Nicole's work

For those of  you who remember - below are pictures of the finished piece that Nicole designed and made with the black strips I did for her back earlier this year.

Unfortunately the strips don't show up very well on the photos as the base fabric is this rather gorgeous blue.  I'm sure it looked stunning.

Nicole not only designed this dress but made it too.  She just ran out of time over the tatting as she's a full time student.  What a splendid advert for tatting.  Maybe as she becomes famous as a fashion designer her love of our craft will show through in more of her work.

    

Another of the giveaways.

I've been dying to try this pattern out with different colours so this time I've used an ancient and no longer available variegated Manuela thread on the one pair of shuttles.  The other pair have white on.

Not sure if I really like it but somebody suggested a pale blue and white so I may have a 'go' at that soon too. 

I counted up yesterday and found I need almost 20 giveaways this year.  My one son in law always 'nags' me for them so he's priority.  Shame his wife no longer tats!!!

Question - when is a fairy NOT a fairy?

Answer - when it's either a snowman or a Santa!!!!

These were both made by Geraldine who said:

'Hi jane, just finished this little man it go's with my snowman. Yes feel free to blog . It's your pattern. Have made a copy of your e-mails and blog.'

Just for those who don't know - Geraldine has taken the flower fairy pattern and used it as a basis for these two little decorations.  Guess what I'll be making soon - when I've done another one or two of the Snowsettias!!!!

   

More of the same but with news

Just thought I'd let you all know (and myself too!) that I've decided on which drawing programme I'm going to use on the mac.  I tested many.  Some free and others 'not so free'!!!

I didn't go for the high end ones as I knew I'd never need all the 'bells and whistles' either.  I actually finished up with EazyDraw which you can find here.  You can download a trial of it but it does limit you to what you can do.  I tested it out by deleting as I tested over the space of several days.  I then decided to go ahead and take the $20 option and will make a further payment for the full licence in a couple of months time.  Hopefully there will be 'pennies' in the bank by then!!!!

Now what I DO like about this package is the 'drawing a curve' tool.  I've found that I can get instant and very beautiful curves with this.  Apart from the learning curves of new technical words (for the same things as Serif) the whole thing is drop dead easy.  IF there's anybody out there in tat land who uses this package or who intends to try it then I'll happily exchange ideas and 'tricks'!!!

Below is a very quick drawing I did when I found out how to add little 'nodes' (well, that's what I call 'em!) to an already 'noded' line.  Took about five minutes!!!

The end!

The last few centimetres.  This will soon be winging it's way to London.  Thank goodness the Postal strikes are now over!!!

Next project?  Well I've still to make my Secret Santa package up but have decided finally what I'm going to make!!! 

I'll also need to do lots more giveaways too. Watch this space for more fun on it's way!!!!

The penultimate 'bit'!

Nearly there now with the random tatting!!

I've also put the new Snowsettia (thanks Carol for the name suggestion) up on my site.  The direct link is here .

Let me tell you a little bit about this pattern.  First of all it's a four shuttle pattern with a lot of alligator joins.  The two colours interweave over and around each other.  It looks a little complicated but it really isn't.   There's one VERY small split chain (which you can avoid!!!) and the rest consists mainly of split rings.  I hope I've written it down clearly enough for most people to follow!!

A few more centimetres along the way

This is the 'story so far'!!

Another day, another few centimetres!!!

During the day I'm doing something I've been promising myself for ages.  I'm tidying up my computer.  The new mac, that is.

Over the years I've collected SO much on tatting that I've just flung into a folder called 'tatting stuff'.  I did start making sub folders some years ago and there are a lot of famous names who have folders on the mac!!!  Some contain test tatting I've done, some have patterns and others have pictures.  There's still a lot of stuff which needs filing though.

Also the search for a new drawing program continues.  I've got it narrowed down to a choice of one!!!  I'll fill you in on that when I've finally decided.  I've got a limited trial version at the moment and so far have found it to be as good as if not better than the one I was using on the PC!!!

Another day, more progress

Before I start my daily talk to myself I must remember to tell myself (you, it, him, her, them, etc!!!!) that I listed some more bags in my Etsy shop yesterday.  Is there anybody out there who's interested?  Well, just in case, here's the link!!!!!

I have until the 4th December to get this back to Nicole so I don't feel under any stress at all.  It's going to be hard, very hard to get back to a pattern again!!!

The main problem with working  on this and which has to be 'checked' with a tape measure every half hour or so, is keeping within the .05 and 4.00 centimetre specification!!!  Having said that it does keep me out of mischief!!!

Now that Halloween's over!!!

Before I bought the new mac I was working hard on a new pattern.  I haven't rushed things as I knew that all those who celebrate Halloween would maybe miss this post!!!  It's just a small motif but a little bit different, I think.  It's going to be my Christmas giveaway.

As it's quite a 'dense' piece it doesn't really need to be in a metal ring and stands up well 'as is'.  I MAY stiffen it but maybe I won't.  Dithering again, Jane!!!!

