New technique page

The penny dropped at long last on another way of adding findings to your work.

People often mention they've finished their tatting and now have to add the findings and then I've seen them add a metal ring round a ring or a chain. Now that worried me as I always use split rings (like key rings) so that there's no chance of the tatted piece finding a gap (as there are in jump rings) and consequently falling off.  I've always added my findings as I go along - like this.

The thought of getting out the pliers (split ring pliers) to open the metal rings and then poke the tatting through them horrified me. I thought of the stress on the thread - UNTIL (as I said before) the penny dropped!!! 

As you know by now - I'm a lazy moo when it comes to tatting. I like to find easy ways round problems so this is what occurred to me - perhaps you could add findings like that without harming the tatting by forcing it through a metal split ring. So, here's what I came up with!!!

Then me, being me, realised that somebody in Tat Land was BOUND to have thought of it before so I did a quick search. I was right!!! Marilee did it here but she used a jump ring!!  Same difference at the end of the day.  Anyway - enough of my rambling - I'm off to have breakfast!!!

A bit of bling!!!

This is part of my outfit for the party on Saturday. I know, it's another Starry Button Bracelet but I do love making them and any excuse will do.

I spent yesterday afternoon sewing - yes, more bags!!!  Just got another six to do as they're already cut out and have zips and then I don't quite know what I'll be up to.  I now have a good stock in the Etsy shop with a good few in the 'waiting to be listed' bag!!!

I have a 'shop box' which is where everything goes once it's listed and then I have a bag where everything goes which is waiting to be listed.  THEN I have another bag called the 'Crafternoon bag' which is where pieces go that need the lining hand stitched and those get done on Friday afternoon.  It's a weird way of working but it works for a crazy old git like me!!!

Coming sooooon.

A new batch of Pop A Bobbin Shuttles. Here's the list.

I should be able to list these in the Etsy shop by next Saturday so keep an eye open then.

I've also listed another bag too. One of the smaller square bags in that lovely black with bright flowers. I'm going to make another for myself sometime but have lots of that fabric so I will get roundtoit in the end.

SHUTTLE LIST MAY 2015

POP-A-BOBBIN SHUTTLES

3 ELM (2 with hooks 1 without) £18

2 AMERICAN BLACK WALNUT (with hook) £18

4 CHERRY (2 with hooks 2 without) £18

2 ROSEWOOD (1 with hook 1 without) £18

1 EBONY (with hook) £22.50

2 PEAR (1 with hook 1 without) £18

1 SPALTED BEECH (no hook) £18

1 OAK (with hook) £18

The top is finished

I completely forgot (yet again I hear you sigh!) that I'd finished this top a couple of weeks ago.

This is what it looked like when I bought it and the post tells you about my tussle with removing the original machine embroidery and what I did instead.

I'm really, really pleased with the results but now need to think about the accessories.  

I'm going to wear it to a friend's 80th birthday party next week.  Can't wait to see her and help her celebrate.  We 'grew up' our kids together half a century or more ago.  The bestest of friends who I rarely see even though she live a mere two miles away.  We both lead busy lives.

We're all square together

I found it!!! I knew I'd find it in the end. This time it wasn't lurking under the scanner but under a pile of paperwork on my computer table!  Who sends in the gremlins to do this to me? OR is it one of you 'lot' out there in cyberspace?  Bet it is.  Somebody must be breaking into the house while I'm asleep.  That's what's happening.  

Anyway, here are four of the squares joined together. I love the centre pattern that they give. Maybe I'll do another set of four - or more.  Just to see what they look like in other colours!!!

Another good reason!

Another good reason for trying other threads!!!  Right. Here's another of the squares!!! 

The top picture shows one done in ordinary cotton thread size 20 and the one below is done using Edda's Penny size 20. That's the one I showed you yesterday.

Now the third picture shows them together - one on top of the other and neither of these have been ironed so you can see how they are exactly the same size. Well, probably you don't think they are but I assure you that they are!!! I did fight them on the scanner as they wouldn't keep still!!!

