An exchange

I'm not one for doing exchanges really. I got burnt some years ago when my exchange never arrived and the person organising it felt she had to do another lot of gifts for me and that made me feel a real burden. 

I do take part occasionally in the Fringe (Canada) exchange as that one is heavily monitored by the organiser (thank you, Ruth). 

I saw on a Facebook group that Julie (who used to translate the TIAS's for the French tatters) was organising a Spring exchange so on impulse I decided to take part. 

I was very lucky and my partner was Gaelle. I sent her the flower and the sun that I blogged a week or so ago and this is what I received from her. I love the butterflies - that has given me an idea on what to use shuttle 'ends' for. The card is amazing too although Gaelle says she didn't make it. Finally another sign of Spring - a flower. That will get sewn onto one of my t-shirts. Thank you, Gaelle.

Starcatcher version 2

I've finally finished working on the Star Catcher pattern which you can find here.

I really like this second version so much better than the first but that's personal I suppose.

I've uploaded the new pattern so please (if you can be bothered) have a look and have a go!!! I've added lots more drawings to make it easier.

There are two types of patterns I won't tackle (unless I'm tied to a chair and tortured) - those which are 'drawing only' and those which are 'text only'. Even if they have a picture of the finished item and I like it then I feel lost without the 'whole bundle'. 

I think that's an age thing and goes back to when I first started tatting when all you 'got' was a picture of the finished piece. That was when dinosaurs were roaming the earth!!!

Large cabone ring re-visited

This is the second of the two cabone ring patterns that I've re-visited. 

These are such fun to make and easy too. I have them dangling from my handbag and they're always a talking point. 

This is the link to the 'new and improved' pattern.

Two more pouches AND

Some good news!!!

The little rose pouches seem to be very popular with my friends and so when I was in Birmingham last Friday I spotted the attached fabric which I simply HAD to have. I think I've got enough for two more pouches at least!!!

Below that are two more of the pouches (insides and outsides) ready to go to good homes!!

I'm aiming now to take around 20 of these to Tat Days (plus other bits and bobs) to sell in order to try and get some money towards the trip.  I know that it'll not happen before Tat Days but an OG can dream that the debt collectors won't be after her for a while!!!  

Now they're a pair!

Once there was a lonely glove but now there's another. If one had more than three brain cells (like me) one would call that a pair!!! Well I did in the title, didn't I?

I've put between them the remaining grey yarn and I think I made a wise decision to add in the green to stretch it out. 

My next problem is where to put them so that they don't get lost before they're needed for Christmas presents. This house has a habit of swallowing stuff and not regurgitating it for many years!!!

Small cabone ring update

Next on my list for another 'look and improve' is the small cabone ring dangle which you can find here.

I did actually revisit this in 2010 but felt that more was needed so have had a quick look at it again! Well, I say 'quick' but that's a bit of a porkie pie (rhyming slang for lie). 

You will notice in this version that I've changed some of the notation. Instead of putting 'move bead to back of hand' when you need it there in the next ring, I've now replaced that with MBBH which saves a lot of space and a bit of ink!!!!

In this version I've also changed the destructions too to help those doing front/back side tatting.

I'm OFF

No, I don't mean I smell ‘off’. Least I hope I don't!

When I say I'm off I mean I'm off to AMERICA to PALMETTO TAT DAYS in September. How exciting is that?  I heard at the end of last week that I’d been selected.

Next job will be to book my flights and get the insurance done. A few weeks before I leave I have to get my ESTA (visa) done too. That's not too bad but takes a bit of time and effort!! Then there's the taxi to book and, of course, two months or more before the trip I start packing!!!

That might sound rather early to pack but there are so many 'odds and ends' I have to take with me/remember that I have to start early to be sure I've got them all!!! Anyway it keeps me focussed and stops me getting too excited.  

Main excitement is about meeting old friends and making new ones too.  The only complaint I have about Tat Days is that it’s never long enough.  I never seem to have enough time to talk to everybody.  PLEEEEEESE, Palmetto Tatters make it Tat Week next year.

Bring me sunshine

I have taken part in an exchange. I do this from time to time as it's a good way to meet other tatters that I probably wouldn't ever meet. I sent a flower to Gaelle a couple or three weeks ago and it just didn't seem enough.

The weather was really poor when I made the flower and so I thought I'd send her a little sunshine too. Well it cheered me up while I was making it!!!

Two more done

I’m really enjoying making these little pouches. They’re not ‘easy’ as such but once you get into the swing of them they’re fun to make.

