Talking to trees!!!

Well it's 'that' time of year again - Christmas.  Although we don't do much on that day or two of the year it's always a good excuse to eat, drink and - well, do not a lot!!!  

I usually send out a few cards and a few letters, although I must admit I tend to put those off til the last minute and often forget altogether!!!!  So yesterday I decided to get things done early this year.  I started with counting trees as they'll be going in with the letters.  Whoooops - not enough!!  So time to make a few more from this pattern.

The first one below is now a brooch - OK, not what I intended to do but that's the way things work in this part of Tat Land!!  All I did was tie the finishing threads behind the star, stiffen and then tie a safety pin to the back - behind the button.  Job done!

The second one was - well, as I intended!!!!  Looks like I'll have to pay attention to the star button as I've not tightened it up yet.  Too late in the evening when I finished it I guess!

Yet ANOTHER!

Here's yet another gecko.  They're all lining up glaring at me as they have no purpose in life - not yet!!!  I've still no idea what I'm going to do with them!!

This one is made in Lizbeth's Arctic Waters.  Makes you feel cold just thinking of icy water, doesn't it?

When I'm over this phase I'll pop them all together on the scanner or take a photo of them.  I'm still not over the addiction yet, though so be warned - there are more to come, I think!!!

Another ordinary day

Just another ordinary Thursday in my part of Tat Land.  The usual 'stuff'.  The weekly grocery shopping, avoiding housework and trying to keep warm!!!

Over in America it's Thanksgiving.  Hope you all have fun, lots of lovely things to eat and time with family and friends.  

Remember those in the back of beyond here in England who don't have any fun all day!

Another box!

This is the second box.  I forgot to scan the heart before I sewed it on - stupid old git!!!  The thread is another Lizbeth one but I can't remember which one - sorry.  All I can tell you is that it looks a LOT better in real life than on these pictures.

I was walking through town the other day and wandered into the shop where I got the boxes from.  Lo and behold - more boxes but in a wonderful deep green colour.  You can guess what I did - yes, bought more!!!  Now I've set myself an even bigger task.  

I'll show you the new ones sometime.

What I tat

Somebody mentioned to me the other day that I only seem to tat my own patterns.  Well, that's not quite true as I do venture off to 'pastures new' and I do help out with test tatting quite frequently as well.  I'm also regularly tempted back to do things I tatted in my teens as those intrigue me.  They pull me back as I want to see if I still like them and also love to see them done in colours - there were no colours when I was a kid or a very limited selection!!!

I spent over thirty years tatting anything I could find before I started out on my own 'stuff'.  I also (sad to say) like the way I write patterns down and don't like old fashioned notation or some of the new ways when patterns are written using 'new' names for well known techniques.  'Just diagram' patterns annoy me intensely so those I avoid like the plague!!!

Another reason - I don't like to spend too much time looking at other designs is in case they influence me and inadvertently cause me to step on another person's toes!!!!

So, what to do next?  Well I'm playing.  Playing with something that I've been drawn towards for a month or so.  More later!!

Two snowflakes

Well I suppose it had to happen to me one day!!!  Conformity is the word I'm looking for!  I'm conforming to the traditional idea of white snowflakes!!!  It wasn't too painful either in the end.  Just had to have a serious talk to BC3 and persuade him that it wouldn't hurt too much.  

This is the pattern I used.

Well yesterday was spent packaging up the shuttles and after I've had breakfast in a few minute's time I'll be trotting off down to the Post Office.  Nick's offered to make me a flask of coffee and a cheese sandwich to keep me going while I'm there!!!!  

Shuttles

Just a quick post today to remind anybody who's interested that the shuttles seen here (plus more - see this list) will be on sale today at 20.00 GMT.

That's all I've go to say today.  Tomorrow I hope to be packing, labelling and sorting shuttles to go to all parts of the world.

Another gecko

First of all I'd like to announce another pram - number 125 on the Tat It And See blog.  You'll  see that I've been fiddling with that blog as I got bored with the colours and thought it needed a new paint job!!!!  I may change it again, though!!!  Watch that space!!!

So, today I have another gecko.  I'm still in a gecko mood although I'm trying to kick the habit!!!  This one is done in Lizbeth 108 - Sherbert Delight.

My finished box.

Back to talking about this, this and this!!!

So, here's the finished box.  Number one of two.  I used the Flurry Heartache for the top and a simple edging.  On the sides are small motifs which I stuck on.  

