The old bag lady strikes again!

Now while I was sitting in the waiting room awaiting my turn to see the nurse on Monday afternoon I was tatting as usual. For years now I've found that waiting rooms never have a bin for rubbish!! So, here I was with my bits of thread yet again and nowhere to put them.

Not only that but I've been using a small (and getting grubbier!!) plastic bag to put finished butterflies in. I thought, yet again, that I really have to take myself in hand over the way I work in these situations. I thought (don't forget that I only have 2 regular brain cells and thinking makes them hurt) - this needs a bag!!

So, on Tuesday I set out to try and make one to cover my 'needs'. You'll see what I've made below but I'm not happy with this design yet!!! (Sorry about the poor quality pictures). It's sort of a mini roly poly but with a drawstring top. I've put a small 'pocket' on the outside for 'bits' of thread to be pushed in until I get home from the vets (sorry, I mean doctors/hospitals) but I'm not happy with this yet. It's fully lined but it is a bit too small!!! I'll have to have a re-think on this one!!  It's got to be small enough to fit into the roly poly but not tooooo small.  I think it may just need to be a bit taller but with the same sized base?  Any suggestions would be welcome - even (and especially) funny ones!!!

How do we close a self closing mock ring?

Now stand up all those who think this is a daft question!!!

How many years have we all been making these SCMR's popping the working shuttle through the loop and then closing it? I know the answer - toooooo many years!!! Imagine my surprise when Anitra wrote the other day with what she thought was a 'good idea' and another way to close this element in tatting. I tried it and it works. In fact there are two new ways to close the SCMR.

Now, one might ask, why do we 'need' or 'want' another way to close this element. Well, like me and probably many others Anitra was a bit dissapointed with the look of the regularly closed ones. She found that the bottom mock ring didn't always seem to 'sit' well on the previous element. Heck, I can't sit here trying to explain what she did. Best thing is for you to go and look here.

Oh, you can sit down now!!!!!

For Georgia!!

I'm sure she won't mind me sharing as I've no idea why dear Georgia challenged me to this but she did!!!  A few months ago when I was deeeeeply into sequins and Christmas trees Georgia had seen a couple of rainbow patterns and decided they reminded her of a Spanish dancing lady's skirt.  

She asked me if it was possible!!!  Here's the lady so far.  

Georgia really wanted the rose to be held between her teeth but it looked a bit daft to me but that can easily be changed with a couple of stitches using invisible thread.   Next project?  Hmmmm, the lover to dance with her, I guess.  

Strange when I start these new projects I always think it won't be hard cause I can steal from my other patterns.  Rarely, if ever, does this work out!!  I did take the basic arms and head from the button family but even those had to be changed to get the arms in the 'right' position!!!!  

I managed to finish her yesterday evening after 'one of those days' chasing my tail.  It started on the run in the morning and continued like that all day but I did manage a walk without getting wet!!!  Still it's what keeps me young and beautiful (cough, cough, splutter, splutter), I suppose!!!

What I really, really need!

I was out on my daily walk (between the inevitable showers) when I realised what I really, really want (or need) is a bag. Whoops, I know I've got bags galore but this would be a different sort of bag.

When I'm sitting in waiting rooms or such like and 'tat in public' I usually make small SCMR butterflies. I give away as I go but usually have a stock of them in a bag. Well, I say in a bag but this is usually a small self seal plastic bag. I would like a 'real' bag to put my little stock of butterflies in.

This bag needs to be small and easily opened and closed in a hurry. I'd also like it to open out flat so that people can choose which coloured critter they want. So, when I got home I had a quick 'play'. I've come up with a simple round shape with a draw cord right at the top.

I need to avoid a tie which needs knotting or tying in a bow. I think I've got the answer. I hope to show the first 'draft' tomorrow or Wednesday.

Tatting? Slow progress and little of it!!!

Another day another ?

