A trip down the road!

Yesterday morning I did a small Christmas Fair.  It was actually at an old people's place quite close to us (not the one where I teach Silver Surfers).  I was asked sometime ago if I'd like to have a table there to sell my work so I thought 'why not'!!!

To be honest I wasn't particularly happy there as the main tables (the residents had their 'stuff' on them) were one side of the room and I had a very small table opposite them and a fair distance away.  I felt as if I were a leper!!!  They (the residents) sat there and nattered to each other all morning but made very little attempt to speak to me and only one came across the room to see what I was selling.  Still I sat and tatted away and other friends came in from other parts of town to take part in an exercise class so that wasn't too bad.  On the residents selling table one lady was selling handmade Christmas cards but the rest of the stuff was bric a brac.  

I did sell a few things and amazingly two pairs of black very shiny and very pretty earrings.  They've been in my Etsy shop on several occasions but didn't sell.  One lady took a look at them and oooohed and aaaahed over them, snatched them up and bought them!!!  I was actually going to keep these for myself as they are so very pretty but I do have rather a lot of earwigs!!! 

The reason they haven't sold in the shop online?  I think it's a lot to do with the sparkle not showing up so well and waaaaay too many earrings to be bought online.  These are the ones I sold!!!!

Frustration, frustration, frustration!!

Why oh why do I start these things?  I decided a few weeks ago to do the Tat It And See (TIAS) and eventually thought of the first necessity - a design.

Since then I've thought, slept, walked (I do most of my 'designing' in my head and on the hoof) and even dreamed about the 'thing'!!!

I think I'm on about version four now.  I cannot design totally on 'paper' or using a drawing package - I HAVE to tat it.  

So, after version 3 I realised that I could start it in a different place and that would enable me to 'keep the secret' even longer (I HOPE).  That's the fun of being the 'only one' who knows what it is.  For me it's all about the fun of keeping everybody guessing that makes these interim frustrations so worthwhile. 

So, instead of talking (or should that be 'typing') about it I'd better get the fingers back onto the shuttles!!!  Here's a 'sneak preview'!!!!

It occurred to me!!

I was gobsmacked that I could be so stupid as to assume that anybody drifting onto this blog would know what a TIAS was!!!!  So I'll explain.

The TAT IT AND SEE is a pattern which is released in 'bite sized' pieces every few days over the space of a few weeks.  The idea is that the tatter works it without knowing what they're making.  Well, you know it's going to be a surprise but that's all!!!

I normally add any techniques which might be new to new tatters.  I tend to assume that everybody will know how to do a ring, chain, self closing mock ring and a split ring.  Anything else is explained with diagrams.  

As the different parts are worked and (it's not compulsory!) pictures of work in progress are sent to me then I add them to the TIAS blog along with the comments - some of which are hilarious.

The secret!!!!

Thanks for joining in the fun yesterday and a big thank you to Sally who didn't let on what the secret is!!!!

Geraldine was the first to guess so well done - you must know how my brain works!!!!

Ann - I've no idea who Justin Bieber is so perhaps you could enlighten me?

Josie?  That's just the biggest joke of the lot!!!!!

Crazy Mom - glad you kept your guess private as I think pigs are more likely to fly than your suggestion!!!

I'm sorry to everybody who thought it was going to be a book.  I doubt that will ever, ever happen as I really don't want to start charging money for what I do.  The Etsy store fills my Paypal up and then I empty it again on threads, beads and other 'stuff'!!!!  What more do I need?  Not fame or fortune as I have a roof over my head and food in the fridge - although at the moment it's almost colder outside than in the fridge!!!

The answer is that I've started work on another TIAS!!!  The idea has percolated (with the help of brain cell 3) and has now started it's life on the shuttles!!!  If I were to show you what it's going to be at the moment you'd never recognise it - it's REALLY naff!!!!!  Hopefully it will improve and turn into what I'm hoping it will be.

IF I don't get sidetracked I'm hoping to start in mid January during the 'dull season'.  Keep your fingers crossed that it works!!!!

I've got a secret!

Can you guess what it is?  

NO, I'm not pregnant - that would be impossible!!!