To put everything together I first stitched the heart onto the piece of black fabric.  

Then I stitched the inner edge of the edging to it too.  

Finally I sewed the picots on the outer edge of the edging to the actual box.  Fiddly and not helped by my usual self punishment of using invisible sewing thread!!!  One day I'll learn NOT to use that but use something I can actually SEEEEEE!!  It needs to be done during daylight hours and also with a good light on too.  Still it's done - now to find the other box and do that too!!!!

For those who asked!

I apologise to anybody who doesn't know me and my blog very well but I tend to ramble in my own little world on here and forget that people actually take the time to read it!!!!!!

I've had a few private emails plus a comment on yesterday's blog post asking what the Pop A Bobbin Shuttles look like.

I'll put one or two below but if you look at the page tabs above this post you'll see that there are pages with those and the hooks with hats on etc 'up there'.

A box full of goodies!!

'Im in the garage arrived 'Chez Eborall' on Friday afternoon with a box full of 'goodies'!!!  

Shuttles GALORE with some that are to die for.  I kept the drool off them with difficulty!!!

This is a list of what I've got:-

POP-A-BOBBIN

2 COCOBOLA ROSEWOOD $33.60 each

2 PURPLEHEART $32.70 each

3 ZEBRANO $32.70 each

2 AMERICAN BLACK WALNUT $28.00 each

5 CHERRY $28.00 each

2 PEAR $28.00 each

2 APPLE $28.00 each

3 OREGAN MYRTLE $28.00 each

1 SEQUOIA $28.00 each (no hook)

1 IROKO $28.00 each (no hook)

1 IROKO $28.50 each

POST SHUTTLES

6 HOLLY (3” long) $21.50 each

6 PEAR (3” long) $21.50 each

FLAT SHUTTLES

7 TEAK $10 each

6 ROSEWOOD $10 each

5 ASH $10 each

HOOKS WITH HATS

Ebony (0.4) $10

They will go 'live' in my Etsy shop on Saturday 23rd November at 20.00 GMT.  This will be the last batch before Christmas and the New Year.  Sally couldn't keep him locked in the garage any longer as he was trying to burrow a tunnel under the garage wall!!!!!

Back to geckos again!!!!!

Just for a change - another gecko!!!  Sometimes 'a change is as good as a rest' when I've had a spate of sorting other stuff out.

I've become addicted to this way of block tatting so am seriously thinking of doing more things 'on the block', as Martha would say!!!  

In case you don't know where the gecko is - here's the link.

This one is worked in Lizbeth Mountain Breeze.

Final snowflake - I think!!!

Why is it that when I first designed this snowflake back in 2002 I didn't make many?  Perhaps I should never have put the pattern on my site back then as it's sort of haunted me as I knew it wasn't 'quite right'!!!

It's taken me all this time to get back to sorting it and now I've done it I've got into a rut of making them!!!!  

Maybe this will be the last - there are two others you haven't seen as they were 'trial' ones.  Anyway - here are a couple of pictures - just for eye candy. 

Now, what shall I play with next?!?!?!

3D Snowflake sorted

This must be a first for me.  I've actually got the new version of the 3D snowflake finished and ready for you all here.

The alterations have caused it to grow to a decent snowflake size!!!  I removed the annoying beads from the very long picots in the centre and added more to the rings.  Instead of loading all the beads onto the chain thread I've made those to be added as you go (LBP).

This is a simple pattern - rings and chains only.  Oh, except for beads for those of a sensitive disposition!!!!  Even if you don't like beads - do try this pattern.  It looks even better in real life and it's a total stinker to get a good picture of it.  Remember the tips on stiffening it?  Here's a link to those.

The main challenge is joining the last three rings (10, 11 and 12) to numbers 7, 8 and 9 but just think of the designer - she does 'simple' and it's only a matter of joining through those aforementioned rings!  I've added further new drawings too to help with that part.

Stiffening tatting

I know this is an old 'chestnut' when it comes to talking about stiffening tatting.  

I NEVER use sugar water - did that about fifty years ago and that tatting looks dreadful now and in fact a lot has been thrown away.  I've never tried hair spray  either as I've never owned any (well I had a can in my teens once) - perhaps I should buy some just for tatting? 

So, on the whole I try NOT to stiffen anything.  