Another day another lot of rain!!! I woke yesterday morning to an request for one of the two new blue bag sets (see yesterday's blog post) which I'd not even got into Etsy!!! Great, thought I and went and listed the purply/burgundy and the other blue set in the shop.

I cleared up after my sewing stint of the previous day and then went down the town to get bread etc.

By the time I got back the second blue one had sold!! This was my fastest sale so far!!  So, after lunch I went down town again and mailed that one. I have almost finished another red paisley set which will become part of my stock. I've got two pretty floral sets cut out and ready to sew.  Bag making will stop in the winter as it will be too cold to work in the conservatory!!!

Tatting?  The new project made reasonable progress last evening but I need a total re-tat of part two which means re-writing the text.  Not too much of a problem as I do it on the laptop 'as I go'.  I remember all those times when I used to jot everything down on paper and then not be able to understand what I meant the next day!!!  Those were the sad old days before brain cell number 2 arrived!!!

Finished!!!

I finished two new blue butterfly bags and pouches and another rather nice purple, green and mustard one that I started a couple of days ago. When I woke up this morning I found a comment on the blog from somebody who wants to buy one of the blue set so I will only be putting one blue and the purply one in the shop later today - with a bit of luck.

I'll probably be on the computer for quite a time after I've cleared up yesterday's mess as I've some drawings to do for another tatter.  Good excuse not to do too much housework!!!!

Yesterday I went to visit my new pupil in the antiques centre. She's doing really well and will soon be able to make a reasonable ring. Unlike most new shuttle tatters she's not tense and so has found the flip pretty easy.

In the evening I continued with the latest project. Quite good progress but need to undo some of what I did and 'try again'!!! So, what's new, I ask myself!!!! I did draw this part out yesterday afternoon which helped but as usual things are never the same when actually tatted up.

I've no pictures today so this will be a naked post but if you go to Gina's blog you'll see my version of her mystery motif!!!!!!

Whooopeee

Yesterday morning on my way back from town and posting roly poly bags I popped in to see my new student. She was busy with customers but did say that she'd been practicing but couldn't get the thread to pull up into a ring. I reassured her that she was perfectly normal and that most new tatters had that problem. I'll pop in later this morning and show her again.
When I went to see Aileen on Wednesday I told her about the purple fabric and the blue fabric selling so well as roly poly bags (she'd given me those two pieces too). She disappeared for a short while and came back with more of the blue!!! So, yesterday I started making two more bags with this. I did confess to having kept one of these sets for myself!!! Below is 'one I made earlier' to use Blue Peter speak!!! I hope to list these two and another very pretty one over the weekend.

Tatting?  Well I'm still working on the new idea but 'fell out' with it yesterday evening.  Now this is a reasonably good sign - along with a nudge from Georgia Seitz who orignally suggested the idea a few months ago!!!!  It means that I need to start the second half of this one again - maybe this evening!!!!

Tatting lesson and Sharon's work

I went to see the lady in the antique centre and we got along fine.  She quickly got the hang of the 'flipping flip' so that was good.  I will pop in to see her when I wander down the town which will be later this morning as I have two Etsy sales to mail!!!  There is only 1 roly poly left now in the purple and I had to make an 'emergency' purple pouch half way through the day.  Sadly I have no more of that fabric left for another pouch.  Still, somebody might want 'just a bag' for their cosmetics or something!!!!

Below is Sharon's patchwork mat which she sent me a picture of yesterday.  It's SO rewarding to actually see that people can understand my patterns and make them up.  It's very strange nowadays as I rarely get to hear about them being used unless I see them on other people's blogs.  Gives the 'old git' a buzz every time I spot them, though.  Even brain cell # 3 comes out of hiding to take a bow!!!!

I wish I could analyze my 'need' to design and why I continue.  When I've finally finished a design and it's put on the web site it's like having delivered a baby.  That enormous sense of relief!!!  Very soon after, though, the need to make something 'new' comes over me!!!!  Suppose tat's life!!!

