A day at the NEC

In my last post I mentioned that that I spent Thursday at the National Exhibition Centre with the Ring of Tatters. Here are some pictures for you to see.

Talking old and time again!!!

Well to all those who wrote in about my ramblings yesterday - thanks!!!

I did actually get the better of time yesterday!! Why? Well I was lucky enough to be chosen to help out at the NEC (for all you foreigners - that stands for the National Exhibition Centre) by the Ring of Tatters. Each year there is an exhibition called the Sewing for Pleasure held there in one of the enormous halls. For any Americans reading my ramblings - we can do 'BIG' in the UK at times!!

The Ring is given a stand there to show the public how to tat if they are interested. We always get a lot of attention and this year we were visited by a lot of youngsters (ie younger than ME!!).

Time flew by (yet again) but this time I think I was on the same wave length as time!!! Boy, did I feel old by the end of the day, though. Another great buzz to this day at the NEC is meeting fellow tatters in the Ring. We talked for England and tatted for the universe when there were quiet moments.

Hopefully I'll show some photos tomorrow. I took a few! I did have a few problems when it came to packing up. The tattysaurus decided to stay - he loves the attention!!! He (and my other mobiles) are staying until Sunday when I spend another day there.

Big surprise when I got back was the award that Sherry left for me. Blog Queen? So pleased to see the letter 'l' in that word!!! Now, when do the golden carriage, silver slippers, ruby ring, footmen, private aeroplane etc arrive, I ask myself? I'm waiting, Sherry!!

As you get old

As you get old.

Now, I'm not the only one getting old - I have it on good authority that it happens to everybody. BUT as I get old life tends to get 'silly'.

Where does that commodity 'time' go to? I wake up in the morning and the pot is full of time.

I have things to do, time to do them in and life looks good. I get to lunchtime and I realise that things are 'slipping'.

By the evening that commodity has long gone and I'm looking back over the day and wondering where it all went.

Ah, I know, I've been robbed!!! Robbed of MY time. What can I do about it?

PLEASE, if anybody's got the answer do let me know.

Bookmarks from Jane in South Africa

A few days ago I had the following sent to me from Jane. Remember Jane from a few days ago?

She said

The original pattern is from Anna Burda magazine, May 1984, page L14. I 'converted' another braid on the Anna page, but this one was very easy, as you can see. Also much easier and neater using split rings. I used size 10 thread and turned it into bookmarks by adding a tassel.

The pattern for the bookmarks looks like this:

SR 1: 6/6

R each side: 4-2-2-4

SR 4: 6/6

R each side: 5+5-2-2-5-5

Repeat, with the next small ring each side joining to the large ring, 4+2-2-4.

I ended with a split ring after two small rings, and attached a tassel to the bottom, and used size 10 thread.

Christmas baubles

My sister was in town last weekend and we went out for the afternoon on Saturday.

She showed me her Christmas baubles which I managed to sneak a photo of!!! Aren't they gorgeous? They look even better in real life.

Now, before you ask, she hasn't written the pattern down!! I've given her a ticking off about that and am hoping that with a bit of 'nagging' from me she'll eventually write down the pattern!!!

Still playing with buttons!!

Although I've officially 'finished' with buttons somebody suggested purple and red!!! So, here we go - purple and red!!! I've also added the t-shirt which I've sewn them onto. I didn't put them 'in a line' or 'round the neck' as I wanted something different. When I get the time (and inclination!) I'll take a picture of 'the old git' wearinig it!!!

I managed to upload the pattern page yesterday although I spent nearly two hours trying to get the link working back to the home page. I was almost ready to throw the computer through the window and it still doesn't work!!

I couldn't spend any longer struggling with it as I had arranged to go and try to help a lady who lives round the corner from me. We first met at Silver Surfers and she popped into the library last week to ask if I could help set up her computer on broadband. I did warn her that I'd never done that before but heroically set off to try. Before I got to her house I'd got soaked and hurt by a terrific hail storm.

I am over the moon. I managed with no bother at all to set up the broadband connection, do all the necessary downloads (virus signatures, windows updates, java, Firefox, etc). Does a new career await me?!?!?!

Back to normal!

Yesterday evening I got 'back to normal' on the tatting. I needed to sort out tat corner and see what needed finishing off!!!