A few days ago (Sally 'persuaded' me) I thought I ought to look once more at this pattern which I did back in 2002 to see why I didn't make many.  First of all that's a totally HORRID snowflake on the page which would NOT appeal to me (or anybody else) as something I'd want to tat!!!  

Yes this is a design that does need stiffening.  I think I've found the answer now and will share it with you as it's useful for anybody who wants to stiffen with PVA.  I do like that glue for stiffening but I usually water it down.  In this case - well, read on..........

First of all before stiffening I feel that any tatting needs to be pressed.  I can hear somebody out there (can't quite fathom out who it is, please speak up) saying - 'how the heck can you press something 3D?

Well my solution is to wet the finished item thoroughly and then place it flat on the ironing board.  I then put a cloth over it and press firmly.  I do this again  moving the 'arms' over and pressing it the other way.  It looks almost as flat as a pancake by then but when you move the 'arms' into 'snowflake position' it looks GREAT.  Then to keep it looking good I get 'neat' PVA glue (white school glue) and squidge it in with my fingers into the now hot and damp thread.   Actually this is a method I've been using now for the past few months.  I think it's having the piece really wet before squiggling that helps.  Let me know if you've every tried it and how you get on.

You can see one of the 3D snowflakes that I did a few days ago below my ramblings.  It's not easy to photograph these little stinkers!!! 

I've changed the pattern quite a bit so will get the improvement up within a few days.  Please bear with me.

Now to dress up the ears!

As promised yesterday -  here is the pattern for the earrings.  

These are very similar to the bigger trees that are here and could be worn together - as a brooch and matching earwigs!!!  

I used a clear button for mine as they happened to be lurking in my button stash.  I prefer to have a more 'solid' earring as that stops the dreaded 'bendy disease' which can happen even in spite of megga stiffening!!!

A forest!!!

Here are the trees that I found lurking around the house.

Sally and I have inherited the same genes from our ancestors - we both consistently lose things, especially bits of tatting and beads.  We're both good at putting things in an 'obvious' place or even a 'safe' place but then we can never find them again!!!  I found a bag of trees yesterday and here they are!!!

Anyway, this is just a 'filling in' blog post to give me the time and the 'nudge' I need to get another version of this pattern ready and available for you tomorrow.  It's going to be the earring version.  That one is done solely on a button (shirt button sized) as it really does need a button to keep it from going 'bendy'.  

There's nothing in Tat Land worse than spending time making earrings only to find they 'bend' even when stiffened.  It's one reason my earring designs have a more 'solid' appearance.  I either load them with beads (which helps) or make more dense ones which solves the problem of the 'bends'.  No, I don't go deep sea diving either but I know about bends in earrings!!!

So, tomorrow, hopefully there'll be another 'dose' of trees!!!!

Trees without buttons

Well that was a busy day yesterday!!!  I managed to get the 'buttonless' tree done and you can find it here.

As it rained nearly ALL day I was stuck in the house and so got back to doing more to the TIAS.  I managed to finish the drawing which has been ongoing for a week or two and then I started the 'big chop'.  Obviously I have to have a clear head for this as it's too darn easy to lose track and delete the 'master copy' of text.  I've got four days done so there's still a lot to do.  

Once the 'big chop' is done it's a matter then of 'pdf ing' the files, uploading them, adding links and re-pdf ing them, checking the links etc etc.  

It's all really a way to keep me busy and out of trouble.  Not that I go looking for trouble - it finds me!!!!

More button trees!!!!

Once I'd started I couldn't stop back in September/October when I started on this project.  They'll be my little additions to a round robin letter I send out to a few friends in December.  I really don't like Christmas cards as they're so impersonal.  All you do with those is stick a stamp on them and scribble a quick message - I always make life more difficult for myself!!!

Anyway today will be spent finishing off the version without a button in the middle.  You may see more of these over the next few days - or until I get bored!!!!

Before I wander off to get breakfast - here's the link to the pattern.

Did somebody mention?

Thanks for all the comments on the TIAS - it'll go ahead as a slightly longer one than other years!!!  

So who likes Christmas trees and who likes buttons?  Answers on a postage stamp to:-

The Old Git

Somewhere in England!!!!

New pattern coming shortly - yet another I nearly forgot to add to the pattern pages but I'm working on that part of things NOW!!!!  There'll also be a 'buttonless' version for those who don't like them AND another very small version which are just right for earrings.  Those are made on tiny shirt buttons.  Just give me a few days to get the links etc done, please!!!