Not a lot going on

The rest of my life is gradually impinging on my life in Tat Land so I've not got a lot to show and may have little over the next two weeks either.

I have been doing a trim for another new t-shirt and you can see in this picture the rather crumpled item! At the moment I am pinning it on and it needs to be sewn. This is a really bad picture as it was getting dark when I took it. The shirt is actually a very pretty blue. Perhaps I'll get a better photo when it's finished. 

I intend to do the same trimming for the sleeves too.

Another task finished

I managed to put the beads together yesterday and this is the resulting necklace. I'm pleased with it although it took some re-working to get the chain parts the right lengths to suit my scraggy turkey neck.

I quite enjoy working with two pairs of pliers and a split ring opening tool thingie. 

When it was all done I gave it a good 'dose' of fabric protector spray stuff. I think mine is Scotchgard and I've had it for many, many years. This gives any jewellery protection from your body oils - well, that's what I tell myself!!!!

Unfortunately the pattern won't be available for a while as I've been given more beads by a neighbour.  These are a lot bigger than the three sizes I've used on this project so I'm going to have to do a bigger pattern for them.  I doubt they will be suitable to wear as jewellery but I really, really think they're going to become fantastic Christmas decorations.  

Thank you

A VERY BIG thank you to Renulek for her 2017 doily. I've really enjoyed the adventure and have (even after all these years) found I have learned something through making it!!!

The way Renulek presents her doilies is very different to the way I do. That's NOT a bad thing as I'm sure my way of 'doing things' isn't perfect by any means. It's just a different way. I've really enjoyed this as it does leave the tatter to work things out for themselves which has really perked up BC3. I just hope that Renulek does another next year as I reckon I'll take part.

Also a big thanks must go out to Jill who sent me a multitude of fine threads which caused me to start the doily to experiment with them and Sally who said 'why don't you do HWT'?  My doily measures 18½" from point to opposite point.  It may be good to compare with other doilies shuttle tatted in size 20 thread.

The final row was made with the rings being two shades of blue and the chains with blue and black threads.  It sort of 'contains' the whole thing, I think.

I am NOT a doily person and have none out around the house. In fact they usually go into one of the tatting boxes and get forgotten about!!! Sadly that's what will happen to this one as it's always the making that fascinates me - not the finished item!!!

Tatted beads

I don't quite know what happened a few days ago but I clicked on a link which took me here. 

Having found the big beads the other day I decided that this was going to be my next crochet project but with the beads that I blogged the other day in the middle and probably a lot smaller. Only trouble was I was thinking in a 'lazy' mode and decided that it was too much trouble to go and find a crochet hook for a size 20 thread which I'd got lurking in a container nearby.

Having gone through all this thought about the crochet balls I then decided 'why not tat them'? Where to find a pattern was the next problem as I'd got 3 sizes of beads to cover. No idea so I sent an email to BC3 who was 'up for the challenge'!!!

Not happy with the blue one but the variegated rainbow one worked well.  Off to sort out the stitch count (or whatever) for the other sizes.

Whatever next?

What am I going to do with these? 

Three sizes and I've got a few of each. I've had them for years and years and they've been sitting in my cupboard staring at me from time to time. 

They've emerged from their space but I've tied them together to stop the little stinkers from escaping!!!!   They did their best to get away from me and I'm still searching under the furniture for at least one that I've still not found.  I wonder if it's with the missing crochet hook?

Watch this space to see if anything happens to them!!!!

A story of a t-shirt!

I bought a t-shirt!!! 

Some people buy dresses but I'm not a dress sort of person!!! I prefer casual or even below casual!!!! 

I bought a couple of t-shirts recently in a cheap shop in town. I like them lots but they're very plain - just like me. Plain Jane!!!! 

So, what does a tatter do with a plain piece of clothing? Well, of course, they yank out some shuttles and attack it with thread. 

I've done a simple split ring braid which I've sewn slightly inwards of the edge. As the t-shirt was cheap I didn't want to spend too much time adding to it as it may well go skanky after a few washes. Mean is what I am!!!  

The true colour is shown in the third picture.  Well, roughly!

More snowflakes

Just keeping busy, really!!! Well, least it means I'm not getting into any sort of trouble or mischief I suppose!!!

Round 12 of Renulek's doily.

I finished this round at the weekend but have just found time to blog it!!

I did change the round slightly as when I looked at Renulek's picture I noticed that the three rings joining into the one picot were overlapping in places. Being as that would bother me I thought I'd try another way of tatting that part.

I do feel guilty about changing patterns as I really appreciate the time that it takes to do a design and I don't want ANYBODY to think I'm criticising the pattern as I'm certainly not doing that - it's fine as it is. I'm basically just being 'me' - a fussy old git!!!!

