Ooops, nearly forgot!!

Nearly forgot to scan these to show you what they look like in a ring!!!

The last bracelet?

Now this could be the last bracelet for a while!!!

I hadn't got a pink one and I was told a bit of a secret that led me to believe that it might be useful to have a pink one for later this year!!!

Could be something to do with somewhere I'm teaching in September!!!!

Another day, another heart!

Here's one done in purple and white.

I'm going to make more of these as they fit well into a ring too!!! I'll show you them tomorrow.

Ummmmm, when I've found them again and scanned them.

A change of heart

I'm having a change of heart.

No, don't worry - nothing very much. I've spent some time this past week changinig this page and making alterations to the working of the pattern.

I hope it's now easier to understand!! It is now a 'one hit wonder' with a better tatted centre.

There I was!

There I was on my normal walk round by the river yesterday when something occurred to me that things were not as usual!!!! Yup, I'd actually got my eyes open!!!

It could've been to do with several (probably 50 or more) narrow boats which were moored on the river bank. Normally there are about half a dozen plus the chain ferry and that's all.

It turned out that there's a boat gathering in the town this weekend.

Anyway there were tents and shows and music going on and as I wandered along I saw a tent full of people tying knots!!! They were members of the International Guild of Knot Tyers.

Well you can imagine. Me? Knots? I was there in a blink of an eye!! This is what I made!

During our natter I asked if anybody knew Lily Qualls Morales (USA and a famous knot tyer and tatter) and several people had met her too. WHAT a small world!!!

More shuttles

Liz, who is another friend in tat land, sent me a picture of her complete set of Sebalace shuttles!!

Look - there's an owl there too? Aren't they lovely when they're all sitting together?

Can you see the moon over the top of the owl's head? I think they're gorgeous.

Thanks for showing them, Liz.

Bobbie's new page AND

I've now added this page that Bobbie Demmer sent me which adds a further 'slant' to the way she works her bauble.

I'm also pleased to tell you that she's kindly given tat land the pattern for the little wrist bag with the baubles - which can be found here.

Might be worth checking out my site again as I keep adding things and forgetting to tell people!! Not sure if I mentioned the new guest designer - Judith Smith.

Further studies of the SSSR

Here you are. Another page on the SSSR - this time it's the one I've been talking about where you can join to other elements.

I'm still fascinated by the different effects that the SSSR can give in my older patterns!! Little things please little minds!!!

When I first did the dolphin I realised that it could only be done in one colour unless you made the centre SR's in one colour (2 shuttles for first few SR's) and then took one of those shuttles out and added in another.

This is the result using just 3 SSSR's.

As the song/saying says 'what a difference a SSSR makes'. No, that's not quite right - should be 'what a difference a day makes'!!!!

I never enter these - BUT

I never get round to entering blog giveaways but sometimes, just sometimes, I'm tempted!!!!

This is the giveaway on this blog!!!

I am honoured

I feel very honoured to have been involved with the ongoing saga of the SSSR. Miranda wrote and asked if it was possible to join to another element while making the SSSR.

She did find a way (which was extremely clever) but then decided (she was right) that it was too unstable to use.

Jeanne came along with the answer which is stonking clever. Matthew has approved the idea and now between us we've got together and are putting together a web page.

This is taking time as we're all on different planets. DUH, I mean time zones!!! I hope we get ourselves sorted within the next few days. Long live tat land and all the talent in it.

Whilst doing the drawings in the daytime I've been playing with the idea in the evenings. Remember this bell pattern of mine? Well, look what happens when you use the SSSR (not joined as you work - just the simple variety) in this previously plain bell shape.

In fact you can put in the new red thread during the working of SSSR3. I'll probably not put this alteration on the internet as few people will want it but I will have the pattern on my system should anybody be brave enough to try it!!! Just write in and ask!!!

I know, I know, I know!!

Don't remind me that Palmetto tat days aren't until September!! I know this as fact!!! BUT I have to be ready well ahead of time as we leave the UK some weeks before I fly to SC.

This means that I have to be ready with threads, beads etc long before we leave as I never know what last minute 'happenings' might happen back here at home.

I like to get shuttles wound and beads loaded and some of the patterns worked up to the place where students might get 'stuck'!!! This means brinigng out brain cell # 3 for a jolly good airing.

Below are two photos of the tatting cupboard open and things strewn about while decisions are made. Then there's a picture of 'tat corner'!!! This is relatively tidy for once!!

Another bracelet

Now this scan doesn't really do this bracelet justice!!!

The thread is black - Flora black! The beads are golds, browns, purply/greeny/black ones too.