So, here's the link to the pattern which can be worked with or without a SSSR. If worked with the SSSR (and hiding one colour) it can be worked in one 'hit'. Just my sorta pattern. I really can't be doing with hiding hundreds of ends.

A new (ish) square

Do you remember this little square? Well so did I a week or two ago!!!

I wanted to expand it a bit further so sat the aged rear down and managed eventually to come up with this one. I had originally put rings on the side chains but that made them to 'fat' so a few attempts later this is what I got!!! All made in one with no cutting and tying until the end. So then you have just two ends to deal with. What I call a result!!!

Now all I've got to do is get it up on the website. That won't take long, I hope!!!

Stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch!!

After the cut, cut, cut, cut comes the sewing!!! Not sure which I enjoy most, though!!!

You can see the new bags below. Three of the new larger ones and one small one. Personally I like the smaller ones but then that's just me!!!!

When I listed the first long bag (the black one with bright, bright flowers) I realised a few hours later that I'd put it up at the same price as the shorter ones. Well, being a bear of little brain I thought about it and then decided to reduce the price of the smaller ones!!! That took longer than changing the longer price one - obviously!!!! What a plonker I can be but I have NO regrets whatsoever as I have a good amount of stock now and can slow down on the sewing - except, of course, I do enjoy it and hope some will sell!!! It's a hard life with lots of big decisions!!!

These are all now in my Etsy shop which is here. Please tell me if I'm boring you with these but I'm really enjoying making them. My kids are going to inherit lots of bags if I don't sell them before I pop me clogs!!!!

The two at the bottom are from the fabric that Sue sent me!!  

I've been given DIAMONDS!

Now keep calm, folks. We haven't got engaged or anything daft like that. Marriage is still blissfully out of the question even after roughly twenty plus years!!!!

The diamonds came from Sue (the OMF lass) and there are DIAMONDS in there  - least in my opinion they are!!!  Surely anything that sparkles are diamonds?  There are some wonderful buttons which are just right for more starry bracelets and some lovely beads too. 

I'm also fascinated by the pink thread. Can't wait do dive in and use all of it. Thanks so much, Sue.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend!!! They do sparkle LOTS but the camera didn't pick that up (bottom right).  I feel a pendant and/or brooch coming on but first I HAVE to finish off what I've already got underway!!!

First one done.

I think I mentioned here that I'd got more fabric from the Friday market and that I'd cut some of it ready to sew. Well, here's the first of the larger bags.

This one works out as roughly the same size as the Roly Poly bags. You can see how much it holds. I've had trouble with BC3 and coming up with a name for it so finally settled on the 'Large' Square Bag'. Not clever, not rememberable but it does describe it honestly!!! 

The first one is listed here in my Etsy shop.

I've got a few more bags 'done' but they need some hand sewing to close the lining.  I'll be doing those at Crafternoon later so 'watch that shop' for more bags later!!!

OMF

Now, what does OMF stand for? You all know what OMG stands for - but OMF? 

Well for me that stands for Oh My Fabric!!! Have you EVER seen the like? This wonderful package came from Sue Hanson yesterday. We were talking about bags some time ago and - well, that's another story. She said she'd got some fabric and would I like some. This is SOME of her stash!!!! I mean, just SOME!!!! Of course I said 'yes please' although I'm trying to de-stash myself!! Well, you've got to help a friend out, haven't you? That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it - like GLUE!!!!

Now the next thing to do is to buy zips for the next batch. I've just ordered some more (should be here today). I've been very lucky with zips too this year. I found an Ebay person selling them and she allows you to order exactly what you want. By that I mean you don't have to have, say, ten black, ten yellow etc. You can pick and choose. She's also very fast too on getting them to me. I found she'd got her own website too which is easy to use so I now use that to order instead.

Now I bet you're dying to know who it is. Well, it's Rickety Rose. I think the name appealed to me more than anything - well, you know I suffer from a rickety brain. OK, so here's the link as she sells lotsa findings and haberdashery too.

Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut!!!!

What to do on a Sunday afternoon!!!! This is the latest batch of bags being 'sorted'!!!  They'll soon start appearing in my Etsy shop.

Now, I'm making another 'type' as well this time round. I decided to make a similar one but longer so that it would be useful for those who crochet or who like to carry more around with them. Remember the ever popular Roly Poly Tat Bags? Well these will be roughly the same size. I got really bored with making the Roly Poly ones and I'll probably get the same way with these in time.

Meantime on the tatting front I have a few projects on the go.  I'll show you in due course!!!

Yesterday's surprise

Another pair of scissors!!!

This makes 112 and for a very happy old git. Here's the picture below but you'll have to go here to find out who sent it in!!!!

Also yesterday I was looking for this pattern on my web site.  I used the 'search' on the front page and it didn't turn up.  DOH!!!!

So, on further investigation I found out that it wasn't there!  Well, not on any links that I could find.  So I've amended the 'motifs, snowflakes' page and put the link there.  Sorry for the BC3 failure.  I'll have a strong word with him!!!

Meantime here's a picture to remind you of what I'm talking about.

I'm adding another round to this motif at the moment.  The square will be larger.  That will have to wait for another day, though!!!

New top

When we did the changeover of the grandchildren a week or two ago I wandered into Cotton Traders which has a shop at the Evesham Garden Centre.

Now I RARELY find anything I like or which fits me but this was my lucky day. Most of the things in there are 'old lady' things.  Oh, I know I'm old but I've never claimed to be a 'lady' or want to dress like either!!!  The top picture shows the top I bought and the bottom one shows it on it's way to being 'amended'!!!! 

Plan one was to unpick the machine embroidery - it really didn't 'do' anything for me and I still have a hangover from the days when I used to make all my own (and the kid's) clothes and hate seeing people in the same things as me. After about ten minutes I realised I was on the way to nowhere!!! Plan two had to come into operation!!!!  What was that?  Well, a quick rummage in my fabric stash, a piece of newspaper and a pair of scissors and I'd made a pattern out of a piece of fabric I'd found that was a darn good match.

The next hour or two was spent hand sewing the new pieces onto the top.  The beauty of this top is that the fabric is substantial and that the yoke was two layers with a sort of 'dip' to fit the 'amendment' into.

Next task?  Well, I'll leave you to guess!!!!  It MAY have something to do with tatting, don't you think?!?!?!

A bit of a story!

Before I start - don't forget I've got an Elgiva Nicholls book finishing on Ebay tomorrow!!!  

Many years ago I used to buy most of my fabric from the Friday street market in Stratford. From before my girls were born there used to be two stalls selling fabric and when they were young I bought remnants a lot of the time which turned into their dresses. All my fabric for myself and them came from either Cliff or David (the stall owners). Both disappeared many years ago and I suppose it was around then that I stopped sewing clothes. Also ready made garments became cheaper and fabric from our local shop seemed to become more and more expensive.

Imagine my delight while walking through the market yesterday when I spotted a fabric stall. Do I need more fabric? Well, yes and no!!! No because I still have a bit left and am acquiring some from a friend but yes, because - well I get bored with what I've got and I can't resist a pretty fabric when I see it. 

So I asked the guy the prices of his roles and he said they were Liberty Lawn and that they varied. I knew that they would be more than I wanted to pay and also 'not quite' what I was looking for. He then invited me 'round the back' of his stall where he said he had some at a much more reasonable price!!!! Now 'round the back' for all you with vivid imaginations was NOT a hidey hole but the stall faced the other way too - towards the Lamplighter pub. Well I looked and looked and had to give in to these two pieces!!!! Just loved the elephants and then the brightness of the flowery one called my name too.  

So, do I feel more square bags coming over me?  Hmmmmm, yes, I think I do!!!!!

It's all Sally's fault!

Exactly that. Honestly what would you do with little sisters?!?!?! 

