Robin's snowflake

Today it's all about Robin's snowflake which is shown below.

I just happened to be 'quick off the mark' when she asked for test tatters and I must make some comments about her pattern.

It's really cool. Clear, precise and easy (even for somebody with only three brain cells) to follow and she uses standard notation which I really appreciate instead of calling 'stuff' new names which would cause me to be forever referring to the abbreviations. What I particularly LOVED about it is that it's only two pages. I despair of 'fancily written' patterns with lots and lots of white space and 'silly' fonts (not easy to read for old eyes) and GINORMOUS pictures/diagrams. I think the 'fashion' for these has come from an idea that if you sell a pattern the buyer expects 'lots of value for money' and the pattern is expanded as much as possible. I've often been tempted to buy patterns (well, sometimes!) and the thought of having pages and pages of 'fancy stuff' on oodles of pages with a veritable storm of snow white space just puts me right off.

I never ever print off patterns - not even my own. I really don't see the point of wasting ink and paper on something I may never do many times so I always work from the digital copy or scan a book page and work from that. Habit formed over years of writing the darn things down, losing bits of paper, finding them and then not being able to understand what I was on about!!!

Little box!

I'd forgotten this little box. This is a pattern that Judith Connors taught at the Fringe Tat Days. I was lucky enough to be in her lesson and started it off there. Finished it when I was at Terry's house and finally stiffened it when I got home to the UK.

It's a sweet little box and a joy to make. The flower on the top wasn't a good choice to make so one day I'll replace it with something better.

A bit of a teaser!!!!

Before you all start worrying - yes, I'm still tatting. Can't break the habit of almost a lifetime, can you?

Today I'm showing you further progress on the patchwork. This photo was taken a week or more ago so and is well out of date as the item is actually now finished!!!!

As you can see - this is the back of the 'whatever it is' with all the papers in.  I tried another way of sewing round the papers which I thought was a brilliant idea. 

It involved just turning the fabric over the paper and catching (just the fabric)  at each of the corners. This meant no sewing through the paper which made it much faster. BUT I soon found that the papers quickly 'popped out' when I was sewing the patches together   So I went back to the original method of sewing through the paper. Not that it bothered me and it was a good experiment. Maybe I did something wrong so I'll wait for guidance from proper patchwork people over where I went wrong!!!!

A tit for tat

If you didn't know that's rhyming slang for hat!!! 

I bought the most GINORMOUS ball of wool from Michael's the day before I left Canada. Ruth kindly took me on a visit to the one that was closing down near her house. I figured that I'd still got room (if I sat on it) in my suitcase for the wool!!! This is what I made with it along with a pair of socks for wearing in bed when the poor old feet are cold!!!!

This is a very old pattern that Sally shared with me. I think she said it was about 30 years old!!! Crocheted and a lovely shape too. Shame the weather isn't cold enough to wear it yet although 'they' say it's going to change today!!

Oh, since these photos I've added a yellow button to the centre of the flower.  Now I'm 'good to go' but need to decide when and where to go!!!!

A bit of a failure

I'm a bit ashamed of this but I'm going to show you anyway. This was one of the gifts I came back with from Canada.  A lovely sort of oval shaped piece of linen with a great pattern to make it into a holder - for hanky's I think.  Anyway I didn't do a very good job of it at all as I've mis-counted the holes and really made a mess of it.

BUT Abbi (aged nearly 8) thought it was pretty and happily took it home.  Just goes to show that somebody who's been tatting waaaaaay too long can still make a mess of things.  

The lesson for new tatters is - don't worry even ancient ones still don't get it right but it made one little girl happy!!!

A bit of tatting!

Just for a change I'm doing a bit of tatting!!! I know this blog should be about tatting but sometimes I veer off course - particularly at this time of the year when I'm sorting out the TIAS!!!

This is another of the Crystal snowflakes. I love using colours but really must make one or two in white as that's more 'traditional'!!!! 

We've had terrible winds recently and we've got a noise from the roof. Not sure what's causing it but it sounds as if something is banging against a chimney pot. Result? Lack of sleep!!!! The arial man is coming to see what it is next week so I'm hoping that the wind will go away until then!!  

