Just to whet your appetite!

Here are pictures of two of the patterns I've submitted to the Fringe for their Tat Days in September. The first one is worked on a button and the one at the bottom (also on a button) is somewhat based on a technique that I found in the Dora Young book. 

I've put them onto pins and even I have to admit they're pretty stunning.  

I'm going to make some more to sell too as I LOVE making them!!!!

Actually (a bit of self analysis coming up) I don't care about selling things too much except that the finished items tend to add to the household storage system (AKA clutter!!!).

The money does come in useful to put towards more thread, buttons, beads, shuttles etc etc but my real pleasure is in making.  There's rarely a day goes by when I'm not making something.  If I'm not making it's because I'm on going through some sort of personal problems.  

More about the Mochila bag

Before I start - just to let you know that we now have 88 Crinoline Ladies over on the TIAS blog.

You're just going to HAVE to suffer just like me!!! Here are more pictures of the bag which I started showing you here.

These are more of the trials and errors. If you look at top picture you'll see that I'm still having 'blips' of colour showing through - this is BAD cause they're on the right side of the bottom. Actually you shouldn't see colours showing through on either side!!!  Second one down is another of the 'back side' taken before another rip out!!!

The bottom one is a lot better but still room for improvement!!!

Dora's pineapple

Here it is - finished. The picture at the bottom is the first one I took but I decided it just didn't show the glorious pattern up properly so I cleared the bed in the spare bedroom and laid the doily on there to take another. 

I'm going to buy a copy of the re-printed book as soon as it comes out as I want to give a copy to my daughter. Why? Well it may just get her back into tatting again although it's at least 14 years since she last picked up a shuttle!!! Kirsty did learn at a young age but I'm not sure if I ever taught Lucy as I would only teach people or kids who were genuinely interested.  They probably got bored watching their very strange mother tatting at every spare moment she had.  After all - they knew nothing else and were born into a home where shuttles ruled!!!  Oh, and the sewing machine!!!

Preparations!

Yes I know my trip to the Fringe in Canada is a LONG way off but I HAVE to do things when I'm 'in the mood'. 

I'm going to make around 20 brooches to sell in their vending room which helps with the cost of the trip. Even though I'm 73 and on no medication (long may that last!) the cost of insurance is expensive. So, I like to take things to sell when I get there so that the organisers can be sure they'll get rid of me back on the scheduled flight!!! Well, that'll happen anyway but you know I'm teasing again.

Here are two to start with and hopefully more will come over the next few weeks. You know me though, there will be other things 'happening' on this blog too.

Another new crochet project

I'm going to 'name and shame' Pigmini here. She got me into this fine mess!!!! 

Sue told me about Mochila bags and of course my nosiness got the better of me so I had to go and look.  There are quite a few links on Google to help you with more research and there's a great group on Facebook who have been very helpful - along with Pigmini too.

The technique is tapestry crochet and involves 'just' the double crochet (or single if you're American). Easy you'd think but it isn't!!! The number of times I started and pulled it out just to 'get' the base done was beyond a joke!!! 

Before I could start I had to choose some yarn. It can only be a cotton yarn as others just don't work. You can see my collection in the top picture. The other three pictures are from one of my many 'bad starts' and all got pulled out so I could start again. I can be so stubborn over learning new skills. Thankfully the Facebook group are really helpful and in their files section are some useful links and some terrific videos.

My secret!

OK well you're going to get the answer to my secret whether you like it or not.

OK. The secret is ............

Wait for it .................

That I'm going to the Fringe Element in Canada again this year.  I'm SO excited.  I've already got my flights booked (the event isn't until September!) but haven't started packing yet.  A bit too soon even for me!!!

Another Crinoline lady - just to cheer up the page.

I've got a SECRET

Yes, I have. It's a BIG secret too. 

Does anybody want to know what it is? 

Shall I tell you? 

Trials of a TIAS!

Just a few of the pieces of tatting that I ditched while designing this year's TIAS. 

As you can see I had many changes of mind and landed up going in several directions and sometimes all at once!!!  

