Isn't this strange?

If you go to this link or this link you'll find two links to my blog!!!

I'm honoured that whoever owns these places thinks my 'not really original' lanyard is worth linking to.

The strangest thing of all is that I've now got hundreds of free original patterns out there but this rather 'silly' simple one that's been done thousands of times before by hundreds of people has been picked out!!!

I guess the reason is that it was put on my blog and not on the pattern pages.

Ain't life strange?

Yet another brooch!!

Before I start rambling on about the picture below can I say that I added another way to add a bead to the centre of a ring onto my page yesterday. I added a note about this later on yesterday's blog but those who had read it in 'early UK' time might have missed it!!! Here is the link.

Now this is a story of a pair of earrings that have morphed several times!!

After wearing these motifs as earrings on a few occasions I decided that they were a bit too heavy and 'bulky' for my liking. Four flowers on each ear? A bit O T T!!!!!

I took them off the hooks and 'linked' them with a safety pin to wear. as a brooch. That's 8 flowers to one brooch!! What a fiddle getting them on and off clothes!!!! So, while I was making up the last brooch I decided I'd 'finish off' this one by adding the 8 flowers to a proper brooch finding.

First, of course, I had to find the darn thing. It'd gone missing!!! While I was searching I also found another small flower that was in my 'box of completed bits' and added that to the 'ensemble'. Now I'll wear it!!! So, here we have a '9 flower' brooch!!!

Oh, NO!!!!!

I was reading comments on my posting about adding a bead to the centre of an SR on intatters yesterday evening and realised that people were talking about it as if you could add a bead that way to a ring.

I was just about to point out that this couldn't be done with a ring when who should pop out but 'you know who'.

YES you can use this method (sort of and upside down!) to add a bead to a ring too.

I will draw this up later today and let you know tomorrow when it's ready to go. Meanwhile here is the orginal way extremely well shown by Jennifer.

I'm not sure that the new way will be better but it'll be an alternative!!!!

Later the same day!!!!! Here's a link to the other method!!!!

Lanyard with beaded SR's

Now that I've found this easier way to add beads to the centre of split rings I felt it was time to make my lanyard for Tat Days!!

All I did was work out how many doubles I needed to surround each of the 2 different sized centre beads. I did this by doing a practice run - just to be sure.

Then I added the small beads (alternately) to both threads and started.

The knack, I feel, when doing something like this is to attach each SR to the previous one to avoid twisting. So, this is the way I do it. Well, actually this IS the pattern I used to make the lanyard. I made it in pink. Perhaps you noticed?

R1: 1 vsp 3 - 3 vsp 1 Cl (I left the picot on this first ring so that when I return to the UK I can add a motif to the lanyard thus converting it to a necklace)!!!!
SR2: 1 + (last vsp R1) 5 B 5 vsp 1 / 1 + (1st vsp R1) 5 B 5 vsp 1 Cl
SR3: 1 + (vsp last SR) 3 B 3 vsp 1 / 1 + (vsp last SR) 3 B 3 vsp 1 Cl
SR4: 1 + (vsp last SR) 5 B 5 vsp 1 / 1 + (vsp last SR) 5 B 5 vsp 1 Cl
Continue like this for length required finishing with another ring like ring 1 but joined to previous SR.

I wonder if this is new?

Thanks to the arrival of my dearest friend (brain cell # 3) I've found a new and neater way of adding a large bead to the centre of an SR.

I say it's 'new' but I know from 65 (and a half!) years on this planet that there's nowt new under the sun!!! That's my sister's sun, of course!!!

I've always found that the way I've done them before (by pulling the core thread down and adding the bead) made it fiddly to close the SR - AND didn't give me a totally tidy result.

So I fiddled around the other evening and I think I've found a better way.

So, here's what I do now!!!!!

Things that go on behind the scenes!!!

You're probably all bored out of your brains at hearing about Palmetto Tat Days but you're about to hear more!!!

A few days ago all the teachers were asked for a bio about themselves (one with a few unknown facts about themselves if possible). I said that I was going to look for brain cell # 3 and then I'd be back with the results.

Shortly after Riet thought she spotted the missing cell in her garden!!! He was reported to be looking pale and ill. WHAT was he doing in The Netherlands, I ask myself!!!

Martha Ess then said that if she saw the missing brain cell she was going to keep it!!!!

Erin's solution to her brain cell problem is this -

"I keep my extra brain cells in a bottle of chloroform under the bed. Raymond picks them up at Hobby Lobby for me about twice a year. Unfortunately I go through them rather quickly, and apparently mine are not the same quality as Jane gets over there in England. I hear they have them available in bulk at Walmart, as well."

Then Martha found a brain cell of her own and managed to get it to sit still long enough to be scanned!!! Here it is below!!!!

Meantime Riet is still wondering if they can be grown on trees in the garden - if so she'd like a cutting!!!

I'm wondering if we're all sane enough to be teaching at Palmetto!!!

From earrings to brooch!

Remember these earrings?

