Another pair

Here is another pair of earrings using the same pattern as yesterday with a different lower dangle! I've scanned on black and white to try and get a decent picture! This time I used the invisible thread and I'll admit they are stunning in 'real life'. The lack of colour inside the beads makes them shine even more. Just a pity that the scanner doesn't do them justice. I'll try a photograph later - if the sun keeps shining!
Each time I finish working with this thread I say 'never again'. Then I look at the results the next morning and am sorely tempted to get it out again. There are many 'snags' to tatting with it - mainly that you can't see it!!!!! Still, I suppose that's why it's called invisible!!!

More Earrings

I made another pair of these earrings yesterday. Using a number 80 thread and size 11 beads (same size as delica ones). I keep making (and wearing) this style as they never 'bend' or change shape. If you use an 80 thread then the beads really do help it keep shape. Sometimes I double the thread but this time I didn't. However much you stiffen some 'fancier' styles they still tend to 'bend in the middle' after a few wearings. These stay as 'fresh as a daisy' forever. I'm still wearing some I made years ago. Oh, the pattern is the one on my site (click the title!). Next project is to try and work these with invisible thread. I do like a challenge!!!
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Taming beads - it works!!!

Well it works!! What a pleasant surprise and all for half an hour's work with scissors, pins and the sewing machine.

Something to tame my beads!

Last Friday we bought some new throws for our chairs because our fleece throws were getting very old and grotty. Life changes do happen even here at Chez Eborall!!! The new ones are lovely too - cotton print.
Now, why am I telling you this? Well I settled down to tat in my chair with the lovely new throw and then found that my beads, hooks etc kept sliding off. Tragedy had struck at Chez Eborall.
Easy to put right and today I hope I've solved the problem. I made two 'antimacassars' out of one of the old fleeces. No, I've not lost the plot and am trying to save the new throws from wear and tear - not even I am that daft!!! These will stop things sliding off, I hope. Oh, unless they slide off themselves, of course!!!
I then had the bright idea (at least I hope it'll work) of making a 'bead container' also to sit on the arm of my chair. It's got 'floppy' sides which should allow me to be able to pick up beads easily but stop them falling off the arm of the chair where they sit.
I will report back in due course.
Here's the picture of my 'patented' bead container!!!

Invisibility Rules, OK?

Now this was a real challenge!!! I decided to use a favourite pattern which is the starcatcher one on my site (click on title). First of all I knew from the sample piece that I did yesterday that I had to tat carefully and double the stitch count. I used the thread double as before and I've also some of the delica beads that Teri sent me a few weeks ago because they were just right and of the same quality as the thread. I also had to adjust the quantity of beads on the very long picots - halving the amount (roughly). So, double the ds's and half the beads!!!!

The motif measures just about 2" across. End result according to 'him what must be obeyed' - looks just like a snowflake. Loved working with this as a thread so I might do more in the future.

I've done two scans and two photographs - none of which really do the motif justice!!!

Enough about tatting with colour!

Yesterday I thought I'd give myself a bit of a challenge!!! As you can see from yesterday's post I was playing around yet again with colours and then I thought - what about no colour!!!! When I was last in America I bought two reels of invisible thread for sewing purposes only. Years ago I'd bought invisible threads in the UK and found them impossible to use for sewing as they were too 'stiff'. The ones I bought in the USA are fabulous and I use them for attaching motifs to rings, sewing motifs to clothes (as in the gecko jacket) etc, etc. So I decided to try tatting with them. It really is impossible to use it singly (unless you want to be climbing the walls!!) but doubled then this is what you get. I've scanned the little test piece twice with different backgrounds to try and get a decent scan. It's only very tiny - 1/2". I went on to add beads and am half way through making a motif which I'll hopefully add tomorrow. A challenge - you betcha!!!!

Purple and Orange!

I didn't think that purple and orange would 'go' together so raided my threads yesterday to find out. Even though colours can look good together when you put the balls side by side, it doesn't always mean that they'll be OK when used in tatting. I think this deep purple and orange worked well. Oh, I also played with the beads too!!!

I remember as a young child that I once had a skirt which had a deep blue background and a green print abstract pattern on it. I loved this skirt and I wore it proudly to visit Aunty Nelly. She was my godmother as well as my grandmother's sister and I was her favourite child in the family. She took a look at the skirt and was disgusted. She quoted 'blue and green should never be seen'. This is my earliest memory of really looking at colours as I loved those two together in that skirt and couldn't see anything wrong with blue and green together.
Wonder if her remark 'coloured' the rest of my life?

Bling A Ding Ding!!!

Still working on my preparations for the Palmetto tat days and using their theme of flower gardens - here is the same simple earring I made the other day using just rings. I still need to finish these off (cut a few ends, glue a few knots as I used invisible thread, etc) but couldn't wait to share!!!!
Oh, forgot to mention - there are a few beads used in this design too!!!!!!!
Long live the bling!!!!

Rings and things!