There were a few more of these 'trials' in the early days but they got thrown away. These are now all in the bin too!  

I'm finding that the way I design changes slightly over the years.  I still use the 'grab 2 shuttles and go' method but nowadays also resort to drawing rough sketches on my computer too.  LONG gone are the days when I did anything on paper as I spent so long looking for those bits of paper the next morning that it just wasn't worth it.

I type up the text as I go and then copy, paste and change it all in the same document so that I have a record of what works and what doesn't.  

Finally and sadly

The TIAS 2017 is over - well, almost.  Here is the final link.

Just to prove I can tat - here are a few of the Crinoline Ladies that I did when I'd finished designing her!!!

This blog will now resume in the usual way as I've lots to tell you over the next weeks!!!

Finished the crochet hexagons

Tomorrow will be the last day of the TIAS 2017.  

Remember the hexagonal crochet I was doing? 

Well I plodded on with them until I finished one of the balls of thread!! I celebrated that but I've still got loads left!!! Anyway, in the end I got bored with them and I finally did an edging to the mat and have called it a day. 

I have another crochet project on the go now but more of that another day.

Day 10 has arrived

This is the penultimate day so I expect you are all now aware of what the TIAS is going to be!!!  Here is the link.

More progress

This is the doily I showed you the other day. It's a pineapple doily.

I found the starting few rows of the motif extremely interesting. I suppose I COULD say 'difficult' but it actually isn't. 

It does take careful reading to interpret what to do but that's fine by me - I LOVE a challenge.

Day 9 now available

Yes, it's here - the day you've been waiting for to give you more idea of what the TIAS will be! 

 Here's the link.

Day 8

Day 8 is now ready here. 

I maybe a bit late getting uploads done today as I'm off out with a friend to the nearest Apple store. Just hope I'm not tempted to buy anything!!!

Off on another adventure

Tomorrow (Tuesday) will be day 8 of the Tat It And See.  

Again I'm off on another adventure with Dora Young. 

This is the centre of another doily and it's going well - so far. For those who are lucky enough to have got the book then this is the pattern on pages 20 and 21.

Day 7 of the 2017 TIAS

Here is the link to Day 7.   Have FUN.

Something I did earlier!

First of all - tomorrow will be day 7 of the Tat It And See. New tatters always welcome to join the fun. Remember - there are no rules!!

This is my first Dora flower pattern. Remember the green one? 

Not sure why I did the green but I think it was cause I enjoyed it so much. I'm going to do this pattern again sometime. Just SO interesting to tat and it fits EXACTLY on the scanner too!!!

Day 6

Here is the link for day 6. Happy tats!

Another group of hexagons!!

Just to let you know first - tomorrow will be day 6. Things may seem a bit 'spaced out' but I find otherwise it's difficult to keep up!!! I also do have to do other things too like eat, breathe and sleep!!! 

I finished another group of 7 hexagons and these will be joined to the other 'set' sometime. I have NO IDEA what I'm making so please don't ask!!!! I make 'things' for the joy of making - not for the finished item!!!

I have a few balls of thread all of this size but the colours do vary slightly but are all within the 'ecru/beige/white range. 

Crochet hexagons part 2

Do you remember this post?

While the Tat It And See has been happening (and a bit before that) I've been working on these hexagonal shapes. 

There's a story behind the thread that I'm using. 

Many years ago (around 40, I guess) I taught myself the craft of netting/filet. I had bought a lovely leaflet from a local shop which had the most stunning patterns in. The problem was - they were all written in German and I didn't understand them.

There was a lady down our road who I had heard was German but I'd never met her. After months of frustration with the leaflet I took courage in both hands and knocked at her door to ask for help. I stood on her doorstep and explained my problem. I'll never forget that day. She took my arm and pulled me into her house - that was the beginning of a wonderful friendship. I didn't realise until that day that she too was an avid crafter and an extremely lovely lady. Sadly she died a few years ago but we enjoyed many happy hours together talking and doing crafts of all sorts.  She tried tatting but didn't take to it.  Her craft work was immaculate in everything she tried.

