Rings and things!

Teri Dusenbury (http://theloversknot.blogspot.com/) sent me some thread and delica beads last week so the last two days I've at last had time to play!!! I made one of my finger rings and a pair of earwigs with it.
It's a lovely firm thread which displays each stitch well. You can probably see that from the pictures below. The thread is made by Coats and is their Dual Duty Plus one The beads just sparkle and sparkle. Thanks, Teri, I really appreciate the opportunity to play with these.
Hey, Teri - I promise I won't kiss the frog!!!

Watering can

Test tatted the watering can pattern last night and it's FINE!!! Love this one as it's a 'one hit' one!!! Roll on Palmetto Tat Days!!
I know the wheelbarrow's fine so will now get back to making some earrings to wear - obviously they've got to be flowery ones for Tat Days!!!

Later in the day

As the weather here is still abysmal and as I was getting more and more worried about that wretched Palmetto Tree Frog, I decided to give myself the rare treat of tatting during the afternoon. As I said earlier - I was worried about the poor thing and thought I'd made a huge mistake in the pattern last night. First of all I must explain that I have had a love/hate relationship with this little frog from the very start.
Well I've finally decided he's the love of my life - the pattern's fine and probably one of my better attempts if I was able to fess up!!! The beads that Joanie sent me to try are perfect. They're on this little guy. He looks as if he's waving!!!
If I kiss him do you think he'll turn into a handsome young prince? Hmmmmm, not worth the risk I feel - I'm just not young enough to cope with a prince!!!

Another LAST gecko!!

Just when I thought I'd finished it was pointed out that the jacket really did need another gecko on the front!!! Here he is below.
I also started another Palmetto frog last evening to test the pattern again and to try some beads that Joanie had kindly sent me. This time I can't blame the red wine for failing to read the pattern!!!! I can only blame my own stupidity!!! So, back to the beginning (almost) today!!!!

Preparation for Palmetto

The Palmetto tatters gave us a short 'spell' in which to submit lesson ideas back at the beginning of the year so it was a case of 'all systems go' and getting the brain working when it would really rather have been in hibernation!! The result was that I was very lucky to be chosen to teach.
Now, the downside is that it's given me more time to worry and mither about the patterns I've submitted!!! I know I'm a silly old git but tat's me!!! Every month or so I go through another major panic about whether the patterns will be 'understandable' so I try them again for myself.
On Friday I thought I'd try the Fantasy Flower once more. After doing the centre and first round I got hopelessly muddled. Panic really set in. Should I email them and tell them I'd made a major mistake? What should I do?
After half an hour and half a glass of red wine I suddenly realised where I'd gone wrong - I hadn't read my OWN instructions - I'd just assumed I knew how I'd done it. This is the result below. Why five? Well, because once I start making something I enjoy doing it and just get carried away!!!!!

Geckos on a Jacket!

Here they are all crawling over my jacket. The front shows the sleeves as well. I think I need one more for the lower right side.

Here's the back view!

Woweeeee

I have just GOT to brag about this fantastic gift which Teri Dusenbury (http://theloversknot.blogspot.com/) sent to me. Not only is it so beautiful but it matches my new skirt and top which I bought last week for the Palmetto Tat Days. I can't tell you or show you how pretty it is. It sparkles and glitters incredibly. I'll try taking a photo later too and hope that it will show up better. Also she sent me a 'goodie' box with some of the thread which she uses to make her turtles. There were beads, bits and bobs and everything anyone could want to cheer them up during a particularly bad patch. Thank you Teri from the bottom of my heart.

The LAST!!

This is the last and another of the tiny ones. The two worked in no. 80 will be sewn onto the collar of the jacket - chasing each other across my neck. I'll show you when they're all sewn on. Tat's the next job - sewing the darn things on!!!

A baby gecko

This one is worked in a variegated green number 80 and works out to be just under 3 3/4" in length. I'm going to HAVE to work another to 'match'. Wonder if I've got another variegated colour in a number 80? Anything to keep my mind off having a tooth out later this morning!!!

These are the last two - or are they?

I told myself these would be the last two but then I wondered what they would look like in a number 80 so I may well make one or two more tonight!!

Two more

These little geckos get faster and faster to make so yesterday I managed to finish one I'd started on Friday and another whole one!! Still worked in no. 40 thread.
I also managed to get some buttons for the jacket - each one a different bright colour. They've EVEN been sewn on!! The sleeves have also been altered. I cut off the cuffs (the sleeves were 5" too long) and slimmed them down considerably. Next job is to decide where the geckos go and to sew them on!!!
You will notice that the orange and yellow one is facing the other way. I did this by 'reversing' my stitch order throughout. Needed a lot of concentration to do this but well worth the effort and MUCH easier than writing a whole new pattern out!!!

Another for the collection!

Now this one I really like. OK perhaps not true gecko colours but now I know that they're going on a dark denim base then I want colours that show up!!!!
I'm going to replace the buttons on the jacket with bright ones. Each one a different colour - I hope!!!

They just keep arriving!!!

Yesterday I found a denim shirt style jacket/cardigan that I'd forgotten I'd got!! It's a lovely soft denim but unfortunately one of the buttons has broken (not very nice buttons either) and the sleeves are far too long which is why I probably stopped wearing it!!! Anyway, It occurred to me that if I replace the buttons and shorten/alter the sleeves it might be ideal for traveling in. I do like to be comfortable when traveling!!! Then, as I tatted yet another gecko, I thought - why not sew geckos onto it!!!! So, tat's what I'm going to do. The speed at which these tat up makes it a viable project. One an evening. I shall sew one on each sleeve, one on each side at the front and probably three on the back. I MAY even tackle a couple of teeny tiny ones for the collar in a no. 80 but I'll decide that when I get to it!!