I made this a week or so ago for my neighbour - it was her birthday. I am the replacement babysitter for her boys when her mum can't do it. Love those kids to bits.

Seahorse shuttle

Do you remember that I won a shuttle in a raffle at Rosemarie Peel's tatting afternoon? It was this adorable toucan.

Carol Lawecki and Rosemarie both told me about it's provenance here.

Shortly after that Mimi Dillman (the Queen of the Clunies) wrote to say she'd got the seahorse in the set and had - well, this is what she said:-

"I have what I think is a Sebalace Seahorse shuttle that I won in a raffle sometime I can't remember when or where (an early Shuttlebirds workshop most likely). I've never used it nor have I pulled it out much other than to look at it and wonder who really should have it. Is it you, an ace Seahorse designer and tatter?"

So we did a trade!!! Mimi wanted a bag for her tatting and I offered to give the seahorse a good home too. Look what else came in the parcel - I'm officially a tatter now.

Thanks, Mimi - I'm VERY happy with our trade. I wonder if there is anybody in tat land who has the fish to complete the set? Wouldn't it be great to have all three together?

Tea for one

Oh, oh, oh. You're not going to believe this dear little teaset.

It's from Martha Ess's latest book 'Tea is for Tatting'.

When I first got the book I told Martha that this was one of the patterns I wanted to tat and she said that the teapot would be boring.

She was so WRONG. It's definitely and categorically NOT boring. It's actually very interesting. All the elements in the set are easy to follow and a pleasure to work. The only 'alteration' I made in the pattern was to use as size 20 rather than 10 thread.

Wonderful, wonderful little pattern. Thanks, Martha.

The apple is a small one to give you some idea of the scale of the set. The boys next door saw the set and just ooohed and aaaahed. I'm going to look for a transparent box of some sort to put them in. Stick them to the base and seal the box. Not sure where I'll get them from in our town so it'll probably be an internet search project.

Another new book from ............

The boys are back in town!!!

Yes, the Houtz brothers have 'done it again' and with the promise of more to come too!!!

Their new book has arrived in the UK at Tatting and Design. I know you can order from their own web site here but I'm pleased to say that Lyn has it now in the UK.

Of course, I had to have a copy, didn't I? There's only really one word for this book. Inspiring.

If you ever think of giving up tatting then go and look through this book and you'll be getting out the shuttles darn quick. Although it's in black and white only this actually makes it more inspiring as the 'greys' make the imagination run riot. I've just found this page on their website which will give you an idea of some of the things which can be done but there's SO much more in the book.

Thank you, Gary and Randy - an old git in the UK is happy again!

These are only my 'experiments' with the threads and shuttles available in tat corner. Neither to be taken 'seriously'!!!!!

What a difference a SSSR makes

Look what happens when you use the SSSR with the heart pattern!!!!

All I did was use this technique (running the second colour through the SSSR) to achieve a totally 'new' look to this old pattern of mine!!! I only did that with one SR too. Just a little longer to work but what a stunning idea.

If tattingchic hadn't put me onto this idea then I'd never been able to work out how to do this heart in one pass.

The reversible motif

I said I wasn't happy with the way my pattern was written and on the web page but it's taken me ages to get 'in the right frame of mind' to do something about it!!

Finally the amended version is done and floating around in cyberspace!!!

I also managed to squeeze in Judith Smith's celtic cross and edging. If you go to my site and look under 'guest designers' you'll find them there!!!!

It's very odd because I thought I'd run out of space (see yesterday's post) but I've now been able to add the two new patterns without any problem at all. Maybe the host was having a 'bad day'. I'll still try to get my 'name site' back eventually.

So that's two things now scrubbed off my list of 'things to do'!!!!

Split ring bracelets

Today's blog offering is from Juliet Herring. She's happily sharing her pattern for these little bracelets.

Split-Ring Tatted Bracelet by Juliet Herring

Materials: 2 Tatting Shuttles, (I use Turkish No. 50, about a British 30), Hook type jewellery fastening, 2 spacer beads (about 2.5mm 3.0mm diameter), 1 focal bead (8mm/10mm diameter), a small pair of pliers to open and close the small attaching loop on the hook.

I use a Turkish No. 50 thread. I measure out a good 6 arms lengths of thread (about 4.5 to 5 meters). You may find you need less, depending on your own wrist size and I would rather have a bit too much thread that run out and have to join in. Using this thread will make a bracelet about 15.5cm long. Thicker thread will make a much longer bracelet, or you could just use less stitches in each ring (using a no. 20 thread you need to use at least 2/4 stitches less per ring). A bit of trial and error is need here.

Start by winding your thread so that half is on each shuttle (keeping the thread as one length).