Lots to tell you!!

First of all there are two new bags in my Etsy shop. These are a stunning purple with a lovely contrasting turquiose lining. Again I'm tempted to keep a set but I can't justify it. This fabric was in the stash that Aileen gave me for helping her out.

I've also added more patterns to my web site. I've added the daisy earring, bracelet and necklace set, two of the sequin designs and finally the Christmas tree brooch and matching earrings. I was going to keep the Christmas trees for myself but am asking that people don't sell them online as I will be listing them in the Etsy shop eventually!!! Also there are two new 'how to' pages by Jennifer Williams and probably one or two that people haven't seen before of my own!!!

Here are the bags in the new purple fabric. They will be the only ones as this is all of this fabric that I've got.

A new design - probably!!

At long last the muse has struck again!!! I'll blog this when I've made a bit of progress.

This morning I'm taking a big risk!! I'm going to the antiques centre in town. The risk is that somebody might want to buy me as an interesting piece of antiquity!!!

Seriously. I wandered in there on Saturday to see if there were any new stalls. There used to be a great little place selling a few beads and buttons but it closed down some six months ago. Anyway this time I found a lovely jewellery place and got talking to the lady who runs it. She'd got some very pretty necklaces but I was looking for loose beads which she doesn't 'do'. So we were talking and she noticed some of the tatting I was wearing. She asked how it was made and I said it was tatting. Eventually she asked how much I'd charge to teach her. Silly woman - as if I'd charge!! In the end she said she'd pay me 'in beads'!!! So, we'll see how things go this morning!!!

I got the purple zips yesterday morning so hope to make a start on the purple set of roly poly bags this afternoon - specially as it's raining again!!!!

Some progress!

I had another look at trying to link up with flickr in order to add a slide show to this blog. I'm not stupid - well not THAT stupid but I've still not got it 'sorted'!!! Perhaps I should just give up!!!

I had a welcome interruption to the morning yesterday so nothing got started until later in the day. I've still got to check out the new web pages but that should only take half a day and then I can 'go public'!!

Bags and pouches are selling steadily in the Etsy shop so as soon as I get a moment I'll be making more!!!

I'm also feeling the urge to design something new coming over me!! Can't decide which idea to tackle first - will consult with brain cell # 3 - a reliable chap!!!

I finished the second seahorse yesterday and took Saturday's to pieces again. I just wasn't happy with the size of the poor wee thing in the bracelet. I found a slightly smaller bracelet and have made more seaweed and mounted it again. It looks so much better.  These little guys will be in the Etsy shop sometime this week!!!

     

Nothing much happened!!!

Yesterday was one of those rare days.  I had the 'sillies' on me.  I decided to make roly poly bags out of the purple fabric but as the zips hadn't arrived that I ordered that stopped that game!!!  I then decided to make blue bags as I've got a lot of blue fabric and zips too!!  I wandered into the room where I sew, got the fabric out and wandered off again!!  I decided to check out the web pages that I've uploaded before announcing them but I didn't get back to the computer!!

Then I sat down to finish off a seahorse in a bangle that I'd started the evening before!!  So, having got the variagated number 80 (or thereabouts) out to do the seaweed I finally got going.  BUT that didn't work out either - the 80 thread broke and it just didn't 'look right' either.  Back to the thread stash and out with a 40 variagated green.  That worked out fine.

While I was doing this I was also trying to add a slide show to the blog.  What a performance!!!!  Two of us tried to work it out.  I got the Flickr account to link with the blog and vice versa but the darn thing still doesn't work.  I've binned it for now!!!  So, a day wasted.  I HATE wasting time (or food, or money, or anything!!).

In the morning I had this magazine from Tove in Sweden.  It's beautifully presented but it always gives me a bigger thrill to see my patterns in another language.  Sort of makes me feel famous in this small little pond in tat land!  So, below is the cover and one page of the magazine.  Also the seahorse which will go into my Etsy shop as soon as I have time!!!