This year's gloves

Now this year I decided that it would be quicker to knit some fingerless gloves! That was my first thought - not only to save time (although I'm not sure at my age what I'm saving it for - time, that is) but also to have some knitting on the go.

I set off using one pattern and then decided to go back to the one I used last year for yesterday's gloves.  I thought that putting in 'short fingers' it would be more comfortable to wear these than having no 'holes' to put my fingers through.  Time will tell and once it's told me I'll tell you!!!!

I love this colour - got the wool from Canada and it's easy to work with.

Last year's gloves

This is a pair of gloves I knitted last year. I had made a pair of socks out of the same grey wool but when I was heading to the fingers on the first glove I could tell I may not have enough to finish both. 

I headed into the wool shop without the original wool and took a guess at the right shade of grey!!! Hmmm, I'll leave you to decide whether it was a good guess or not!!! I have my opinions.

Why am I showing you now? No idea - just found the photo on my computer and thought it was about time I shared it.

Are you wondering what's happened to the tatting lately? Well, lots of shuttle work is going on but mainly it's about the TIAS. That has now been 'chopped up' and drawings and pages have been created. Next step is to test tat it again from those pages. Heading that way later this week.

Snowman/Snowwoman!

Well I uploaded the new amended snowman pattern as I told you a week or so ago. Then Elizabeth contacted me to ask where the original one was!!! I sent her a copy of the original and told her that I would put it back on the pattern pages - must do that. Keep reminding me, people!!! 

I've never had a good memory - I tend to think that what's past is past and stuff I did then I can't undo so I really don't have an excuse for not having a good 'remembering' thingy in my brain!!!

Last Rachel

Nearly forgot this one!!! 

The last of the Rachel motifs by Rosemarie Peel that I was working on.  I did this one on my travels so therefore - no beads.  I don't travel with beads - too dangerous.  Once dropped forever gone!!!

I worked on this in Birmingham airport departure lounge, in Terry's house, Ruth's house and finally in Toronto airport's departure lounge.  An international motif you could say!!!  A little bit here and there!!!

Martha asked me a question

But I don't know the answer, really. 

I'm looking for the answer from 'you out there' so please if you know can you tell me? 

The question is about the patchwork I showed you yesterday. Martha asked what I did with the seams when I'd finished - did I press them open or all the same way.  Well in the dim and distant past I have pressed them open like they are in the attached photo (here they're just tacked into place, of course) but thinking about it I've no idea if that's the right thing to do. 

HELP!!!

Something different!

Here's what I was talking about yesterday.   Remember this?  Well further progress has been made!!!

What I like about doing patchwork by hand is the different stages.  First the decisions on what fabrics to use, then the cutting out of the pieces AND the cutting of the paper inserts (thank you to Howdens kitchens for their now 'redundant' catalogue) and then the sewing of the papers into the fabric.

Finally comes the sewing of the pieces together. 

Once the papers are tacked in I place them around the finished part on the carpet - you're getting lovely pictures of our carpet thrown in for FREE too!!!! Then I take a photo, gather up the pieces and retire to 'tat corner' (with BC3, of course) to stitch them together - referring to the photo when needed. No pesky beads to keep escaping - pure relaxation!!!!

So, the addiction continues!

I just love this thread. I think it's a Marilee Rockley one but not really sure. 

I managed to get the pattern up on my site yesterday for the Crystal Snowflake so here's the link - should you want it.

Meantime I will continue to bore you to death with more of these until I've got enough to fulfil my Christmas self imposed commitments!!!

Tomorrow, though, I promise you something different. Nope - not giving you a CLUE - you'll have to pop back to find out what it is!!!!

This snowflake is addictive!!!

Thank you SO much to all who took the trouble to help me out with this snowflake. I sort of thought I must have seen similar before and didn't think for a minute that BC3 had come up with an original flake. BUT having said that I'm still going to share it. 

There is a similar snowflake here which was kindly pointed out to me. The differences are there but I will be putting a link to Betsy's snowflake on the pattern when I've finished it.  I think that's fair, don't you?  Betsy starts with six rings in the centre of hers whereas mine starts with a mock ring/chain round a central bead.  Then I carry on with chains with rings on the chains too.  The clovers are also split up with chains too.

Anyway, I'd still value opinions on whether I should go ahead or not.  Please leave a comment so I can get the gist of what people think. 