Ring No. 1 Make a normal ring of 10 double stitches. You will later attach you jewellery fastening to this.

The next stage uses split rings and both shuttles.

Rings 2, 3 & 4. Split rings of 20 double stictches—10 double stitches made using the main shuttle, flip the ring around and work the 10 ‘false’ double stitches using the second shuttle.

Rings 3 and 4 as Ring 2.

Rings 5 & 6. Split rings of 24 double stitches—12 double stitches using the main shuttle, flip the ring around and work the 12 ‘false’ double stitches using the second shuttle.

Rings 7 & 8 Split rings of 28 double stitches—14 normal and 14 false.

Rings 9 & 10. Split rings of 32 double stitches—16 normal and 16 false.

Unwind both shuttles and thread on your beads—one spacer, one focal, one spacer. You can use a needle threader or bead loader for this (a bead loader is just a long-looped need threader. I make my own using ‘Beadalon’ 0.12” nylon coated stainless steel bead string wirebead jewellery wire. I cut a 15cm length, cold it in half and hold the ends together using a couple of French crimp beads, or tie them. I add a bead or two to make it easier to find when I drop it on the floor). Rewind your shuttles.

Rings 11 & 12. Split rings of 32 double stitches—16 normal and 16 false.

Rings 13 & 14. Split rings of 28 double stitches—14 normal and 14 false.

Rings 15 & 16. Split rings of 24 double stitches—12 normal and 12 false.

Rings 17 & 18. Split rings of 20 double stitches—10 normal and 10 false.

Ring 19—The last ring will be worked as a normal ring of 18 double stitches. Begin by cutting off the second shuttle, leaving yourself about 10cms of thread. Darn this end in to the first 9 double stitches. You do this by making each half of your stitch as normal, cross the thread and before tightening the stitch, pull the end from the second shuttle through the stitch to lie parallel with the ring thread. To work the second half of your ring, take a thinner thread (I use at 30cm length of British no 40) folded in half and darn this in to the next 8 and half double stitches (the fold loop first so that it ends up at the closing point of the ring. Finish the second half of your last stitch and close the ring. Cut the thread from the shuttle, again leaving yourself a working length of about 15 cm. Pass this through ring number 18 (for extra security I pass only a loop of it through 18 and pass the end through that to create a simple knot). Pass the end through the loop on the thread you worked into the last ring and then gently pull the free ends of this thinner thread, pulling the end back through the stitches of the ring.

Trim off the ends, attach your hook fastening to the ring 1 by opening the small ring on the hook and then reclosing it. Your bracelet is now finished, and no ends.

Notes.

Remember that when you are working your ‘false’ double stitches you must do the second half of the stitch first, then the first half to complete the stitch (and don’t cross the thread as your ring won’t close). This way, when the ring is closed, the stitches all look the same.

When choosing focal beads, remember that heavy metal beads will drag the bracelet. I prefer to use glass beads such as are used for lace spangling, or flatter glass beads, rather than round ones. I also use Thai Hill Tribe silver beads (the flatish round ones that have a raised thread channel) - these are really light and look great.

You can adjust the number of rings in your bracelet to suit your own wrist size, but don't make extra rings any larger than 32 double sticthes, they just don't look right!

Happy Tatting

Hearts agogo

A change of heart (or hearts)!!! I've abandoned the double sided motifs for now but I need to do one more just to check the pattern a final time before uploading the updated version.

Here I have a problem. A problem with the web site. I've run out of space!! I have two patterns from a guest designer to put on but I can't! I'm prevaricating for another few weeks because I want to keep my janeeborall.com domain name.

A kid (now a young adult) who I taught when he was five set the domain up for me. All I've ever used it for was to point it to the btinternet site. The timing runs out on this soon. June or July, I think. When this happens I will register it again with another provider. Andy has disappeared to t'other side of the world or I'd email him for help. In fact, I've asked several times but I think he must be out of cyberspace for now.

Hopefully I'll be able to sort this and then use the web space I'll get with that to add more patterns. Watch this space for further news.

Oh, by the way, I'm not clever with computer stuff. Just self taught by the 'hit and miss and make mistakes' method!

New web page

I was very very pleased and proud to be asked by Bobbie Demmer to help out with her bauble technique about two weeks ago.

The page is now online and can be found here.

I think you should take note of the last paragraph on the page which says - "Use this intriguing technique and add beads, picots, or cut picots to create critters, earrings, angel’s heads, or whatever 3D tatting your heart desires. Watch for book #4 from the Shuttle Brothers :-)) featuring many unique ways to use bauble tatting."

The first picture below is Bobbie's and so is the dear little purse in the middle. My attempt (first, I might add!) at making the bauble is on the right.