Playing around

Before I start the daily (well five days a week) ramblings of an OG (old git - me) I must say a HUGE thank you to those who commented either on my blog post t'other day or on Facebook.  You've restored my faith in blogging as I was sort of beginning to flag.  

Little did I know when I scheduled the post that the same day I'd be offered a flight in a microlight which is why I was a bit late responding to comments and didn't get to say this on yesterday's post!!!  I'm not sure my feet are on the ground, yet!!!  

Well hopefully down to earth and down to 'business'!!!

I've been playing around!!! 

I made a bookmark using this bookmark (or bracelet!) pattern a week or two ago and after I'd done it I had a 'what's if' moment!!!

'What if' I did just six SCMR's and could I turn it into a snowflake? Well it took a bit of working out as the stitch count had to be 'jiggled' to make it lie well but this is the prototype. All done in one round too so no ends to hide until you get to the end. 

I must admit that's always an aim in my designs - to make something that avoids sewing in ends. Trouble is it does sometimes restrict the way BC3 works but he usually gets round the problem!!!!

I need to make at least one more 'decent' one to check everything over and then I'll draw it up and eventually (well, you know me!) I'll get it onto my pattern site!!!

Coasters or small doilies?

I'm not quite sure what to call these!!! I know I've made lots of them and have now packaged them ready for the October craft fair that I'm taking part in.

The pattern is in Rosemarie Peel's book and I've shown these many times before!!! Here's a link to more information on where to find the pattern.

I met the other 'crafters' on Sunday as we had a planning meeting.  They're all really lovely people so I'm sure we'll all have fun even if we don't sell a lot of things!

The third top and some questions

Interesting thoughts have occurred to me. Yes, BC3 and I do think from time to time!!!

On Friday I spoke about the Christmas tree earrings that I finally decided to put on my pattern site. Now I don't want or desire fame or glory as you know but it did make me wonder how many people read my blog posts nowadays as there were very few (4 only) comments on that post. So I decided to look back through the past weeks and I think the comments are falling off. 

Now I'll be honest as that doesn't particularly bother me because the reason for the blog is about me keeping track of me and what I'm doing.  I'm wondering if blogs are dying a death or if people just aren't interested in mine? OR could it be to do with the settings I've got on the comments section? OR to do with Facebook taking over?  I'd love to know.  Comments welcome and particularly if you're finding me boring.  I'd understand and then be able to do something about it whatever the cause is - I hope.

Below is the final top I've made. If you look closely you'll see that the print is scissors!!! I also used another neckline on this one as well. Just right for the hot weather we've been having.

Christmas tree pattern

Not new by any means BUT a new way of working it.  This method means no ends until you get to the end - if you see what I mean.  

In the original it meant ends to sew in on every row but you know I'm lazy and  I worked out a way of doing this little earring with only the ends at the end to sew in.

I've agonised over this pattern for ages wondering if I should or shouldn't share it but in the end I've decided to go ahead and hope it doesn't cause any worries  or upsets to anybody.

This was done in 1993 in it's original form and then I found at least one other person had come up with the same idea. Anyway I've gone ahead and rewritten and redrawn the pattern and you can find it here.

An anniversary card

A lovely couple who live almost opposite us celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last Friday. 

The people in this road are amazing as if anybody is in trouble we all pitch in to help. I was one of a team who was privileged to being allowed to help them over the past year or so while they both recovered from operations. 

I was invited to help them celebrate their anniversary so set out to find a suitable card. A diamond wedding card was what I was looking for. There were a few in town but they were far too 'soppy' for me so I was stuck.  I'm hopeless at making cards and have no imagination for them.  

Then I spotted this card which I thought was cute - specially as the manufacturer had left a space at the bottom for a '60' and a diamond!!!!

Simply a cute hedgehog

Teresa has sent in this bauble hedgehog. He's now living in the Exclusive Club which you can find here.

I'm wondering if anybody doesn't know where to find the patterns for these wonderful critters? If you don't know then here's the link to the book by the fabulous Houtz brothers. You can also order from your favourite tatting supply sellers. 

I'm going to tease you now by not telling you what Teresa said. You'll have to go to the Exclusive page to find out!!! I'm a rotten person, I know. You can tell me how horrid I am in the comments.

Problem solved

Well the origami boxes turned out pretty well, I think. 

I always make my own stickers/labels for things as I have a trusty label print software program. Well I thought I did until I went to use it the other day. It crashed, crashed and crashed again.

So I consulted my guru (aka Nick) who said no wonder it did as it was so old it couldn't cope with the latest IOS. 

Off I went to the App Store and found one for the total price of - wait for it. Ninety nine PENCE. Well it was worth the risk so I bought it. A bit of a learning curve but once I'd 'got it' it works well. It's the Orion one (red arrow) below.

So I've begun to make labels for my sales items. First the Christmas trees in the new boxes.

Next problem!

Having started on the Christmas tree earrings the next problem that occurred to me was again - how do I package and present them. 

I was wandering round the town the other day trying to find ideas for this conundrum when I had one of those 'not quite so senior' moments. I suddenly thought 'I can make some boxes'. 

Great idea but how. When I was little I was given a book of Origami by Robert Harbin which I loved and spent many, many happy hours studying and making origami animals etc. When the light bulb when on I thought I'd be able to make some folded boxes. 

So, I came home and then went to visit Mr Google and researched making little boxes. It didn't look too hard but getting the right size proved a little challenging. I tried several ideas out using printer paper and then went shopping for pretty origami paper. 