          

Playing!!

Oh, yesterday was SUCH a good day.  I managed to finally get all the web pages finished.  I just need an hour or so to check them out with brain cell # 3 on board and when I've heard from a friend about her pages I can launch them into public tat land!!  Whoooppeeeeee.

While I was taking a short break in the early evening I started to plan my next stint of sewing.  I found this wonderful piece of purple fabric in the stash that Aileen gave me.  Isn't it wonderful?  Am I going to be able to part with bags made of this?  I just need to buy some zips as I don't have any the right colour and then I'll make them up.  Meantime I will make more out of fabric which I DO have matching zips for!!!  That'll keep me quiet for a while today!!!  

Evenings - hmmmm.  Heading towards new designs but want to make some more tatting for the Etsy shop.  I made another dolphin to replace the one which swam to the USA the other day (now listed here) and have a 'half made' seahorse to finish today.  I may make another of each of these creatures and then perhaps it'll be off to see what's on my 'to do' list which continually grows and grows!!!

     

Gina's mystery motif and more!!!

I think Gina Brummet's a bad, bad girl.  I had to send for brain cell # 10 to get this one sorted.  I even had to ask her for help!!!  How did I tat stuff like this when I was only 13?  

Anyway, I know it's against the rules but just as pure, unadulterated revenge I'm going to show you the results.  Find them below on the left.

I'm afraid I told a lie yesterday (didn't mean to, honest, me lud) about the dangle I blogged then.  I found the proper one which is really, really my biggest favourite and is the one I'm going to keep.  This one is worked in a variagated thread from the new Artiste range from Coats.  A thread I really, really love.  I used it on both shuttles so that the effect could be seen properly.    

Anyway, enough from me - here are the pictures of the mystery motif and the dangle!!

     

The last for now!!!!

I think this is going to be the last sequin motif for now!!  I'll be honest and admit that I've got totally 'hooked' on making these!!!  I love this one and might just keep it for myself!!!!

I sold my last dolphin in my Etsy shop yesterday so will make another this evening to replace it!!!  I love these little projects although this one does take a long time to make as the waves are a bit time consuming!!!  Mind, it's what turns a boring dangle into more of a 'picture'!!!  I may well make a seahorse too but that'll be more than an evening's project!!!!  

Before I start either of those projects I'm going to have another 'go' at Gina's mystery motif.  I find these the most aggravating projects I've ever done!!!  I both love and hate Gina in the same ds!!!!  She challenges me to go back to when I was 'born' into tatting over 50 years ago - but without the pictures!!!  It's made me realise how much we all rely on pictures and the modern way of writing things down!!!  I even had to pull in brain cell # 4 yesterday evening before throwing down the shuttle in disgust!!!  Still a quick email conversation with Gina has got me back on track and raring to go!!!

Which reminds me - I spent  hours and hours yesterday making up web pages.  Several technique pages are 'ready to go' and two out of three patterns are 'almost there'!!!!

Phewwwwww

Well this week has started out a lot, lot calmer than last week!!  I couldn't take another week like the last one!!!  

Right, yesterday I managed to list the rest of the 'made up' (here's the link) roly poly bags and have already sold one set!!!  I'm SO glad I kept the partner to that set!!!  This proves that sometimes I have 'good taste'!!!!

In the evening I finished off Mark's swan.  This is a SUPERB pattern (again, here's the link) .   Thank you, Mark.  I took a little bit of a 'liberty' with it and added an eye bead - just so the poor thing could see where it's going!!!

I also managed (because it rained nearly all day) to get started on building web pages for several patterns which are in my 'done but pending' tray.  Or, to be honest, forgotten for a while by brain cells # 1 & # 2!!!!