Choosing which fabrics 'go' together is part of the fun/problem and each one I make becomes my favourite and the one I'm going to keep!!! Now how many pouches does a gal need? Well, one for tatting, one for sewing, one for 'things I keep in my handbag', one for the things I need to take with me on trips and many other ideas may spring to mind. Does anybody have any other ideas?

I wonder

What would happen if designers collected royalties on the use of their patterns like music in the music industry?

I remember working as a temp for a software company who had to pay a royalty on every track they used in their touch screen business. 

Now how the composers or musicians (or whatever) of the music know who uses their works (unless declared by the person using it) then I’ve no idea. It’s the law and that’s what it says. I looked it up and this is how things stand in the UK.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if we (as designers) could collect on our work each time it was used in a similar manner? Maybe I’d be rich? Hmmm, doubt it.

Not sure why I’m thinking and writing this - must be all the rain we’ve been having getting into my 🧠 brain!!!!

The problem is

That once you've done one you've really got to do another unless you have a one handed friend.

I suddenly decided the other day that I wanted to knit a pair of gloves!! It’s hopefully getting towards the tail end of the winter but BC3 doesn’t seem to realise that! I thought I’d knit two pairs for this year’s Christmas presents. 

I looked in my stash of yarn and found some grey four ply wool. It wasn’t a full ball so I weighed it and a pair of gloves I’d made with similar yarn. Ah, maybe not quite enough for a pair of gloves so I got another ball and have used that as you’ll see.

This is the right hand glove done. Front and back are shown.

A heart and a pig

Just had to show you this heart and the pig which Mary sent to me. 

They’re both on my pattern pages here. 

It’s a constant surprise when people send me pictures of things they’ve made from my designs. It’s strange being at ‘this end’ of the tatting process as you’re never sure if what you put ‘out there’ is really what people want. 

As I give my designs away there’s no feedback on whether things are being used or not. People are very kind and say ‘thank you’ when I announce a new pattern but after that (unless somebody writes to me like Mary and a few others) or posts on Facebook then it’s a mystery.

Nothing wrong with a mystery, though!!!

Another flower!

Now this flower is off to France. Actually by the time you read this it may already have arrived!!! Again I used the pattern I made on Monday but this time BC3 actually managed to remember to do the join to the button PROPERLY!!! 

I do hope Gaelle likes it. I don't often take part in exchanges as I never think my work is up to scratch but I am quite pleased with this one.

I’ve used my new method of anchoring the beaded picot to the edge of the button which makes a more ‘positive’ and ‘anchoring’ join.  Not sure why it works but it really does - promise.  This is the original way of doing it but the threads do tend to ‘slip’ up onto the button.  This is the new way I devised which seems to lock the tatting firmly to the edge.  

A pile of work

Look at THIS!!! What a lot of sewing ahead of me! I work in batches and do all the cutting out, then all the ironing on of batting and stiffening and then finally I have the pleasure of sewing it/them all up!!! 

The worst part of it all is the sewing on of the buttons as closures!! No idea why but I tend to leave that task until I'm 'out and about' at one of my craft groups so I've got people to talk to while I'm doing them.

The next task will be to make the inserts and finding little bags to put them in. I like it when it gets to this stage (sewing, that is) as I can listen to a book or podcast and be in a little world all of my own!!!

One thing I’ve recently started doing is downloading audio books from our local library to listen to while I sew.  Makes a change from listening to podcasts!!!

Starcatcher

Off I go again on another update!! This time it's the Star Catcher which you can find here. Thirteen years old too!! About time it had a facelift!!

This shouldn't take me quite so long as I've only got two to make. BUT I do get sidetracked as you know!!!

I prefer the second version to this one so will be working on that later this week.

Flower

Just a flower because I felt like it!!!! Sometimes a gal has to do what a gal has to do!!!

Actually this is similar to the one I've sent in as a suggestion to teach at Palmetto in September.  

The pattern I've sent in only has half the amount of beads over the button so people should be able to complete it in the time allotted.  

Not only will that technique of adding buttons be taught but the way the tatting is 'anchored' to the side of the button.  If you look closely at the beads at 11 o'clock on this picture you'll see they don't quite sit as well as they should.  That's because BC3 forgot to do the extra 'bit' to the anchoring of the picot.  

Multi motif finished

Well here it is - the final motif sorted.