NO, I'm not about to leave home!!!  Too cold!!!

NO, I'm not giving up tatting!!!

Go on, guess!!!!

Another!!!

Here's another of the new magnetic bookmarks.  I am using the one I made for MEEE and can report that it's really and honestly the best bookmark I've ever had.  

No more scrabbling around in the bed for the 'missing bookmark' when I'm sleepy and need it.  This stays exactly where it's put.  In fact I'm using it almost as a 'timer' when I'm reading in the mornings.  

As it 'reaches' over 20 + pages I tell myself that when the two parts 'meet' then  I must get out of bed!!!!!  I move it to the  right hand edge of the book so that I can turn the pages without taking it out and thus when I get the two magnets to meet without pages between it's time to get up - unless I've reached an exciting part, of course!!!!

Not sure if this will go in the Etsy shop as nothing seems to be happening there very much.  My fault entirely.  Shall I admit why I love that shop?  Well, it's a bit like selling on Ebay.  I like to look every day (sometimes several times a day) to see how many people have looked at the items!!!  One of the bookmarks has now reached 105 views already!!!!  Now, isn't that sad?  I wonder if any other shop owners are like me - come on, fess up!!!  Poor old woman sitting here really only interested in who's looking!!!   

Perhaps I need a psychiatrist or even the 'men in white coats'.  One of the many ways I amuse myself!!!!

Winsome Drops!

These seem to be very popular and the bonus is that I still love making them!!!  

I've got just two of the small heart beads left in green now so will have to get more IF I can find them!!!!

These are all for one person to choose which she wants - just hope she doesn't want the pale blue ones as I'd like those for myself!!!!!

I could make another pair but I'm also pretty sure I've run out of those too!!!!  I have got a couple of lovely beads which were given to me, with dolphins on.  I'm going to use those on a pair.  The main problem is - what do I do with all these?  They don't seem to sell in the shop although amongst friends and acquaintances they do!!!!  Straaaange!!!!!

Comments on blogs.

All comments on my blog are read and this one from Karrieann about this post I appreciated as usual.  She said:-

"Jane.. what if you attach the butterfly at the other end.. the head end? The reason I even brought this up... it would be upside down when in place. Know what I mean? I think the butterfly is beautiful though!"

I knew that Karrieann was right and I did think the same whilst I was attaching the butterfly to the bookmark but I really, really, REALLY wanted to try out new feelers on it!!!!  First of all I'll tell you about the feelers.  

When I finished the butterfly I wanted more 'substantial' feelers which are the last things in the pattern.  So using my fine (for putting beads on picots) crochet hook I made chains with the ends instead of cutting them off straight away.  I'll definitely be using this 'trick' again in future!!!

So I decided to re-cycle the original butterfly and you can see that below with the new crocheted feelers!!!!  I managed to only 'waste' about half a yard of thread (very precious HDT) on the task too as I carefully cut and then used the chain thread for the core of the double double stitch tail instead.

Next to re-cycle the bookmark I made for meeeee!!!  This time it will lie the 'right way up' when outside the book but this one I made usinig a mock ring for the head and adding beads to feelers.  There was again some adjustment to the stitch count too.  If anybody wants more details on this then I'm happy to tell them 'how to'!!!!

I think if I ever get to put this magnetic bookmark in the Etsy shop it will have to be called the Rolls Royce version as it takes a tad longer to make and is just (IMHO) SO pretty. If you want one then do ask - I'll be only too happy to make one.

Snowflakes!

I'm going to show you what I've been doing over the weekend.  

This first little pattern was designed in 1992 by Carolyn Regnier (here's her email addy) and was published in her book 'Tatted Suncatchers and Snowflakes'.  She says she still has a few copies left.  I bought the book around that time too.

This is the pattern I chose to do but (my apologies to Carolyn) I've sort of played with it a bit.  Not a lot, just a bit!!!  I used a SCMR to replace the long chain and also did a split chain at the end so that a couple of split rings would take me out of the centre and end up with a hanging thread.  BUT it's still Carolyn's and the stitch count is the same.  I've also added beads 'as you do'!