Aother sequin idea

Although I made this one on Sunday I've only just re-found it again (it's been hiding under the scanner lid!) so I thought I'd share it.  Hopefully I'll soon get the instructions for this up on my pattern pages - this one and all the sequin ideas I've been playing with recently!!

I've made a decision.  Yes, I've managed it finally!!  I'm going to keep one of the turquoise butterfly bag sets and one of the natural/beige with tiny flowers on too.  I thought about keeping one of the 'blue with roses on' ones too but I'm going to have to part with some.  I'm the same with everything I make.  It takes me a few days to break the ties with things but then once the decision is made I'm fine!!!  So, later today (time and life permitting) I'll be listing one butterfly, one beige/natural one and two of each of the other sets.  Let's hope that I do get time!!

Meanwhile here's the latest sequin design on both a black and white background.

     

These are my choices!!!

The first three are the bags I really, really love at the moment.  I keep dithering about which set to keep.  Anybody else want to help me choose?!?!?

The paisley and black print ones are waiting to be listed too.  I love those too.  

Once I've made up my mind which I want to keep then I'll list the others.  Although I've got two of each sort I still need to make up my mind.  I'm such a full time ditherer!!!! Isn't life hard at times?

                    

Decisions!

I'm having a problem. My problem is the roly poly tat bags and pouches. I have in my handbag the first one I made. It's fine - a bit 'rough round the edges' but it was the prototype. Then I gave my sister my pouch last weekend (another prototype!!) so I decided to make myself a whole new 'set'. Great.

I looked through the fabric I have left. I've used all the nice stuff that Sue sent so decided that I'd have to make one out of BJ's kind donation. I made her order up and loved both of those. Would I make one like hers? Then I found a very pretty rose printed piece amongst the FQ's so made that up. Lovely - that's mine!!!  Well, that was on Friday!!!

Aileen's fabric then came along and in it there's this fabulous bright coloured butterfly print. Whoooopeeee, that's the one. I made that yesterday. Boy, is it bright - no chance of missing that in my handbag!!!!

Then I had a look at the other fabrics and found a lovely beige floral print which says 'Jane' all over it too. I'm going to make that up today. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll be able to list anymore in Etsy as I fall in love with everything I make!!!! The pretty yellow and brown floral sets already in Etsy were favourites once I'd made them.  I didn't have much of a feeling for the fabric as it lay ready to cut out but once it was made up - WOW!!!!

I must be a funny old git but I do find it hard to part with these bags but it's great when people say they've got them and love them!!!!

TW3

That Was The Week That Was - also known as TW3.  For those not in the UK this was an iconic 'alternative' news programme donkey's years ago.  It looked at the news in a satirical manner.

Well I've had one of 'those' weeks too.  I can't remember another like it but I'm glad it's over and settled now.  Do you ever have one of those times when everything you touch or do causes more problems?  Well that's what happened.  Just one of those times happened to my friend Aileen who had connection problems with her computer and that took me nearly a day (separate days, too) to fix.  Ended up by having to access her wan and lan settings and being talked through it all by the help line in South Africa.

In payment for this (which she really didn't have to do as I learnt a lot from the experience) Aileen gave me a lot of fabric for roly poly bags.  This is a woman who is THE most fantastic 'crafter' and some of the work she's done over the years is mind boggling.  Recently she's bought a computer and now is heading towards opening an Etsy shop.  Her sewing and quilting is just perfection.  I'll show you when she's up and running.

Me?  I've done very, very little this week but did get some bags done yesterday afternoon for a special order and some tree earrrings designed and finished in the evening. 

Hmmm, I thought I'd taken pictures of the bags but didn't!!!  I'll take them later and add them to this post - or put them on another!!!

Here are the bags.  BJ sent me the fabric as she wanted a set made of the paisley (middle picture) and a set made of the black fabric too.  I started them last weekend and have finally finished.  Well ..............................that's my story!!!!!!!  I will tell the whole of it sooooon.