By the way - this design started off using this pattern!!!!  No, don't ask - I've no idea how I landed up with the Crystal Snowflake!!!  Blame BC3 - like I do!!!!

Another one!

Here's another one of 'those' snowflakes!!!!

This is another of the HDT threads and I think it must be one of Karey's. Not sure, though. Any guesses where this snowflake is hiding yet?

Just a snowflake

Now, folks, this is where I want you to find the pattern for this.  I'll give you time to find it and when you do then please tell me in the comments.

This is one that can be worked in one 'hit'.  No sewing in of ends until it's finished. My sort of tatting!!!!

This made me smile

I had to smile when I got this picture and a note from one of my blog readers!!! 

She'd sent for a calendar from the Fringe Element which she was delighted with and when she sent me this picture I did a double take!!! 

Lo and behold there's a bookworm bookmark sitting on the side there!!! Soooooo funny. Thank you Jaycee for a really good giggle.

If anybody wants to make a bookworm then here's the link.

Pop A Bobbin Shuttles

I've got a few more Pop A Bobbin Shuttles to list in Etsy.  For those who haven't 'met' these before - please see the link above the post here.   Here's a direct link too.

I think most of the woods are on the page and hopefully the prices match too!!!! 

I'll let these go live on Friday or Saturday - when I remember!!!

2 PURPLE HEART £20.00 with hooks

3 EUCALYPTUS £18.00 two with hook and one without

3 0AK £18.00 two with hooks and one without

3 ELM £18.00 with hooks

1 ASH

Snowman

I've been thinking about upgrading this chap for a year or two. I HATE cutting and tying ends so have spent a while sorting him out so I've got rid of one lot of 'ends'.  Another improvement is a better hat and a new style of walking stick too.    Oh, he's also a bit longer too.  The original was a bit short and fat and I wasn't too happy about that.  Obviously either of them (old and 'improved') can be made longer anyway.

Here he is in all his 'new' glory with updated hat, walking stick, body length and scarf.

Patchwork

Now before I left planet England for planet Canada I'd decided to use up some of my stash of fabric by doing some patchwork. When my oldest daughter was small and we were very poor I made her a quilt cover and I've always returned from time to time to make smaller cloths etc out of patchwork. As the bags in my Etsy shop are plenty and slow to sell I thought I'd turn my energy to this craft once again.

The hunt for my templates started - and stopped before I left on the trip. Stopped because they were nowhere to be found!!!! I bought some papers from a quilt store (heaven on earth) while I was in Canada as I thought it was a good idea and I guessed at the size of the missing templates!!!! 

When I got home I decided to have one final look in the drawers in our bedroom (I'd looked there before several times) before going up into the loft to start a major search up there. Well, blow me down - there was the box of little stinkers right under my nose - exactly where I'd looked before!!!

This is my progress so far - all hand stitched. Well, actually, as you'll see on the lower picture the pieces are not all stitched yet. What I do is lay them out on the floor (and play with the positioning) before taking a photo and gathering them all up again. That way I can sit back in my chair and follow the photo. I LOVE my iPhone!!!!

Bubblegum seahorse

Something else I'd forgotten to show you!!! This is another of the little seahorses I made before I went to Canada. The thread is bubblegum from the Lizbeth range. 

I've been quietly getting on with the TIAS design and think it's almost ready to 'chop up' and get onto the internet. This will take me some time as I keep getting distracted. I'll show you some of my distractions next week.

Oh dear!

I've just found this little doily - which I made a month or more ago. It's been lurking on my desk waiting for me to put it away - or give it away. 

This is Rachel from Rosemarie Peel's book 'Tatting Basic Patterns. The link to her book is here.

There's something so appealing about this little motif/doily that I simply can't resist. 

Meanwhile I'm working my little socks off on the Tat It And See and this is slowly getting sorted. I need to 'chop up' the original design next and put it together as separate pages. I need a good quiet day or two to do this but at the moment that seems to escape me!!!

Lori's mouse

This is a picture of Lori's bauble.  She wrote to me while I was away in Canada and I filed her message in the wrong folder in my emails!!!  Thankfully she had the sense to remind me (very sweetly) about her 'missing mouse' and I sent out the search party yesterday!!!

