A pile of work

Look at THIS!!! What a lot of sewing ahead of me! I work in batches and do all the cutting out, then all the ironing on of batting and stiffening and then finally I have the pleasure of sewing it/them all up!!! 

The worst part of it all is the sewing on of the buttons as closures!! No idea why but I tend to leave that task until I'm 'out and about' at one of my craft groups so I've got people to talk to while I'm doing them.

The next task will be to make the inserts and finding little bags to put them in. I like it when it gets to this stage (sewing, that is) as I can listen to a book or podcast and be in a little world all of my own!!!

One thing I’ve recently started doing is downloading audio books from our local library to listen to while I sew.  Makes a change from listening to podcasts!!!

Starcatcher

Off I go again on another update!! This time it's the Star Catcher which you can find here. Thirteen years old too!! About time it had a facelift!!

This shouldn't take me quite so long as I've only got two to make. BUT I do get sidetracked as you know!!!

I prefer the second version to this one so will be working on that later this week.

Flower

Just a flower because I felt like it!!!! Sometimes a gal has to do what a gal has to do!!!

Actually this is similar to the one I've sent in as a suggestion to teach at Palmetto in September.  

The pattern I've sent in only has half the amount of beads over the button so people should be able to complete it in the time allotted.  

Not only will that technique of adding buttons be taught but the way the tatting is 'anchored' to the side of the button.  If you look closely at the beads at 11 o'clock on this picture you'll see they don't quite sit as well as they should.  That's because BC3 forgot to do the extra 'bit' to the anchoring of the picot.  

Multi motif finished

Well here it is - the final motif sorted.

I've updated the pattern page now so I'm hoping it will be easier to follow the patterns. I guess it's a case of 'five for the price of one' but as they're free that doesn't work!!!

The alternative centres have been sorted too so if you fancy making them and don't have cabone rings they're still possible.

A second tree

Here is the first tree I made in our Tuesday group.

This morning I'm showing you the second tree!!! Obviously I couldn't avoid putting some tatting on a tree forever so I did with this one!! 

I've used some size 10 thread which was very kindly given to me a few years ago. These are HDT by Marilee and have been in my stash as I don't usually use size 10. BUT they were absolutely ideal for this project. Thank you Sue Anna who gave them to me as they were 'just right' for this.

Actually I must admit to enjoying the size 10 after a while. I do like the 'boldness' of it and the others in the group seemed to think they were fine. In fact I was asked to do some star shapes for another member which was very flattering.

Two more pouches

There should've been three here but one got 'stolen' off me on Friday. 

I'd made another almost exactly the same as this one and took the three of them to Crafternoon to finish off. I took these photos before I went. 

The original one had already gone to a friend who saw me finishing it off last Tuesday!!! I've never made anything that's been as popular as this and neither of the purchasers is a tatter so they obviously will have many uses and not just for carrying round small tatting projects 'on the go'!!!

Well I finished the three off at Crafternoon (sewed on the shank buttons) and immediately one of the ladies got hold of the second rose one and insisted that she was going to pay me for it and keep it!!! 

Now was I going to argue? NO WA Y!!! 

The fabric for these two below was sent to me by Sandra (Crazy Mom Tats) and I absolutely ADORE them. I think the cat one may well be on it's way to Atlanta at some point!!! Cats on the inside and cats on the outside too!! I've got some left of these two fabrics so hope I can squeeze two more out of it. We'll see!!! 

Motif number four

Another version of the multi motif has been 'dealt' with!!! Another five pointed one. 

This is number four of the five. Nearly there!!! 

I'm hoping to get the project finished by the end of this week as another is 'lurking' in the background!!! I need to tat a few small things for a present so I'll do those at some point too.

What a busy time!!!

Meet Shadow

Now this is a project that came about because a lady mentioned my name on Facebook and that came into my inbox (I don't 'do' Facebook unless I see something interesting in my inbox). She kindly admitted that she'd used parts of two of my patterns to make a cat. I was intrigued so toddled over to see what she'd used. Well all I could see was the one seahorse pattern used as a tail.

I got in touch with her to ask if she needed help with drawings as she'd not written it up. Thereby started a couple of months of discussions etc. She'd given the cat she'd made away so had to work mainly from memory. In the end and despite computer and camera problems at her end we've managed to finish Shadow. 

I'm very happy to give you the link directly to Shadow but you can also find him/her in the Guest Designers section of my site. 

Please welcome Shadow.

Here is my final test tat.

Another round done.

Yes, another round of the Coriolis mat is done. 

I'm really surprised at how quickly this motif can be done!!! Also the fact that I am still enjoying it too!! I reckon I'm going to 'have' to do another round so I can start to get fed up with it!!! I really, really have to get fed up with it as if I don't I can see me starting another new doily or whatever you want to call it.

Yes, sadly that's how BC3 works. 

I take this and the Fandango coaster projects with me to craft groups and I can do the two of them while talking. Last Thursday I took my 'teaching kit' with me to the Stratford library group as Shirley wanted to learn to tat. I'm pleased to say she caught on pretty quickly so I'm hoping to make more progress with her this week.

Time to sew

We've had a few warmer days recently so I've been able to make a prototype of this little pouch. Isn't it cute?  Perfect for carrying round a small tatting project.