I'm still not quite finished with the destructions (whooops, mean instructions/pattern) but I'm hoping to be finished by the end of this week.  Then the only problem will be 'resolving' it all on the new 'toy'!!!!!

It will measure just 3" across when worked in a number 20 thread.  I've made quite a few of them so shortly you'll see lots of samples!!!

I've thought of giving this design a name.  Now, now, don't collapse in amazement!! I did think of calling it a poinsettia!!!  Not sure it's enough like one, though!!!

Further along!!!

I'm now at 28 centimetres and Nicole needs 65.  Still enjoying the fact that I'm not writing it down as I go along like I usually do when designing.  I use a laptop for that which makes it a lot easier and more efficient to do 'on the hoof'.

Here is the latest part and the whole thing so far.  This will be the last time you'll see the piece in it's entirety as it won't fit on the scanner any longer!!!!

Did I tell you what it's going to be used for?  It's an 'insert/outsert' to go in a dress or skirt.  It will 'meander' between two pieces of fabric and over the fabric too.  Sounds quite a task to me.

 

Fascinating stuff

This is a really seriously weird way to tat - with no pattern and no real 'direction' except a 'straightish' line!!!

I think I might have to take an evening 'off' soon as it's not as easy as it looks.  Making decisions about which way to go next and how to get there.  Sounds like my life in general and I try not to be forced to make those sorts of decisions EVER!!!

I just hope that Nicole is pleased with it.  In a strange sort of way I'm learning from doing it but I'm very, very glad I've got a few years tatting experience to use!!!  There's only been one 'tie and cut' so far as I'm trying to make it flow from one part to the other.

For those curious as to what Nicole is going to do with this - I believe she's inserting it between two seams in a garment.  I'll be able to show you the completed item when she's finished it - I hope.

Something new!

As I've mentioned before (I think!) I'm currently working on a commissioned piece of work for the lass I did the black strips for. 

The task she's set me is to make a long piece of 'random' tatting.  No pattern at all.  This was rather daunting at first and I wondered if I'd be able to 'just tat'.  The specification was that it should be between 0.5 cm to 4.0 cm in width. 

Well I started off and this is what happened.  I ran it by her and she said it's exactly what she's looking for.

I'm using a number 80 thread which means it's going to take some time, I think.

A little something to show you!

I'm back into tatting.  Well, that's not strictly true - I've never been away!!!

I am working on two new patterns.  One finished and one nearly done.  The first I've been 'hanging on to' until after Halloween as it's my Christmas giveaway.  More about that next week!!!

Today I'm showing you the bookmark I made over the past two evenings.  The pattern is on my site (which now has a search bar!!!).

Oh, before I go - please bear with me over the next few days as I update my web pages and the home page again.  All my links appear to have gone AWOL during the transfer from the PC to the mac!!  Still, it keeps an OG outa mischief, I guess!!!!

Special note to Georgia - don't worry only a few links MAY have to change as my main site sometimes appears  to be full!!!

Nothing to tell - well, nothing to show!!

Yesterday I did very little.  I had to be out all day.  Today will be the same too.  So, no progress on the mac BUT I did start an intriguing tatting project in the evening.

This is a commissioned piece of work which I'm hoping I'll be allowed to show you.  I've done things for this lass before but thankfully this time I'll not be working in number 80 BLACK!!!  This is still a number 80 thread but a much easier colour for winter evenings.

Sometimes you win and sometimes you loose!!

Nope, not talking about giveaways but life in general!!!

Yesterday morning I decided to upload my web page from the mac.  Not easy as first I had to set up an ftp link which meant pulling out all my resources in the way of brain cells.  Then, when I'd finally downloaded the software, set it up (amidst much cussing!!) I sent the page up.  The home page is the only one now which is in html so I thought this would be a huge step forward to do this.  Oh, BOY, was I wrong!!!!

Just before leaving the house to go shopping I realised that the poooey thing had lost all the links.  Now for those who have never built a web page  - this  is a major disaster.  I fiddled and fathomed between shopping and fixing another friend's computer (did another one the day before!) then I finally realised I could re-load the original from the PC so that's fixed that for now.  BUT this leaves me with the problem of 'how to' save my original file as an htm file on the mac without losing all the wretched links.  Can anybody in tat land explain to a mathered old git how to do this?  I've got Neo Office which will let me save as html and from what I've read that should be fine but I think it's more to do with the transferring of files from PC to mac.  If I've got to do all the links again it will take up precious tatting time!!!  IF I understood what I was doing in the first place it would help, of course!!!

On t'other hand late last night I found out how to put a search box on the home page.  Now everybody should be able to go searching  on my site without running around like a headless chicken.  Least I hope!!  Thanks to somebody pointing out that Georgia had a box like this I decided to find out for myself how and where to get one from!!!  So the day wasn't really lost!!

Progress is being made!

