How I started designing

Talking to SueH on the phone the other day we both realised that I had never really told anybody how and why I started designing. Well, here is the story!!!
I would have been in my early forties and had been tatting for about twenty years when I fell into designing quite accidentally. I'd always 'jiggled' with patterns but never ever thought of making my own.
Over the years I'd also learnt other laces including knitted, crochet, bobbin, hairpin, netting and filet. There were no lessons available on any of these and so I had to find out 'how' from books. I also used to make clothes for myself, do patchwork, clothing repairs etc. All this combined with a full time teaching job. Really I was just so busy and it was relaxation to just sit and follow a tatting pattern in the evenings. Anyway, I digress!!!!
One year when I had a particularly large and difficult class of reception children to settle into school I thought hard on how I could ease them into the classroom situation each morning. I decided to wear some funny earrings. After a while those who had previously been nervous and clingy with their mums would dash in to see what teacher was wearing in her ears each morning - success!! I started off with things like dog biscuits, sweets, tea bags, bath plugs, clothes pegs and anything and everything I could find round the house which were light enough to wear. My boss hated it. The County Council Infant Adviser loved it and wanted me to write an article for a national magazine about admitting children into school life. I now have to remind myself why I didn't do this article. The reason was that I couldn't type and didn't have a typewriter.
At this time I had two teenage daughters, a home to run and a husband who was away on business a lot of the time. All on top of an ever changing and stressful job!! The earrings continued over the next few years with the children making me their own 'versions' out of paper, toilet roll middles, Lego etc. I wore each and every one with pride although it was very embarrassing when I forgot to take them out when I went into town shopping!!!!
It then occurred to me that this was all getting a bit 'silly' and expensive as I was also buying 'daft' earrings too. The boss was getting more and more 'unpleasant' about my various ear 'decorations' so I decided to tat my own - he could hardly object to that! I've still got the old notebook somewhere that I wrote the patterns in. I made things like cats, squirrels, giraffes, elephants, horses, traffic lights and eventually a few 'pretty' ones. The kids loved them too and the boss couldn't object!
A bit more time passed and my husband went off into the mist with my friend and I was left in a bit of a 'stew' with many very big problems to deal with. One of the many was redundancy so there I was at 48 with no job, a mortgage and very few skills to fall back on and to offer to the workplace. I decided to take a crash course in basic office skills - particularly typing as it was becoming clear at this point that computers were going to become the new office skill which would be needed. I spent hours and hours in the middle of the night taking the basics that I'd learnt during the day and expanding on them.
One day, shortly after I'd finished teaching and while I was doing the courses, I cycled into town to look through the craft magazines in W H Smith. I couldn't afford to buy them so I squatted down on the floor behind the shelf and wrote down addresses on a scrap of paper. I started sending out some of the tatted earring patterns to magazines. They were all accepted and in due course published. I found a few problems with this. If you sell to a magazine they are often 'sponsored' by a thread company who then require you to sign over the copyright to them. I found that for a pattern they would pay around £60 - £70 which isn't a lot considering how much time went into a design and certainly wasn't going to be a good 'career shift'!! Certainly NOT enough to pay my new mortgage!
Some years later when life got better and I started designing for other magazines I refused payment so I could keep my own copyright. I still stick to this principle as it also helps keep the craft accessible to the magazine world as nobody has to find money to pay me! I had already decided that office work might just pay the bills if I was very careful so I embarked on a career of temping!!!
The internet came into my life shortly after I moved in with Nick a few years later. Woweee, there were other tatters in the big wide world. I found that people suddenly wanted my patterns (one of the first I'd done was the Tattysaurus) but on dial up and emailing them to each individual this became expensive and time consuming!!! So I had to find out how to make a web site. Fortunately I had a long term temping assignment (3 years!) at a software company where the young lads encouraged me, gave me hints etc to make my first web site.
The designing continues as it's now an integral part of my life.

The last for a while

This is the last one for a while. Next project is to make a birthday card and then nothing for a while, perhaps!! Really have a lot on for the next few weeks.
This is another alphabet bracelet with a braid which links it to the clasps. I can manage to put these on and off on my own with this type of clasp which is an advantage!
Guess what? It's raining again!

Bracelet, tag, zipper pull?

The constant and very wet rain here in the UK has stopped gardening, housework (well, I'm it as an excuse!) and shopping but not tatting. In fact it's made more time for tatting!!!
When I first went to the USA a few years ago I was let loose in Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Walmart and picked up all sorts of odds and ends which could be used for tatting. Alphabet letters were amongst my purchases. I've diddled and daddled with them in the past but never come up with anything I was truly happy with. So, trapped by rain the following are what came about!!! The letters actually rest firmly in the tatting and I'm very pleased with the results. The pink and orange one is my first attempt and doesn't have beads. I only put one split ring on it so it will be a 'dangle' - unless, of course, I cut it up and make it into something else as there's a mistake in it!! The second one has split rings added at both ends so that when I meet up with Athena I'll be able to make it into a bracelet for her.

Another Bracelet

This is the last one (for now). It's the one with the Whitby jet button. I love this jet which used to be a necklace and which came to me when mum died as nobody in the family wanted it. Such a shame. I used the other pieces to make bracelets for all the gals in the family and still have three or four left. I will make them into a necklace some day.
The larger cream ivory/bone button will have to wait for inspiration as I'm now working on another 'quickie' which I'll share later today or tomorrow.
As it's still raining and there are bad floods in the UK it seems as if there'll be plenty of time to tat!!!

Does anybody remember?

Many years ago (at least seven, I guess) I made the bracelet below one evening. I just tatted it writing nothing down as I went. I posted a picture of it on the list or lists that I belonged to and thought nothing much about it. It caused quite a stir at the time and in the end I wrote down the pattern and it's still somewhere on my site. I'll look for it later but breakfast calls!

The little 'button' thing in the middle is ivory and came from a 'box of bits' that I found after my mother died. I wore the bracelet a few times but was never happy with the way it twisted on itself. Last night I decided to cut it up and make another bracelet. I may get round to that later as - guess what? Yes, it's raining again!!!!

A few hours later and a bit of cutting and starting again and here's the new bracelet. This has a snug feel to it and I'm very pleased with it. All I've done is used the braid that's on my site (click on title) but adding beads and using only 1ds B 1ds for the outer row. I use this type of fastening as I can manage to put and take off bracelets by myself with these and they don't easily come undone when you're wearing them!!

Below is another piece of ivory or bone which I found at the car boot market about a year ago. The holes on this are near the top and the bottom so this will require some more thought!!

Now the last one is a bracelet that I made yet again using the pattern on my site. This has a Whitby jet 'bead' in the centre and again I'm going to alter this to make it more wearable and put another clasp on it too. I shall use the braid idea again as it's so easy to get a good 'fit'.

Oh, it's still raining. It's rained solidly for over 12 hours now. I even felt obliged to do some housework as it's way too wet to go out shopping!!!

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!!!
.

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.