Anybody want to ride a carousel?

Before I start today I've got some news to pass on.  I had a message a few days ago from Teri Dusenbury's daughter telling me she's not well.  She's set up a new Facebook page for people to leave messages which she'll turn into postcards to give to her mum.  If you feel you'd like to leave a message then here's the link to the new page.  If you don't use Facebook then either email me or leave a comment here which I'll pass on.

Now I've GOT to show you this wonderful idea that Melanie Vliet (who lives in Southern California) has been working on for months and months.

She's used several designs and made this carousel with them. It's being entered in a fair so I hope she does really well with it. What a splendid idea.

Bits and bobs.

Today I'm showing you the little covers I've made for my scissors and tiny crochet hook. Not the best sewing I've ever done but that's no problem as these are made just for the trip and will probably be lost afterwards.  Although, having thought again about what I've just written - probably not as putting the covers on these two items will stop me from a) losing them (particularly the hook) and b) sitting on them and having a 'nasty surprise' in my bum!!!

Since taking these pictures I've added a loop to the scissor one and a piece of chain (in case I want to take it apart!!!). Also made another hook cover too as I wasn't too happy with this first one. I've used the little plastic cover that came with the hook and have glued it into the fabric which surrounds it. 

Well if nothing else - it kept me out of mischief for an hour or two!!!

Rachel

Now this is a little gem to tat. The design is (in my opinion) a terrifically great one as it just 'works'. I only wish it was my design but at least it belongs to one of my favourite tatters (and amazing bobbin lacer). Anybody guess?

Well it's Rosemarie Peel's design and comes from one of her books. The pattern is in the book called (Tatting Basic Patterns). Just had a look and she's still got copies of that book here on her site.

I'm taking this pattern and shuttles to make another of these little mats while I'm travelling. I can't tat on the plane but I can in the departure lounge and I'll be spending a few hours there!!!

Tat Days smiley pattern

Well the things that slip my aged mind (and BC3) are many and various!!! 

I had an email from a lass at Palmetto Tatters asking me if she could use my Smiley pattern to make some for another event. Of course the answer was 'yes' but it made me think. Now this guy (well over a hundred of them) went to America with me last year - just so I could give everybody a smile. It was on the Palmetto CD too but, of course, I've forgotten to put it on my site. So, what's new there? Nothing!!!

I've got another set of what I called 'Emotitats' (thanks to somebody who suggested the name and who has a better brain than me) and they're over here. I made those to add to business cards but so far haven't 'got roundtoit'!!! Nothing new there!

Anyway, here's the link to the big Smiley. Hope somebody makes and enjoys it. Great for spontaneous little gifts to somebody who feels down in the dumps, perhaps?

Progress has been made!!!

I'd forgotten yet again to show you more of the Jan doily!!! This time it's rounds 14 and 15 which I finished a week or more ago.  

Where IS my brain at the moment? 

Ah, I know - buried in a suitcase somewhere!!!

A new mouse has arrived

Remember Helene's bauble/bobble from this post?

Well after just a few days she's back and is now a full member of the Exclusive Tatting Club which you can find above this post.

Now, I'm not going to tell you what she said as you don't want to read it twice but I will tell you that it's a fun comment!!!  You'll just have to read the link above!!!  I'm a real old meanie but you should've realised that before now!!

Here's the picture she sent.

Butterflies!

Here's another Japanese knot bag that I made a few weeks ago. Along with the others it's sitting in my suitcase and will be looking to emigrate permanently to Canada!!!

Butterflies cover this bag and I was very tempted to keep it!!! 

Packing (and un-packing) continues and today I collected some Canadian dollars. Well I don't think 'collected' is quite the right word! I bought some Canadian dollars!!! I must say they're prettier than the American ones - come on, America buck your ideas up!!!

A celtic motif

I was always fascinated with this type of tatting which was invented by Rosemarie Peel. It's what is known as Celtic Tatting. I first saw it in one of her books. This is made simply using two separate motifs and interweaving them. A final row then 'locks' them to form the final motif. 

The other later form which involves a long chain which is tied into a knot of some sort is what I personally call Celtic Knot Tatting. A different thing altogether.

Anyway this is a design I did some years ago and it fits into a metal ring (bracelet). 

That was a day - that was

I'm talking about yesterday. Sue (Pigmini) came round again and we had another great time starting at Chez Eborall and then progressing round the town's charity shops.

At one point we got 'trapped' in a coffee place by the rain so what did we do? Pulled out the shuttles and talked tatty talk!!! We played with a few ideas and ended up learning from each other - as you do.  

After that it was a visit to Poundland and then back for another coffee at home. We talked about all sorts of things and found we had even more in common than we already knew.

So, here's a bookmark I made a week or two ago. It's the Ring of Roses bookmark. Love these two colours but don't ask me what they are!!!

Round 13

Another round done. Sadly this darn doily has now taken over my life!!! 

I can't seem to leave it alone. Even though each round is longer it seems to go quite quickly. Not sure why!!! 