I am going to slightly 'improve' on it when I make more as I think the flap could be a little longer. 

The inside pocket is stiffened with iron on interfacing and the outer has iron on batting/wadding. This prototype will have a press stud to hold the flap down (when I get roundtoit) but in future I think I may sew a small piece of elastic into the flap and use a shank button on the outside. 

This improvement (hopefully!) comes from the fact that I know me too well. I tend to try and stuff too much into everything (including life itself) so it may need a little 'give'. 

If these prove successful then I'll make some to sell. I still have my Etsy shop. 

Yet another

This is version three. Don't worry - only two more to go and then your boredom will be over and done with!!! 

One of the things I've done this time round is to omit some of the beads. I must've been going through a mega bead obsession back in 2006! 

As you'll see (or not!) this version has five 'points' instead of the usual six. 

I'm also going to work on the alternative centres to this whole series - that's for those who haven't any cabone rings or just don't want to use them. These versions will not need cutting and tying when progressing from the centre outwards either.

Fandango coaster and more progress

Another few squares on and this is what I have now. I'm still determined to carry on until the whole ball of thread has been used.

A friend in Canada (and Maureen in Australia) sent me the yardages for Cebelia and so I thought I'd share on here as (although I've made a note of it for myself) I tend to use the blog regularly to find things that I've written in the past. That little search bar at the top left of the blog page is just SOOOO useful. I don't use 'tags' in the post as I've found they're not necessary. Well, that's my opinion for what it's worth!!!

Anyway, before I forget I'd better paste the yardages before I forget!!!

Size 10- 284 yd/ 260 m

Size 20- 414 yd/ 379 m

Size 30- 567 yd/ 518 m

Size 40- 711 yd/ 650 m

Another version

This is the second version of the multi motif which I'm working on. Again please don't use the pattern as I'm still working on it.

BC3 has now decided that the only way to deal with this whole set of variations is to re-write the whole lot. So, out with the old and in with the new!!!! 

That's the theory, anyway!!!

Another choker

Remember the black choker? 

Well the same lady wrote and ordered a pink and green one too as I mentioned in that last post about the black one. Want to see it?

Not my choice in colours but the customer is always right and actually I got to really like the combination after a short while. 

Today it's

Valentine's day!!! 

OR should we say - Hallmark day? I know - I'm being a grumpy old git here!!! Still I thought I'd share my love (of tatting and Nick) with you guys.

Here's the link.

Remembering Gina

A talented tatter taken far too soon. 

Seven years now without your cheerful 'voice' in my inbox.  Gina's blog is still 'live' and full of interesting posts.  Here's the link to it.

I cherish the times I spent with her but they were far too short.

First tree finished

Something a little different to show you today. 

In my Tuesday morning group we're making another quilt and this time the subject is 'trees'. I must admit to being less than enthusiastic at the start but I now seem to have the wind up my tail and after this desultory start I decided the tree needed a bit of 'bling'!!!

So into one of our containers I dived and now the tree is 'blinged'. Off to start the next one but no idea what it'll turn out like!!!

Another old pattern

Part of my ongoing tidying up of old patterns has forced me to look once again at this one.

I got rather 'carried away' on the multi looks I could get with this design which was originally done on cabone (curtain) rings. In the end I finished up with five versions. By that time my brain was frazzled but still more ideas kept coming!!!

Please don't use the pattern just yet as I need to replace it with the new version which (I HOPE) will be much easier to understand. 

After much scratching of BC3's brain I've also introduced a new abbreviation to the list too - MBBH. Far easier than writing 'bead at back of hand before starting', I think. Anyway we'll see how it goes.

Houston - I have a problem!

So off on the next 'phase' of this adventure!!!! 

As you know I like to do a set of middles then work on the 'outers' which is an easier (for BC3) pattern to remember when I'm out and about. 

It occurred to me that I'd stated back here that I was going to attempt to use the whole ball to make this. A rash statement perhaps!!!! So my next task is to work out how much each motif takes to make so on the final 'inner' here I jotted down how many yards are on the shuttles - both the shuttle 1 and shuttle 2. When I work the ‘outer’ then I’ll be able to find out how much each whole square takes.

In theory this should help - BUT when I looked on the DMC Cebelia label it doesn't say how much is on there - well not in yardage!! Now I have two conundrums - (a) my maths is diabolical and (b) how do I find out how much is on the ball.

So I asked Mr Google!!!  No luck on the DMC page as no yardage given but snooping around Ebay the sellers are saying it’s 416 yards.  A further snoop on Amazon and the sellers there say 405 yards.  I reckon if I ‘go’ with 400 yards I’ll be able to work out how many squares I can make.  Well if BC3 is behaving, that is!!!

Black choker

Just before Christmas I sold a fair bit of tatting to a really lovely lady. She's just been back in touch and wanted a choker.

One of the items I'd sold her was a bookmark made using the Ring of Roses pattern and she now wanted a choker in that design. Not a problem at all.

A day or two later she came back to ask for a second choker in two colours (which I've now started). She then asked if I could do a discount if she ordered a third. I explained that I was only 'paying' myself £1.50 an hour as it was and that didn't include materials. Thankfully she's thought about it and has stuck to the two only!! 

Why do I say thankfully? Well other projects have entered the BC3 environment and need 'dealing with'!!!!