A new mouse.

If you've got time I suggest you pop over to the Exclusive Club to see the latest mouse from Ginny. Like Ginny I had a hard time figuring out how to do these baubles the first time and find I have to return to them every so often just to refresh my memory. 

Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!!! I actually really, really love making them!!!

Here's Ginny's picture but you'll have to go to the club to see what she says. 

It's ready

Finally got my act together and the Fandango Rectangular Doily is now available.

Where? Why here, of course!!!! Below is the first round of the pinkish one and I'm still working on the last (?) round of the green one. It's good to have choices, isn't it?

Off on my travels

Well, not that far but in my little brain it's a LONG WAY. 

Silly as it may sound - I can get on planes and go wherever I like but getting in a car and driving to places is something I just don't do. I have a fear of getting lost which is ridiculous when nowadays we have satnav etc. I also in the past used to worry about breaking down but that isn't really relevant now as we've got a car with all four wheels (sorry, five) and an engine that appears to work.

Anyway, I met a tatter in Canada called Linda and she's from Gloucester.  We've been emailing and phoning since then. She arranges the Gloucester Tatting Day which is next Saturday and kindly asked me if I'd go along to teach. Well this was a few weeks ago and I said 'yes'. This will be my first foray to a tatting group in England for around twenty years. I don't hear about them anymore since I don't belong to any group or have any means of finding out. Being a grumpy OG that's probably a good thing!

So next Saturday morning I'll be off. Now, I do hope it doesn't turn out like my dream last night. In that I arrived safely but was still wearing my bedroom slippers I was SO embarrassed. I then went to the loo and afterwards, because the event was held in a HUGE school, I couldn't find my way back to the classes. I missed EVERYTHING.  What a silly dream.  

Up, up and away!!!

This is just so exciting and absorbing. I'm really enjoying the whole experience. The dark blue background is fabric that I've had for years and which was always being kept for 'something special' cause I liked it so much!!! 

The other brighter colours are from my stash too. In fact, so far, I've not had to go and buy anything for the owls. That's got to be good as it means I'm running down my stash of fabric.

Now, don't get worried - tatting is still ongoing and I'm now nearly finished on the final round of the green doily and have done a little more to the pink. I'm hoping to get the pattern finished off and on the web site over the weekend. Least that's the plan unless the owls tempt me away!!!!

New hobby!

As promised I'm going to tell you about my new excursion into foundation piecing. Now I've only ever done hand sewn patchwork and hadn't a clue what piecing was all about.  This is another of the useful links I found.

On a wonderful excursion into the wilds of Canada (somewhere near Toronto) I was taken to a quilt shop. I don't think I've ever seen so many fabrics and such inspiring work as I did that day. Well, Ruth (one of my hostesses) bought an owl kit (top picture below) and I looked and looked at it and thought and thought about it before thinking 'why not'? So, I bought one too.

Since last October I've read and read the destructions (yes I meant to put that word!) and it got more and more confusing in my brain. There's a practice piece and along with a couple of Youtube videos and knowing that Ruth would be five hours behind me in Canada on the other end of an email I started on the practice.

My first attempt was dire. Yes, dire. Really hadn't got the hang of it at all. So, what did I do? Well, made another template from the master and had another go. 

Well, I did email Ruth AND watched videos again before starting the second one.  That's underneath the kit picture.  First there's the right side and then the wrong - you can see I've taken the paper out.  Great tip from Ruth was to set the stitch length to 1.5 on the machine to make it easier to get the papers out.  More soon on my progress.

Why?

Even though I haven't finished the doily I'm working on in greens I've started another one - in pinks and browns!!! Again I'm using size 40 thread.  Just love to sit and make things without writing it down and agonising over stitch counts and 'possibilities' as I go along!!!  

I will get round to putting the pattern up on my site soon but I've been sidetracked once more by a new hobby. I'm hoping to show you - starting tomorrow. 

This is something that is taking me waaaay out of my comfort zone but thanks to my dear Canadian friend - I am now getting 'sorted' and am getting to that stage when you say to yourself 'why have I never tried this before'?

More tomorrow.

You never know

No, you never know what's 'round the corner'. I know I'm 'round the bend' and I accept that but I'm glad I don't know what's round the corner or it may make life a bit boring.

