Final round of my Marmelo doily

Well here it is - round 7.  To say I’ve enjoyed it is an understatement.  If anybody knows Erika Tsshiro would you tell her that it’s an amazing pattern and that I’ve enjoyed it, please?  

I’m also happy with the colours I’ve used too.  I did wonder and took ages to decide on the final round but once I’d done several repeats it seemed I was on the right track.

I’m going to finish the snowflake next so I can share it next week.

Just like Topsy

Now do you remember this little snowflake thing that I designed many years ago?  Well it grew shortly after into it's 'big brother' which you can find here.

Weeeellll, it's going through another growth spurt but that's proving an interesting experience!!!

Here are two versions that I'm working on but  I'm having some problems.

As you know from experience (if you've ever ventured into my pattern site) I like my designs to lie flat when they're finished without the messing about with this 'new fangled' blocking which is talked about so much.  I rarely, rarely block anything and think it's a pain in the proverbial!!!  Anyway, I digress.  Here are the two recent versions (which will be fine once stiffened) which will go into my Christmas giveaway 'pot'.  Meanwhile I'll be working on another two or three to fathom out how to stop the twist I get in the spikes.  Keep your eyes on this space.  NOT the space between my two ears - that's full of knotted thread!!!!

Done, dusted and already worn

I’ve finally finished my top.  This is the pattern I used.

Now those with good eyesight will notice that there’s a big difference between the original and mine!!

Yes, mine has long sleeves.  Why?  Well it’s getting cold now over here and I had plenty of yarn so I decided to continue the sleeves.  Obviously I had to work out how to decrease the stitches on the sleeves and make a note of what I did on the first sleeve so that the second matched.  Not a problem as I work with my iPad on my lap when I’m designing tatting stuff!!

Sunshine for a friend

I have a friend who’s going through a bit of a bad patch.  It’s always difficult to know what to give somebody to cheer them up so this is something I thought might ‘do the trick’.  

Sunshine always cheers people up and it always reminds me of Morecambe and Wise.  They were two English comedians who were brillliantly funny and they used ‘Bring me Sunshine’ as their signature tune.  Christmas wasn’t Christmas without the Morecambe and Wise show.  

Oh, the pattern can be found here. 

For my tooth fairy

I had bad news last week as my lovely dentist (Sally) told me she was leaving to go to another job.  I'm really sad about this as not only is she a good dentist but she's also got a great sense of humour which is VERY important to me.  

I decided to make her this bookmark which is an amalgamation of this one and this one with another type of 'tail' bit in between.  In fact I used roll or spiral tatting which I'm quite comfortable with now I've learned a much better way of doing it from a very old source which you can find here.  

Row 6 Marmelo

Another round of Erika Tashiro’s lovely Tatted Garland.  BUT I need to tell you that this is definitely round 6.  Last time I told you a lie as that wasn’t round six but it was round 5.  I didn’t lie deliberately I promise.  Here’s the link to my previous post in which I messed up.

Now you’ve GOT to realise that us old gits (like wot I am) can get confused and especially when they’re going through a bad patch in their lives.  

The past couple of weeks have been a tad stressful but I’m hoping they’ll improve soon.  Well, that’s all you can do is hope!!!  

A second square

Now this time I decided to use the same idea as on this cushion.

It’s a crazy quilt idea that I picked up from YouTube - here’s the link.  This time I used REALLY tiny five sided shapes to start off with and did three separate ‘starts’.  I put those together and then fiddled around and added other patches to fill up the gaps.  Not easy but I think it looks crazy enough to submit!!

A square

Having said two days ago that I didn’t have a lot to show you I’ve remembered that I haven’t blogged this project!!!  Where DID I leave BC3?  

The group I go to on a Tuesday morning are doing another project to raffle at next year’s summer garden party.  We’ve each taken one (or two!) squares of fabric and we’re each doing random ‘things’ on them to form a crazy quilt.  When I say ‘crazy’ I really do mean ‘crazy’ as we can each do what we like!!!  Here’s my first square.

What I did here was to cut strips of fabric and then turned under a small hem and machined it down.  I then wove them and stitched round the edges attaching them to the base square we’d been given.

It was quite challenging to keep the strips in place at first but the more I wove the easier it got!!!  Here’s the finished square.  As you can see I added another challenge by NOT going from side to side (or top to bottom) and not even truly diagonally.  Sometimes I think I’m really STOOOOOOPID!!!

Marmello round 6

Back again on the Marmello doily and another two rounds added.  