The second snowflake is a hybrid which started off from one in Patti Duff's Mini Tats (a great buy for anybody who has just started tatting).  I added a SCMR to this one too with the 'odd' vsp to stabilise it.
 

The reason for these?  I'm doing a small fair at an old folks home on the 7th and suddenly remembered it was Christmas soon so why not a few snowflakes!!!  Oh we also had some early snow on Friday/Saturday too - brrrrrrrr.

Did you guess?

Remember me talking about this design a couple of days ago?

Well I had a few comments about this pattern and it surprised me!!!  Why?  Well it's one of my patterns!!!  

I was dreading that somebody would say that it belonged to them as I have seen similar 'out there'.  It could easily be worked covering the ring first, of course, but back when I did it I wanted/needed something fast to tat.

The original pattern (which is here) was made on a larger cabone ring but as I found out with the transparent one - it can be worked on any size.  Just work the centre until you 'fill up' the ring and then work your way out!!!!  I made loads of these back in 2004/2005 as giveaways.

A present for MEEEEE

What is it?  Did it come in a packet from overseas or the UK? No, it came from somebody who's totally bonkers.  It came from ME!!  Ah, what is it you may ask?  Well, it's a magnetic bookmark. This is a new 'breed' too!!!  Happy Black Friday to Jane!!!!

Another small idea hits Tat Land.  No, it's not in my shop (although it could be if I got anybody asking for the new version!!!!) - it's in my book!!!!  No, I'm not doing a tatting pattern book it's the one I'm reading at the moment - a novel.

I thought it was time to treat myself.  I decided to 're-cycle' the test bookmark and make myself one.  What I REALLY love about these is that they never, ever fall out of the book.  Even when  you forget and chuck it across the room (not that I would EVER do that but I do have a tendency to fall asleep while reading!) this design of bookmark never falls out!!!  It's honestly the answer to all I've been wanting from a bookmark - reliability!!!!

It's the only thing in my life that stays where it's put - everything else moves around behind my back!!  Honestly.  I put things down in this house and they MOVE.  Everything does.  Before you say it - it's not my memory (that's my excuse!!) - I reckon this house is haunted by gremlins who are larking around with the aged brain!!!!  OR is it just 'me'?!?!?!?

Update on the post.  We're having a letter delivery each day (well, Wednesday and Thursday!) and mail from 2/3 weeks ago and a few days (there must be a whole lot in between missing) is now turning up.  Small packets?  Tat's another story!!!

Bored with the Flurry pattern!!

I knew it would happen - I got bored with the Flurry pattern!!!  

So with shuttles still 'sporting' a few yards of the metallic I found a clear cabone ring and made this!!!!  Have you seen it before?  If so then please let me know!

Update on our local postal problems.  After no post for two days we got two deliveries of letters today.  These are at least two weeks overdue.  Later some neighbours got some of the small packets which are still 'stuck in the system' and the postie said that things were probably slightly worse up at the local sorting office!!!  

Are you getting bored?

Two more of the flurries in the drop dead gorgeous thread.  I think I'm getting bored now but I still have a few more to do to have enough to give to folks!!!

Postal update.  We have had NO mail since Sunday!!!  I rang and filed an official complaint in the end.  Not at the local office but 'elsewhere'.  The lady said that this area was no longer 'flagged' for problems.  She's SO WRONG.  No idea what we can do now.  Mail is outstanding for nearly three weeks now.  Things we know have been sent or despatched via small packets still haven't arrived.  Including a cheque which I want/need!!!!  This is the result of 'rationalisation and progress'!!!!  What a JOKE!!!!

I did it!!!!

I resisted the very, very real urge to recycle the Victorian purse  (cut it and chuck it) and finished all the tatting on it!!!

I was extra careful when tatting the second side and made sure that all the beads were lying beautifully before and after closing the ring.  That didn't work either!!!  

So I 'bit the bullet' and finished off the outer round which I used to join the two sides up.  The outcome?  It is IMHO just as bad as ever and is now probably doomed to stay like this for eternity!!!!  

I may line the purse but I don't think I'll put it in a clasp at the top as that would hide the beads.  Unless I line it with fabric and then add a clasp to that!!!  One day, maybe but meanwhile the whole thing has been 'laid to rest'!!!