Yesterday was a morning of sewing with friends at Lifeways down the road (see picture below with our patchwork whatever) followed by my latest project (more to be revealed soon - IF you're all good!!! 

I finished another session on the project in the afternoon and then came in from the conservatory to check my emails. I found one from my daughter with a link. I was somewhat 'gobsmacked' when I read the link.  Lucy hasn't been with The Pool for long (bragging time - she's deputy editor) but she's obviously told them about me!!! Poor souls. I was so overcome when I read it. Thanks, Lucy. Does this make me a cult leader, though? I hope not!!!!  Too much responsibility for an old git like me.

Another few days and another

Another round of the green doily in size 40.  Not a lot else for me to say, really!!!!

Branching out with baubles

Are you getting bored with baubles? Sorry if you are but I'm still addicted to them so you're just going to have to 'suffer'!!! 

I decided that it was about time I started on a 'good idea' that's been lurking with BC3 for some time!!! This 'good idea' needs the bauble bells to be made in silver and gold thread. I'd never got on too well with metallic threads until I bought some Altin Basak - Nakis Simi many years ago from Tatting and Design. They still have that thread and the link above takes you to the page. All you have to do is go to the bottom to find it. 

I've used it oodles of times and still have oodles left on the cones I bought. I think this is the best value I've ever had for thread. It tats up like a dream and is as tough as you could ever wish.

The thread is used in the bells at the bottom.  

Fandango doily round 1 size 40

Here's the first round of this new doily. I'm loving these colours so much more than the last doily. I'm EVEN following the pattern closely too - checking up carefully on BC3 as we all know what he's like for making mistakes!!! 

One day I'll write the perfect pattern but I'm not telling anybody when that will happen as I've doubts it ever will!!!

Saturday today and the weather is getting a bit warmer. Soon be time to get the sewing machine out but meantime experiments with baubles are continuing - more on that over the next few weeks.

What a hoot!!!!

Another small diversion (an Amigurumi owl!!) which I no longer own!!! Both this one and the previous monkey returned home with two delightful grandchildren yesterday.   Here's the pattern I used.

This should be the last of the Amigurumi until next winter as it's now getting a little warmer here in my neck of the woods and I'm just dying to get to the sewing machine and sit in the conservatory to play there!!!

This isn't perfect but I must say I enjoyed the new challenge. Interestingly I didn't learn to crochet until I was around 32. Nearly twenty years after I learned to tat!!! Shame and a good book made me give it a whirl!!!  So glad I did.

Another doily started

This time I'm starting off with one of my favourite colour ways - Lizbeth's Rainbow Taffy.  It always cheers me up and makes me smile!!!

I'm using a size 40 and I'm hoping to expand on the previous attempt too. We'll see if my patience will last out!!!

I'll also be checking out my notes and diagrams so that eventually (and IF I REMEMBER) I can add it to the pattern site. Meanwhile (when the grandkids have gone home) I must add another new pattern too as that's been stewing around on the computer for a couple of months as well!!! 

I think I'm a bit like a new mum when it comes to a finished pattern. I spend days/weeks and sometimes months in labour and once it's born I'm sort of reluctant to part with it!!!!! So bear with me while BC3 gets himself analysed!!!!

Another diversion!!!

Well I'm still trying to make the 'perfect' bell type bauble!!! I never give up on these things and a good thing too!!!!   I'm now trying out different ideas especially when it comes to hiding the rib ends. I think I've 'cracked' that now with this experiment!!! It's quite easy really. 

Because these will be hanging from something or other I've covered a tiny, tiny metal split ring before starting and then continued by adding the ribs to that and then straight into the bell itself. 

With the weather still pretty appalling over here I think more experiments will be happening!!!

On the way

BE WARNED. I'm on the way!!!

No, not the men in white coats coming to collect me but me going to AMERICA. Yes, I'm delighted to say I've been chosen to teach at Palmetto Tat Days in September!!!! In fact you can now see a list of all the teachers who will be there. Some friends from past years (and via the internet) and (hopefully) new ones too. 

I've just 'stolen' the logo off their site and put one of the designs I've had accepted below it too.

 

Another day - another round!

Here's the new doily now with a second round on it. Believe it or not - those are the same colours on the outside as on the centre. Weird, isn't it?  Looking at it again - no, they're not the same colours!!!  Really MUST get BC3 to help write blog posts!!!

