Nothing to do with tatting!

Nope, nothing AT ALL.

But the title of this blog is 'not a lot else' so that's my excuse!!  It's also craft work too - sewing in fact!!!

Now for the story.  I was given a doll's cot when I was a wee girl - about 150 years ago!!!  I can't remember now what it looked like then and as we didn't have a camera I have no pictures (oh, how things have changed, eh?).  My sister (Sally) remembers playing with the cot and loving it too.

Well, when I produced two girls of my own (poor things - but they survived!) I still had the cot and re-covered it with the fabric you can see below.  Horrid, isn't it?  Since then it's been stored in several lofts yet again and has gone through some trauma living in those on it's own during the past 40+ years since my kids outgrew it!!!

Two and a half years ago I was lucky enough to be granted my first granddaughter after three delightful grandsons who are 'real boys' and wouldn't have been interested in dolls!!!!  I then rescued the cot and brought it home just over a year ago.

Now is the  time for it to morph into another era of it's life.  I suppose it's an antique (like me) but it's valueless (also like me) as it's not got the original covering (heck, nor have I!).  I've never seen anything like it anywhere else.  The second picture shows it in it's 'raw' state.

Found them

Why is it that when I put things away tidily I can never find them again!!!

Remember the shop I was telling you about that's closing down in the town?  Well these are some small dangly brass hearts I 'rescued'!!!!  I found them in my tshirt drawer - no, don't ask cause I've no idea why I put them there!!!

Not quite sure where the other two are which had 'stands' but I'm sure they'll turn up.  All I need now is a suitable heart to put in these.  

Darn - will I start a new one or find one that fits!!!!  

That's the million dollar question.  OR million pounds question - not sure which!!!!

Another pressie

A parcel arrived last week from Paula with more goodies inside. 

My first thought was that it couldn't be tatting related because it was heavy - but it was and in the most fantastic way.

About three/four years ago I found a very small tube of this cream in Wally World and bought it because of this story.

When my brother first started work as an apprentice farmer one of his tasks was to milk the cows.  He had an ample supply of udder cream and when the tubes were nearing their ends he used to take them home for mum.  She'd squeeze the bejasus out of them milking them (scuse the pun!) down to the last drop.  She said that the cream - which was pure lanolin - was the best she'd ever used.  So, when I saw what was obviously the same substance I bought a small tube and brought it home.  

Paula's lovely gift gave me not only the cream but made me remember that story.

What I love about this cream is that you need just a little and it sinks straight into the skin and I can tat straight away without waiting for it to 'sink in'!!!

More Earrings

Having made the tiger eye earrings to match the necklace I simply HAD to make the earrings to match the beads that Teri sent me - see this link and this link.

Here they are.

New earrings!

Do you remember this necklace?  Well I used up all the tiger eye beads that Ridgewoman sent me on this necklace but was very happy with the result.

Then she sent me another package - see here.  In amongst this surprise there were some more tiger eyes which I thought I'd use for a bracelet.  BUT earrings were tempting too.  I'm very parsimonious so after a good deal of thought I realised that I could 'have my cake and eat it' if I was careful.  SO, here are the earrings.  Not quite sure when the bracelet will get made as I'm in 'earring mode' at the moment!!!!  I'm using the new display thingy that I showed you yesterday but need to experiment with it further.  It's ideal for hanging them from too - if they need stiffening!!!


Very simple pattern which I'm sure that nobody would want written down.  Just two rings, really.   Honest.

A clever buy!!

There's a shop closing down in town - the recession is the reason (so they say) and they've been selling off all sorts of stuff.  It was a gift shop which had been in the same place for many, many years.

Anyway, I was wandering past on their last day and spotted odds and ends which I thought might be useful so I bought this!!!  I'd bought some other things over the previous weeks which will be useful to put tatting in - eventually.

It's a display 'thingy' for earwigs.  I hope to have some to show you on it soon.  What a buy - it cost me a whole round pound!!!

More about the jacket

I  found time to take photographs yesterday so here it is in all it's 'glory!!!!  

I found a very patient model for it too - a chair!!!  Prettier than me wearing it and easier than asking Nick to take photos!!! Also it STOOD STILL!!!!
This is the front (obviously)!!!

One sleeve

T'other sleeve

The rear view - when I'm wearing it it will be my 'best side'!!!!

What I'm working on at the moment!!!

Do you remember this jacket?

Well I HATED it and hardly ever wore it.  Not sure if it was the colour, the fabric or the design but I can tell you I was never ever comfortable in it.  So it's confined to the bin (trash) or the local charity shop.

Hang on, who shouted about the animals?

They're fine, promise.  I'm currently sewing them onto another DENIM (oooooh, I LOVE denim) light blouse weight jacket which I found in our local Debenham store on Saturday.

I've been searching for three years for another similar to the gecko jacket and have 'haunted' our local Edinburgh Woollen Mill shops from where the original came.

I'll try to get a photo of the finished item later.  Nick says there are too many animals on this one but I couldn't make up my mind which ones to put on and which to leave off AND there are a few newcomers since the last jacket was made!!!!  

Why I've not shown you

This is why I've not shown you anything new for a while.  I've been asked to do more strips of random tatting for Nicole - see this link.  

As you can see there were three strips needed of roughly 4 cms in width.  Each strip had to be 65 cms long.  Now in a number 80 tatting thread that's a lot of work!!!  

There are two things about random tatting which are worth noting.  Random IS random and it's hard not to repeat yourself.  Also the stricture of the width means that you have to constantly check which direction you need to be going!!!!  Nonetheless - it's fun!!!


These will go in the post today and wing their way to London.  That's the London here in the U.K!!!!!!!!

Now back to more 'normal' stuff and I will have something to show you soon.