All files have now been transferred to the new mac (via a magic cable and with the help of number 4) so all I've got to do is learn how to use it!!!  Which reminds me - where DOES Apple hide the hash key on the keyboard?!?!?

I've found how to scan things, save etc and the printer, graphics pad etc all worked almost straight away (with a few driver updates).  Next I need to find time.

Busy week ahead with people to help out on their PC's.  Still it'll keep an old git out of mischief!!!

I am still tatting and may have something new to show next week - once halloween's out of the way!!

Yet MORE oh dears!!!!

After reading Gina's post on the tatting goddess blog (Thursday's post) I thought about the plethora of utter nonsense I talk but then decided that as I'm only talking to myself then that's OK!!!!  Now Gina talks sense and her blog is well worth reading.  So, I must ask why are YOU reading this instead of hers?  OR, are you reading both and making comparisons?!?!?!

Anyway, I'm afraid that I might not be blogging much for the next week or so as I've had a baby. Yup, a new baby - at the ripe old age of 66. 

Imeant to have this baby two/three years ago but I chickened out and put back the birth.  It arrived yesterday.  Straightforward birth - ordered online 24 hours earlier, sight unseen but from a good genetic background.  Trouble is that because of the new baby I have to do a lot of work. I have to learn new stuff but so far there have been very few teething problems - mainly due to the (very green with jealousy) male partner who already has experience of this 'breed'. Oh - a new brain cell has been brought into play - temporarily - brain cell number 4!!!!  Bet he won't stick around for long, though!!!

So?  Are you wondering if I really have lost the plot? Probably.  I'll explain.  It's simple, really.  I've bought myself an Apple Imac. The PC was rapidly losing the plot and I was losing my temper with it!!!!  Vista (and/or) the computer wouldn't find any hardware I plugged into it and messed me around BIG TIME on several things.

So far I've managed to transfer quite a few files and stuff but now have to find a new drawing programme.  I've got most things 'sort' of sorted but it's on with the game and thus there won't be much going on with showing much tatting.

Having said that I will be tatting in the evenings but may not be able to put a web page together until I've worked out 'how to' do (a) pdf's and (b) html pages without sharepoint designer.  So, any advice would be very welcome on appropriate software - preferably free!!!  I can probably 'do' the pdf's already - just haven't got 'roundtuit'!!!!

So, tat's all from me today.  Please don't leave planet Jane - I'm just temporarily 'out of sync'!!!

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!!!

What happened to my resolve to change my ways?

I seem to have got myself into the same old state as usual.

I was determined that I would work on just one project at a time.  So once back from our trip I decided that the most important thing to do was to decide on my Christmas giveaway design.  Not easy because it has to be something that isn't 3D and which is not too time consuming to make.  So, brain cell # 3 was commisioned to start on this task.

Well, half way through I remembered the earrings.

A few days later I decided to start on another pattern I'd been meaning to do for two years.

Then, on top of this I realised that a design I'd been working on before the trip really needed to be 'progressed'.

YIKES - what's wrong with me??  Are the men in white coats about to visit - again?

Over the Top

No, I'm not referring to anything in particular and not even about my own behaviour which has been criticised for being 'over the top' in the past!!!!

I'm referring to a join.  You see when I did this pattern a few months ago I referred to an 'over the top join' (OTTJ).  Now I knew what I was talking about but I'm not sure that anybody else did!!!  It's the sort of join that 'old timers' like wot I am would 'fudge'.  So, I thought I'd better write it down. 

Before I show you I must also admit that a few 'gurus' in tat land that I've run it past haven't really understood what I'm 'getting at'!!! This is the reason that I've been lollygagging (wonderful American expression) about putting it out on my site.  

Anyway, I'd really appreciate it if you would take  the time to look at this and see if you can fathom what I'm rambling on about!!!  It has a limited 'raison d'etre' but it's still useful - well, I think so!!!!

Live (and 'dead') TIAS fun

Well for those of you who weren't at the Palmetto tat days I'm going to mention the live TIAS.

This was new territory for both myself and the Palmetto 'gals'.  We went to places 'no man has gone before' with this.  It took lots of discussions on the 'how do we organise this' lines and eventually we came up with the idea of putting part 1 in the student's folders and getting them to sign a declaration in blood (well, actually a red pen!!) that they wouldn't show or discuss their progress with others!!!  IF they did (and nobody was actually caught!) then they had to forfeit all their tatting stuff before leaving the site!!!!

Thanks must go to Joanie and the team for not only nudging my aged brain to make decisions but also for the fantastic way the whole daft idea worked.

Now, for those who weren't there.  Don't fret.  You can still do the TIAS in the privacy of your own home and in your own time.  How?  Well the pattern is on the Palmetto CD.  Donna has put it on the CD in 'parts' just as it was given out 'live'.  What better way to tackle a TIAS than in your own time, eh?

Also on the CD are all the other patterns which the teachers taught.  Here's where you can see them.  Don't just drooooool, take a few dollars out of your piggy bank and order  a CD!!!!  You'll never regret it, promise.