They're driving me MAD!!

A small break in the saga of the motif!!!!  

The title for this post is referring to the dangles driving me mad - BUT one could ask whether I wasn't already mad anyway!!!!

I'm going to make more of these in the future.  

Progress

So, after seeing yesterday's attempt I had to find out if this motif would join to another!!!  

The easiest way to do that was to make another and then put them together.  Now anybody who lives in tat land will know that this isn't 'fool proof' as tatting does change when you get to work another round or start to put things together!!!

This is what it looked like - promising!!!

The starting point!

I think it was about two/three months ago I started on this design.

It's actually worked in one 'hit' but you do have to swop out the one shuttle and replace with another.  

Originally I designed it to act as a 'showplace' for all the lovely, lovely HDT and Lizbeth threads I've been given.  This doesn't really do it justice with these colours.

I'm addicted again!!!

I thought I'd make a couple or more of these dangles just to show how they can be played around with.  All these two need is another half yard or so of thread before starting and then (of course!) more beads.  

I'm 'wearing' these now on my handbag!!!!

Following on from yesterday!

There was one comment on yesterday's blog that made me stop and think!!!!  I tend still to do things without wondering whether anybody else does them the same way!!!

The question was from TAT19540 who asked  "how do you finish the end so there is no thread dangling?"

I have two ways of doing this.  If the seed beads are too small to allow the threads to be taken back through them (that's 4 thread widths) then I just tie a knot.

If the centres of the seed beads allow it I take the threads back up through them and tie below (or even above!) the last large bead.  Ah, you don't take them up through the very bottom bead, though or you will 'lose the lot'!!!!

Here's a diagram I drew to try and help explain the ramblings of an old git!!!!

Am I enjoying these?

I decided that while I've got the beads out and before I have another 'grand tidy up' I'd make a few more of these earwigs!!!

Then I decided on dangles for my handbag so here you go!!!

So, while I was in the mood!!!

Once I get out beads etc for one project it usually leads to another!!!  So I thought I'd make another pair of the Winsome drop earwigs.

The heart shaped beads for this project came from a bracelet I was given a looooooong time ago.  I always 'meant' to wear the bracelet but never quite got round to it!!!!  SO, making the beads into earwigs means I'll get lots of pairs of my favourite jewellery!!!  

How's that for a great idea?

Repercussions!

When I was at the Medieval Fayre last weekend I was selling a few pieces that I'd made for the event.  There were bookmarks, button flowers, Winsome drop earwigs, butterflies and other 'bits and pieces'. 

One of my customers spied a pair of my own earrings on the display board at the back.  I told her they weren't for sale but she insisted she wanted them.  I pointed out that I'd worn them (they were a pair I was particularly fond of) but that didn't deter her!!!  So I finally sold them to her!!!

I managed to 'replace' them yesterday with a similar pair which you can see here.

OK, here it is!!!

I did it, I did it, I DID IT!!!!!   I managed to get the page done.  Been a busy week last week but I managed to find a few minutes!!!

Here's the direct link to the page but you can get to it from the home page too.

What am I talking about?  The re-visited hearts on buttons!!!

That's amazingly fast for me to get the whole of my act together.  Next project?  Wait and seeeeeee!!!

I wasn't going to bother!

I wasn't going to bother with the earring on that pattern but I DID!!!!

Here it is in all it's 'glory' (or should that be GORY)!!!

All I've got to do now is the page with them on.  Won't take long so keep your eyes on 'this space'.  NO, not the space where my brain should be but THIS space on my blog!!!

What IS the old git up to?????

Is this a case of copyright theft??!?!?!  Ah, don't think so!!!!

Using the wayback machine I've had to work out how long ago I did this pattern.  It's GOT to be pre-2001 from my searching.  Isn't it the messiest page and design you've ever seen?  Mind, it's been around a long time - a bit like me!!!!

So the time came to take another look at it!!!  IF you want the original pattern (heaven forbid!) then please take it soon as it will disappear.  

It will be replaced with the updated instructions and drawings with these 'modernised' ones.  

The thread is a plain red Manuela on the outside and Tatskool's Flame Lantern on the inside!!!!  Don't these just call out to be made?  

Another two on the block!!

Two more of Martha's dear little critters.  I fell for this one as soon as I saw the picture.

