If I had a brain

I'd be dangerous! 

Some weeks ago I made several bookmarks like this one. They're for the craft fair I'm going to do in October. It might seem a bit far ahead but I have a lot of preparation to do for this event so I thought I'd start early. 

I think I made four or five bookmarks and I put them away safely. So darn safely that I can't find them now. This one is another I made while I was trying to remember where the originals had gone but BC3 is still thinking and nothing has come to him yet.

Well it had to happen!!!!

I'm still making these hanky holders!!! There's something so satisfying in starting and finishing something quickly. 

Normally that never worries me. I love, love, love long term projects and puzzling ones too. I never mind pulling out my work and starting again or putting things right - to me that's what makes the whole thing worthwhile.

If I just picked up a pattern, made it without a hitch then I'd be bored, bored, bored!!! I guess I love a challenge but these little holders are easy and fast to make so bring about another sort of pleasure which I'll admit I've enjoyed for once!!!!

Here are the others I've made.

Starry button snowflakes

Now following on from yesterday's post (I'm too lazy to put a link in here so you're just gonna have to scroll down a little bit) I thought I'd try out this 'new' technique on one of my favourite patterns. 

Why a favourite? Well it includes buttons and beads which sit ON TOP of the button (as well as elsewhere). If I had a pound for every pair of starry button earrings I've made I'd be rich and be able to retire from tatting. Well, tatting is (to me) a full time occupation even if I don't get paid anything for it except through advertising links on this blog which pay for the web site - hint, hint to click, click!!!

Anyway, I'm digressing as usual - old gits tend to do that!!!! What I wanted to try this time is how yesterday's join affected adding the buttons. Well it does and it's a definite improvement as it 'sits' the ring firmly at the side of the button.  Below is a pair of Starry Button Earrings.

Oh, there's a matching bracelet for the earwigs too which can be found here.

Joining to buttons

Thanks to a misunderstanding whilst test tatting Martha's button patterns I made a technique page to illustrate what I thought she'd come up with.

Obviously I ran it past Martha when I'd done it but she said she didn't do it that way and then realised that she did!!! By the end of our conversation I think we were both confused!!!!

Anyway, I thought it was a great idea so I've added a new technique page to the pattern site. Here's the link to it.

Anybody for tea?

I've not been drinking tea or anything during this hot weather. Well, only water seems to be drinkable!!!

I did have the pleasure of tatting this teapot for Martha's new book. Isn't it lovely? 

I have been so lucky with this test tatting as I've managed to have the right sized buttons and the thread to match too. 

All done and dusted

I've done all these sets of coasters and am really pleased with them.

This is my previous post about them.

They are for the sale thingie in October and I thought I'd tie them up with some ribbon. They need some labels etc but I'm not doing those until the sewing stint is over!!!

More ballerinas +

Three more ballerinas also went to my granddaughter on Saturday.

The performance was actually amazing in that it covered ballerinas (and other types of dancers) from three counties. The show was slick and extremely well choreographed with the most amazing costumes. 

A lovely day out with my daughter too as we managed to find some good charity shops. Two new dresses were bought but sadly they were too small for me. They fit Abbi a treat, though!!!! I really should look at labels first as they did say '10 to 11 year old' on them!!!!

Oh, I've treated you to a picture of the real ballerina today too!!!

Another test tat

I just LOVED making this design. Martha calls it 'Marquis' and it was a delight to make.

I was pleased with the colours I used - the buttons are some I've had for a while and are really lovely.

I've still got one more test tat to show you but that'll have to wait til next week.

The ballerina - again!!

Well here she is!!! The 'other' ballerina. 

I'm hoping to make a few more so Abbi can give them to her friends if she wants to. She has one special friend that goes to ballet classes too so I'm hoping Ava will be 'allowed' to have one or two. 

Better get back to making more!!!  Time is running out.  I made a couple a few days ago but they've gone AWOL!!!!  Oh, to be a tidy tatter!!!  Where DO things hide?

A trip to the ballet

I'm off to the ballet on Saturday. Not Sadlers Wells but a VERY important ballet. 

My ten year old granddaughter is taking part in her first performance and I'm really looking forward to it. 

So this was a good excuse to pull out the Katrina Ballerina pattern to see if it needed improving. Of course - it did!!!!

I also had to re-draw it too as it was done on a PC and not on a Mac. Darn!!! Still it's done and dusted now. I'll show you the other view tomorrow when I've sewn in the ends and pressed it!!!

I didn't know I could still do it!!!

Just before my 'bad patch' a few weeks ago I went with my friend Sue to Birmingham. We went to our favourite fabric shop and she noticed that there were patterns on sale (half price). 