I’ve not got a lot to show you this coming week as I’ve been working on two new designs.  One will become the January TIAS.  

I am wondering now if people scan or take photos of their TIAS as this may well prove interesting if I ever do a 3D one.  Would be pleased to know what people do.

Knitting progress

This is how far I’ve got with my short sleeved top which you can find here.

Now those who are awake while reading this will notice that the sleeves are rather long for a short sleeved top!!!!  Do you want to know why?  Well I bought the recommended number of balls of yarn but have realised that I’m going to finish up with leftovers!!!!  Leftovers are fine if you can eat them but I don’t fancy eating yarn!!!  So I’ve decided to make the top into a sweater!!!  

I’m not sure if I’ve got enough length on the body so have left that ball attached to it so I can go back and add more if I want to. 

Of course carrying on to make the sleeves longer means working out when and where to decrease towards the cuffs.  When I’m designing tatting I always write down the pattern on my iPad as I go so this is what I’ve done with this project.  

Marmelo - halfway through daisy row

I have made further progress with the Marmelo doily  in the evenings when I’m not working on the TIAS I need to be doing something so this (and another project) are my ‘go to’ ways of keeping myself awake and not falling asleep in front of the telly!!!.

Did you enjoy the break?

I simply didn’t have time to blog last week - everything seemed to decide to happen last week and the week before.  

BUT I did have time to get a good way into a TIAS for next January.  Autumn is heading our way so there’ll be less to do to the garden - although I don’t do a lot anyway!  I enjoy mowing the grass but do little else apart from pulling weeds.  I mow a neighbour’s grass for them too and get some really odd looks when taking my mower along the road to their house.  One person I met walking the mower stopped and made a funny comment so I pointed out that other people walk their dogs so why shouldn’t I take a mower out for a walk. 

Obviously I’ve not a lot to share due to the TIAS but I do have a few things this week.  

 

Memories on the day of the Queen’s funeral

The Queen and her staff were amazing.  When my oldest daughter was six (she’s a bit older now) I landed up (as a supply teacher) taking on her class for a week or two.  My youngest would’ve been four and not yet in school, I couldn’t drive, there was a cold spell and life was pretty tough as in those days my ex and I were pretty hard up.  

This is what Lucy wrote on her Facebook page a few days ago.

“1974. I was six years old when I drew a really crap Christmas card on a shitty bit of scrap paper in class. It was an orange and red scribble - very festive (not). My mum was supply teaching (the first and only time she taught me) and for some reason, I thrust my crap card into her hands on a whim and said ‘Send this to the Queen!’. My mum indulged me, or rather she told me yesterday: ‘Woe betide anyone who said no to you, even at 6’. Never in our dreams did we think we’d get a thank you. Well, thank you dear Queen, for making a 6-year old’s Christmas. And apologies for the crap card.”

Following up on this I found this about the Lady-in-Waiting (Susan Hussey) and am even more impressed.

Lucy is now a well known international journalist.

Straining the brain!!!!

This is the first part (and part of the second part) of the doily called ‘Tatted Garland’ from Erika’s book ‘Tatting Lace, Marmelo’.

I’m so glad I’ve got a few years experience with front/back side tatting as I feel this really needs to be made that way.  I’m not a ‘fan’ particularly of this way of tatting but it does make a big difference.  To do this round you really have to be ‘on your toes’!!!

Thoroughly enjoyable, though.

Bracelet talk

It always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling when people actually understand and work my designs.  Never fails.  Here are a couple more of these bracelets that Kay Lynn has made.  This is what she said when she sent in the first photo.

“Just a quick note with a photo of a bracelet I just finished (using your pattern).  Fun to make so I want to make a couple more (as gifts) with different colors.  Thanks for sharing your designs.”

I then asked Kay Lynn if I could turn her message into a blog post and she thankfully said ‘yes’.  So here’s her second message and another bracelet!!!

“Of course you may make this into a blog post.  I'm glad you like the colours!  Here's a slightly different version that I made for myself (and I'm wearing it on the back side since I like that just as well as the front side).”

The last of the flowers

These tiny ones don’t have another colour in them but that’s what the pattern says!!! 

There’s something so relaxing about following a pattern.  No real ‘thinking’ needed - just sit and do as you’re told.  Wish that applied to the rest of life although that might be boring!!!

Monday’s ‘not a moan’!!!

That caught you out!!!  No, not a moan but something very interesting - well, to me!!!  

My BC3 started wondering when I saw Gail Weaver’s interpretation of a Piecework pattern which you can find here.