Before I go - I'm going to put my Etsy shop on vacation shortly just so I don't have to deal with any problems too close to my trip. There's not much in there at the moment and the last few things will go into my suitcase along with lots of other things. I always try to take some bits and pieces to sell at the tatting conferences as any sales help towards the costs of the flights, insurance etc.

A new member

I received another new bauble/bobble from Helene on Saturday and she's now residing in the Exclusive club as an associate member. 

I've got a feeling that it won't be long before she produces a mouse and becomes a full member. If you want to see who else is in the club then please click here.

These baubles/bobbles are just SO addictive and in case you've forgotten or lost the link then the book can be found here.

Packing and wondering

As I'm gradually packing things into the suitcase (and carry on) I'm wondering how many of these pests I can take with me. 

Darn things (for those who don't know - they're Canada Geese) are the scourge of the riverside in town. I walk round the recreation ground most days and these pesky things are 'there' and trying to take over from our swans. 

Did you know that a Canada Goose poops 2 lbs a day? Not nice and not healthy either.

Anyway I will be trying to squeeze a few in to return them to the Canadians in a few weeks time -  we don't want them here.

How many do you think I'll manage? 

Kelly - will Dennis and Hannah mind you having a few new 'guests'?  I can re-home them with Ruth if you'd rather!!!!  They're coming, though - whatever you say!!!!

Another Japanese knot bag

Today I'm showing you another Japanese knot bag. This one is no longer in my possession - it's flown the nest!! 

Sandra (Crazy Mom) gave me the cat fabric and as she has two cats which she is owned by I thought she ought to get a bag!!! Having lost everything in her house fire eighteen months ago I felt she'd need another bag. Also she's teaching at Palmetto next week so it may come in useful to carry her tatting things around in. 

I split the bag with two different fabrics just cause it seemed to be a 'good idea'!!!! I think it looks classy.

Round 12 completed and more

This is round 12 completed of the Jan doily. I just can't seem to leave the darn thing alone!!! There are many other things I ought to be doing but it just pulls me back each day.

Below the doily is a picture of me (promise - I was sober at the time!) and Sue (Pigmini from Yorkshire) who I met on Tuesday. We've met before and had a good 'tat natter' and this was another occasion for the same thing!!  Poor Chris put up with it well!!!  I think we covered a lot of patterns, threads etc.  Actually didn't really get to talk about much else!!!  Threads, beads, buttons, patterns, hooks, threads, beads, patterns, buttons - well, you get the gist!!!

It was a miserable day (weather wise) so we wandered from coffee shop to library to another coffee place.  That's the way life is in my neck of the woods!!! 

Two new patterns!

It's happened AGAIN. I'd completely forgotten that I'd done these keys as submissions for last year's Palmetto Tat Days.  When will I remember things?!?!?

I was snurging around on my main computer looking for something or other when I suddenly noticed a key!!!   I had to go and check my web pages to see whether they were 'up there' and lo and behold - they weren't!!!

Well, they are now!!  If you go to the 'Odds and Ends' section you'll find the links there!!! I seem to have a lot of 'odds and ends' lately.

Oh, a thought occurred to me. I suppose you could make a card with an 'key', a 'two' and a 'heart' for a loved one.  Something like a 'key to my (not sure how you'd do 'my') heart'. Next Valentine's day? Anyway, these make lovely pendants too.

Another seahorse!

Another of the seahorses - just because I like making them!!!! 

Just hoping that the designing 'mojo' will return when I get back from my trip cause if it doesn't then the TIAS won't happen in January!!! 

I have got an idea so don't panic just yet. Just need to sit down and sort it out and retrieve it from BC3 and put it into thread!!!

Abandonned edging

Not one of my best ideas for colours! This is an edging I started for a handkerchief. A plain white one. 

The thread is from Edda and you can see all about it here.

It's a delight to use and that wasn't why I cut the shuttles off. I just didn't like how it was turning out!!  I think it's a lack of contrast between the plain and the variegated or it could be simply that I didn't really like it for the white hanky.  Just me and my weird way of thinking.

So, I started something else with the same shuttles and I'll show you once it's finished. 

Another 'good buy'

I was again lucky on Ebay when this lot came up a couple of weeks ago. 

I paid the small sum of £3.19 which included £1.20 in postage.

When I think about it (and I do sometimes think!!) this is cheaper than when I used to buy them brand new in the local shops as a kid!!!  Is this the best bargain of the 'season' do you think?

Another Japanese knot bag

Now this time I tried using two different fabrics on each full side of the bag. 

I have enough fabric to make another exactly the same as this one so may well keep one of them for myself. 

 Again - if you want one reserved then please ask.

Another of the shuttles

This is one of the shuttles in the lot I won on Ebay recently. I'm not sure if it's ivory or bone but think it's more likely bone. 

The two ends on the middle picture look as if they've had part of the surface scraped off but they're actually very, very smooth. No idea what this means but perhaps one of our experts will be able to tell me.

All I know is that it's a lovely shuttle.  

Mistakes and corrections!!!

My latest bag making is the Japanese knot bag. I showed you this one which Liz took away with her a week or so ago. There's something about this type of bag that appeals to me!!! 