We both came away with patterns but I couldn't find any fabric I liked so I was doubtful this pattern would ever be made up!!!!

The local fabric shop (last remaining decent shop in town) is closing shortly and has fabric on sale. I found this (below) and decided I'd give the pattern an outing!!! 

Actually this is a navy background and I'm reasonably happy with the finish. I wonder if I'll make any more?!?!? It must be around thirty years since I made any garments!!!

Not the best photo as it looks sort of 'scrunched' at the front but it isn't.  Honest!!!  There's a pleat at the bottom of the neckline at the front and another at the back.

A few more hanky holders!!!

You'll maybe recognise the cat hanky holder as being the same fabric as the coasters I made. 

I love the ladybugs too. Finding contrasting fabrics for the lining/edges is not easy when you've got limited supplies!!! 

I'm afraid I'm thoroughly enjoying doing these!!!

Lotsa snowflakes in gold

In those 'odd' moments and while I wasn't feeling too good I made these snowflakes using the new Liz metallic thread.

They actually look better than this picture shows!!!

I'm now back to 'normal' thankfully so am working on other bits and pieces until I can decide what I want or need to do next. All suggestions very welcome.

Just for a change!!!!

If you've read my blog in the past you'll know I have a love affair with Rosemarie Peel's design in her book called 'Tatting Basic Patterns'. 

When Sue (Pigmini) and I were talking at some point last year about travelling and tatting I suggested she tried 'Rachel' as a relatively easy tatting project to take with her. 

I always measure out the quantities I need and wind that onto Ezbob's and I can get two 'lots' of size 40 thread on each. That's two Rachel's!!!

This Rachel is made with HWT.  Two strands of sewing thread wound together on shuttles.  

Martha's smaller butterfly

Today's blog post is to show you the other butterfly that Martha asked me to test tat for her.

This was a delightful tat and I love, love, love this design too. 

The great thing about doing all this test tatting is that I'm finally getting some of my buttons out of their containers and doing something useful!!!!  

I MAY have to source more buttons within the next 100 years!!!!!

Hanky holders

I always carry a small packet of tissues in my handbag and they ALWAYS get scrunchy/grubby looking. 

A friend was making these covers and selling them successfully to raise funds for our Tuesday group so I thought I'd make one for myself. 

I searched the internet for 'how to make them' (as you do) and found this great site.

This is almost the end of this great fabric and I'm going to miss it SO much. Always cheers me up!!

Saved!!

Not probably from 'extinction' but certainly likely to be thrown away. 

I found these two shuttles in a charity shop in Alcester just over a week ago. They simply HAD to be saved. Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!!! The lower of the two is actually a lovely shade of yellow which seems to be lost in the photograph. 

I'm already overrun with Milwards and have probably still got in the collection the ones I bought 60+ years ago with my pocket money!!! As I've tatted for so long and never been sidetracked I'm sure some of the originals have survived. 

I now use mainly the Aero bobbin shuttles (or the new Clover bobbin ones) but when the Aeros first hit the shops and I tried them I couldn't get on with the design at all. Eventually (as Milwards were becoming hard to find) I decided it was the 'Aero bobbin shuttle or nothing'. 

It always tickles me when I see people blogging or talking on Facebook about how you have to wind and hold the Aero to tat. Particularly which way the hook has to point (up, down etc). I once bought a French Aero which actually showed how the thread was loaded into the shuttle and which way the hook should 'point'. I adopted this method and have 'hooked' on Aero ever since. 

I will add here that the way the shuttle is held is entirely up to the tatter but I would suggest just persisting at finding your comfort zone.  There is no 'right' or 'wrong' way!!!

Finally and finally!!!

Well you're going to fall off your seats today. I've actually finished the beaded version of the square motif which you can find here. 

The link is here.

Obviously this can be played with too with variations using the SLT and also three colours (or more?). I leave it to you!!!

Yet again!!!

Sometimes test tatting can lead to a 'what if' situation!!!

I love the angel that I did for Martha a few days ago but I 'needed' to see what it looked like without the picots on the rings!!! I'm not particularly fond of lots of picots as when I started tatting (back when the dinosaurs were around) everything had lots and lots of picots. I think I outgrew them.

So, I decided to do this lovely angel 'naked'. Of course I'm now regretting not adding beads to the picots that I did leave in!!! Do I feel another angel approaching? Maybe, maybe!!!!

More coasters.

Just thought I'd show you another set of the coasters I'm making. 

There's something so relaxing about making these!!!

I love the pink ladybirds (or, as they're called in America - ladybugs). 

Actually I think that's a far better name (ladybugs) than ours as they're just NOT birds.