one. 

Now let me think.  Is there anything else I've forgotten?  Well I'm sure there is but I'll have to leave that til tomorrow!!

Green bracelet

Well over the weekend I managed to get on pretty well with making bracelets!!! Quite why I'm stuck in this mode is beyond me but I expect I'll get better in time!!!

I've listed this one and the purple one here in my Etsy shop. I think I've got another three in various stages of progress!!! A blue, a beige and a red one with black beads - it's a variegated red too.  I hope to get them finished over the next few days.