Well it's time for a confession!!! I'm always a bit 'ambitious' when designing and I did an extra round on this motif. One too many to make it into an earring!!!! So instead of throwing it into the bin I decided a brooch would be a good idea instead!!!

The flat motif at the top on the brooch finding is one I found in my 'box of bits' and didn't use. For this (and the earrings) I used Dual Duty thread.

I must find more of this thread when I'm in the U.S. of A. It's a joy to work with.

Last one - I promise

I'm in limbo with designing at the moment. Don't all cheer!!!

I do have one quite exciting one on it's way but I want to add more to it so it'll not get finished til September/October.

The other is barely started but it's buzzing well with brain cell # 3.

During this period I'm test tatting some of my older patterns and 'modernising' them. Thanks to the 'wayback machine' I've managed to track this pattern down to it's approximate birth in 2002.

I've also updated the pattern on my site too - see link in the side bar to my home page. It's called 'Celtic Motif 1'. I unpacked the new thread from my suitcase to make this one. Sadly the scanner doesn't do this thread justice. It really, really sparkles.

Silver and Gold again

This is a bookmark I've made using the silver and gold together again.

The pattern is here. I love the way the picots stand up so well with this thread. I'm not a 'picoty' sort of person but I added an extra one to this pattern 'just because' of the thread!!!

You really need to see this thread to appreciate the way it sparkles!!

3D earrings

I just love earrings BUT I'm fussy and like them to be very robust and not bend!! So I tend to stick to the same tried and tested patterns!!

This time I thought I'd try something different and here's the result.

Couldn't decide which photo to use so I'm putting both here!! The pattern is really easy and one day I'll get round to putting it on my pattern site. IF anybody wants the 'text only' pattern then do shout.

There are three rounds (after a SCMR) on the upper motif and two rounds on the lower one. The rest is just playing with beads.

Which reminds me - there are only 25 beads added to the shuttle threads. The rest are 'added as you go'. Makes for a fast earring. Of course you may want to make them with just the one motif too!!!!

Ah, before I go!! My sister pointed out to me that there was an enormous boo boo on yesterday's motif. Thanks, Sally, I hadn't noticed. I'll just use that one to show people the thread - it will never go to a new home!!!

Another motif

I've now played a little with the silver and gold together (see, Joanie, it does work!!!!).

Here is a small motif worked with them.

This pattern for this motif can be found here. I may find a bangle to put it in as it sparkles so much in the sunlight. That's IF the U.K. ever sees the sun again!!!!

A true story about a naughty lady!!!

This is a true story about a naughty lady!!

First of all you'll need to know her name but I'm going to get you to guess until the end of this post!!!

This lass sent me three spools of thread about two weeks ago. I've so far tried the one out (that's the bronze metallic I've been waxing lyrical about) and as you've already guessed - I LOVE IT. So, I ordered more.

Now as this lass lives in the UK I rang her up to ask for more thread (silver and gold). First of all I had the usual 'silly' conversation with her DH first!!! I then spoke to her and said that I intended to take the bronze spool with me to Palmetto Tat Days in September so that anybody and everybody there could take some and try it out for themselves.

The spools I ordered duly arrived on Saturday morning. The reason I call her a 'naughty lady' is that she'd put yet ANOTHER spool in for me to take to Palmetto as well!!! So, if you want to test tat this thread then stop me and take some at the Palmetto Tat Days.

The lady's name? Bet you've guessed by now but here's the link!!!

Thanks for the help

Just a quick post today as I've nothing really to show. Now that doesn't mean that I've not done anything but it needs 'assembling' so you'll have to wait until tomorrow!!!!

I want to say thanks for all the ideas and comments on yesterday's blog.

LadyDoc - many thanks to you. As a result I did get out brain cell # 3 and found my login and password for site meter and reinstated it on my pattern pages.

To be perfectly honest I was very chuffed when I first put it on years ago but when it stopped working some months ago (thanks, Gina for pointing out that it might have been an upgrade or something that caused it to stop working) I just didn't bother to look into the 'whys and wherefores'!!!!

My weekly reports kept coming in saying nobody had visited the site!!! Heck, I didn't believe that!!

Oh, news on my janeeborall.com url!!! It's not a sex site anymore!!! It's now giving links to tatting and other lace related pages. This is still NOTHING to do with me!!! The plot thickens!!!

Talking to myself!!!

I've often wondered how and where you find out how many visitors you've had to your blog.

Yesterday I was 'forced' to dust off brain cell # 3 again as Tatting Chic posted about her giveaway. This is to celebrate her 50,000 visitor.

Now I'm somewhat curious to know how you find out how many have visited a blog. On my dashboard it says I've made 769 posts. I'm sure I've made more than that as the blog has been around since the dinosaurs. Sorry, I exagerate - since May 2006.

Now by my reckoning that's more than three years. I try to post most days but the maths doesn't add up to me.

Then in my profile it says there have been 3,400 views. So, what does that mean and where to I find the visit count?!?!?!?