I've updated the pattern page now so I'm hoping it will be easier to follow the patterns. I guess it's a case of 'five for the price of one' but as they're free that doesn't work!!!

The alternative centres have been sorted too so if you fancy making them and don't have cabone rings they're still possible.

A second tree

Here is the first tree I made in our Tuesday group.

This morning I'm showing you the second tree!!! Obviously I couldn't avoid putting some tatting on a tree forever so I did with this one!! 

I've used some size 10 thread which was very kindly given to me a few years ago. These are HDT by Marilee and have been in my stash as I don't usually use size 10. BUT they were absolutely ideal for this project. Thank you Sue Anna who gave them to me as they were 'just right' for this.

Actually I must admit to enjoying the size 10 after a while. I do like the 'boldness' of it and the others in the group seemed to think they were fine. In fact I was asked to do some star shapes for another member which was very flattering.

Two more pouches

There should've been three here but one got 'stolen' off me on Friday. 

I'd made another almost exactly the same as this one and took the three of them to Crafternoon to finish off. I took these photos before I went. 

The original one had already gone to a friend who saw me finishing it off last Tuesday!!! I've never made anything that's been as popular as this and neither of the purchasers is a tatter so they obviously will have many uses and not just for carrying round small tatting projects 'on the go'!!!

Well I finished the three off at Crafternoon (sewed on the shank buttons) and immediately one of the ladies got hold of the second rose one and insisted that she was going to pay me for it and keep it!!! 

Now was I going to argue? NO WA Y!!! 

The fabric for these two below was sent to me by Sandra (Crazy Mom Tats) and I absolutely ADORE them. I think the cat one may well be on it's way to Atlanta at some point!!! Cats on the inside and cats on the outside too!! I've got some left of these two fabrics so hope I can squeeze two more out of it. We'll see!!! 

Motif number four

Another version of the multi motif has been 'dealt' with!!! Another five pointed one. 

This is number four of the five. Nearly there!!! 

I'm hoping to get the project finished by the end of this week as another is 'lurking' in the background!!! I need to tat a few small things for a present so I'll do those at some point too.

What a busy time!!!

Meet Shadow

Now this is a project that came about because a lady mentioned my name on Facebook and that came into my inbox (I don't 'do' Facebook unless I see something interesting in my inbox). She kindly admitted that she'd used parts of two of my patterns to make a cat. I was intrigued so toddled over to see what she'd used. Well all I could see was the one seahorse pattern used as a tail.

I got in touch with her to ask if she needed help with drawings as she'd not written it up. Thereby started a couple of months of discussions etc. She'd given the cat she'd made away so had to work mainly from memory. In the end and despite computer and camera problems at her end we've managed to finish Shadow. 

I'm very happy to give you the link directly to Shadow but you can also find him/her in the Guest Designers section of my site. 

Please welcome Shadow.

Here is my final test tat.

Another round done.

Yes, another round of the Coriolis mat is done. 

I'm really surprised at how quickly this motif can be done!!! Also the fact that I am still enjoying it too!! I reckon I'm going to 'have' to do another round so I can start to get fed up with it!!! I really, really have to get fed up with it as if I don't I can see me starting another new doily or whatever you want to call it.

Yes, sadly that's how BC3 works. 

I take this and the Fandango coaster projects with me to craft groups and I can do the two of them while talking. Last Thursday I took my 'teaching kit' with me to the Stratford library group as Shirley wanted to learn to tat. I'm pleased to say she caught on pretty quickly so I'm hoping to make more progress with her this week.

Time to sew

We've had a few warmer days recently so I've been able to make a prototype of this little pouch. Isn't it cute?  Perfect for carrying round a small tatting project.

I am going to slightly 'improve' on it when I make more as I think the flap could be a little longer. 

The inside pocket is stiffened with iron on interfacing and the outer has iron on batting/wadding. This prototype will have a press stud to hold the flap down (when I get roundtoit) but in future I think I may sew a small piece of elastic into the flap and use a shank button on the outside. 

This improvement (hopefully!) comes from the fact that I know me too well. I tend to try and stuff too much into everything (including life itself) so it may need a little 'give'. 

If these prove successful then I'll make some to sell. I still have my Etsy shop. 

Yet another

This is version three. Don't worry - only two more to go and then your boredom will be over and done with!!! 

One of the things I've done this time round is to omit some of the beads. I must've been going through a mega bead obsession back in 2006! 

As you'll see (or not!) this version has five 'points' instead of the usual six. 