A few years before Irmgard died she had problems with neuropathy and she gave me some of her threads. These are what I'm using for the hexagon adventure.  As the saying goes - 'waste not want not'.  

Day 5 now available

Here's the link for Day 5.

All done!!

First of all - day 5 will be available tomorrow (Sunday).  

This is the doily I was working on from the Dora Young book. As you can see it turned into a 'square within a square'.

This is a challenging piece particularly when worked the first time. Actually I'll admit this is the second time I've worked this pattern and I'll show you the original one another day. I thoroughly enjoyed working out how Dora designed this and I'm in awe of her talents. I just hope that when I grow up I'll be able to design like her. She set the pace via her Dora Young Knot which has since been 'replaced' by the split ring and split chain.

Day 4

Good morning - here is the link for Day 4.

Onwards and outwards!!!

First of all - tomorrow will be Day 4 of the TIAS.

As you can see I've finished all the petals on the latest Dora Young doily and am now on part of the outside of it. 

It's not lying flat but I can assure you that it will work out just fine. I know because I trust in Dora implicitly.

The colour is the same as the previous post but looks very different due to the background, I think!!!

Day 3 available now

Here is the link to Day 3 of the TIAS.

Day 2

Day 2 of the Tat It And See (TIAS) is now available here.

Sorry about the delays in updating the TIAS blog yesterday but it was Friday 13th and it certainly lived up to it's reputation for me all day!!!

A bit of advertising!!

First of all - tomorrow will be Day 2 of the TIAS.

OR, one could say - downright promotion of my 'stuff'!!!

I don't like pushing myself forward but I really would like to clear out my Etsy shop of the bags I've got left in my 'shop box'. Why? Well part of me wants to start another session of sewing when Spring comes and I need an almost empty shop to do that and part of me wants to be tidy and have them out of my way. Now, I must add that that is the smallest part - the wanting to be tidy!!!

I doubt there's going to ever be a chance of me achieving that as it hasn't happened in the last 73 years!!!

So what I'm asking is for you to take a trip over to my Etsy shop to see what I've got there.  If you let me know whether you'd like one (and which one) I will then 'reserve' you that bag and put it in the shop with a 'reserved' sticker on it.

Further progress

Isn't this pretty now? Well I think so but it will get even better before it's finished.  Still not had to cut or tie so that's even better. 

Working out how to do the chains and rings between the two petals was not that hard as they're 'thrown off' BUT getting the right thread amounts was!!! 

I have made a note of the quantities and the 'how to' on progressing down the righthand side of the petals for Heidi so that she may probably be able to include those in the reprint. I will certainly be keeping those notes so that I can work this pattern again.  It's a stonking great pattern.  Have I said that before about Dora's work?  If so then I'll say it again about ALL the patterns in the book - they're amazing.

We're OFF

This is the link for the first day of the TIAS.

Tomorrow

'They' (whoever they are) always say that 'tomorrow never comes' but I promise you that tomorrow will come and the first part of the Tat It And See will be launched in English, French and Dutch. 

Now, where will you find that link? Well it'll be here on this blog both in a regular post and it'll also be on the TIAS blog which you can find here. You will also be able to find all links on the left side bar too. The introduction is already there just in case you've mislaid it!!!

Please don't be shy of sending in any pictures, guesses or comments to either this email address or this email address. I find it too time consuming to troll all blogs and Facebook to find your work so would be grateful if you could send it to me as many, many people thrive and enjoy the hilarity of the comments.

I can assure you (this is aimed at Maureen) that this year you will NOT be making a rabbit!!!!

Still on crochet - but

Before I start - two days til the TIAS begins. I must make sure that both browsers are awake and working well before it starts!!! 

Why two browsers?   Well, one is for my regular gmail account (and blog) and that clashes with the account I use for the TIAS blog - which is a different email address and login.  It means that for the next few weeks I'm constantly jumping from one browser to the other!!!  I MAY lose weight with all the jumping!!!!

I'm really looking forward to meeting all my tatty friends through the coming weeks. 

After the little owl I decided to give critters a break but I MAY go back to mice again. Love those meeces to pieces!!!!

