While I was away

Life is amazing sometimes.  There I was on this small island off our south coast, in a small seaside town with plenty of charity shops when I turned a corner and found a BEAD SHOP!!!!  What a wonderful surprise!  Not only that but it was a GREAT bead shop too!!!!  

Unfortunately we were parked on the street with only half an hour's free time.  I came away with this little 'stash' which (of course) I didn't really 'need', did I?  Anyway I asked the guy if he'd got an online shop and he gave me his card so I could find it easily - here's the url.

So, what have I got here?  There are two strands of 'beads' (well they have got holes through the middles!) which were 'cheap as chips' at £1.50 a strand.  There are some rings which are rubberised and which got my old brain cell # 3 woken up!!  Next are some clasps (top left) which could be very useful for hanging things onto my handbag - like keys etc and two more cell phone lanyards for putting dangles on!!!  

Finally there's a kilt pin with three loops (top) which will be used to make a brooch for my winter coat.  Not sure yet quite how this will work out but just 'watch this space'.  NO, not the space where my brain is - THIS one on my blog!!!!

Did you miss me?

I've been on holiday for the past two weeks so wonder if you missed me?

I've done very little tatting during this time so you'll probably find that there are a few 'blank' days over the next week or two until I get back into the swing of things!!!

I managed to read and moderate the comments while I was away as I had about two hours internet access each week - in the local library.  This is where I was - on the Isle of Wight.  Here's another link too.


I've re-opened my Etsy store and hope to be adding more to it over the next few weeks - watch that space!!!

Oh, I forgot!!!!

I forgot to tell you what I'd decided to call this motif.  Who was that who said 'typical'?

About halfway through I decided it was to be the 'Joseph Motif'.  I've nearly got the page done so should get it sorted by the end of next week.

Having got THAT far

Well having got the six done I did complete that round of the 'goodness knows what this is' piece.  

In a very, very rash moment and, after receiving the last package from Sue Anna, I decided that perhaps this little experiment to show off HDT could go on a bit longer.  The original plan was to make a wearable piece like a tunic or something.  Who am I KIDDING!!!!  My eyes have always been bigger than my stomach - as the saying goes!!!!!!

After this round I'm calling it quits - my mind has wandered off onto other things which really, really need doing.  Like?  Well, you wait and see!!!

The END

Here's the final piece!!!  Seven altogether!!  

Good news is that I still like this pattern and the idea.  Wonder how long that will last!!!!

SIX!!!!

Having got this far I was totally committed so here's day 6!!!

Now during this I'd been sliding off and doing other things - well, I'm easily distracted!!!

Then there were five!!

This was a hard day - I did have to decide which was going to be the central motif and I went for the blue!!!  

Now we have four!!!!

Next time I returned to this project I added a further motif.  

I'd still not decided how big this project was going to be OR which would be the central motif!!!  All those decisions are wearing on an old brain.

Three little pigs!!!

No, not pigs but three of the motifs together.

This was the day I really, really did wonder if it would work!!!  Two's OK but three could've been a problem.

The negative space looks good too.  I think I can carry on to make a small mat of some sort.  Originally and secretly I plan to make something bigger but .....................

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?