I'm also going to work on the alternative centres to this whole series - that's for those who haven't any cabone rings or just don't want to use them. These versions will not need cutting and tying when progressing from the centre outwards either.

Fandango coaster and more progress

Another few squares on and this is what I have now. I'm still determined to carry on until the whole ball of thread has been used.

A friend in Canada (and Maureen in Australia) sent me the yardages for Cebelia and so I thought I'd share on here as (although I've made a note of it for myself) I tend to use the blog regularly to find things that I've written in the past. That little search bar at the top left of the blog page is just SOOOO useful. I don't use 'tags' in the post as I've found they're not necessary. Well, that's my opinion for what it's worth!!!

Anyway, before I forget I'd better paste the yardages before I forget!!!

Size 10- 284 yd/ 260 m

Size 20- 414 yd/ 379 m

Size 30- 567 yd/ 518 m

Size 40- 711 yd/ 650 m

Another version

This is the second version of the multi motif which I'm working on. Again please don't use the pattern as I'm still working on it.

BC3 has now decided that the only way to deal with this whole set of variations is to re-write the whole lot. So, out with the old and in with the new!!!! 

That's the theory, anyway!!!

Another choker

Remember the black choker? 

Well the same lady wrote and ordered a pink and green one too as I mentioned in that last post about the black one. Want to see it?

Not my choice in colours but the customer is always right and actually I got to really like the combination after a short while. 

Today it's

Valentine's day!!! 

OR should we say - Hallmark day? I know - I'm being a grumpy old git here!!! Still I thought I'd share my love (of tatting and Nick) with you guys.

Here's the link.

Remembering Gina

A talented tatter taken far too soon. 

Seven years now without your cheerful 'voice' in my inbox.  Gina's blog is still 'live' and full of interesting posts.  Here's the link to it.

I cherish the times I spent with her but they were far too short.

First tree finished

Something a little different to show you today. 

In my Tuesday morning group we're making another quilt and this time the subject is 'trees'. I must admit to being less than enthusiastic at the start but I now seem to have the wind up my tail and after this desultory start I decided the tree needed a bit of 'bling'!!!

So into one of our containers I dived and now the tree is 'blinged'. Off to start the next one but no idea what it'll turn out like!!!

Another old pattern

Part of my ongoing tidying up of old patterns has forced me to look once again at this one.

I got rather 'carried away' on the multi looks I could get with this design which was originally done on cabone (curtain) rings. In the end I finished up with five versions. By that time my brain was frazzled but still more ideas kept coming!!!

Please don't use the pattern just yet as I need to replace it with the new version which (I HOPE) will be much easier to understand. 

After much scratching of BC3's brain I've also introduced a new abbreviation to the list too - MBBH. Far easier than writing 'bead at back of hand before starting', I think. Anyway we'll see how it goes.

Houston - I have a problem!

So off on the next 'phase' of this adventure!!!! 

As you know I like to do a set of middles then work on the 'outers' which is an easier (for BC3) pattern to remember when I'm out and about. 

It occurred to me that I'd stated back here that I was going to attempt to use the whole ball to make this. A rash statement perhaps!!!! So my next task is to work out how much each motif takes to make so on the final 'inner' here I jotted down how many yards are on the shuttles - both the shuttle 1 and shuttle 2. When I work the ‘outer’ then I’ll be able to find out how much each whole square takes.

In theory this should help - BUT when I looked on the DMC Cebelia label it doesn't say how much is on there - well not in yardage!! Now I have two conundrums - (a) my maths is diabolical and (b) how do I find out how much is on the ball.

So I asked Mr Google!!!  No luck on the DMC page as no yardage given but snooping around Ebay the sellers are saying it’s 416 yards.  A further snoop on Amazon and the sellers there say 405 yards.  I reckon if I ‘go’ with 400 yards I’ll be able to work out how many squares I can make.  Well if BC3 is behaving, that is!!!

Black choker

Just before Christmas I sold a fair bit of tatting to a really lovely lady. She's just been back in touch and wanted a choker.

One of the items I'd sold her was a bookmark made using the Ring of Roses pattern and she now wanted a choker in that design. Not a problem at all.

A day or two later she came back to ask for a second choker in two colours (which I've now started). She then asked if I could do a discount if she ordered a third. I explained that I was only 'paying' myself £1.50 an hour as it was and that didn't include materials. Thankfully she's thought about it and has stuck to the two only!! 

Why do I say thankfully? Well other projects have entered the BC3 environment and need 'dealing with'!!!!