Today I'm going to show you a result of my initial search for magnets!!!  

The bookworms needed magnets and to find the 'right sort' took a few pounds (sterling) and a lot of research.  My first purchase turned out to be waaay too thick for a book - 3mm thick in fact.  These were put to one side until I found the right ones and thus the bookworm was born!!!

So, what to do with the others?  The guy I bought them off on ebay said I could return them and have a refund but they were cheap (unlike the bookworm ones!) so I didn't bother!!

Back in the summer I had a stall at the Medieval Fayre in town and I sold a lot of odds and ends but the mini button flowers just didn't sell.  People looked at them and didn't buy.  Finally, once brain cell 3 had woken up, we both realised it was because they didn't know what to do with them!!!!!  So with 'unused magnets', a bright and sparky brain cell 3 and a bit of time they were 'turned into' fridge magnets!!!!  Here they are on the fridge in all their glory and using the unloved magnets which are ideal for this purpose!!!

I bet you thought that's a good idea.  Did you?  Well it is but unlike most regularly normal folks I couldn't just 'stick' them on with glue - I had to go the whole way and make a covering for the magnet which I then stitch them to!!!!!  I can't sell things which may fall apart so this is my way of making sure!!!!!  You can see the posterior of one of them below this picture.

Ooooooh, another breed of worm!!!!

At the bottom of our garden (hidden behind a huge and vicious pampas grass) we have lurking and hiding a compost bin!!!!  Now why am I telling you that? Is it because I've done a tatted compost bin?  No, not even I can be inspired to do that!!!!  The reason for telling you this is because I took a trip down there over the weekend to visit my worms who live in there and do SUCH a great job of creating my compost!!!!!

While there and talking to my worms I was thinking how very 'plain' they are.  They are plain on the top of the bookworm bookmarks too.  So then I thought 'why not something a bit prettier'!!!!  So here's a bookworm bookmark with a butterfly on the top!!!!

Now, tell me honestly, should this be named a bookbutterfly bookmark, a bookwormbutterfly bookmark, a bookbutterflyworm bookmark or simply a magnetic bookmark?  

As the critter isn't in the book itself I've added beads!!!  Whoooppppeeeee, an excuse to get out the beads again!!  I've also listed this one in my shop - just in case somebody wants to give it a new home!!!

Oh, dear, what a waste!

I consider the Victorian purse experiment a waste of time, effort, thread and beads!!!  OR is it?  Here is the first stage which I showed you a week or two ago.

Well the beads aren't a waste cause those can be re-used!!!  

Looking at the picture of this in the original book (published 1870) it's obvious that all the illustrations were either drawings or etchings.  So this means that the end result which looks lovely and flat is really down to 'artistic licence'!!!  

On the final round here it states that the rings are started at the outside and a new one worked leaving a 'short distance' of thread in between.  Well I took a look at that, tried it and then decided to start by joining to the very small picot on the previous round and having the rings face 'outwards'.  This shouldn't have made any difference in the results except that a small length of thread between each ring is now hidden in between the rings rather than on the outside.  But I don't like it!!!  Some of the beads still have a tendency to turn inwards!!!  This has been 'wetted' thoroughly, poked and prodded and pressed.

Now, what do I do?  Do I continue and do the other side or do I call this a 'lesson learnt' and re-cycle it!!!!  

There is another option, of course and that is to 'make it work' by re-designing the whole thing!!!!  Answers on a postage stamp, please, addressed to the 'Old Git, UK'!!!  Please use a postage stamp as then you won't be able to write rude things on it!!!!

I really, really want to be making bookworm bookmarks which are in my Etsy store and not playing with this purse!!! 

Another shuttle

Now this shuttle is another very, very special one for two excellent reasons.

First it's a birthday present from Ridgewoman and secondly it's a 'winder shuttle' made by Chris Hinton.

It's a truly amazing piece of craftsmanship and I keep picking it up to admire how intricate the working parts are.

If you want to know more about them you'll have to join the forum here - tattingforums.com this is the only site that the Hintons are running right now.  Erin says that hopefully someday soon there will be an actual shuttle page there for ordering.  

I really, really love this little darling - the way it works is so, so clever.