I was intrigued with it because to me it ‘grated’ on my poor brain cells.  I contacted Gail and she gave me the piecework link that she’d worked from and it was the same.  

Now why did it make my BC3 get agitated?  Simply because I’ve never seen chains which don’t all face the outside of the finished piece.  Gail did a SPLENDID job of drawing this pattern up but it doesn’t show that the chains vary in the directions the heads of the stitches face.  Her worked up piece follows the original precisely and I know that if I ever worked this pattern I’d ‘need’ to have all the chains facing the same way with the odd SS thrown in where needed.

It’s very difficult to explain with the attached pictures but I’ve tried to put red arrows to show you the chains which annoy my BC3.  Both pieces show that the chains are trying to turn on themselves too.  Now I wonder if the original designer just didn’t know how to get all the chains facing outwards or whether it was deliberate.  I also wonder if it was simply that designer or a ‘fashion’ of the time - or probably he/she just didn’t know about switching shuttles.  I’ve never seen this before but would love to know if anybody else has.  

It’s astonishing what my stupid little brain comes up with from time to time!!!  I hope this will generate a discussion and would like to thank Gail for tolerating my messages and letting me bring this to your attention.  

More little flowers

Another set of flowers from the Tatting Lace, Marmelo book.  I managed to get these done and am now working on another set.  More to come soon!!!

The knitted top

I have made some progress on the knitted top.  Last 'report' was here.

I've only been picking it up when I go to the knitting group on a Friday or when I'm at my 'crafty' group on a Tuesday.  Progress, because of that, is slow!!!  I'm really enjoying it and I think that shortly I'll be having a 'blitz' on it just to 'get it done'.  I know how my BC3 works!!!!

I needed something to stop the stitches falling off my needles and was looking to order something to use but couldn’t find anything really that appealed.  

In the end I was sorting through my sewing ‘stuff’ (the ‘recycling’ part of odds and ends) and came across one of those thingumygigs that you use on clothing to adjust the cords.  They’re ‘called cord string cord lock toggles’.  Took me ages to find out that bit of information!! Here’s what I mean.  

As you can see in the second picture - I found one (actually, two) in my recycling sewing box of bits.  This works a treat!!!

Monday moan - to do or not to do

That is the question.

Well I thought I was a tough old cookie - particularly having got through all life's trauma's, plus a few more, in the space of five years.  That was about thirty years ago.  But the stuff I have put up with from two tatters over the past few months has really knocked the BC3 out of me.

I'm beginning to bounce back slightly but I have stuff i really need to get on with but no energy to do.

First thing I need to do is decide whether to apply for a teaching position at Palmetto Tat Days next year.  The indecision is mainly about the probability of Covid rearing it's ugly head again.  Also finding the energy to organise myself.

Next problem is to do or not to do a TIAS in 2023.  I've got a possibility on the shuttles but have fallen out with it again.  To proceed or not to proceed - that is the  next question.   I have four 'incarnations' of it sitting glaring at me as I sit in Tat Corner and I've no desire to pick them up at the moment and work out whether to carry on or not.  

Finally - does anybody read blogs nowadays?  Should I give up blogging?  I think most people have emigrated to Facebook but I'm not comfortable there so rarely visit it for a 'look around'.  I pop in, put links to the blog or post walk pictures and then get out PDQ.  I apologise to those who expect me to see what they're doing but really I'm not a Facebook person.  I have enough of a problem keeping my own life on the level and certainly don't want to share the finer details of what it's like with 'all and sundry'.  

Sets of little flowers

This part of the Tatted Garland is going to take some time!!!  That should keep me busy!

These little flowers look straightforward but they aren’t!!  I doubt if you can see but the stitch count varies in some places and some rings have vsp’s (very small picots) and some don’t!!!  

This is the first of three ‘sets’ of flowers so I’ll be keeping each set together with a safety pin AND labelling them as I go.  If I don’t then I’ll get into a dreadful muddle!!!!

Fandango on Jayne’s table

Here’s the table the mat was made for on Jayne’s table.  It looks pretty good to me - the table, I mean!!!

Fandango finished

Well here it is - finished.  You’ll see I put another row on to balance the centre and I think it works.  

Now to give it to Jayne and hope she likes it.  

Now to get on with other projects and try and stop myself starting anything else!!!!

Kay Lynn’s bookmark

This is a bookmark made from this pattern that Kay Lynn sent me.  She’s a regular in the TIAS and shows us her gorgeous dog - Aonghas.  

This is her message which came last week.