Teri Dusenbury (http://theloversknot.blogspot.com/) sent me some thread and delica beads last week so the last two days I've at last had time to play!!! I made one of my finger rings and a pair of earwigs with it.
It's a lovely firm thread which displays each stitch well. You can probably see that from the pictures below. The thread is made by Coats and is their Dual Duty Plus one The beads just sparkle and sparkle. Thanks, Teri, I really appreciate the opportunity to play with these.
Hey, Teri - I promise I won't kiss the frog!!!

Watering can

Test tatted the watering can pattern last night and it's FINE!!! Love this one as it's a 'one hit' one!!! Roll on Palmetto Tat Days!!
I know the wheelbarrow's fine so will now get back to making some earrings to wear - obviously they've got to be flowery ones for Tat Days!!!

Later in the day

As the weather here is still abysmal and as I was getting more and more worried about that wretched Palmetto Tree Frog, I decided to give myself the rare treat of tatting during the afternoon. As I said earlier - I was worried about the poor thing and thought I'd made a huge mistake in the pattern last night. First of all I must explain that I have had a love/hate relationship with this little frog from the very start.
Well I've finally decided he's the love of my life - the pattern's fine and probably one of my better attempts if I was able to fess up!!! The beads that Joanie sent me to try are perfect. They're on this little guy. He looks as if he's waving!!!
If I kiss him do you think he'll turn into a handsome young prince? Hmmmmm, not worth the risk I feel - I'm just not young enough to cope with a prince!!!

Another LAST gecko!!

Just when I thought I'd finished it was pointed out that the jacket really did need another gecko on the front!!! Here he is below.
I also started another Palmetto frog last evening to test the pattern again and to try some beads that Joanie had kindly sent me. This time I can't blame the red wine for failing to read the pattern!!!! I can only blame my own stupidity!!! So, back to the beginning (almost) today!!!!

Preparation for Palmetto

The Palmetto tatters gave us a short 'spell' in which to submit lesson ideas back at the beginning of the year so it was a case of 'all systems go' and getting the brain working when it would really rather have been in hibernation!! The result was that I was very lucky to be chosen to teach.
Now, the downside is that it's given me more time to worry and mither about the patterns I've submitted!!! I know I'm a silly old git but tat's me!!! Every month or so I go through another major panic about whether the patterns will be 'understandable' so I try them again for myself.
On Friday I thought I'd try the Fantasy Flower once more. After doing the centre and first round I got hopelessly muddled. Panic really set in. Should I email them and tell them I'd made a major mistake? What should I do?
After half an hour and half a glass of red wine I suddenly realised where I'd gone wrong - I hadn't read my OWN instructions - I'd just assumed I knew how I'd done it. This is the result below. Why five? Well, because once I start making something I enjoy doing it and just get carried away!!!!!

Geckos on a Jacket!

Here they are all crawling over my jacket. The front shows the sleeves as well. I think I need one more for the lower right side.

Here's the back view!

Woweeeee

I have just GOT to brag about this fantastic gift which Teri Dusenbury (http://theloversknot.blogspot.com/) sent to me. Not only is it so beautiful but it matches my new skirt and top which I bought last week for the Palmetto Tat Days. I can't tell you or show you how pretty it is. It sparkles and glitters incredibly. I'll try taking a photo later too and hope that it will show up better. Also she sent me a 'goodie' box with some of the thread which she uses to make her turtles. There were beads, bits and bobs and everything anyone could want to cheer them up during a particularly bad patch. Thank you Teri from the bottom of my heart.

The LAST!!

This is the last and another of the tiny ones. The two worked in no. 80 will be sewn onto the collar of the jacket - chasing each other across my neck. I'll show you when they're all sewn on. Tat's the next job - sewing the darn things on!!!

A baby gecko

This one is worked in a variegated green number 80 and works out to be just under 3 3/4" in length. I'm going to HAVE to work another to 'match'. Wonder if I've got another variegated colour in a number 80? Anything to keep my mind off having a tooth out later this morning!!!

These are the last two - or are they?

I told myself these would be the last two but then I wondered what they would look like in a number 80 so I may well make one or two more tonight!!

Two more

These little geckos get faster and faster to make so yesterday I managed to finish one I'd started on Friday and another whole one!! Still worked in no. 40 thread.
I also managed to get some buttons for the jacket - each one a different bright colour. They've EVEN been sewn on!! The sleeves have also been altered. I cut off the cuffs (the sleeves were 5" too long) and slimmed them down considerably. Next job is to decide where the geckos go and to sew them on!!!
You will notice that the orange and yellow one is facing the other way. I did this by 'reversing' my stitch order throughout. Needed a lot of concentration to do this but well worth the effort and MUCH easier than writing a whole new pattern out!!!

Another for the collection!

Now this one I really like. OK perhaps not true gecko colours but now I know that they're going on a dark denim base then I want colours that show up!!!!
I'm going to replace the buttons on the jacket with bright ones. Each one a different colour - I hope!!!