This time I've started on 'granny squares' - well, hexagonal ones!!!!

Change of plan!!!

No, you're not going colour blind!!! For some reason unbeknown to me (BC3 probably knows the answer) I gave up on the pink version of this Dora pattern a few weeks ago. I think I decided that it was going to be too hard but my lovely new internet friend (Heidi) sent me two pictures of Dora's original work that I could enlarge and study carefully. 

Thanks to this I was able to work out how the spiky bit was done. Actually Dora surprises me all the time as the pattern was actually perfectly written but BC3 just couldn't 'get it' for a while and without the pictures. Thanks a MILLION, Heidi. 

I think this was my third or forth attempt and many, many hours of puzzlement to get this far. 

There are more challenges to come with this pattern but I'm not giving up now!!!!

Now for an owl!!!!

As before - this little chap is made in size 10 thread. It's one of Marilee's HDT's although I'm not sure which. I very, very rarely use size 10 in tatting and this is just too gorgeous to not use. 

Owls MAY take over from mice - who knows!!!

Wake UP Jane!

I'm a dozy old moo. Here I am with a week to go and I've not yet issued a reminder that the Tat It And See starts next week.

Actually I suppose that's not too bad as I could call this a countdown to the start. 

Seven days to go.

Here's a link (which is now on both blogs) to the translation of the introduction in Dutch with many thanks to my dear friend Riet who is providing this service.  There is also a link for my French speaking (thank you, Julie) friends on both blogs too. 

I could put a picture on here of the finished piece but obviously I'm not going to spoil your fun. Instead I'm picking a random piece of tatting out of my photos.

Over run with the pesky things!

Do you remember these little guys? 

Well I made a few more. No idea why I'm doing them but I've learned something about BC3 while doing them. He DOES love fiddly fine things!! The big mouse made with wool just didn't satisfy me but the others made in size 10 crochet thread certainly did!!!! 

Am I bonkers?  Of course I am!!!

Off on another adventure!!!

This is, as you've probably guessed, another of the Dora Young patterns. 

Isn't it pretty? Well this is the first attempt on this one which maybe rather problematic. I've read and re-read the destructions but I can't fathom out one of the parts - although I can see how the whole pattern works in theory!!! Theory is a strange thing!!!!

I'll be back and will persist with this.

Sorted.

Well that wasn't too bad.  

Here it is sorted.  I'm much happier with it now!!!

I'm BACK!!!

That's a warning that trouble is back in Tat Land after a few days of doing very little except tat and crochet!!! Here are four of the Pinwheel motifs based on the first one I did right here - BUT

There's something wrong. Can you see what it is? It struck me immediately that I'd joined the final square wrong!!

So, back to the scissors and snip, snip, snip!!! Fortunately only most of the final round so it wasn't too bad. 

Now to put it right - back tomorrow (or whenever) with the amended square!!! I HOPE.

An invasion of mice!

This will be my last post until next week. Mainly because I'm feeling lazy and also partly because I really don't want to start showing you other things until after the festivities are over. 

I have, however, got these mice to show you.  Just couldn't resist this little pattern I found on the internet!!!  

I love making small quick things occasionally although my main love is to be stretched by the craft of tatting - either by designing or by trying to understand and work some of the older patterns.  Dora Young - you ROCK.

Hope you all have a good Christmas and don't eat or drink too much.  I'll be ignoring my own advice, I expect!!!

Another pinwheel

This is the same pattern as the one I showed you here.

Heidi Nakayama (the lady who is getting Dora's book re-printed next year) showed me her version of this design worked in two colours and my poor old BC3 was blown away. It was STUNNING. She taught it as a class and I bet the people who were in that class were also amazed to see how it worked in two colours.

In this pattern is a technique I've never seen before and one which I am currently exploring for myself. Dora certainly gave a LOT to Tat Land when she was designing. I'm in awe of the woman.

Another rabbit

Today I've got another rabbit to show you. This is from Geraldine who has combined her rabbit with - well, I'll let her tell you!!!!

"Got there at last, finish him today. He's feeding his carrot to Rudolf. I've made 56 Rudolf's this year for friends and family. Merry Christmas."