I'd been asked to test tat a small teapot for Martha during the past week and (I'll admit it!) happily abandoned the black tatting for an hour or so to do that. Problem was I 'lost the plot' on Martha's pattern. I can tell you that it was nothing at all to do with the pattern - it was entirely MY fault. I left the teapot 'as was' with the mistake but read through the rest of the pattern to check it for her. I wasn't too far from the end.

So a priority was to retro tat and finish off the teapot yesterday evening. I was then tempted to finish off my TIAS but the purple buttons called louder. I'd got a shuttle with enough thread on to make up one. Well, I thought I had but ran out just as I got to the last ring!!! That rarely happens but will get resolved today!!!

See the teapot below. Well you didn't think I was going to give the game away, did you?!?!? I can't wait to see this book finished - it'll be another gem from Martha.

I've finished!

Finally, and after about a month, I've finished the black motifs.

Now I do occasionally enjoy this type of mindless tatting. I've enjoyed doing these but found that I got obsessed by them. I couldn't stop until I'd used all the thread that Nicole sent!! Here you can see 'almost' 12 strips of 10 per strip. Each square took around 40 minutes to make.

Today I will post them to Nicole.

Next? Well the purple buttons are calling for pure relaxation. After that? Who knows? Not me!!!!

Look what I found when I went to the shop by the tip!!!!

Aren't they just gorgeous?

Remember the mother of pearl buttons I've been working on? I'm going to have to see if one of the patterns 'fits' this size!!!

The one at the very top which is paler than the rest is one I tested for 'washability'. Well, I cheated. I poured boiling water onto it and the surface sort of started minutely to peal off. I scraped it all off with my fingernail and the result is probably even more pleasing than the originals!!!!

Two pretty pieces from across the seas

These were sent to me a few days ago. Aren't they pretty? A tatter called Jane sent in her daisy picot pictures with the pattern below too.

Now, a bit about Jane in her own words-
I'm a Zimbabwean who has been living in South Africa for a few months. I learnt to tat 30 years ago, mainly from a teach-yourself pamphlet. When I became entirely immersed in spinning and knitting, I didnt tat for many years. But when I had to close my spinning business, it was a good chance to tat again. I discovered the world of tatting on the internet - wonderful! Since then I've really learnt a lot and had a lot of fun.

Yes, you can include my e-mail address if you like.

Her email address is ikorro@vodamail.co.za

I love her comment at the bottom about writing it all down!!

Small motif

Daisy ring using yellow thread as core: 1([8 white]2), repeat 5 times, 1, Cl. 1[8]2[8]2[8]2[8]2[8]1

Using green thread and encapsulation method, 6, ring 4-4, 6

Make another 4 flowers, with 4 chains between, joining the rings 4+4. Make final chain and join to first flower.

Bigger motif

Same method, but I used 12 ds for petals, and chains were 8[r 6-6]8

Goodness, it's more difficult to write a pattern than I supposed. It looks easy when you do it! I hope this makes sense and is technically correct. I rather doubt it, so change things where necessary.

Back to the black

I'm back on the black motifs and have now done 95!! I hope to do another few strips before sending them to Nicole early next week.

I did get sidetracked again yesterday by Martha Ess. She asked me to test tat another of her little teapots for her new book which should be ready soon. I think this one is my favourite although I did go wrong at one point! I'm going to re-do it from there again today.

Today? Hmmm, time for a tidy up around my computer in the upstairs 'office'!!! I'm sitting in a sea of papers, bits of tatting etc. In fact it's the paper version of tat corner which is downstairs!! I wish I'd been born a tidy person! Always tooo busy to tidy up.

I see that Iris has published the final day of her TIAS so will try and fit that in today. I hope it pours with rain this afternoon so that I have an excuse not to go walking! I really need the time today!!

Iris's TIAS - day 4

I did it, I did it, I did it and all on my own this time!! I didn't have to be sneaky and wait for Laura to do hers first either!!!

I even (and this is totally true) did it at the end of the evening AND after a glass of red wine!! How's about that, then!! Oh, that was Saturday evening, by the way. I'm running a bit behind on posting BUT have some new things to show over the next few days!!

Now, whether it's right or not is a different matter.

Iris's TIAS

Like the donkey's tail - I'm all behind!!!! This is Iris's TIAS day 3. Just hope I'm on the right 'track'!!!

Good news on the buttons. Some progress made yesterday!!!

I am not very bright.

When I did this pattern in 2007 I needed or wanted a way to progress from the centre of the work to the next round. I 'devised' the method shown on that page and thought nothing of it!!!!