I made notes for myself in case I want to do this doily again. My remembering is very broke lately!!!

Celebrating

Nah, not my birthday or anything in particular. 

Well, I suppose it is a 'particular' in a way as a birth was made on this date in 2006. Sheeesh, that's eleven years ago!!! 

It's the day this blog was 'born'. Here's my first post and I'm still asking the same question although I THINK I've now got the answer!!!

It simply keeps me motivated!! Tat's all, really!

Sometimes I wonder how many read the blog but then I realise that it's probably a way of dealing with sleep problems as it probably sends my readers to sleep.  Reading it would certainly put me to sleep!!!!  

Now each post ought to have a picture so here's one to brighten the the anniversary day!!!

Round 11 Renulek

Round 11 done and I THINK I've caught up!!!  Well I have, nearly as I've started on round 12 too.

I was a late starter which isn't surprising as I've only got three brain cells (BC1, BC2 and, of course, BC3). This round I decided needed to be a bit 'pinkish'!!!! 

I'm really struggling now with the colours to use. I'd like to finish with a strong blue colour on the last round. Least that's what I'm thinking now but we'll have to see what happens when I get into the wonderful box of very fine threads. It's such fun blending your own colours and I love the subtle changes I get too.

Joining down picots

Well I did get the page done in the end. Where does time go? 

Here it is in all it's 'glory'!!!!

A page on how to join the down picot.

More about the Clover shuttles

A few days ago I had Tatlyn's blog post appear on my blog roll and started to read what she had to say here. 

After a while I thought I was reading my own blog post back here!!!! I carried on reading when I realised that I'd found a soulmate over the Clover shuttles!!! 

As you know I did add more to my original post a few days later and that can be found here. Well I'm going to add more today as time and using these shuttles has caused BC3 to find more things out about them! 

It occurred to me when I was working with sewing threads (HWT) a few days ago that I wasn't having any problems with the threads occasionally 'catching' on 'nubs' of plastic as I normally do with the Aero/Aerlit shuttles. These 'nubs' are often found on the bobbins. Looking again at the bobbins - the Clover ones are more substantial in feel and very smooth - just like the shuttle itself.

I'm a 'bobbin with a hook' kind of girl and the most 'off putting' thing about the  post Clover was not having a hook but I've quickly adjusted to that and find joining with the lovely fine pick just as easy although trying to join to very small picots still needs a fine 0.4mm crochet hook!

Just read a comment from Kathy on my blog post of the other day and I love her idea of 'rolling' the shuttle to wind or re-wind the bobbin.  Here's her comment
"I never remove the bobbin from the shuttle! I merely tie a slipknot around the bobbin (I use the shuttle itself to do this), and wind the thread onto the bobbin by rolling the bobbin (still inside the shuttle) on a soft but not smooth surface, like the opposite side of a mouse pad (which gives it traction). I also retract my thread when tatting by also rolling the bobbin on the mouse pad. It means that I have to have the mouse pad close by when tatting. At home I always have my tatting box on my lap, and the pad is on top of the box, giving the pad a hard surface to sit on. Rolling the bobbin has helped me prevent carpal tunnel!"

Naming and shaming

When is a core thread NOT a core thread and what is one anyway?

This is a question that I keep asking myself. There's an easy answer when making a chain as the core thread is simply easy to see!!!

I've always wondered what the answer is when it comes to a ring, though. Or a split ring for that matter. What SHOULD we call that core thread which really is also the 'working' thread too? 

This only came to light when I started on another technique page following on from yesterday's which will be about joining drop picots. In the end I resorted to a slightly long winded way of describing it which I will get finished and on my site tomorrow or the next day - with a bit of luck and the wind blowing in the right direction!!!!

The down picot

The down (and out?) picot is such a useful thing. I've used various ways of doing this picot over the years and find it especially useful for animals - mainly for placing their eyes.

Many moons ago I used to use a PC but gave up and moved over to a Mac some 8 - 10 years ago. Whilst on a PC I used a software package for drawing which I got on with reasonably well but it wasn't going to be compatible with a Mac as for some reason the company didn't do a version for IOS. So, that meant a whole new learning curve. Not only on how to use an iMac but also on how to use the drawing package I eventually bought. I downloaded several pieces of software which allowed me to use them on trial for a while. I finally decided on EazyDraw and have had NO regrets on either changes. Now, why am I telling you this? Simply because a few of my pages still have the drawings on that I did in the PC package and I'm slowly replacing them with ones done with EazyDraw. 

Last week sometime I was talking to a tatting friend about the down picot so went to look at my page and realised it needed updating. So, here it is.

This was fast!

Compared to the last round this one was like an express train!!!!