Steph got a ferret and I got this racoon.  Isn't he SO CUTE?


Next day along strolled this alligator - look at that grin!!!  Reckon he's got me in mind for his lunch!!!

Whooops, forgot the gator earlier!!!!

Medieval Fayre - part 2 (or 'the end')

I must mention here that this church is world famous as the burial place of the bard - Shakespeare himself.  Here's a picture (taken in a hurry) of where his tomb is high up on the wall (over on the left here).  As a kid it always puzzled me how those ancient guys dug a hole so high up on a wall!!  Actually, if I'm to be honest - it still puzzles me but I don't lose any sleep over it!!!  The inscription on the tomb says:-

Good friend for Jesus sake forbear
To dig the dust enclosed here!
Blest be the man that spares these stones,
And curst be he that moves my bones. 

Rumour has it that there's nowt in there and that it's just an 'empty space'.  That's Stratford for you - full of rumours!!!!!

Next I have a picture of a really, really nice guy.  I often see him parking in our road when he comes into town and yesterday I took the opportunity of getting his autograph for my 3 boy grands.  He's a fantastic actor and appears in a lot of television programmes here in the UK.  Others might recognise him better for his part in Harry Potter as Filch.  In this picture you can see him opening the Fayre at eleven o'clock.  His name?  David Bradley.

One thing which amused me was that one young lady looked long and hard at my winsome drop earwigs and then decided adamantly that she wanted a pair which were MINE!!!  I'd worn them quite a few times as they were my favourites for a while, and I told her this.  She still insisted she wanted them.  So, on Sunday afternoon I had a rummage around my tatting cupboard to find the 'makings' for another pair (or two, or three)!!!  Just need that other commodity - time!!!

I also had a commission to make two of these flowers with no timescale on making them, either.

Just as I was packing up a young lady came over and we started talking.  She was thrilled to see a tatter and said she tatted too.  She came from Kentucky and told me she didn't know of any tatting groups.  During the conversation she mentioned she travelled to South Carolina regularly so, of course, I told her about the Palmetto Tatters!!  It would be great if she joined up with them sometime.

Oh - one final thing.  The shuttles I listed in Etsy flew out of the shop yesterday!!!  There will be more but not for a few weeks and when there are I'll let you all know on this blog.

Medieval Fayre - part 1

Sorry I missed putting this out yesterday - life 'got in the way' early in the morning so I didn't get the chance to read it and finish it off before posting!!!

I think it's easier if I intersperse the boring old text with pictures today rather than leave them to the end!!!

I got to the church about three quarters of an hour before the public were due in.  First I met a donkey called Kevin out in the churchyard!!!  Kevin DID NOT want to go into his enclosure!!!  When the owner finally got him in Kevin decided to 'pose' for the second photo!!!

Then I took these two pictures - just for Anitra Stone.  Again these were in the churchyard before I even got inside!!!!

OK - here in the church are a few pictures of the stalls being set up.  All the paraphanalia (think they're called pews!!!!) were removed on Friday. 

YIKES - this is Tim dressed as a knight!!!!!

This is 'tat corner'.  Between the spinners and weavers (one or two of whom I'd met before) and the face painting which was great as the kids were a joy to chat to.  I doubt you can read the lower sign which says 'Original designs by Jane Eborall (a local yokel).  Gave a few people a giggle!!!!

OK, that's it for today - there'll be one or two more pictures tomorrow.

Oh, before I toddle off into another manic day I'm going to add three pop a bobbin shuttles and two post ones to my Etsy store too.   Sally and I decided that now the list has gone (almost!) it would be easier to list them that way.  The problem with the list was getting them to folks in the right order and then sending out invoices.  This way all I have to do is list them and RUN!!!!!!!  Hopefully to the Post Office too!!!  We've now got to persuade 'im in the garage to get back into the garage as more shuttles are needed!!!!!

This is a peapock

That's right I have it on good authority from 2 1/2 year old Abbi that these birds are called peapocks!!!

The pattern is from Pam Palmer's 'Tatting Treats' and I first made this little critter shortly after buying the book directly from Pam in 1994 (or maybe 5).  That time I worked the tail as the pattern stated but this time I used exactly the same stitch count but worked it without any cut and ties - well, until the end of course!!!  