New shuttles for MEEEEEE.

I mentioned ages ago that the Fringe Element Tatters were using one of my patterns as a logo on their shuttle this year.

Well guess what?  I have my VERY OWN Fringe Element shuttle.  Here it is.  It's a joy to hold and fondle.  No, I'm not going 'kinky' on you.  Just I can't think of a better description!!!

Today's the day!!!

Just a reminder that later today (well, OUR day) I will be launching the Pop a Bobbin shuttles here in my Etsy store.  10pm GMT.  There are places like this where you can check what time that is in your neck of the woods.

Meanwhile I did put two of the new magnetic bookmarks in the shop too.  Oh, perhaps you haven't seen them yet!!!!

The top one is worm number one sitting on top of a book - obviously a tatting book.

The second one is worm number two splayed out to show him in 'all his glory'.

The magnets are a beast to work with when you're tatting as they keep wanting to 'get together'.  The bookmarks will stay in place very, very firmly with at least 20 pages between them.  I've been wanting a bookmark for YEARS that doesn't keep falling out of the darn book!!!!  Now I've got one (or will have when I've made myself one!) and even better - it's tatted!!!

These are one of my better efforts, I think.  I'm now considering butterflies on the tops and any amount of other 'critters'!!!!  Oh, please, please send me more than 24 hours in a day!!!!!  

Here's a PS from Jane to yesterday's post:-

The pattern was R1: 2-6/4 R2: 4/2-6. The original in Anna was done with one shuttle, with a bit of thread carried at the back but it works better as split rings.

 

More from t'other Jane

Before I show you Jane's work from last week I want to just let you know that the beaded neck purse that I took down from my pattern pages is now back up and re-worked!!  Not too many differences but more a matter of checking it out and making one or two 'improvements'!!!!  This is the link.

Jane's been in touch again despite poor internet connections.  Here is the mini button flower made into a bookmark and this is what she says:-

"I thought you might like to see  how I turned your mini button flower into a bookmark. The leafy braid is, like that other bookmark you made famous (!), my adaption of an Anna pattern, from May 1984. I thought the colours in the mini flower looked rather autumnal, so I made another one and added a leaf at the bottom. I did look for that leaf that you did with beaded veins, but I don't think it's on your pattern pages? This one I copied from Singtatter's blog. I'm thinking of doing it again with a few beads added."

Pondering on which way is 'best'!

Before I start - did you notice MY HDT on yesterday's post?  Only Lily and Ridgewoman commented on it!!!  It made me giggle as it was done at the very last minute before posting.  Little things please little minds!!!


First of all - news for those who are interested in the Pop a Bobbin shuttles.  There will be more in my Etsy store on Wednesday.  10 pm GMT.

Here's a list of shuttles which will be available.  Elm – 3, Oak – 1, Cocobolo Rosewood – 2, Iroko – 3, Purple Heart – 2 and Cedar – 4.  All have hooks BUT I met up with 'im in the garage at the weekend to fell some apple branches and I've asked him to make a few without hooks for the next 'batch' AND two more of the very large post shuttles with hooks.  

I'm also hoping to have something really novel to put in the store soon too.  I'm not telling what it is but I've not seen anything like it tatted before!!!!!

A few days ago I needed something relaxing to be doing in the evening so thought I'd make two flurries using the contrast colours in the opposite way!!!!  

Can you see what I've done?  Here they are!!!

Never on Sunday!!!!

Except THIS Sunday!!!!  Well I suppose old people should never say 'never'!!!!

A brief update after yesterday's (rather late!) post!!  Why late?  Because I forgot to check that it had gone out!! I'd set it to go out but didn't check the time!!!

Anyway since then I've had the following from Jane:-

"Hi Jane, hmmmm, there's a difference alright. Actually, the thread wasn't bought in South Africa, my daughter Penny bought it for me in Australia.  (Proper cotton thread is difficult to come by in the small towns here, though I'm sure you can buy it in bigger centres). I suspect that the standardisation of sizes just isn't as good as one would hope for. DMC is a well known brand, so it's surprising. I suppose the implication is that one shouldn't mix brands? The flurry looks great. But all this does have implications for pattern writing and what not, I think. Interesting, as you say!!"