I think this must be one of the fastest patterns I've ever done. Sally asked for a barn owl in a bit of a hurry. Said she didn't have time to do one herself so could I?  Well I'm never slow at taking a challenge although I have several in the pipeline (one is another design I did for her too!). 

So here, after just over a week, is the barn owl. There are sooooo many owls done in tatting that I thought it would be a huge challenge BUT BC3 was around with nothing to do and he said 'how about a sideways one'?  The rest, as 'they' say, is history and here he is.

I guess that with ear tufts and a bit of 'playing around with' he could be any 'sort of' owl but really I'd have to ask 'Anitra of the Owls' for more information about that.  This link that I've added is to her and her husband's site.  Anitra and her DH take in raptors etc and look after them in a rescue refuge.  She has lovely stories about owls.  

Threads - part 2

Well the threads from Edda arrived very quickly considering that Easter 'got in the way'!!!! 

BUT imagine my surprise when I opened the packet and found these inside as well as the threads (see yesterday's post) that I'd ordered. WOWOWOWEEEEEEEEE.

I wrote to Edda straight away and thanked her profusely. Do you know what she said? Well, this is her reply "A little hank for every design of yours I made! You are so generous, too!!!"

These are her Penny size 20 and they work up brilliantly too. I'll show you a motif I'm working on another day (when I've found it again!). The thread works so well - no problems with it being slippery at all.  Now I'm torn between the size 20 and the size 30!!!  What IS an old git going to do?  Well, tat on, I guess!!!

Threads - part 1

Now if there's anything I don't need in life then it's more thread. I've gallons, yards, oodles and more threads - BUT.

Lately there's been a lot of talk about the Ankars method of tatting and I've watched all the 'goings on' about it. I've not been tempted to try it, though as the thought of SEWING ON the beads after the tatting is done is an anathema to me. Don't ask me why as I can't explain it but I really, really don't trust beads sewn onto tatting. Well, that's got that off my chest!!!

I've seen the talk of using polyester thread for Ankars and again I held back as I have a dread of polyester thread. I bought some years ago and it was awful. It fought me at every twist and turn and in the end I gave it all away cause it was just tooooo darn slippery.  Ever met an eel?  Well it was worse than that.  Well, I guess so but I've never actually met an eel really.

Anyway, reading all the comments about Edda's polyester thread on Facebook gave me the urge to try some for 'regular' tatting (not Ankars) so I ordered some. Below are the two colours I chose in Penny 30. Here's a link to her shop - which is actually easy to use and if you get stuck (like I did!) Edda is always around to help.

So, my verdict on this thread? I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. It's tame and easy to use. I like the thickness of this size 30 which will make lovely handkerchief edgings and motifs.

More on Edda's threads tomorrow.

Ebay listing and have you ever seen?

I've listed the tatting book on Ebay.  Here's the link.  Here is a link to my previous post too.

Have you ever seen a bollard cozy before? 

Well, now you have if you look below. 

This lady was at Crafternoon knitting one on Friday. For those who don't know what a bollard is - here's a link.  Now we couldn't find out what the reasoning is behind this but I think I must remind you that the last time we met she was knitting an asparagus!!!!  Bottom picture on this page.

Well, well, well

For those who have wondered (thanks for your concern, Muskaan) why I've been quiet for a while - here's the reason in the picture below.

No, NOT because I've just been making butterflies but the reason for that is because I've been 'trapped' in children's playgrounds with two grandchildren!!! I take the butterflies to work on as they are easy to do and they eventually get stuck onto my business cards (only business I run is monkey business!!!). The kids went home on Thursday, sadly for me.

Each butterfly takes around 6 minutes to make so you can see I spent a bit of time in the playgrounds!!!!  

Yesterday I noticed that the same book I'm going to put on Ebay is up for sale here. The reason I'm putting this link here is because the seller has some more pictures of the colour plates on their listing. I really didn't want to open my copy too much as it may stress the spine.