Mary's bookmark

Mary sent me a picture of her bookmark.  Love the colours she's used.

I'm working (along with my test tatter) on the bracelet version and should have it up and running soon.  I'll let you know!!!

Monday moan - sort of

I rarely buy books - well, not tatting books as I now have so many and the earliest I have dates back to 1870.  I resist buying as long as I can BUT occasionally there's a pattern book that calls to me and the cover picture on one really did that BIG TIME.  So I bought it and am happily looking forward to making one or two of the doilies because they are just so pretty.

BUT the one thing that really put me off when I opened it is the the way it appears to allocate front side/back side tatting to the invention of Jan Stawasz who is given the accolade of coming up with the idea.  This is sadly not true (it's been around since before Mrs Beeton published her book.  Actually since 1865 - see this link and the instructions on making a reversed double stitch.  

The thing that Jan did actually (to an old timer like me) is complicate the whole issue of using this 'technique'.  Some years ago I did his monster doily but ignored his notation completely!  What I did was count the total of doubles on a ring or chain and divide it up where there were picots and popped them in where they belonged.  I tatted it doing rings as per usual and chains by making the second half of the stitch first followed by the first half - RODS (reverse order of double stitch).  Oh, I also added beads to give the finished piece some weight and it's kept it's shape better by doing that too.  Sorry, I digress.  

So when I tackle the book (which I will do when I've finished another big project) I will be totally doing it using RODS.  Again (I've said this before) I do NOT think it's necessary to do tatting that way but tend to do it with things that will be scanned or only seen from the 'right' side.  

Oh, I bet you want to know which book I bought!!!  Here it is.  I'm DELIGHTED with it.

Celtic In Out Bookmark

Well here it is at last - the In and Out Bookmark!!!  Well, what else would you call it?!

I’m now working on a bracelet version as that’s been a suggestion from one or two people.  That will need some altering (length being one of the ‘problems’ but others have occurred to BC3 too!!!

So, here’s the pattern - free as usual!

Waistcoat

Well when I set out on this project I was determined to take photos of progress each day.  Well that just didn’t happen as I only had an hour or so here and there to work on it.  I like being busy but this got ridiculous!!!

So what you’re getting today is the finished garment!!!

This post is what the project started as and here’s one where I showed you the start.  

But here’s the finish!!!

Back and Front of Bookmark

Getting there slowly.  Wherever ‘there’ is, of course!!!!

I just need to check links and hoping a test tatter will get back to me without picking up on too many mistakes and then I can put it ‘live’ on the pattern site. 

The knitting project

This is also progressing well now.  It took a few hours and hiccups to get the aged brain used to how this works.

Although I'm not that happy about the neckline (at the bottom of the photos) my lovely knitting group friends assure me that when I sew the picot edging down it will fit beautifully.  The size the top is working out at on the needles appears to be fine as I did manage to try it over my head a few days ago.  Just hoping it all stays 'on course'!!!

Next part of the bookmark is done

This is the next part of the bookmark so not a lot more to do.  I've managed to keep up with the drawings too which is amazing!!!

Also the second picture shows the two parts interlinked!

The waistcoat progress

As you can see the patchwork part of the waistcoat is underway.

I decided on 2½" squares as the bits of fabric I'd got in my 'bitty box' would be most likely useful for the project.

The new zip arrived and I've shown that at the bottom so you can see how it will fit into the finished garment.  It's an open ended one.  I'll probably put that in a strip of fabric down the front but I'm nowhere near making decisions like that!!!  One day at a time!!!  

Where to start was the first decision and the answer that BC3 came up with was the bottom!!!  So that's what I'm doing.  I've worked out that I'll need about 20 to 22 squares to go round the whole waistcoat so rather than make 'just a back' and then have to do the sides I thought I'd make it in one and then deal with the armholes when I get there.  It really is a case of trial and error!!!

When I'm supposed to be cooking I sneak out into the conservatory to pin squares together or cut more out!!  Don't tell anybody, please!

Converting the cross

Into a straight bookmark.  Well, that's the plan.

Progress so far is this - round 1 and the rest shouldn't take too long as I'm using the cross drawings and changing them accordingly.  That's the same with the text too.  BUT BC3 needs to do a lot of checking on himself as he goes along!!!

Here's round 1 done and the next round is on the way too.

Then temptation took over

I do like a challenge and there aren’t many left in tatting although there are things that don’t appeal to me so I’ve never taken up.  

As you know I go to a knitting group on a Friday morning and I've learned SUCH a lot from the girls there.  

One of them is knitting a top in the finest yarn I've ever seen and she's doing it from the top down.  This has been fascinating me for weeks so I decided to find a pattern.

Good old Ravelry - I love you!!!!  Here's the top I chose too.

No, I'm not using the finest yarn - I'm using what you can see below.  Bring on the challenge!!!

Bookmark

As I mentioned on Tuesday I made a bookmark using the Sally's Cross pattern.

Now this thread I was given by a friend at the knitting group has gorgeous colours and temptation to use it quickly took over.  I've never been a 'fan' of perle thread but this was a pleasant surprise as I got on quite well with it.  

It's hand dyed which makes it more appealing to use too.  I'm now wondering if I ought to put this pattern on my site or just leave it for others to 'adapt' from the original cross?  Decisions, decisions!!!

Progress on the waistcoat

Well that took some taking apart!  As you can see on the top photo below I got the zip out pretty easily but when I took the photo I was about to tackle the collar.  Sheesh.  That and the armhole facings were a struggle.  

The two photos in the middle are some scrap cotton fabric that I've 'stuck on' with wonder web over the holes for the original pockets.  I'll think about pockets when/if I finish the project.  The bottom photo is how the waistcoat looks now.