Here's the label that was on Jane's thread.  Oh, do you like my HDT message?!?!?!?  That's Hand Dyed Text, of course!!!

Pretty, pretty, pretty thread

Now these didn't come from the USA!!!!  No, nor from the UK.  They came from Jane in South Africa who is doing her own HDT.

Aren't these just DDG?  Oh, you want a translation?  Drop Dead Gorgeous!!!!  First thing I did was to wind them onto my last two Ezbob's.  The green is waiting for one to become 'vacant'!!! 

The second thing I did was to tat up a flurry with the pinky one.  This is it below.  What I found most surprising was the size it turned out.  Jane says the thread is Cebelia number 20 but look what happens when you put it next to another flurry worked in Lizbeth and another HDT in 20.  If anybody can shed any light on this mystery then please do tell us!!!  Is it the dyes that have done it or is Cebelia 'different'?  OR another thought occurs to me - are the threads re-labelled when they go to South Africa.  There's food for thought!!!!

 

Look what arrived yesterday!!!

Woweeeeee, look what arrived yesterday! 

Thank you SO much Ann - I'm thrilled to bits, lass.  I know I'm a bit of a plonker at times but it's good to know people seem to like that!!!!!  Poor Nick tolerates it - he has to live with it 24/7 unless he throws me out with the dish water!!!

I now need to load it up with my pop a bobbin shuttles and my ongoing project and put it in my 'just going out' place.  Do you have a 'just going out' place?  I've got two.  One is the top of the bookshelf in the hall where I keep my itouch, sunglasses (that's a joke at this time of the year in this place!) and my 'on the go' tatting project. 

On the FLOOR in the hall I 'file' packets to post from sales in the Etsy shop or other 'things'.  Oh, things like bits and bobs to go to the charity shop.  Why?  Because if I didn't put them there I'd forget!!!!  We usually go in and out of the front door so anything 'on the way' to the front door gets 'seen' and dealt with!!!!

One thing I've learnt over the past few years is that all my friends in America are just SO lucky when it comes to craft supplies and particularly fabrics - pretty, pretty ones. Here are the fabrics that Ann put into the packet along with the press.  I will certainly be making a bag set or two with these next Spring.

Teri's turtles

Teri Dusenbury - there's a name to remember as an icon in tat land.

Teri has been making turtles and now has lots and lots to sell.  Her blog is here.

Now if you'd like to see her list (with pictures to drool over) then please drop me a line and I'll send you a copy of her inventory with all the prices, contact details etc.  My email address is in my profile.

I have a turtle that Teri kindly gave me a couple of years ago. - the pink one below and I've 'captured' one of those she has for sale too (that's the turquoise blue one) and put him underneath my necklace.  This necklace has travelled back to the USA with me to be shown off at Palmetto!!!!!

Terri has a wealth of tatting knowledge and has known of a lot of the famous, sadly now parted tatting icons.  It's worth putting aside some time to read the pages at the top right of her blog too.

Earrings

Following on from the 28th October I present a pair of earrings!!

Now the reason for these are the pretty red heart beads that Ridgewoman sent me for my birthday.  They have holes going from side to side which I thought was a little more challenging than usual!!!  Thus I had to pull out brain cell three to come up with this idea!!!

This is again using the floating chain but adding the beads as you go.  Whoops - I see that I've got the one heart bead 'twizzled' upside down on the scanner.

What do you think?  Is it worth going any further with this idea?

Look at this!!!!

It's always very reassuring to find out that people actually make up some of the patterns that are on my pattern page - or elsewhere!!!!  

Elizabeth sent me this last week along with this comment:-

"Here is my first leaf.  I will tat some more to put on a shirt.  I ordered the Palmetto CD just to get your leaf and bird.  It is a very good CD.  Lots of nice patterns."  

Well I left the last sentence off cause it made me blush!!!!

A start on the Victorian purse

Now you saw my post (or maybe not!) last week (or it could've been the week before!!) over the purse in the Mrs Beeton's Book of Needlework so, after that I'd said all that I, thought 'why not'.  Why not what?  Why not another try!!!!!