I was talking to Georgia Seitz a week or so ago about this, tat and t'other and she sent me pictures of the Dora Young split ring.

Finally, but finally the penny dropped. Oh, if you're in America it would be a cent that dropped, I guess!!!

What I'd used in that pattern was what Dora had devised many years ago. Further playing with the idea and again another penny went 'clunk'!!! What a fantastic way of making two coloured split rings and single coloured ones. So I finally (and again with help from Georgia and Jennifer) got this page together.

Still tatting!

It's been a looong week of tatting for Nicole but today I'm going to take time out to return to the MOP's. My hands are beginning to ache by the end of the evening of constant tatting.

I realised why. When I'm working on new designs I keep stopping to type in the text as I go along but when I'm doing something like Nicole's order I just tat and tat til I drop!!!!

I've done 72 and a half motifs now in strips of 10 and I hope to get another 4 strips done at least. The deadline has now been changed from 2nd to 9th March so that gives a bit more of a breathing space.

Nicole is going to send me photos of the finished garment with a tatted collar too. Forgot to add - she's a tatter and a young 'un too which is very, very pleasing!!!

Yesterday!

Well a busy day in tat land!! In the morning I decided to do another technique page showing what can be done with Dora Young's technique - very interesting when you start using coloured threads. I'm hoping to post it on the web page either later today or sometime this week. Took ages to do and I got my fingers tied up in knots too!!

In the afternoon I wanted to get started on Iris's TIAS. I tried it a few days ago but just couldn't 'see it' without a diagram. Ah, now I know why I have to draw everything - not for other people's benefit but for my own!

Anyway I cheated and looked to see what others were doing and used their day 1's to guide me. Once I got started, though it wasn't hard at all. So, having completed day 1, I put down the shuttles and decided to see what was happening in tat land. I use my 'dashboard' here at blogger a LOT to see what the people I follow are up to.

Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs - Iris had just published day 2!! So, while I was in TIAS mode and sitting next to the shuttles I worked that up. See below!!!

Well aren't you all lucky?

I've got nothing to show and not a lot to say either!!!

I'm back to doing motifs for Nicole again. Deadly boring but at least I get to watch the telly while I'm doing them! I might take some time out when I get REALLY, REALLY bored to do the MOPs again in colours. I want to sew them onto a tshirt - a short sleeved one but first I need to find and decide which one!! Then there'll be the fun of choosing the thread and beads.

Before all this I have to take myself to one side and give myself a good lecture on tidying up tat corner. Not just a lecture but the follow up action MUST be taken too!!! How do I get in such a mess?

Set of 4 MOPs

As I'm now back tatting the black motifs for Nicole I thought I'd show you the set of four buttons together. I will get back to working them all again when I've done Nicole's work and will then put the patterns out on the web page.

I must say that although these are really, really easy to do the biggest problem has been getting the stitch count right in the middle so that the inner round of beads 'frame' the button. The next 'lot' will probably have dangles and things but - we'll see!!!!

So, below on the left is the set of 4 and on the right are the backs of the buttons.

Another MOP button!!

I decided to re-tat the largest button again to make it much simpler. There was actually no need for the complicated way I did the orginals. It looks the same - but it isn't!!!!

I did this on Tuesday evening as I didn't do any tatting at all yesterday. In the morning I went to the saddest funeral of my life, then onto a meeting for tutors who teach silver surfers followed in the evening by a tatting talk.

Now this was interesting because Phyllis Sparks used to live in the village where the meeting was held. In fact one lady there helped out with all the photographs in the book. I've got a copy of this particular book but have never worked anything from it. It was published at a time when there was a dirth of tatting books available. Sadly Phyllis died of lung cancer in her mid seventies although she hadn't smoked for many, many years.

One compliment on my talk (which was lively!) was from one lady who said that I'd kept her awake which didn't normally happen!!!! They all had a 'go' at trying to turn the knot and a few succeeded.

Out of hospital and back to work!

Yesterday we collected the laptop from hospital and the diagnosis was a fried motherboard. Thank goodness it was still under warranty!! After making sure I'd done all the updates it was very happy and willing to work again. There was a total scare two hours after me starting it up. The screen went black, very black! I thought it had died again. Took quite a few minutes to realise that although the power cable was plugged into it the plug on t'other end wasn't in the socket!! DUH, how stupid can you get?

This is the latest button - I really am enjoying these!!!

This evening I'm giving a talk locally and hoping that a few will 'take up the thread'!!!!