The next decision is how to make the patchwork to cover the fleece.  I need to look through my 'scrap stash' to see what would be the best size to use up all the bits and pieces I've got.  I don't want to start cutting into large pieces as that would be wasteful.  More another day.

Sally's cross

Last week (or was it the week before) I wanted to make a bookmark with some thread that one of the knitting group gave me - so I could give it to her to prove that I do use my gifts.  More on that tomorrow.

I decided to adapt this pattern which is 20 years old.  

That was a BIG mistake!!!  Why?  Because I saw that the pattern needed updating.  So I made the cross (for another young lady who goes to my Tuesday group) and updated the pattern so that it's easier for an OG (old git) like me to understand.  This proves how much my pattern writing has changed over the years.  I do regularly review my work.  

Monday moans x 2!

I was talking to another tatting friend the other day about the history of our craft - and what is known about it.  I just loved this saying that she sent me when we were discussing a matter that had occurred online when a relatively new tatter had broadcast something which wasn't actually right.  She (my friend) said that this is 'a case of someone who knows not that she knows not' which summed up the whole thing.

I looked up the derivation of this quote and this is what I found.

It seems to be happening more and more that people will come into the craft and assimilate a little thus become a self acclaimed 'expert'.  Humility is a wonderful thing.  I certainly do NOT count myself as an expert on tatting (or anything else for that matter) and will happily tell people that, although I've been doing it for rather a long time, I'm still learning.  I also approach others for confirmation (or otherwise) when I think I've stumbled on something new or when I do a technique page etc. for them to check it over.

The only piece of advice I could give to all new tatters is to study the craft and get a feeling for 'who did what and when' in the past.  

Another moan - yes, two for the price of one this Monday!!

The other day I was asked to help a‘ lady with a free pattern she'd found on the internet and I happily agreed.  I asked her to send the link or the pattern as it was 'free' and when I looked at it it was obvious (if she'd read to page 6) that this was a 'sale' pattern on Etsy.  

Sadly I had to tell her I couldn't help as it would be a copyright issue and suggested she contacted the seller.  I then told the seller that I'd been sent a 'free' pattern of hers and that I'd asked the person who wanted to make it to ask her for help.  

Now the interesting thing is - this pattern (or, rather, idea) was first shown in an Elgiva Nicholls book but the Etsy seller didn't know that.  Elgiva covered it in two sentences and the Etsy seller made it cover six pages.  This comprised of a WHOLE page for the title, another for the abbreviations, one for the pattern (text and diagram), another for a photo of the finished item and two more pages for copyright information etc.  I thought we were trying to save the planet for future generations.  What a lot of paper and ink - bring back Elgiva and the people who write patterns that are concise.

Time I got ready for 'Keep Fit'!!!!

Playing with the

Celtic Ferris Wheel motif.  Why?  Well I just LOVE colours.  

It’s many, many years since I saw Rosemarie Peel’s wonderful little book in which there is Celtic tatting.  This was where she used two separate pieces of tatting then interwove them and then kept them in place with another round.  I found this in her book ‘Tatting for Pleasure’ and I must say it’s always a pleasure to tat her designs.  

Her Celtic pattern in that book inspired me eventually to make the Celtic Ferris Wheel design which is on my free pattern site which is here.  Just wander down to ‘motifs’ and you’ll find it.

Part of the reason for making this again is to try and extend it to a larger design.  Wonder if that will work?!?!?

Another bookmark

I couldn’t resist making another bookmark like the one I did yesterday!!!  Details of where to find it are on this post.

Obviously I decided to try it in colours so this is the result.  Happy days!!!

I like it in colours so a few more may get made!!!

Another demolition job underway!

This was once a winter sleeveless waistcoat/gilet which I’ve had for probably ten or more years.  I didn’t wear it a lot as there’s a collar on it and that annoyed me after a while!!  I got it out of the wardrobe to take it to the charity shop = BUT.  Hang on.  What shall I do with it?!?!?

There were pockets in it and a very long open ended zip.  This was NOT the easiest demolition job I’ve ever done as the stitching was camouflaged into the fleece.  Here’s the job partway through.  I apologise for not taking a picture earlier but - I forgot!!

The idea is to use the basic part as a lining for another waistcoat.  Mainly because I’m bored to death with my usual winter T-shirts so thought that if I made a waistcoat that I could wear with them I’d feel a happier old git!!!  Wonder if it’ll work?!?!?

When an insertion becomes a bookmark!

Now today I have something to show you. Judith Connors showed me her bookmark a few months ago and it really appealed to me. The simplicity of it and yet it’s quite challenging in it’s way. She kindly sent me her version of it. 

The basic pattern is from the Eleanore Endrucks-Liechtenstein book and it is number 32 which can be found here in the Antique Pattern Library. The actual pattern is here.

What Judith did is add ‘elbows’ to either end of the insertion and this makes a really lovely bookmark.   Many thanks to Judith for sharing this with me.

Progress on the Fandango doily

Well here’s my ‘out and about’ project which is the Fandango doily.  This is where I was when I last showed you.

The free pattern is here if you ever want to ‘give it a whirl’.  

The scarf!

I told you in this post that I may bore you even more over the scarf but I didn’t realise that boredom with turning up to the knitting group every week with the same thing took over.  So I decided to finish it!!!

I knitted my little socks off for a week or so and finally decided that enough was enough.  It’s thanks to Sue who told me how to do the ‘sideway stripes’ that this pattern came about.  It’s actually turned out to be a really snug scarf and is going to be a lot more useful than the waistcoat it was originally!!  Now I want a new knitting or crochet project so I’ll be off to surfing the internet (mainly Ravelry) for inspiration and a pattern - or two!!!

Here it is in all it’s glory!!  Well, glory isn’t the right word really!!!