Where did I find EXACTLY the right stuff? Why, in The Works where I got the boxes for the other brooches. These are some of the colours below and you can see what a big book of papers it turned out to be.  You can also see a practice box I made with printer paper!!!  Not a good effort but I hope to improve!

A new member has arrived

I'm very pleased to welcome Ginger to the Exclusive Tatting Club which you can find here.  If you scroll down the page you'll find her mouse.

Ginger and I met up via Facebook and I managed to help her a bit with the problem she was having with her mouse. She was very patient with me for which I was grateful as I really don't like giving advice in a public place. I get very nervous about whether I'm giving good advice or stupid advice. 

Anyway she managed to get her lovely mouse finished. I must say he looks quite cheeky as he's trying to get onto her shuttle. I've noticed that all the mice seem to have different characters. I wonder if they reflect the maker or ???????

White gold earrings

I'm now working on a few earrings and these are a pair I've just finished. 

They'll be going into the October fair when I've stiffened them and added findings and then packaged them.

I must admit to having made a bit of progress on the preparation for the fair. I'm one of those people who hates last minute rushes so always try to be ahead of the project in hand!!!

Butterfly top

After the success of my first piece of sewing for many years I decided that I'd make another top. 

The first one (which you can see here) is so, so comfortable and cool in this warm (hot!) weather that I got fed up with washing the other one through so I could wear it again! Also got bored with wearing the same one.

So, I took myself off down town to the shop which is closing down and got this lovely butterfly fabric in their sale. This went together so much easier than the last one - could be down to practice, I guess!!!

Do I feel the need to make another top? Well if this weather carries on then the answer is 'yes'.

Yesterday I met another tatter

Well it's very, very hot here in town and appropriate weather to meet up with an Australian tatter called Vanessa who was passing through town with her hubby.

Now you'll never believe it. I've lived in this town for almost 75 years and lost  my bearings yesterday!!! 

Vanessa contacted me via Facebook and I gave her my phone number so she could say where she was when she got here. I'd just arrived at the library where I volunteer as a tutor for silver surfers, when she rang. I asked where she was and she said the Riverside Cafe. 

Well I hadn't a CLUE where that was so had to google it!!! It's actually the cafe in the theatre which just doesn't make sense to my wee brain as surely that's the 'Theatre Cafe'. OK, it's by the river as the theatre is built right on the banks of the Avon but to call it something else doesn't make sense - well not to BC3!!!

Anyway, once Mr Google had sorted me out I toddled down there to meet Vanessa. We sat and talked (tatting mainly, of course) for about an hour before it was time for them to go and me to make my way back to the library.

I love meeting up with fellow addicts so if you're ever round my neck of the woods just let me know.

Oh, here's a picture of the theatre - just so you know where to meet me!!!

Christmas is coming!

Well eventually! You can say that even on December 26th can't you as it'll be true even then!!!

Anyway I've decided to make some Christmas tree earrings for the October sale. Mainly as a friend who's organising it asked me to and another friend already wants a pair!! 

There's an interesting story behind this pattern as some years ago I had it published in a weekly magazine here in the UK. I've just had a search and found that I spoke about it here.

Well since then I've found that several other people must've had the same idea and this pattern appears from time to time as somebody else's idea and I think I've even seen it in a book too. 

Great minds and all that. Anyway I decided a few years ago that I could re-visit this pattern and 'do away' with lots of the cuts and ties which is what I did. Well, you know how I love split rings and split chains!!! Then I decided recently that I'd write/draw this up. 

My problem is that this may well be somebody else's copyright which, when mine was published, I wouldn't have known about as it was pre-internet days. Do you remember those? So I'm concerned about putting it on my site. What do you guys think? Would I be committing a heinous crime if I did publish it again? But improved?

Thinking about packaging

This is the part I hate. Why? Well because to me it shouldn't be that important as it's the product itself that people are buying and that should be the main thing.

BUT I know that everything has to be packaged prettily and attractively. I know this because even when I go to out to shop I'm aware that my eyes stray to a pretty package sometimes instead of the quality of the product in the package.

So, my conundrum. How do I package my tatting?

I'll have a variety of things to take to the craft sale in October so I'll have to address several challenges on this score. The first one was the button brooches I've made.

I was lucky to find some dear little clear boxes in The Works here in town but they provided a challenge in assembling them as there were no written instructions and a very hard to follow diagram. In the end BC3 managed to make them up. Here are a few of the brooches.

Found!

Now why on EARTH did I put them there? I give up on how my brain works (or in this case - doesn't). 

I found the bookmarks. Where were they? They were in one of my boxes of finished tatting. I've no idea how they got put there but I know I must've put them in the box!!!  There are several quite large boxes around the house which have finished tatting in.  Over the years I've not known what to do with stuff so it's just got put in boxes.  One day somebody is going to have to either throw it away or do something with it.  I'd love to get rid of the stuff now but it's all too much bother as I'd rather be making more!!!

Anyway, here they are in all their glory and waiting to be packaged and logged in my 'selling book'. 

I'll make a few more soon so I've got a 'round dozen'.

More button earrings

Once I get a bee (or a pattern!) in my head I just love to make several. Again this is for the craft fair and I love working with buttons and beads. 

My next 'problem' is how to package and present the stuff I've been making but I think I may have a solution - or two!!! I'll show you as I get them underway.

I've used that new technique from the other day on this pair and it really does 'lock' the beads more firmly onto the top of the buttons.  This is one of my favourite earring patterns as they hold their shape indefinitely - I do lightly stiffen them with PVA glue, though.  This also adds as a protection against skin oils and muck!!!

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.