27 February 2023

Mary Jane’s clown

I’ve had a bit of a break from this blog whilst dealing with the Tat It And See. I then took last week off while getting my BC3 back into ‘back to boring’ mode!!!

The aliens from the TIAS are still slowly coming in and I’m hopeful that we’ll reach a hundred eventually. Once we’re near that I’ll start thinking of a new TIAS design for next January.

Meantime one of the bonuses of doing the TIAS is that people get in touch and sometimes we have a good old ‘natter’ on email. I find out too that people do actually use my patterns which is very reassuring and when they send them to me that makes my day. Mary Jane sent in her clown - the pattern is here and that cheered me up LOADS. 

Mind it was a bit frightening when I saw the date I did it - over 20 years ago. Where does the time go?


17 February 2023

Debra’s Doris

Halfway through this year’s Tat It And See I had another arrival from Debra of her TIAS 2022!!! It’s never too late to send in a TIAS!!! Here is Doris done by Debra along with her comment.

I wanted to show you the birthday card I made using Doris the Dragon. My grandson will be 9 in March and he has decided to learn Japenese do I googled how to say happy birthday in Japanese. 



16 February 2023

Further knitting progress!! - 2

It was weeks ago that I took this photo. I’m now well on the way to the finishing line but the TIAS has kept me busy so haven’t taken photos. I’ll wait until I’ve finished now as I don’t want to bore you any further!!!



14 February 2023

Final day of the TIAS 2023


When you send in today’s final part could you mention where you come from and the thread you used, please?  It might also be interesting to see how you made the alien - shuttle or needle.  Thanks.

I will be slowly returning to this blog over the next few weeks as I find things to talk about.


13 February 2023

Mary Jane’s heart

Mary Jane sent this little picture of the hear I uploaded a week or two ago and she said

“Jane. I just finished your heartLove it. So this is my valentine heart to me. Thanks for pattern
Mary Jane”

So glad you enjoyed it, Mary Jane. 



8 February 2023

Julie’s heart

It gives me such a big buzz when people do that and tell me about it too. Thanks, Julie. This is what she said.

“I tatted your heart as a diversion awaiting day 8. It was a fun pattern. It reminds me of the fox bookmark from the tias a couple years ago. I have not done much Block tatting. I need to practice some more to improve the tensioning of my chains. Thank you for sharing the pattern.
Julie“


6 February 2023

Day 11

Day 11 of the Tat It And See will be available tomorrow.  Meanwhile you will need to prepare for it by doing the following.  
Wind 2½ yards onto shuttle 1. Pull off another 1½ yards and wind CTM onto shuttle 2

27 January 2023

Jaycee’s heart

I launched this pattern on 23rd of January and was really, really surprised and mega pleased when Jacee wrote a couple of days later to show me her heart. 
She said this

Dear Jane,
It's 4th day of CNY and I'm free from those dreaded chores for a couple of days before the grand ushering of the Jade Heavenly King on the 9th day of CNY. I took this opportunity to tat your Dutch Heart and if not for the less than perfect long picot at the lower end, I would say I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out. Thanks so much for the make over of this vintage pattern and great fun to tat it in one 'hit'👏🏻
Hugs,
Jacee😘

This is one of the bonuses of doing the TIAS as it keeps me in touch with people from all over the world and I learn such a lot about different cultures, religions etc.  



25 January 2023

Knitting progress!

Now this project has been a NIGHTMARE for poor old BC3!! 

I think it’s a personality problem that I have but I don’t like doing something that is easy. I like a challenge in everything in my life. Not just crafting but all other areas too. 

Last Saturday I was asked by a neighbour if I could set up his smart television. I’d not done one before and told him so. Nonetheless I was prepared to try. It was sooooo easy and didn’t take long at all. 

Now this is pretty amazing when I tell you that I don’t even know how to switch ours on (or off etc)!!!! 

However this knitting project has really stretched me. I think I made 8 starts but now it’s going well. Fingers all crossed!!



23 January 2023

Dutch heart - finished

Finally I have a heart that I’m pleased with!!!  
It's all worked in one 'hit'.  You start and finish without any cuts and ties which is what I like to achieve in a design.  
Just in case anybody wants to make it - here's the link.






20 January 2023

Progress on the heart

Now you know me!!!  I do NOT like stops and starts in my patterns!!  I have NO problem whatsoever over adding new threads in or anything like that but I just like to do a project all in one ‘hit’!!!  These are some of the experiments on the heart which I showed you the other day!!





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