River tatting!

As some of you will know, I walk round the riverside most days. I usually post pictures of things I see which I find interesting on Facebook.  Not that I go to Facebook a lot as I'm not that comfortable there.  I post from my phone.

On Saturday I saw this boat which had rows of beads for sale hanging along the side. Well, Sue (the boat owner) was sitting there and we started talking about beads. Unfortunately there was nothing there that I needed (well, there's a thing, eh?) but we continued talking - as you do!!!!

After a few minutes she notice the tatted earrings I was wearing and we got talking about tatting. We landed up sitting on her boat with me trying to show her the basics of the knot. She was a very fast learner.

A little girl's bracelet

Now this is not to my taste at all but I have an 'I love pink' granddaughter!!!! 

This is simply a chain of interwoven split rings with loom band cats attached. 

I found the cat accessories and decided they were 'just the thing'. When I got them home I realised they'd got jump rings which obviously are no use with tatting as the thread would slip through. Thus followed an hour and a half of sheer bloody mindedness with two pairs of pliers putting on split ring findings. What I hadn't taken into consideration was the thickness of the plastic the cat faces were made of. Finally I managed it and a little girl was very pleased with the result.

A black beaded bauble

Another bauble that I did the other day.  This one has beads on the chain thread which made it quite different.  Perhaps I shouldn't have chosen black as they don't show up too well!!!!

I've found it's easier to start with a finding to hold onto when 'baubling' if you're doing an earring.  So that's what I did here.   HOWEVER once I'd finished the pair I decided to cover the rather small split ring findings with tatting!!!! 

See the beads at the bottom? Another new idea that occurred to BC3. I've added the beads to the ribs and each rib is taken through eight beads and back through seven - thus being easier to hide the ends in the bauble. One of the joys of this technique is it's easy to 'lose the ends' (after tying) in the work!!!

However, when I did the last lot of beads on the fourth rib I took the thread through the eighth bead on the other ribs and THEN back down through seven beads on the final one. This brought each rib close to the others which I quite like. Did that make sense or should I do a page about it?!?!?!?

WOW - MORE mice!!!

I've found another soul mate - another person who is addicted to making these little critters!!!!

This message is from Sue Hunt who says:-

"I am very excited to be considered for membership in your EXCLUSIVE Tatting Club. I love doing these mice...the largest one is done in size 10 thread (King Rat) and he was my first try in Randy's workshop in Salt Lake City. The brown one was next, then the olive green one, who went to Shuttlebirds Conference in Spokane to be in the Three Dimensional tatting category; and finally I am working on a "proper mouse" grey, with pink ears and feet...only about half done. Thanks for letting us have a place to share this fun project!"

Thanks for joining the fun, Sue - I've added these little guys to the to the Exclusive Club which can be found at the top of this page.

Number 97!!!

Look what arrived yesterday from Claire. Another sailing boat.

I had to smile when I read her comment - I'm wondering what I'd find if I delved to the bottom of the pile of 'things' on my desk too!!!!

I've added it to the TIAS blog but here's her comment here too - just hoping it'll jiggle a few more of you who haven't sent theirs in yet. Nearly at 100 now!!!

"I just recently found my completed sailboat "buried" on this desk. A friend in Kennewick, WA also completed it, but never scanned it to send it to you. I live in Richland, WA. It is always fun to do your TIAS each year. Thank you for taking the time to entertain us each year."

Double and FULL member

That's what I'm calling Martha - a double and FULL member of the Exclusive Tatting Club!!!

Not only a bee but now a mouse!!!  I'll add this to the page at the top - just to make it 'official'.

I'd like to also add here a comment from Martha who points out that:-

"The book is 60 pages, and if you order it directly from Gary and Randy, shipping to the US is included, making it a very reasonable price."

I'm glad that Martha has pointed this out as some people have remarked on the price being high.  I'd like to point out again that it took them ten years to get the book written and it's full of inspiring things - not just bobbles and baubles either.  Here's the link again - just so you can check it out!!

Back to baubling - AGAIN!!

Here I am back on the same theme once more!!! Back to the Houtz book and having fun, fun, fun!!!

I made this pair directly on to the split ring finding - that's the one closest to the top of the bauble. 

Once finished I realised it needed a bit more depth so I covered that finding with tatting and then added another split ring halfway round. Really pleased with it too.

The other thing I did differently was the string of beads at the bottom. I put beads onto the ribs and then - well, perhaps I ought to make a page about this as it's certainly 'new to me'!!!!!

Another member has joined the club!

I'm so surprised and very, very pleased that my 'tongue in cheek' silliness has paid off and that new people are joining the Exclusive Tatting Club which can be found here.

The newest associate member is Melanie who sent in her bumble bee from the Houtz brother's book which you can find here.  Thanks, Melanie - he (or is it she?) is great.  I must have a go at this critter sometime - once I can find the right wire.

Somebody I was talking to a few days ago commented on the price of the book which they thought was a lot. 

I did explain that the techniques in the book are very unusual (unique, actually) and that it had taken the guys ten years to get the idea to print. The price doesn't actually reflect the amount of work that's gone into it or the cost of the yards and yards of thread they must've used refining the patterns too.

A new mouse!!!

Well the new exclusive club is beginning to grow well!!! This is a mouse from Jaycee who said:-

"Hello Jane,

Here's my submission - bauble mouse for the application of Exclusive Tatting Club membership. This is my second attempt making it, the first one didn't turn out like a mouse should be - No, I don't know what it looked like.. Lol

Hugs,

Jacee"

Thanks SOOO much, Jaycee - I'll add your mouse to the  Exclusive Club page and you have now become a real mouse member!!!!! There's a challenge for you Martha and the rest of you in Tat Land!!!!

First new member!!!