I think I'll do another doily now - just to test the pattern before I put it on my site. Well, that's an excuse really as I've so much enjoyed doing this one I really 'need' to do another. Next one will be in size 40 thread, though. Why? Well I'm in the mood for size 40!! Simple!!

What I really like about this design is all the negative space it's generated. Makes it a whole lot lighter. It's still very firm, though.  Pity I didn't block or press this before I showed it to you but I will with the next one.

Monkeying around!!

I decided years and years ago that I wanted to try some Amigurumi but I'd never quite got round to it!!! A few weeks ago I found this pattern on the internet and fell in love with it!!!

I thought it might be a bit ambitious for a first 'go' at this type of crochet and I was sort of right. Ambitious it was but I'm VERY glad I took it on as I learned a lot. A great BIG lot!!! Thanks to the designer who is Sharon Ojala it was a relatively easy one to make. I liked the videos she linked to too. 

Now I think I know who will like this monkey and next week MAY see it leaving chez nous!!!!!!

You were right!

Those who guessed it was going to be a doily were right. The Fandango Doily.

Now this may look an easy addition to the central part but it wasn't. The corners had me well stumped and several 'takings out' and re-tats were needed.

In this picture the top left corner doesn't look right but that's probably because I flung it on the scanner on the way to bed. Sally isn't keen on the two colours next to the centre and I must say I wasn't at first. BUT I think the next round will make it 'OK' - when I've decided what I'm going to use for it, of course!!! Decisions take time and I get easily distracted too!!!

Can you guess?

I wonder if anybody can guess what BC3 is up to now? 

Go on - I challenge you to work out what that devious little beastie is playing at!!!!

Another session!

Baubles seem to be taking up space in my tatting world at the moment!! I really HAVE to decide what I'm going to do with them soon. 

Somebody suggested they could be used as zipper pulls but I don't think they'd stand up to the wear and tear of that type of use. I've got a brooch which I wear on my winter coat (this one) that's made of the closed baubles and that might be where I'll head with them eventually. BUT I still 'need' to make more, don't I? An OG needs to have plenty of choices when it comes to assembling a brooch, doesn't she? 

Have I talked myself into more baubles? Time will tell, of course!!! Meantime - this is more of Karey's lovely HDT.

Three words today

Here it is!!!

I can tell you one thing - this was NOT an easy pattern!! Well the tatting part was OK but the thinking of what to call it was a total NIGHTMARE!!! I'm absolutely hopeless at naming things.

This isn't (hopefully) the end of this adventure as I want to make certain 'alterations' to the design so it's more 'snowflake like'. Time and inclination will tell if this does happen, however!!!

Finally!

Finally got this out of my system!!! All I've got to do is think up a name so I'm asking for help with that.

I really, really struggle with names for patterns but once this has been 'Christened' I will put it on my site. Eta came up with a possible one but I'm still not sure. So, PLEASE, if you've time can you help the OG and BC3 to get it 'named and shamed'?

Patchwork

This is what I was hinting at yesterday.

Back a few months ago one of the neighbours had a great idea to make bunting. Our two roads are really good at having street parties and we use the Queen as an excuse - if only she knew!!!! It's a great time as we have a road closure put in place which I mentioned here and some of the group can be seen here.

The bunting is finished but we had lots of scraps left over so some silly OG suggested we made a quilt to auction for charity. The gang (some of whom hadn't sewn for years) have worked hard to make the seven hexagon rosettes. I've been bringing them home with me to put together which is taking up tatting time but is GREAT fun too.  Here are the first 18 sewn up with another 18 waiting for me to get done before next Tuesday morning!!!  

Now there are three

Yes, now there are three and they don't make much sense seen like this!!! I decided I needed another stronger colour for what may become the centre of a doily. 

Well, sometimes I make good decisions and sometimes very poor ones!! Time will tell - or, rather, more motifs will tell.

One or two people have commented asking where the pattern is for this. Well, it's still on my computer - mainly cause I didn't think it was really different enough to upload to the pattern pages, I will, though, if people think it's worth it. I'm going to develop this idea further for a Christmas snowflake but time is running away from me!!! I seem to get myself involved in too many things and that's what's happened to me lately. More tomorrow on that subject!!