I'm not showing you her mouse here - you'll have to go to the Exclusive Tatting Club to read all about him.  I know I'm a tease but you'll find him well worth a visit.

Here's the link.

Bookworms and bookmarks

After considerable 'nagging' from Pigmini and a few others on Facebook this long forgotten pattern is now available. 

The reason I didn't give it away earlier is because I was making and selling them on Etsy - until I got bored!!!  Just lately there seems to have been a lot of interest in it on Facebook - I blogged them with monotonous regularity back in 2010  and even in 2011 and again in 2011.

It wasn't long after I stopped making them that BC3 came up with what he thinks (and I agree with him there) a much better idea - the Wrap It, Flip It and Mark It bookmark.  That one never gets lost!!!

Here's the link.

A little mermaid

Do you like my little mermaid?  I was quite pleased with the way she turned out. Do you want the pattern for her?  Well you'll have to pay for this one!!!!

OK, so it's not the only pattern you'll get. There are 14 more of them and they're all to be found on the Fringe Element Calendar.  The calendar runs from  this October (just after their tatting weekend) to the end of 2016. 

I hope I haven't put you off by showing you this as there are many other very pretty designs by lots of famous designers to be found on the calendar and as a BONUS it also tells you the dates and you can fill in your appointments on it too.

For more details and the price please email the Fringe on this email address - fringetatters@gmail.com.  You can pay via Paypal too.

An apology to the lasses at the Fringe for telling you all about the calendar here as I forgot to ask them first if it was OK to blog about it.  I do tend to get excited about tatting things.  Put it all down to old age and only BC3 to help me!!  Fortunately the Fringe still have some left or I'd have had egg on my face - which, thinking about it, may have improved my appearance!!!!

Presents from Georgia

Today I have a feast for your eyes. I was given the lovely box below by Georgia at the Fringe Element Tat Days and inside were a host of 'goodies'. I'm only going to show you a few - just to make you jealous!!!!

First of all I know that this shuttle is unique and made by Georgia and Rich. I've also added a picture of the special shuttles that 'you know who' made for the Fringe too.

The little birds are heist beads - they used to be made from shell and hand carved by the Navajo or Hopi. 

Also in the box were some cabochons too but the photos didn't come out that well. I'll take more another day when the sun shines again.

The spacer bars may be gold plated (Georgia says) as they were stored with real gold and silver in her mom's things. WHAT a lovely lady to bestow all this on a mere old git. Thanks SO much, Georgia.

Shuttles

When I was taken to an antiques and collectibles fair right out in the sticks in Canada I found these three shuttles which I simply HAD to buy. 

I think the most interesting one is the one in the middle which is French Ivory - here's a link. Now this isn't real ivory, thank goodness, but a type of plastic. I wonder how well that rather large hook would work, though?

Inspired

I think this is one of the most useful ideas I gleaned on my Canadian trip. I've no idea who realised how useful these little net tubes could be for tatters. I've searched and searched online for a source to buy more but I've failed dismally. All I can tell you is that they are WONDERFUL for putting balls of thread in. 

My threads get tangled in the storage I use and that drives me MAD. These are the answer to those frustrations. Thank you Fringe Tatters for these useful little tubes.

Beads and threads

Well if you remember (or not!!) I mentioned in a previous post that Karey Solomon had called me evil when she took one of my classes at the Fringe tat days!!! She was chuckling as she said it - several times - so I know she was teasing. Least that's what I keep telling myself!!!!

Now it's MY turn to call HER evil!!! Why? Well because I'd told myself (and Nick) that I wasn't going to buy ANY MORE THREADS. So, what did Karey do? She brought a load to the Fringe and had them there to SELL. I kept walking past them telling myself that I wasn't allowed to buy any but in the end I gave in. Well, who wouldn't? They're DELICIOUS. So, Karey - I'm calling you evil!!! This is a link to Karey's shop but not sure if she sells her threads online. 

Now to the beads. Not a very good picture but these were beads that Jane K gave me. They've got holes at the tops and Jane used them for her mouse family which you can see here. Don't those eyes look great? I can't wait to make more mice with those eyes.  Thank you, Jane - you're a star.

