Slowly, slowly!!!

Where does the time go? I know I lead a busy life but I still don't know where time escapes to!!! 

This past week I've been making more accordion pouches and hope to be able to put them all together in one blog post in case anybody wants to reserve or buy one. 

I've also got two other sewing projects on the move too but you'll have to wait to see what they are for a while. Sometimes my blog has queues of stuff ready to show you and then I'll go through a 'bare' patch. At the moment it's like Spring - it's blossoming!!!!

To edge or not to edge

That is the question!!!! Got to get my bit of Shakespeare in from time to time!!!

This is the Coriolis mat which I showed you last week. 

Putting an edge on anything isn't as easy as you'd think. You can see in the top picture that I've tried several different ideas and I had already decided that I'd need to 'dip' into the spaces between motifs. On the top picture you'll see that I've done really simple SCMR's to get the depth to try and keep the edge straight.

In the second picture (and using the same stitch counts for the rings and chains) you can see that I've done a very different SCMR. In fact I've replaced two with just one SCMR and made it slightly more 'fancy'!!!! Keeping all fingers crossed that it works out. Now I've got to snip off both edgings and start again as I don't like the colours I've used. The top picture's colours weren't a serious contender!!!! I did think the orange may work but I've changed my mind!!!!

Egg on toast anybody?

No? How about an egg for Easter!  Sadly not a chocolate one!!

I managed to finish it and get it up on the website.

Here's the link if you want to have a go.

Grace’s heart

Well you can't give a child something without giving it's sibling a present too.

This is the heart I've made for Grace (Fleur's big sister) and here's the link to Fleur's heart.

As you can see I've made this one slightly different using purple beads because Grace told me she liked purple when we were discussing colours we liked.

I've now got to find frames and add something to the hearts to make it a 'proper' picture. I'll be back to bore you with this project sometime soon!!!!

Meanwhile whilst I’ve got this pattern on my BC3 I will update it with added diagrams.  Watch this space!!!!

All about eggs!

Now I'm in a ‘consortium’ which rescued 8 chickens from appalling conditions and have given them a new life at a local community area. We (the chickeneers) take it in turns to look after them which can be a pain in the cold, wet and windy conditions of winter.  Currently the two OG’s who live in this house are overrun with real eggs as the ‘gals’ are laying very very well.

Anyway, I really need to talk about tatted eggs rather than drowning in the real ones.

This is a new egg idea I'm working on and as Easter is coming up, I believe, I need to get a move on with it. Hope to have it uploaded by the end of the week - will keep you posted!!!

The top one isn't really 'eggy shaped' according to my favourite critics so the second one is what I'm working on at the moment.  

Gloucester Tatting Day

On Saturday I went to the tatting day that Linda organises in Gloucester. Splendid group of ladies and this time in a new venue which proved to be more like meeting in somebody's room at home. It had a lovely atmosphere and it was easier to move around and talk to people. 

Barbara from Tatting and Design was there and we were able to pre-order anything we wanted from her which was a great idea. The room wasn't large enough for her to bring all her stock but I think that pre-ordering worked well and I got myself a new ball of black thread - in case another animal idea occurs to BC3!

Kate brought along about 12 or more shuttles that somebody had given her. She had no idea what they were. I took photos of two of them and it's the first time I've handled a Mauchlin shuttle which was a treat in itself. When I told her a rough value of the shuttles she was gobsmacked. A good start to a shuttle collection and the (probably ivory) cream one is also to die for.

There was one other that I wish I'd taken a photo of too which is a black (probably ebony) with flowers. Here's a link to one of two that I have.

I wish I'd told her they were worth nothing and that I'd buy them off her for a pound!!!!! Good job I'm an honest soul!!!

Fleur’s heart

I have a fan. Yes, it's true. She's a darling but she doesn't know about tatting yet. 

Her family have moved into the house opposite us but have currently moved out while they're having it upgraded - plumbing, heating, windows, extensions etc. What a nightmare. Anyway she's living with mum, dad and big sister with her 'Glammy' (grandma) a few doors along the road. Apparently she gets very excited when she sees me and calls me 'MY JANE'!!!! 

When I saw the family last week Fleur was telling me that her new bedroom is opposite us at the front of the house and I've promised to wave to her!!! She also told me it was painted pink! I bet you all knew what colour I was going to say before I even opened my mouth - or tapped the keys on the keyboard!! 

So BC3 (who was getting jealous) decided that if my attention was going to be taken away to Fleur (who, by the way, is about three years old) then he'd want some himself. Thus a heart was made. More to come on this later!

Coriolis - another round

Another round of the Coriolis is done. I must get this pattern up on the web site soon as it wasn't chosen for teaching at Palmetto. So many things to do and so little time, eh?

Looking at this I feel it needs a border. I'm going to experiment to see what will/will not work. The outer 'points' on the final round do 'flop about' a bit so I feel they need to be tamed. I wonder if there's a lion tamer around who could give me some advice!!!!

This is going to be quite a challenge to do, I think. I want to 'use up' all the outer picots so it'll mean 'dropping into' the dips where two motifs join. Can you see? I've a feeling it's going to keep BC3 occupied for a while. I'll try and remember to show you the experiments before I do the final border. As for colours - I think I'll use the orange from the very centre motif with a brown (as in the last row) for that. We'll see!!!

More accordion pouches

Well here we go again!!! More accordion pouches. 

I've got small amounts of the Japanese fabric left from making craft tote bags and I've got enough of this small print one to make a few pouches. I think I've made two of these and there's another (Japanese) print too which I may make up eventually. 

Personally I love the red one at the top BUT I don't need anymore bags, do I? What a silly question - a gal can never ever have enough bags for 'things', can she?

I've got a few more to blog and then I will ask if anybody wants to buy through the blog. If people want me to reserve any to buy at Palmetto Tat Days then I'll put their names on them. They're going to be £10 each (plus postage if applicable). Just thought I'd let you know!!!  

All proceeds will go towards getting me across the pond in one of those flying machines!

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.