Back when I did the black and white version we didn't have computers or such like so everything had to be 'jotted down' on paper.  This made sorting out this pattern back 'then' almost impossible as it's not easy to understand in the first place!!!!  Also I was about thirty years younger, with young kids, teaching full-time and all the complications that brings to one's craft life.

This time round I realised straight away that the centre of the black and white one is wrong but I sort of remember thinking that it wouldn't work so did it 'my way'.  Well it doesn't 'really' work but I used the instructions this time round and followed them to the letter (no, sorry, number)!!!!  Of course the fact that it doesn't 'sit' right could be down to the thickness of the thread or the size of the beads - not sure.

Then onto round 1.  Softly softly catchee monkey!!!  I did this exactly according to the written word too. 

Looking closely at the picture in the book it does look as if it's OK but I'm not happy with the way some of the beads have turned towards the inside of the rings.  Still 'upwards and onwards' and all that guff!!!!!!

More eye candy

Gosh, here I am 'Americanised' again!!!!  I'd never heard of the expression 'eye candy' before the www came along!!!  

Just LOOK at the colours in the flowery bookmark.  This is another offering from Jane who says:-

"Hi Jane, I've just made your flowery scmr bookmark. I thought the 'tail' would work to attach to the heart. I thought you might like to see. I used three dimple rings instead of the flower at the end. The colours of the flowery bookmark are really brighter than show on the computer. Part of my latest dyeing efforts. I'm pleased with the results. Happy tats, Jane"

Well I had to use pink for her message, didn't I?!?!?!?!?

Another Winsome brooch!

Here's another one - didn't take as long to do as the first!!!!  A shorter evening!!!

This one is going to be worn on my brown heavy duty winter coat.  When I find it!!!  The coat, I mean.  By the time I've found that I'll probably have lost the brooch!!!!

Don't you just LOVE that big bead on the middle section at the bottom?  I wish I could remember where it came from but it's been 'flaunting' itself under my nose now for years.  I've finally managed to find a way to showcase it.

Back to the floating chain.

It's such fun to play with new ideas.  This is based on the floating chain idea which Terry brought to my attention.  There's been an ongoing discussion between Terry, Suzanne and I about improvements in working this technique but unfortunately I've not been able to give it my full attention.  I've had a touch of 'something or other' and haven't been too sparky for a few days.

Here's what happens when you've finally got a bit of time, though!!!  I can't think of another way you could get this effect but I'm sure somebody will think of an alternative!!!

Now to make something pretty out of this!!!!  You can't call the spider pretty, can you?

Last week

Last week I had the following message from Elfriede in Germany:-

"Thanks for the description of the Snowflake Flurry.

Attached please find a picture of my Snowflake Flurry.One more question:I do voluntary work in the Deutscher Occhi-Ring and would like to publish my Snowflake Flurry with the instructions translated into German in our brochure "Shuttle Information" in the fall of 2011. I will use your name as a designer. I hope that you allow me this. Many thanks.

Kind regards 

Deutscher Occhi-Ring"

Now this is what I call long term planning.  So next autumn the Flurry Snowflake will appear in German.  I hope to start a section on my website for my own patterns in different languages.  I have a few already translated but haven't quite got round to sorting them out.  It's really flattering and rewarding to think that people are prepared to spend time doing this for others who can't understand English.  Thank you Elfriede - and even more important asking and letting me know.  Below is her Flurry Snowflake.

Winsome brooch finished.

Here's the brooch finished!!  I've now sprayed it with fabric protector as it will be worn on a thick winter fleece.

I'm not very good at hanging clothes up - well, that's not strictly true.  I DO hang them up but usually on the floor!!!!  Also as this is going to be worn on a fleece - if that 'pills' then it might start to discolour the threads.

Well, Jane, does that really matter?  The whole thing can be 're-cycled' in an evening.  Hmmmm, a long evening!!!

I actually do re-cycle my beads if they're big ones like this.  Let me see.  The beads on this brooch all came from America!!!  I think some came from Sue Anna, some from Crazy Mom and there maybe one type there from Ridgewoman!!!  I love these beads - they really, really sparkle.  They should cheer up a dreary winter's day when I'm bumbling round the town.  Now, how about earrings to match?