A change of direction!!

I know I'm incorrigible or, (roughly translated) the owner of a butterfly brain but I DO love baubles!!! I've got quite a collection of them now but no hard and fast decisions on what to do with them. 

Have I told you about the 'bunting group'? Well we've got a group in the road (and the neighbouring road) making bunting to string up along the street for the Queen's birthday in June. 

In this road it's a matter of ANY excuse to get a road closure and throw a party. The beauty of these occasions is that there's no worrying about the drink driving laws as it all 'happens' on your own doorstep!!! It's a good idea to make and wear a badge on these occasions - one with your house number on. 

You may wonder why? Well so that if you can't remember where you live somebody can post you back through the letterbox if you're wearing your number!!! Interestingly - our house number is the same as my age will be in October!!!!

Now I have two!!!

First of all - there's another new rabbit in the warren!!! This time from Carol but missing the carrot as you can see here he's got something naughty instead!!!

Today I'm back playing with the little motif I showed you last week.  Again I'm using Karey's HDT which I LOVE as you've probably realised by now!!!!

A few more!!

Yes, I'm pleased to announce the arrival of a few more rabbits!!! They're here on the TIAS blog.

They have hopefully not appeared on here before in their finished state.  I've checked but you know that I'm liable to distractions and forget regularly what I'm doing!!!!  Same with projects - I even manage to finish patterns and then forget them and it can be months before they get uploaded!!!!

Fandango bookmark

Here we go - another diversion!!! Yes, I'm incorrigible.

This time it's a Fandango bookmark which is made with HWT (Hand Wound Thread). 

For those who haven't heard me wittering on about it before - it's any two or three strands of thread wound onto the shuttle together. In this case (IF I remember rightly) it's sewing thread and just two strands. 

This is the link to the pattern. Sadly it's one of mine - just because I'm forever checking my 'stuff' for mistakes or improvements that I can make!!!

You just NEVER know!!!

Going live shortly - a batch of Pop A Bobbin Shuttles in my Etsy shop here.

Every few weeks I wander into one of the book shops in town. I always buy any tatting books - just to save them from being forever 're-cycled' into the tip. 

Yesterday when I went into my favourite shop I found this book (below). Yes, I've already got a copy myself - bought it back when it was published in 1973. I just can't abide leaving tatting books in shops. So, what do I do with it now? Goodness knows!!!

It's been a trip down memory lane looking through it - I recognised one or two patterns I made up. Back in those 'good' old days there was a great dearth of patterns and I used to buy anything that had patterns in. I've still got all those original purchases including pages ripped out of magazines that either myself or my gran salvaged.

Ah, time to get back to this century and leave the past one behind!!!

Another of those motifs

Here's another of the motifs - this time with the same Karey variegated thread but this time a cream to go with it. Tat's a LOT better, I think. 

Now to see what else I can do with it!!!

Shuttles coming soon

I have more of the Pop A Bobbin Shuttles to put in my Etsy shop sometime towards the end of the week.  

In this batch is a new wood called Imbuya (below).  I gather that 'im in the garage' has a bit more of this wood but not a lot!!!  Well, I think that's what he said.  Here's the list of what will be available.

POP-A-BOBBINS

1 YEW £18.00

1 ROSEWOOD £18.00

2 SYCAMORE £18.00

2 SPALTED BEECH £18.00

3 IMBUYA £20.50

3 ZEBRANO £20.00

1 VIOLET ROSEWOOD £20.00

3 JARRAH £20.00

Apologies to Karey

When I was in Canada I had the pleasure once more of meeting up with Karey Solomon. The unfortunate part was that she'd brought a huge selection of her HDT (hand dyed threads) with her and I was on a self inflicted ban stopping me from buying ANY MORE thread.

Well, as you can imagine - that didn't work!!! I kept going past Karey's stall in the hall where we were meeting and fondling and looking at her selection. In the end, as you have probably guessed, I gave in and bought some.

So a week or two ago I decided they needed to be used. Well, not so much 'needed' - more honestly I wanted to let my itchy fingers start on one at least. 

Why the subject 'apologies to Karey'? Well because what 'looked good' on the two threads side by side in the ball just didn't show up her thread for how lovely it really is. I'll be trying another combination soon. Keep watching this space!!