Finished my first bookmark.  Some little glitches with tension, but I'll improve on subsequent bookmarks.  I like the pattern, and think I like the back side better than the front.  ;-)  Thanks again for being generous with your designs and patterns as I so enjoy giving them as gifts (and credit your designs as yours when I do!).  Celtic designs are always ones I enjoy too as I love the intertwining threads. I've attached a couple photos of them for you to see.  It was also a good pattern for me to practice my lock chain ability.  Thankfully this past year's TIAS taught me that technique!

Monday moan

I have been told the following over the space of two days when I was banned from a Facebook group to which I never belonged.  See the previous two Monday moans.

The moderator of the group contacted me on Thursday to ask if I was referring to her group in my last Monday moan and I told her I was.  

She says she believes I've been offended for not being allowed in (to the group), sour and hurt.  She’s told me I’m not the sort of person she wants to fraternise with, and that she’s not particularly fond of people who carry a superiority complex.  Also that I have an archaic attitude, but she’s seeing that amongst ‘you older tatters’ a lot.  

She said we (us oldies) want respect but don't give it.  Finally she said “I am done, you’re a rude piece of work who is used to getting her own way. You couldn't get in so chucked a tantrum.”

Isn’t it nice to know who your friends aren’t?  

Thankfully the conversation appears to be over after 24 hours of abuse and other nonsense.  All because I know a lot of tatters in that part of the world and wanted to join the same group as them.  No worries - I've joined another group in that country who welcomed me with open arms.  I'm a happy bunny!!!

Marmelo - finishing the centre

The next part of this project was finishing the centre and this proved to be good practice for daisy making which will happen in the next row!!!  

Although this part was fiddly it was also no problem.  I love the little daisies.  For those in the UK who want the book - Roseground Supplies has stocks now.  The book is called Tatting Lace, Marmelo and the link should take you to the page where it’s listed.  

Another day - another round!

Now this round was straightforward too.  Round 2.  BUT the next round looks VERY challenging so I’ll be slowing down then. 

Before I even start on round 3 I have to make loads and loads of flowers!!!  I’ll be seeing daisy’s in my sleep!!!!

My new book

I mentioned this book back a few weeks ago and it’s only now that I’m able to start on the pattern that I bought it for.  

I’m not a fan of diagram patterns so this is going to be a ‘double challenge’.  When I started tatting back in 1956 all patterns were the fully written style and diagrams were non existent.  All you ‘got’ were a black and white picture!!!

The pattern is probably not the most sensible of all to make a start with but I’ve always been a bit ‘hot headed’ when it comes to challenges!!!!  I intend to work it front side/back side.  So here’s round 1.  Done and dusted!!

Another bracelet

No, not mine, though. I had this lovely note from Brenda on Sunday which I’m going to post here - with her permission. She said

‘Dear Jane,

Thank you for another great pattern. The method of attaching the clasps to the end of the bracelet was new to me and worked very well. 

Hoping for rain here.

Brenda

Ajax, Ont.’

Here are her photos 

Monday moan

Well further to my moan last week I’ve had a lot of support from people all round the world and they’re all keeping an eye on what’s going on on ‘that’ Facebook group for me.  Again you’re welcome to email me if you want to know which group it is.

It’s all very petty as one person (who has since left the group) said out that a link to one of my technique pages that she put on the group was deleted.  I hope I’m not going to be blamed for encouraging people to leave the group which I certainly don’t want.  

Apart from Tat Land ‘problems’ the weather here has been VERY hot so not a lot of things have happened but I think I’ve got enough to show you for a few days blogging!!!  

A picture of a local park area.

Knitted top progress

Well here's the knitting I'm still plodding along with!!!  

As you can see I'm down past the armholes now and just thoroughly enjoying it.  The yarn is working out beautifully as you can see although I think I'm going to have a lot leftover when it's finished.  

The pattern is a free one from Ravelry and can be found here.

Today's Friday so I'm off shortly to my knitting group and you can guess what I'm taking with me!!!!

Fandango near the end.

The end is nigh - as 'they' say!!!  Not sure who 'they' are but for me the 'end' is the end of the Fandango mat I'm doing for my neighbour and friend.

I do need another final round as I planned on a dark green for the last round to 'match' the centre and that will make it the measurement she gave me.  

When I started on this I was looking for something to do while out at craft groups.  Things I could do while chatting to others.  This proved a good idea although I did often make mistakes when the chatting took over the hands and BC3!!!