I forgot to mention before that the two (or, rather, four) colours I used on the last round were a green variegated and a plain green (for the rings) and a deep purple and black for the chains. It gave such a strong look that this time I thought I'd better break things up with something a bit 'milder'!!!

No idea what I'm going to use for the next round (11) but I'm sure it will also be a quick round to work up. Keep watching this space!!!

Finished and on my site

Well I finally got it done - the new snowflake pattern. 

You would've laughed at my first attempt to get it online and working. I somehow got the wrong links on the 'click here' words!!! Gave me a shock when I clicked on the words and it took me to a totally different place!!! Anyway I quickly got it sorted and finalised. 

Now the reason it's called 'Sally's Bugle Snowflake' is because my little sister (I have to put little as she insists I'm eons older than her) loves bugle beads. I've never been particularly fond of them but after doing this design I must say I'm rather hooked!!! 

Anyway, I sent Sally a copy of the pattern and she had a bit of a hard time with the technique at first. That's partly the reason I changed the technique page although I don't think you'll need to refer to it as I'm pretty sure everything's covered in the pattern. Remember - this is a new technique so probably not available on youtube yet!!!

So, here it is. I think this is my 'bestest ever' design and I'm still making the snowflakes weeks after I started on it.

Somebody asked a question

About the new Clover shuttles. I lost the plot on yesterday and, in fact, had a hard time even knowing where I was and what I was meant to be doing!!!

It was 'one of those' days and I didn't even get to picking up a shuttle at all!! BUT I did manage to order two more from Tatting and Design here in the UK. They are roughly the same price as from Japan but cheaper on the postage. BUT, having said that, they may take longer to get here - not because of who I've bought from but because of my 'dear' friend - Royal Fail!!! We'll see!!

Now back to the title of this post. Somebody somewhere in the morass which was called 'yesterday' asked if the containers held the Aero/Aerlit shuttles. So, I took the picture below to show you. The red arrow points to the Aerlit shuttle and you can see that it 'slightly' overlaps the slot. The yellow arrow points to it's bobbin.   As there is plenty of 'space' when the lid is closed it does work well for those shuttles too.  Actually what I'd call a 'win, win' situation.

Tomorrow I hope to have the new pattern available.  Keep your fingers crossed that today won't be another of 'those days'!!!!!

New shuttles

It's years since I've been tempted to buy new work horses!!! OK, I do buy shuttles for my collection from time to time but I'm not an avid collector. I just dabble at it. Good job too as IF I'd started collecting when I started tatting there'd be no room in the house for ME!!! 

So, when I saw these new bobbin shuttles on somebody's blog I decided I definitely needed them. I bought them from Japan but that was probably faster than buying them from 'just down the road'. They arrived well within a week which is amazing. I think they're available in America but no signs of them yet in the UK.

Now for how I feel about them just over a week later. Well they're yummy. I love the fine pick which I'm still getting used to (being a hook type of gal) but even more I love that I actually only need two shuttles like this as you can take the bobbins out and put them in the little holder thingy and the thread doesn't come undone. Brilliant mind thought of that. What's SO clever is that this holder can be held and the bobbin can be put on the little 'nub' on the side to wind it.

The shuttles feel really good too and, looking at the centres, they're made quite a bit differently to the Aero/Aerlit. It'll be interesting to see if they hold up to the use they'll get from me before they start to become loose!!! There's one little thing I don't understand and that's the little clear washers that came with the 'kit'. I think it's for winding the bobbins on a sewing machine. I'd never do that as winding by hand is faster than getting the aged body out of the chair to set up the machine!!!!

Round nine completed.

On this round I decided to use two colours to give it more interest. Well, interest for me anyway as it looked like a looooong round.

I apologise to Renulek as I did change the making of the round slightly. Instead of the large picots in the centre of the daisies I changed it and used vsp's. So, instead of 8 - 8 I cheated and did 6 vsp 2 vsp 6. In following rings you then work 6, join to previous vsp, 2, vsp 6.  This is because I'm a dozy old moo and can NEVER get those central picots 'quite right'. I've used this 'cheat' on lots of patterns in the past but thought that some of you may like to know about it too!!! Can you see on the top picture how even those centres look now? 

I also abandoned the onion ring again and did a chain with a ring on the top instead. A discussion with one of my blog readers (yes, good to know there are one or two out there!) over whether you could do a ring on an onion ring and I'm sure you can - if you use the loop tatted ring method. Keep meaning to try it but I get distracted so easily!!!!

Re-vamped technique page

Now you've had a preview of the new pattern I've been working on (see yesterday's post) I thought it would be a good idea to update the technique page. 

This technique is one I came up with last year and is brand new. I've not seen it anywhere else and I'd be delighted to think that people will find a use for it. Here's the link to the updated page.