The tail thread is from Tatskool and is called Coral Reef.  The body is worked in a Coats thread.

The guy underneath is a crocodile.  OK, I know the original was an alligator by Kate Plummer but Nathan wanted a crocodile.  I took liberties with this pattern as I was tired and so changed the bottom part.  My apologies to Kate who's work I SO admire.  If you're out there, Kate, I'd love to find you.

My lucky streak!!!

Very lucky, I might add.  

Gina's been running giveaways for years - and very generous ones too.  I know this because I follow her from the dashboard on my blog and love reading her contributions.  Also I've been entering these giveaways too.  No luck at all until two weeks ago when I WON!!!

The parcel arrived and when I opened the box there was this dear little bag inside.  Immediately it reminded me of a jester's hat.  I emptied it out (as you can see in the second picture) and tried it on.  It will remain a bag and not a dual purpose bag/hat as it was too small even for my little head.  Small it might be (as a hat!) but it was stuffed full of goodies.

Thanks, Gina.  SO glad I won.


Tomorrow I will be here all day!!!  I'll tell you all about it (whether you want to hear or NOT) on Monday!!!!

Another two cracking design

Yes another hopping design from Martha.  Isn't this wee grasshopper so cute?


Under the grasshopper is a koala which I love too.  Wonder what I'll get tomorrow?  Hint, hint!!!

Test tatting

One of my very, very favourite designers is Martha Ess.  Her books are the ones I go to time after time - mainly (I'll admit) for her critters as the grandkids love them almost as much as I do!!!!

I'm honoured yet again to be asked by her to test tat a few patterns for her.  Here's one I've just done.  Isn't it just SO CUTE?


When I stay with Joanie in SC my greatest joy is being with her and her DH but the bonus is to have the time to watch the birds at her feeding table and even more entrancing is watching the hummers.  Just WISH we had hummingbirds where I live - but on second thoughts I'd never get anything done if we did!!!!

I won another giveaway!

I entered TypsTatting giveaway a few weeks and I won - just because I'm STUPID!!!!

That's what I like about living in tat land - I can be as silly as I like without people looking down their noses at me like so called 'normal' people do!!!!!

This is the Yoyo maker she sent me (purple thingy on the right).  See the fabulous instructions?  Loads of them and easy to follow.

BUT at the top left is what I came up with on my first attempt!!!!  Sad,  isn't it?  I think the fabric I used was maybe a bit stiff so I'll have a go with another flimsier piece. 

Also in the packet was a delightful cloth which is now on an antique (yup, even older than me!!!) table.  Looks SO pretty as it's a very fine cotton with pretty embroidery on.

Don't you just LOVE my bum?

That made you sit up and notice, eh?!?!??  You'll have to wait til the last picture, though!!!!

Right, since the arrival of Tatskool's gorgeous HDT last week I found I'd run out of Eze-bobs!!!  

Now spelling counts a LOT when finding these little gems which Rita Cochrane first introduced me to waaaaay back during my first (think it was the first) visit to Palmetto Tat Days or just after.  It's not easy to find them as they are spelt differently by people.  If you do a google search you'll find Ez bobs, Eze-bobs and Ez-bobs which doesn't make life very easy for an old git in the UK.  Not sure where to find them in the USA but I did find a fabulous supplier in Ireland (are you there, Tatskool?).  The company is here and they're called Arabesque Braids - look on the Knitting Nancy page - their delivery is FAST too.  Just a hint when ordering - the size 2 (my favourites) hold 50 yards of HDT easily.

So, when I'd wound just one of Tatskool's skeins onto an Eze-bob I realised I'd run out so back to the drawing board - aka Arabesque Braids for more.  I'd decided to try and tidy up my messy balls of thread which had already decided to unwind themselves in storage and put them on these wee gismos so I ordered 8.  

Well, since the arrival of Sue Anna's gift I've had to order MORE!!!!!  I just LOVE having packages arrive through the post!!!  Here's a few pictures of them.  

First picture is entitled 'now you see me'!!!

Second is 'now you don't' - bet you guessed that already!!!!!

The last one is 'bum's up'!!!  Actually to prove that I can be organised from time to time I've written on the bottom of each the name of the thread, size and (where I know it) origin.  Mind, I think those with no names are most likely Yarnplayers as I recognise them from her Etsy shop.