5 February 2017

Day 10 has arrived

This is the penultimate day so I expect you are all now aware of what the TIAS is going to be!!!  Here is the link.

4 February 2017

More progress


This is the doily I showed you the other day. It's a pineapple doily.

I found the starting few rows of the motif extremely interesting. I suppose I COULD say 'difficult' but it actually isn't. 

It does take careful reading to interpret what to do but that's fine by me - I LOVE a challenge.

2 February 2017

Day 9 now available

Yes, it's here - the day you've been waiting for to give you more idea of what the TIAS will be! 

31 January 2017

Day 8


I maybe a bit late getting uploads done today as I'm off out with a friend to the nearest Apple store. Just hope I'm not tempted to buy anything!!!

30 January 2017

Off on another adventure


Tomorrow (Tuesday) will be day 8 of the Tat It And See.  

Again I'm off on another adventure with Dora Young. 

This is the centre of another doily and it's going well - so far. For those who are lucky enough to have got the book then this is the pattern on pages 20 and 21.

27 January 2017

Something I did earlier!


First of all - tomorrow will be day 7 of the Tat It And See. New tatters always welcome to join the fun. Remember - there are no rules!!

This is my first Dora flower pattern. Remember the green one? 

Not sure why I did the green but I think it was cause I enjoyed it so much. I'm going to do this pattern again sometime. Just SO interesting to tat and it fits EXACTLY on the scanner too!!!

24 January 2017

Another group of hexagons!!

Just to let you know first - tomorrow will be day 6. Things may seem a bit 'spaced out' but I find otherwise it's difficult to keep up!!! I also do have to do other things too like eat, breathe and sleep!!! 

I finished another group of 7 hexagons and these will be joined to the other 'set' sometime. I have NO IDEA what I'm making so please don't ask!!!! I make 'things' for the joy of making - not for the finished item!!!

I have a few balls of thread all of this size but the colours do vary slightly but are all within the 'ecru/beige/white range. 

23 January 2017

Crochet hexagons part 2



While the Tat It And See has been happening (and a bit before that) I've been working on these hexagonal shapes. 

There's a story behind the thread that I'm using. 

Many years ago (around 40, I guess) I taught myself the craft of netting/filet. I had bought a lovely leaflet from a local shop which had the most stunning patterns in. The problem was - they were all written in German and I didn't understand them.

There was a lady down our road who I had heard was German but I'd never met her. After months of frustration with the leaflet I took courage in both hands and knocked at her door to ask for help. I stood on her doorstep and explained my problem. I'll never forget that day. She took my arm and pulled me into her house - that was the beginning of a wonderful friendship. I didn't realise until that day that she too was an avid crafter and an extremely lovely lady. Sadly she died a few years ago but we enjoyed many happy hours together talking and doing crafts of all sorts.  She tried tatting but didn't take to it.  Her craft work was immaculate in everything she tried.

A few years before Irmgard died she had problems with neuropathy and she gave me some of her threads. These are what I'm using for the hexagon adventure.  As the saying goes - 'waste not want not'.  

21 January 2017

All done!!


First of all - day 5 will be available tomorrow (Sunday).  

This is the doily I was working on from the Dora Young book. As you can see it turned into a 'square within a square'.

This is a challenging piece particularly when worked the first time. Actually I'll admit this is the second time I've worked this pattern and I'll show you the original one another day. I thoroughly enjoyed working out how Dora designed this and I'm in awe of her talents. I just hope that when I grow up I'll be able to design like her. She set the pace via her Dora Young Knot which has since been 'replaced' by the split ring and split chain.

18 January 2017

Onwards and outwards!!!


First of all - tomorrow will be Day 4 of the TIAS.

As you can see I've finished all the petals on the latest Dora Young doily and am now on part of the outside of it. 

It's not lying flat but I can assure you that it will work out just fine. I know because I trust in Dora implicitly.

The colour is the same as the previous post but looks very different due to the background, I think!!!



14 January 2017

Day 2

Day 2 of the Tat It And See (TIAS) is now available here.

Sorry about the delays in updating the TIAS blog yesterday but it was Friday 13th and it certainly lived up to it's reputation for me all day!!!

13 January 2017

A bit of advertising!!

First of all - tomorrow will be Day 2 of the TIAS.

OR, one could say - downright promotion of my 'stuff'!!!

I don't like pushing myself forward but I really would like to clear out my Etsy shop of the bags I've got left in my 'shop box'. Why? Well part of me wants to start another session of sewing when Spring comes and I need an almost empty shop to do that and part of me wants to be tidy and have them out of my way. Now, I must add that that is the smallest part - the wanting to be tidy!!!

I doubt there's going to ever be a chance of me achieving that as it hasn't happened in the last 73 years!!!

So what I'm asking is for you to take a trip over to my Etsy shop to see what I've got there.  If you let me know whether you'd like one (and which one) I will then 'reserve' you that bag and put it in the shop with a 'reserved' sticker on it.





12 January 2017

Further progress


Isn't this pretty now? Well I think so but it will get even better before it's finished.  Still not had to cut or tie so that's even better. 

Working out how to do the chains and rings between the two petals was not that hard as they're 'thrown off' BUT getting the right thread amounts was!!! 

I have made a note of the quantities and the 'how to' on progressing down the righthand side of the petals for Heidi so that she may probably be able to include those in the reprint. I will certainly be keeping those notes so that I can work this pattern again.  It's a stonking great pattern.  Have I said that before about Dora's work?  If so then I'll say it again about ALL the patterns in the book - they're amazing.

10 January 2017

Tomorrow

'They' (whoever they are) always say that 'tomorrow never comes' but I promise you that tomorrow will come and the first part of the Tat It And See will be launched in English, French and Dutch. 

Now, where will you find that link? Well it'll be here on this blog both in a regular post and it'll also be on the TIAS blog which you can find here. You will also be able to find all links on the left side bar too. The introduction is already there just in case you've mislaid it!!!

Please don't be shy of sending in any pictures, guesses or comments to either this email address or this email address. I find it too time consuming to troll all blogs and Facebook to find your work so would be grateful if you could send it to me as many, many people thrive and enjoy the hilarity of the comments.

I can assure you (this is aimed at Maureen) that this year you will NOT be making a rabbit!!!!

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Happy Beaks

Happy Beaks
I beg your pardon? I didn't quite catch what you said.