Ah, I put a counter on the blog not long ago and I get a report from that each week but I still am mildly curious to know how people find out how many have visited. It's not important but I'd love to know!!!

More news on Lyn's new thread and another motif

This is another experiment with Lyn's new thread!!! Just under 3 1/2" from point to point!

Lyn told me yesterday that they now have the thread listed here.

I was straight onto the phone to order more. I'm getting the gold and silver.

SO funny as I wrote and told Bev (BJ) that the thread was listed now and she ordered enough to tat another runner!!!!

That was a joke and a BIG hint to Bev to show us the finished runner. I'm sure she mentioned it was done ages ago!!! Well, a few weeks ago!!!

Me? I spent last evening playing with a new earring idea. Sort of based on others I've done but 3D and VERY beady and hopefully VERY dangly. I think this will be a 'multi choice' pattern and easy too. Oh, heck, I know what I'm talking about which is a small advantage!!!

They'll be dangly, long, short, or whatever the person wants/needs!!! Well, that's the plan anyway. Now, when my gold and silver threads arrive I'll be making them out of that too. Whoooppppeeeee!!

New thread again!!!

Do you remember this post about Lyn Morton at Tatting and Design's new thread called Nakis Simi?

I thought I'd try a size comparison as somebody had asked whether it was the same as a number 20!! Well you can see below that it's not!!!

The lavender heart on the left is a number 20 and fits snuggly into a 2 3/4" ring.

I thought I'd try making one in a number 40 thread next - that's the pink/white one!!! This fits into a ring which is just under' 2 1/2".

Finally back to the bronze new thread. Much to my astonishment it turned out to be exactly the same as the number 40.

Eureka - there's the answer!!! It's smaller than a number 20!

Jigsaw resolved!!!

Ta de dah!!

Here is the finished fairy. Now one may ask 'what is the point'? Good question!!! I've been wanting to do this pattern again for the past year or so.

I wanted to see what she'd look like when when worked in a number 20 thread as opposed to a number 80 which was the original thread used. I actually think I prefer it in the number 20 but it needed some sorting for bead size in the centre of the head and body.

Eventually I bought a bracelet from Claire's and cut it up to use the beads. Then I had to READ CAREFULLY my own instructions on the pattern so I could adjust the ring/chain count to make the head/body fit the bead. Actually it wasn't hard at all and the rest just remained the same. No other problems!!! Oh, I did have trouble with the wings but that was purely and simply me being a plonker and not reading the pattern properly!!!!

Originally I finished this design after a three year 'gestation' period to enter in the Lace Guild competition. The competition was really only my target to get the pattern finished!!!

Imagine my utter surprise when I won the tatting section and a lovely cut glass rose bowl. Where was I when I heard the news? In the basement of a house outside Cincinnati!!! I think it was my first or second year of going to Palmetto tat days. I was SO excited.

Whoops!!!!!

IF anybody uses the janeeborall.com url then beware!!! It's now a 'sex' site link!!

Reason? VERY long and complicated!!!

A young lad I taught many years ago set this up for me two years or so ago. It pointed to the globalnet site but then I changed it to point at the btinternet site instead.

Fine. All was well.

Then I realised two months ago that the subscription would soon run out and that Andy had disappeared off the face of the planet. Well, this part of the planet anyway. I tried and tried to get in touch with him via emails and his dad who said he was 'on a Pacific island somewhere'. Well eventually I bumped into him in town on a brief visit home to see his mum and dad and he said he'd sort it.

A few emails later and with help from A.N.Other I thought we were 'nearly there'.

Wrong, so wrong!!! So, if you've bookmarked this url please change it to this one for now and I'll see if I can get the other back and under MY control this time.

I need more web space so this is what I'm trying to achieve too.

My apologies to anybody who has been upset but you ought to know by now that I'm not in the least interested in this type of recreational activity!!! Tatting suits me fine - quite energetic enough!!!

Bits of a????

This is why I've been quiet for the last few days!!! Now, what am I working on?

Over to you!!!

It's pretty obvious, I think. I did a bit more in the evening and stiffened certain parts. All I'm hoping I have to do is assemble it all today - time and inclination permitting.

The hawthorne tree is all bagged and ready for re-cycling on Friday. Whoooppppeeee.

A busy but not much tatting day in tat land

I've got absolutely nothing to show today. That's not to say I'm not working on a project but it'll take several days. Probably get it finished over the weekend IF I can resolve the problem of the hawthorne tree first!!

Don't you just hate those days when you start a horrid but relatively simple job and it escalates?

There I was trimming the tree in the garden which I hate doing (I have to use long handled pruners and it makes my neck ache). I had made a great start when Nick came along and said 'why don't you chop the tree down'? The sparrows love the hawthorne but they've deserted us and haven't visited now for about two years. The tree is dead in the centre, never flowers and takes the sun off part of the garden.

So, out came the saws and five hours later the tree was down and mostly in the re-cycling bin!!! We had to borrow another bin from a neighbour and there's still another few hours clipping to do.

So, that's where yesterday went. Wonder what today holds?