Just to make life more interesting!!!

First of all - we had MAIL.  Yesterday (yes, Sunday) our small packets (well, some of them!) arrived so the one I really needed can now be dealt with today.

This is the Flurry Snowflake done in my very, very favourite metallic thread which can be bought from Tatting and Design.  I've never got on very well with Lyn's cotton Turkish threads but this one is to DIE for.  It's so sparkly and tats up a dream.  This is where to find it.  

I'm going to make two more with this thread and then I want to try something else!!!!  I'm getting bored with this pattern now but know I'll go back to it again sometime!!!  That's what I do!!!!

Back to 'Flurrying'

Well the good news first of all is that LAST WEEK'S post finally arrived yesterday - a very important letter posted first class (which in theory should arrive the following day) was 9 days late!!!  A few other letters arrived but still no sign of the missing cheque or six missing small packets - two of which are mine and badly needed.  I do know that mail is going out fine, though, and one or two buyers of shuttles last week have already got theirs.

Have you ever met an angry Jane?  A rare and interesting breed!!  A really frustrated and angry old git called Jane?  Well a certain 'manager' of the local sorting office did yesterday and I managed to have an audience too! who were backing me up!!!  He assures me/them that we will get our mail tomorrow or Sunday but they're now 65,000 pieces of mail behind! (up from 40,000 which was the figure given in the local paper in the morning)!!  Did you see the flying pigs too?  Last seen heading towards the hills!!!!!!

Well back to the serious stuff.  I got sidetracked yesterday evening (great 'talking' to you on Chatzy, Georgia) so only got one Flurry Snowflake done.  Below are the ones I did on Wednesday evening.  I need to do approximately another six but in Christmas colours as they'll be for the grandkids and family.  The reason for all the 'non Christmas' colours is that a lot of my friends never put them away and keep them 'hanging around' all year!!!

A trilogy and a change of mind!!!!

I was feeling really lazy the other evening and hadn't got any beads sorted to make more Flurry Snowflakes so just grabbed the ones I'd got sitting next to me!!!

I like making the butterfly bookmarks but this time decided to use the double double stitch (thank you Rhoda Auld - 1976) for the tail. It gives a much, much better result, I think.  Must go and change the pattern on the web page sometime.

Another day gone and STILL no post so no more magnetic bookworm bookmarks can be made!!  We had two letters on Wednesday - one of which was my new bank pin number - megga big phewwwww!!!!  The very important letter posted first class is now over a week late and a big cheque for money owed to me has still not arrived.  I rarely get angry but I am at the moment.

Beaded neck purse

I think I forgot to let you all know that the beaded purse is now finished and back up on this url.

There are a few alterations to the original pattern but not too many!!!  It's an easy pattern needing only rings, chains and split rings - with a few beads here and there!!!  Ask Sally - she'll give you the honest true 'low down' on this!!!


This pattern is as old as Methuselah so was well overdue for a re-vamp!!!
This is the front.

Now the back!!

Finally the cord.

As an addendum - we had two letters come through the post yesterday but many more are still 'missing'.  I went to the sorting office in the end and the guy said that our mail was 'out for delivery'.  Hmmm, put out a search party for our postie - no sign of him down our road!!!

Flurry size 10

This is the Flurry Heartache worked in a Cebelia size 10 and Jane's lovely HDT.

My size 10 matches Jane's HDT in size which is such good luck for me as I only have about three balls of plain ten.  I love this thread and will just HAVE to make more.

For people who bought pop-a-bobbin shuttles from my Etsy store - I have a message.  The Royal Mail hasn't delivered us any post now for nearly a week.  Apparently there's trouble at the local sorting office.  Now, whether this affects outgoing mail or just incoming hasn't yet been established.  I will let you know WHEN and IF I find out.

I'm desperately waiting for more magnets - a flowery bookmark sold within four hours of being listed on Monday so there's a new one there now - further bookmarks will have to wait until the postie wakes up!  I'm waiting for my new bank pin number (guess who got herself locked out of her bank account last week) and other very important stuff.  It's SO frustrating.

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.