Look what arrived yesterday - a bauble bee!!! This was done by Martha Ess from the book by Randy and Gary. Isn't it cute?  Now I'm going to have to do one of those too.  This is what Martha said.

"Here is my bee to qualify for an associate membership in your exclusive club. The poor thing has been languishing lacking one pair of legs for ever so long, but this gave me the incentive to finish. I want to do the mouse, but who knows when I will get to it."

Thanks, Martha. I'm just going to add your bee to the page right now.

Another way to join

I've been using this alternative method of joining to clasps and findings for some time now but I hadn't thought to do a technique page until Sally asked me how I did it a few weeks ago. She then reminded me a couple of evening's ago that she might get stuck on it when I'm in America!!!

So, this page is really not for the rest of you but for Sally!!!!! Well, I suppose somebody else may be interested in it somewhere!!! Here's the link.

It's all about how to join to a clasp or finding but also having the option to add beads (or not, as you wish!!!) too.

Below is a pair of earrings that I did ages ago using this idea. You'll see the beads at the top of the earrings. In fact I think this pair is still in my Etsy shop which I'll be putting on vacation in a couple of week's time.

I'll be taking a lot of the items to Tat Days with me so if you want something  please let me know and I'll put it by for you in the vending room. Prices will be lower at Tat Days as there'll be no postage, Etsy charges or Paypal. So, let me know!!!

Back to baubling!!!

I'm still hooked on these baubles. This one is done in Lizbeth GirlyGirl which is a thread I love. 

I followed the pattern in the book adding beads to the rib threads but started with a split ring metal finding at the top.  I'm hoping/thinking that if I did a few of these they'd make a lovely dangly brooch for my rather dull black winter coat.  The coat needs replacing but I'd be very sorry to part with a good coat which, although looking a tad slightly the 'worse for wear' has nothing wrong with it.

So, I need to work more of these.  

Sequin decoration

For some reason that I can't fathom I decided to do this motif again a couple of weeks ago.  Found them lurking by the scanner - for once not under the scanner - they'd escaped and were 'resting' by the side.

Oh, I remember now - I wanted something to add to the hanging I made out of the geckos ............

Anyway it didn't work so now I've got two more 'bits' to chuck in my 'boxes of tat'!!!! Sheeeeesh, wish I could decide what to do with all the 'bits'!!!!

New EXCLUSIVE tatting club

Today I'm proud to announce a new and EXCLUSIVE tatting club. It will be named the 'Tatted Mouse Club'.  There is a tab at the top of this page (when I can get it to show properly) where the member's names will appear.  Here's the link.

To join you must submit one tatted mouse from the Houtz brother's book!!!

For those who have only got as far as doing baubles/bobbles from the book there will be a 'junior membership' which will then be upgraded to full membership once a mouse is submitted!

Why? Well cause I'm bonkers and don't see why others of a similar nature shouldn't join me in my 'bonkersness'!!!!

Another sailing boat

AND an apology.

First of all I'd like to point you to Maria's boat on the Tat It And See blog right here. This makes 96 sailing boats now arrived in the harbour.

Secondly I'd like to apologise to anybody who's made the windmill. There were a few hiccups with the pattern which (thanks to Pigmini) are now sorted. You can find her blog here if you want a good giggle.

Here's Maria's sailing boat for you to see today.

WHO can resist?

Well the addiction to the Houtz book continues!! I just CAN'T resist these little critters!!!

I was talking to another tatter who has (hopefully only temporarily) fallen by the wayside the other day. Not inspired to design or to even pick up shuttles. I suggested that the poor lost soul get a copy of this book and play with it. 

I don't know what it is about making the bobbles/baubles but they're relaxing and challenging at the same time. I sooooo wanted one in grey like the Houtz brothers have in their book. So, rather than start on another crazy idea I made this guy!!!

Gecko hanging finished

Well the top picture is where I was when I last showed you. Still mumbling over the additional flowers/leaves. 

In the end I made four more and those you can see on the finished hanging. It's now in the hall next to the front door. 

I'm hoping it'll 'settle down' as it hangs as it's got a sort of 'wobble' on it at the moment!!! If it doesn't I'll just add some weights to the bottom.

Well, as my late father would say in a VERY dull and boring voice - 'well, Sally, that's a good job done'!!!! No, in 97 years he never remembered my name!!!

More pictures of geckos!!

I am still pondering this task. I am still not sure if it needs more flowers on or not.

These decisions take time as I need to be sure before I completely finish the thing. There's also the 'getting bored with it' factor which stops progress too!!!!

What to do with geckos.

A trip around my geckos - part one!!!!

The gecko 'session' seems to be over for now!!! I finally decided to rescue them from 'the box' and make them into a hanging. 

As they're all different colours I wanted something very 'anonymous' for the background. I remembered that years and years ago I'd bought some hessian type fabric from Ikea and so found that in my stash. 

I started placing the geckos on that but it sort of 'killed' them dead. Then I remembered some gold diamond shaped netting that I'd bought for something else and which I'd not then used so got that out too. 

The shape of the hanging was easy to decide. Long and narrow. I decided to cut out a random shape to represent (sort of) a tree trunk for the geckos to run up and down. You can see some of them on these three pictures. All had to be stitched down (decided against glue or iron on web stuff) and that took hours and hours!!!

Windmill

Now for the story behind this windmill.  It's one of the patterns I submitted to Tat Days for their consideration. It wasn't accepted which is fine as I can give it to y'all (practicing for my trip with the local dialect) now. 

This little windmill is quite an easy tat and worked in just two parts. This reminds me of Dutch Delftware done in blue!!!! There you are, Riet. A pattern for you right there in The Netherlands.

Oh, I guess I'd better give you the link, eh? Well, here it is!!!!