It's not that it's 'easy' even though there are no zips or buttons etc - it's more 'interesting' in the way it's constructed (fully lined too). This is another one with a round bottom (just like mine, you could say!!) and I find my bottom is very useful for sitting on - so does this bag too!!!

The top picture shows my first real 'boo boo'. Can you see the upside down peacocks? Well, that had to be unpicked and they had to 'go'!!

There are three fabrics used in this one which I think makes it rather 'jolly'!! That's if you can call a bag 'jolly', of course!!! 

I've no idea what I'm going to do with these bags but if there's anybody who is going to Fringe Element Tat Days and who would like one then please let me know and I'll reserve it for you. There are more to come but these are, at the moment, a limited edition of 5!!!

Finish round 11 and a surprise!!

First of all I have to say thank you to Gail.  You'll see why if you follow this link!!  I'm not telling what the thank you is for - you'll have to look!!!!

I finished a week or more ago but I forgot to blog it!!! Round 11 done and dusted and well into round 12 now. 

Sadly for other things I 'ought to be doing' this project is still totally enjoyable.  I think it's the challenge of working out bead placements and stitch counts that keeps me going and the thought of 'what if I do' for each round too!!!  So far I've still limited myself to the three colours and I think it'll stay that way too.

A new member of the Exclusive club!

StringyDogs is the latest person to join the mouse club and she sent in her little chap a couple of days ago. 

You can see him on the exclusive page at the top of the blog. I'm not going to say what StringyDogs had to say - you'll have to go and look for yourself but here are the pictures she sent.

This wee mouse has put temptation in my way yet again but I have to resist for a while as there are other 'things' I need to do to prepare for my trip to Canada and Fringe Element next month.  I must say that the other day I went to the site to look up what I needed to take in the way of tatting 'stuff' and found that it had changed and become much, much nicer.  Cleaner and more vibrant and with pictures too.  Here is a link to their new look web site.  

Another seahorse

While I was making this little chap I suddenly remembered that I'd changed the pattern a bit some time ago!!!  Tatting changes over the years and so has my notation too.  I realised that the version I've been working on is an 'old' one and that somewhere on the iMac there was a newer one!

So, yesterday I went searching and found it, pdf'd it and uploaded it to replace the older version!!!  It's more detailed and (I hope) more user friendly!!! So, here it is.

Oh, the seaweed is simply split rings of 4 + (bangle) 4 / 8.  I used a 3" bangle with size 20 thread.

Just a seahorse!

I fancied a change!!! I needed/wanted to make something different so I turned to the dear old seahorse for that very reason. 

I remember the excitement of this design back in probably 2001. I was doing the odd bit of 'work' for a magazine here in the UK and the craft editor rang me up one evening to ask me to do a seahorse. I asked her what the deadline was and she said - 'three days'!!! 

Now anybody who's tried to do any design other than a simple flowery one will realise the panic that set in!!!! Actually it came together very easily much to my surprise and I had it done within a week - drawings too. 

When was it published? Two years later!!! Now what was that panic all about?!?!?

Shuttle comparisons

I showed you the shuttle on the left which is one of this batch that I won on Ebay recently.

The one on the right was given to me by a lady who lived in a beautiful thatched cottage opposite Shottery church (not that far from Anne Hathaway's cottage). I was about 14 when it was given to me as a new tatter. I never did find out if Mrs Wildig was a tatter or not but this little beauty has been with me ever since and won't be going anywhere else - not in a hurry, anyway.

It's interesting to see them both together. Slightly different in design and in size.

I've DONE it!!!

Finally got the time yesterday to finish off and upload the rest of the patterns I'd forgotten.

They're all on the 'odds and ends' page which is here.

There are two breeds of gingerbread men - one on a button and one 'plain' and a large cupcake which can be made into a pendant to go with yesterday's smaller one.

When WILL you all listen to me?

I keep TELLING you all I'm bonkers and that I don't have a memory (actually that's not down to old age - it's always been bad) but you never believe me.  Perhaps you will if you read this post!!!!

It wasn't until somebody mentioned a cupcake on Facebook yesterday that I remembered that I'd done one (or two) for Palmetto Tat Days last year. They were making jokes about it so I went to look for the link on my pattern site. Well, of course, it wasn't there!!! Why? Because I'd forgotten to put it there!!

The patterns taught at Tat Days go onto a CD which anybody can buy so I don't usually upload the patterns I've taught until the following February. Well this year February came and went (I believe) and I just darned forgot!! 

So yesterday I started uploading the patterns. Got four up and then realised that they hadn't got the abbreviations on so I'll add the rest tomorrow - got the small ones finished and they're here.

These are teeny tiny cupcakes and ideal for earrings or similar. The other cupcakes (coming soon) are about right for a pendant.

Round 11

Just started on round 11. This darn doily is becoming (or, do I mean 'has become') an addiction! I really, really ought to be doing other things and am slowly weaning myself off it at the moment. This is the time of year when I should be thinking of the TIAS and Christmas designs but I can't get BC3 to start on it yet.