Anyway, here's yesterday evening's rendition - this time in a no. 20 instead of the usual no. 40!!

And Yet Another!

I did another gecko last night whilst babysitting. I used two colours, beads and lots of SLT's!!! Here's the result!!

I also found a 'better' way to do the head but still need to double check which shuttle the eye beads need to be on!! Really enjoying doing geckos so may well do another AFTER the one I started late last night!!! I may even do more to sew onto a denim casual jacket that I found lurking in the wardrobe!!!!
Oh, two very interesting points. Firstly this is a 'slap and zap' design. By that I mean you slap it on the ironing board and zap it with the iron. No blocking or anything. Secondly you'll see that in this latest version the 'toes' are nicely rounded. How DID I do that? Well I reverted to normal and to instinct (to be honest I forgot to take a picot gauge with me when I went next door to baby sit) and just 'eyeballed' each picot. I did this for nearly fifty years before deciding that I 'ought' to use one. I won't be using gauges again in a hurry!!!

Another Darn Gecko!!

This is my final version of the gecko. Hopefully!!!
I've re-designed the face. In this version I've added beads to the centres of the SR's using Tonya's method - http://tinyurl.com/34c4c7 and stuck to just one colour. The next one will be two colours plus beads!!!
I've actually got to the stage of enjoying this pattern and it doesn't take tooooo long to make - perhaps an evening without changing the text as you go!!!
Once the body's done it's mainly chains. I used that 'new' way that Julie Patterson and I independently came up with of doing the block tatting (the lazy person's way to block tat!). Here's a link to that too http://tinyurl.com/3yefre

Birthday Card & MORE Gecko problems!!!

Here's the birthday card I've made for my next door neighbour. It's actually much prettier than the scan shows as the seahorse is done in VERY bright colours. I'm also going to be babysitting her two boys on her birthday which is tomorrow. I love sitting for them as they're such smashing kids.

Yesterday evening I decided to 'bead' the gecko. I used Tonya's method of adding beads to the centre of the SR's see the link below. http://janeeborall.freeservers.com/tonyabeadsr.htm I've just realised that somewhere and somehow the link to her idea is missing off my home page. SORRY Tonya - I'll put that right later (after breakfast).
I also wanted to put beads in the centres of the rings but that looked absolutely dreadful. See first picture! What a MESS!!

I started again and just put beads into the SR's and it's looking a lot better. Stopped at ten o'clock and just before reaching the head as I want a clear brain to sort that out!!!

Another Gecko!

Spent ages yesterday afternoon sorting out ebay (see last post) and then I finished the birthday card but still have to 'put it together'.
I went back to the gecko again in the evening and the new one is worked in a plain bright green with a variegated rusty/brown colour. I used lots and lots of SLT's to make it. Still not happy about the nose but I think I've another idea for that - will try it out later today!!!

This evening I am going to see if beads will look good in a plain coloured gecko. I've got the most outrageous bright turquoise blue and green in no. 40 Olympus with the brightest pink beads. Hmmmmm, wonder if tat'll work!!! We'll see!!!!

Just when you thought you'd got it sussed!!

Nothing about tatting today except to say that the birthday card I'm working on should be finished this afternoon.
No, what I really wanted to mumble and mutter about was ebay!!!! As you know I do like listing stuff and have got it down to a 'fine art'. I work everything out in a text document and then when it comes to listing all I have to do is 'copy' and 'paste' into the relevant 'bits'!! Easy. So me and my big mouth offered to sell a friend's motorbike headlamp set! No probs, says Jane to Dave and Doreen - I'll do that for you!!!
Hmmmm, well ebay pulled a flanker on me and changed it's format!!! That really screwed me up for a while. Still I finally got the old brain round it all and listed the headlamp. Actually it's now easier to list and much 'prettier' too.
OH, I also listed some more Aero shuttles, a lovely Teneriffe lace book and some more tat bits!!!!

Progress or lack of!!!

Well I decided that last night it was time to tackle the problem of the gecko's head/nose!!!
I tried an idea out which you might not be able to follow by looking at the picture below. I'm pretty sure though that it's going to work out just fine. I think another couple of ds on the nose ring should be the answer.

Then I wanted to start a 'final' gecko with the 'new and improved' head. Hmmmmm, remind me NOT to drink red wine after a very busy day!!! I actually - now wait for this - I actually - hold tight - I really, honestly did some housework in the morning. There, I've said the dreaded word!!! Below is where I got to before I fell asleep in the chair!!!! You can see that I'm trying it out with two colours (one is a variegated rust to red/brown) and lots and lots of SLT's thrown in. I think this is going to be a really cool gecko!!!

Yesterday's Gecko

Yesterday's gecko now has eyes!! Not quite the right shape for the nose according to my 'gecko guru' - Pamela so I'll get back to working on that another day!!! I agree with her too the face and nose isn't quite right. Why is it always such 'silly' little details that are the making or breaking of the final piece? I struggled and struggled with the Palmetto frog as I just couldn't get the face right on that too. Other patterns just 'fall' into place.
I'm working on a 'top secret' project at the moment and can't allow myself to share it yet. One day I will but it's really, really top secret! It's going to be SO hard not to share.