Another bookmark

This is another bookmark made by Mary Jane. I wish she hadn't sent it as I'm now VERY tempted to make another in the same colours as hers. It's always reassuring to see that the mad ideas I come up with are used by others. It's a bit like working in the dark when you give away your work for free. If I sold my patterns I'd get to know what works for others and what doesn't. 

Having said that - there's no way I'm going to start charging. I like tatting - not making money!!!!

In and Out Bracelet finished

You've all seen the In and Out Bookmark and the link to the pattern is in that post.  I did mention that I'd be working on a bracelet and that's now ready too.

As this has to be made in pairs to work properly it means it needs to be 18, 20, 22 etc split rings in length. My wrist is 6½" and 18 split rings down the first side works well for that.  

BUT I've used another way to enable the tatter to adjust the length by using separate self closing mock rings to add the clasps.  Just hope it works for you if you make the bracelet. 

Oh, there's also another slight variation at the ends of each row too so don't fall into the trap of thinking it's EXACTLY the same as the bookmark!!!

Here's the link.

Monday moan

I've been absent without permission for the last week and a bit. I'm sorry if you've missed me but I really didn't think I'd got a lot to say!!! Turns out that I did but then couldn't fit in blogging into my busy life. If I don't sit down on a Sunday morning and do the posts and schedule them then the blog would be 'dead in the water'!!!

So it's Sunday today and the moan is again about Facebook - I do enjoy a 'good moan' at least once a week!!! 

I belong to lots of tatting groups and all the posts go directly into my email inbox from where the majority are deleted. I do occasionally reply to a question straightaway but usually leave it a day or so by which time it's lost in the timeline. By doing this I avoid any arguments or heated discussions!!!!! Keeps me out of trouble!!!! 

One group I recently asked to join (a tatting group) not only didn't let me in but has also banned me from even seeing the group itself when I do a search.  This has really upset me as I've never done anything wrong to upset them. Well, how could I when I didn't even belong? 

This group has members from all round the world but as soon as I asked to join they 'changed the rules' to only allow people in from their own country. One of the moderators told me this after I found out who they are and asked why I wasn't being allowed to join. 

I know that one of the moderators holds a grudge against me as I tried to help her with test tatting a pattern - if you don't want honest help from an expert then don't ASK.  

I'm not saying which country but if you want to know please email me and I'll tell you which group too. This happened a month or two ago and to say I'm upset is to put it mildly. I wonder what they're trying to hide from me? Surely nothing but now I will never find out unless others in the group who know me drop me a line.

Celtic Ferris Wheel again

Just found this which I haven't shown you before.  I'm totally fed up with trying to make this design larger at the moment but I may well return to it sometime in the future!!

The pattern is here.

Fandango progress

I'm still plodding along with my neighbour's doily.  It's going to be about 17" by 12 or 13 - when it's done!!!  

I think it will need two more rows after the current one but we'll see.  On the final row I'll repeat the very dark green but haven't decided whether that will be on one shuttle or both!!!

Mary's bookmark

Mary sent me a picture of her bookmark.  Love the colours she's used.

I'm working (along with my test tatter) on the bracelet version and should have it up and running soon.  I'll let you know!!!

Monday moan - sort of

I rarely buy books - well, not tatting books as I now have so many and the earliest I have dates back to 1870.  I resist buying as long as I can BUT occasionally there's a pattern book that calls to me and the cover picture on one really did that BIG TIME.  So I bought it and am happily looking forward to making one or two of the doilies because they are just so pretty.

BUT the one thing that really put me off when I opened it is the the way it appears to allocate front side/back side tatting to the invention of Jan Stawasz who is given the accolade of coming up with the idea.  This is sadly not true (it's been around since before Mrs Beeton published her book.  Actually since 1865 - see this link and the instructions on making a reversed double stitch.  

The thing that Jan did actually (to an old timer like me) is complicate the whole issue of using this 'technique'.  Some years ago I did his monster doily but ignored his notation completely!  What I did was count the total of doubles on a ring or chain and divide it up where there were picots and popped them in where they belonged.  I tatted it doing rings as per usual and chains by making the second half of the stitch first followed by the first half - RODS (reverse order of double stitch).  Oh, I also added beads to give the finished piece some weight and it's kept it's shape better by doing that too.  Sorry, I digress.  

So when I tackle the book (which I will do when I've finished another big project) I will be totally doing it using RODS.  Again (I've said this before) I do NOT think it's necessary to do tatting that way but tend to do it with things that will be scanned or only seen from the 'right' side.  

Oh, I bet you want to know which book I bought!!!  Here it is.  I'm DELIGHTED with it.