Thank you, Geraldine - just in time for the next TIAS!!!!

Here's the link to the post on the TIAS blog.

Just when I thought it was all over

I found another pattern lurking on the computer. This time it's a Flipje. 

Now WHAT is a Flipje I hear you ask!!! Well this next link will explain it all. I hope you can translate it via your browser. I've got a google plugin on my browser that allows me to translate most pages to English so I'm hoping you can too. It's an interesting read. 

You'll see from the date at the top of the pattern that this was done a while ago! I'm not sure who asked for it but I know I'd never heard of a Flipje until then. 

This is one of the reasons I LOVE Tat Land. I learn all the time.

Pinwheel

This is another of the patterns from Dora's book. It's called the Pinwheel. I've been working on this for a few weeks but didn't have time to show you until now. 

It's a pretty straightforward pattern to follow and to work BUT it does have an intriguing technique that I'd not met before. 

Be assured - you'll be seeing more of this technique if I can get BC3 to work on the idea!!!!  I can 'see' myself using it in something I'm quietly looking into designing and between starting yet another pattern from 'the' book.

I have had one or two people ask for copies of the patterns but, as I've explained, I can't share as the book is under copyright to Dora's family and I wouldn't dream of breaking copyright laws.  

Yet another!!!

Not so bad this time as it's only been forgotten for a while!! 

Today's pattern is based on this original diamond that I made for a patchwork type theme some years ago. A little adaptation and it's become a matching pendant and bracelet set. Obviously this would also work for earrings too!!!

I think my backlog is now clear but you never know what I'll find somewhere on my computer!!!!

Here's the link for this pattern.

Another missing pattern and thoughts .....

It wasn't until I got a comment on the TIAS blog on Sunday that I realised that I'd never put the completed TIAS 2015 pattern up on the pattern page!!!

I'm hopeless I know. Finally it's here.

I also got thinking yesterday over a comment that Diane made on her blog about Facebook. It was interesting as a few weeks ago I stopped receiving any notifications from the tatting blogs on there. 

My main reason was because I found it so repetitious. Somebody would ask a question and people would answer. Everybody has different opinions and ideas and that's fine but it was the constant repetition of the same comments and opinions on the SAME thread because nobody read back through previous comments that really 'got' me. 

I also found I was beginning to spend very precious tatting time on skipping from comment to comment and seeing and hearing the same old things. I haven't 'left' any of the groups and am still available but I just don't get notifications. Actually I must admit I don't often go onto the site after I've posted a blog link in the mornings. I LOVE MY BLOG!!!

Finally the six point star

I've finished another Dora pattern (this one) which I'm really pleased with. Pigmini suggested doing it in two colours but by the time I got her suggestion it was well under way. 

I'm not sure it would work with two colours as the stars would get 'lost', I think. Can you see how cleverly Dora uses the chain sections to make the stars stand out? Those chains then become a design feature in themselves. 

I'm off on another pattern now and will start to show you that shortly. Are you getting bored with hearing about my adventures? If so then I'll just carry on quietly. There's no way I can give up working on this book just yet. I'm making notes as I go along too as a reminder for myself and they may come in useful for others too.

Using a picot gauge

As you know I bought a set of picot gauges last Saturday when I was at the Lace Fair. 

Of course, as with any new toy, a person HAS to play as soon as they can!!! I'm working on another Dora Young pattern (not telling which one yet!) and thought they'd be darn useful. BUT I was wrong, wrong, wrong.

They may well work for 'normal' picots but for those being followed by lock joins they're not good. Well, that's my opinion.  Or, rather, that's what I think right now.  

I struggled to get a decent picot to sit properly or stay the same size as it's next door neighbour. I've put them to one side for now but will have another 'go' when I'm doing 'normal' picots which aren't followed by lock joins!!!  

OK

So you've had the sun, the moon and now you're going to get (whether you like it or not) the stars. 

Based on my original ancient star this is what I offered as a lesson to Palmetto this year. I've now added the pattern to this page and it can be found in the jewellery section.