Thread collector and a needle case

Now these little gems were in the goody bags we were given at the Fringe Tat days. There were LOADS of useful things in there and I'll show you more another day.

Do you like the little thread catcher at the top?  Isn't it GORGEOUS.  That's what it's meant for but mine has become the storage place for my shuttles, scissors and hook when I've finished tatting each evening.  I pop them in there and then don't have to go searching for them the next day.  Inspired or what?

The needle case (with dedicated tatting knot unpicking tools) has also been put to good use too.  I've stocked it with a few pins and some needles (sewing sort) and it's now in - well, I'll tell you.  

I've gone back to doing patchwork which I've not done for about forty years (or more).  I found my old templates and I've made a start.  Please don't ask me what I'm making cause I haven't a CLUE!!!!  So the needle case is in the bag with the patchwork things. 

Another of 'those little birds' told me that Ruth made all these - that's probably nearly or over a 100 for the Tat Days.  They're so very neatly made and a joy to own.  I'm sure she must've been seeing them in her sleep with that amount to make!  That's both thread catchers AND needle cases she made.  That woman has stamina as well as being a neat machinist too.

Calendar

This is a calendar with a HUGE difference. This one runs from October 2015 to December 2016. That's unusual but not too different.

The BIG difference is that it's also got a pattern (tatting, of course) for each month. Not wanting to brag but in it there's a wee mermaid that I gave to the group.

Now you're thinking I've lost the plot once more but this time you're wrong!!! I'm just about to tell you where you can get a copy. This calendar was available at the Fringe Element Tatting days last month and I know (cause a little bird told me) that they've got some left. I'd get in touch quickly if you want one (or two or three or more) for presents. The Fringe can be found here and there's an email address on this page too.

Also featured in this are patterns from really well known people too - Martha Ess, Kaye Judt, Kelly Dunn and - well, the old brain's given up again so you'll just have to look.

Book sale

I'm on a one woman rescue mission!!  I rescue tatting books from the charity shops in town. Well, only the one charity shop ever seems to have them!!

These three were picked up for £2.50 each and I'm happy to part with them for that price - plus postage.  If you want one, two or even all three of them then please email me on itatlots @ gmail.com.  First come, first served although I'd rather send them all to one person if possible.  I'll take them to the Post Office and find out a price once a buyer is found and then they'll soon be on the way once they've been paid for!!!    If nobody wants them then I'll reach to a larger audience either through Etsy or Ebay.  The only markings in all three is a price. 

The condition of the three is excellent - in fact they've hardly been used. Unlike my originals which I bought as they were published - they're very dog eared!!!

Another present

This is a lovely, lovely bag (zipped) that Ruth made for me. I LOVE pink!! Can you see that it's got my name on it? That bag stays permanently with me now and is really useful for when I forget my name - which I do regularly.  Actually it's just right for putting in my bag to take to Crafternoon.  See - it's already got a job.  Well, I'll be honest I'd already put it into good use when I was packing to come home.  

There were 'things inside' too but I've not got a picture of them as they've all been put away tidily - silly me. One of the items was a little arch file book with blank pages (and a packet of refill too) - that's in my handbag too.

Changing the subject!

I've got lots of 'goodies' to show you from my trip and presents too.

First of all an apron.  Ginny gave me this - don't you LOVE the flying pigs?!?!? She also gave me extra fabric that she had left over too.

Now I don't cook!!! Nick told me twenty plus years ago when I moved in with him that 'women can't cook'!!!  Right, I'd been doing it for years and years but it was a chore and as he loved cooking I 'allowed' him to take over the kitchen!!!! So, what has this got to do with an apron?  Bet you thought I'd not wear it cause I don't cook!!

Well, you're very, very wrong.  I wear it all the time in the house.  Why?  Well it's the most USEFUL item I have ever found for carrying 'stuff' around.  I'm always putting things down (shuttles, thread, iPad, phone, apples, etc, etc) and losing them in the house.  NO MORE.  I put them in the pockets of the apron so they NEVER GET LOST. 

Personally I think this is one of the most useful tatting items I've ever owned and I'll be making another from the remaining fabric for when this one has to go in the wash.  Thank you, Ginny.  I've suggested that she may make more so it's up to all of us to 'nag' her after Christmas to make aprons for tatting.