2 close ups below

The cow again!!!!

I've had such fun reading all the comments on the cow and the suggestions for her name.  Thank you SO much for popping by.  Some of the remarks made the cow's milk curdle with giggling!!!

I rather liked deanna7trees suggestion of Jaisy as it's my cow (AND I'm a silly moooo too as Tatskool and Maureen both said) but then I also loved Daisy too.  

Anne hit the proverbial nail on the head when she said that she looked like a Jersey cow as it was a picture of a Jersey that I worked from - thanks, Anne.


The unusual name of Iphigenia suggested by timneh's offspring was a close call as it was so very different.  

In the end I've decided that she will remain 'nameless' as then anybody who has the courage to make her can call her what they like!!!  

If anybody's got the time do read through the comments on the previous post - they are SO funny. 

Name that COW!!!

Last year I was having a natter to a few people and we were talking about somebody who I (and others) had tried to help some years ago.  This help was not only rejected but worse!  Anyway, I said to the others that this person was a real COW. 

Ah, that triggered off brain cell number 3 and off he went on this idea of a cow.  Well, once finished, it turned out to be far too pretty to be called by the inspirator's (is that a REAL word?) name.  Thus I have a 'cow with no name'!!!"

SO, name that COW!!!!!

Oh, just looked up 'inspirator' and it is a real word - which proves (sort of) that brain cell 3 is waking up from his winter's hibernation!!!!


Here's the link to the page on my site.

Just before I quit this post and start picking up today's suggestions I must show you what Mark Myers (Tatman) sent me on Wednesday.  Isn't he a little STINKER?  He's just too clever at his graphics!!!!

The last part.

This is the last part.  Tomorrow all will be revealed and the naming can begin!!!!

There will also be an explanation of the reason for the design too!!!!

Part 4

This is the penultimate part!  There has been one close guess but I'm NOT telling who it was!!!! 

Tomorrow - well, tomorrow's another day!!!  Although you may not get the answer!!!!

Part 3

Here's part 3 - keeeeeep guessing!!!

I think I'm drop dead naughty.  I'm SO enjoying this as it'll be even funnier when it's all over.  Shall I give you a clue along with the picture?  

OK, here's a clue.  It's not been guessed yet!!!!  There again - am I telling the truth or trying to put you all off? 

Next part of the puzzle!!

Here you are - the next part of the puzzle!!!


A few good guesses already and I'm now waiting for more!!!

Well?

What do you think this is?  I'm taking a leaf out of Martha's blog here and asking you to guess what this is going to be!!!

There will be five parts and at the end of the game there will be a task.  The task will be to name the pattern.  Tat's all - just 'name that pattern'.  


Well, actually that's not strictly true as you'll need to give it a lot of thought too!!!  So, you're going to have to work for this free pattern - hard!!!

An endangered species!

The title could of course refer to me.  I'm a danger to myself at times and certainly shouldn't be let loose on the world some days.

Last week I was asked by a lady (via my Etsy shop) for a butterfly.  One like the lilac one I'd recently sold. This one, in fact.

Of course I said 'yes' straight away.  Easy peasy thought I!!!  So, off I went in search of the pattern.  It just HAD to be somewhere on my computer.  I've changed computers several times over the years and have never lost a thing.  

Well, do you think I could find it?  NO WAY.  I searched my printouts too.  I searched the wayback machine.  I know it's MY pattern as I remember doing it but it was nowhere to be found.

So I had to re-write it from the scan.  Then, of course I had to re-draw it too.

That's why it's got a name.  It's called 'The Rescued Butterfly'!!!!  I've added it to the web site in the hope that it doesn't escape again.

Actually the butterfly can be worked with the outer part in another colour.  Just needs a bit of 'jiggery pokery' to do it.  Namely 1 very small split chain and the last SR worked as a ring with a VERY long picot.

Tatting day and what a surprise!!!

A month or so ago Heather wrote to ask  if she could use one of my technique pages in her book.  As I'd nagged and cajoled her to kicking the needle into touch and taking up the shuttle (which she's done SO well) then how could I refuse?!?!?!?

Anyway, she promised me a copy of the book so when a small packet arrived yesterday (yes, April 1st) I was dead chuffed.  

BUT something puzzled me.  I scratched the aged head but I was still puzzled.  How COULD a packet containing a BOOK be so - well, for want of a better word, bulgy?  So the fingers got working on opening it and LOOK what was inside.  Do you think there's a rumour going round Tat land that I MIGHT just be getting round to liking HDT and shuttles?  Aren't the shuttles a hoot?  Can you see what's written on the label above their heads?

Catching up with myself!

A bit late but as 'they' say - better late than never!!!

A quick report on the show at the NEC on Sunday!!

There were only two of us on the stand all day which meant we were kept busy, busy, busy.  A good thing as those who know me will appreciate that if I'm not kept busy I get myself into trouble.  BIG trouble!!!

I managed to get a few pictures of the stand before the show started and also a picture of Barbara too.  We had time for a natter too which was good.  Barbara is really, really good with the many children we had who wanted to have a go at tatting.

I did it AGAIN!!!!

Two things, actually!!!  I won the Palmetto logo competition for a second time AND lost the pieces I used - for the second time too!!!!!

Who did I hear say 'typical'?  Well, yes, you're right!!!

Thank goodness they didn't want them re-scanned as I'm honestly not sure where they are in the 'jumble' we call home!!!!  They did ask for them to be re-tatted in autumn (that's 'fall' in American!) colours which I've done and sent to them.  


They've got them up on the site already.  Here's a link to their page.  I'm honestly SO proud to have 'done it again'.

Now all I'm going to do is keep my fingers crossed that the person I've offered the pattern to to teach at tat days gets the 'job' of teaching it.