A day at Jane's house

A lovely lass called Jane, who belongs to the Fringe group, kindly set up an 'open house' for all the organisers of the event on the Monday after Tat Days. She'd been hosting Randy and Wendy and invited the rest of us to spend time with them. WHAT a privilege. 

Although I've met Randy several times before we've never had time to really sit and play tatting together. This we were able to do. I took some pictures of his work at Tat Days but he doesn't want them put online and so I'm not going to. It was work he'd done on the book called Tatting Alternate Threads.  I've already got that book.  Thoroughly recommend it too.

Well what he showed me was mind blowing. 

Something I can show you - Randy tatting.

Down the pub!

On the Saturday evening I was led astray. Honestly, I was bound and gagged and kidnapped and taken to the pub!!!! Yes it was almost a 'real' English pub and probably more authentic than English pubs are nowadays!!!! 

When we got there (Kelly, Vicky and I) we bumped into the South Carolina contingent along with my other dear friends Riet and Martha. What a lovely time we had before heading back to the hotel to play tatting again.

In the goodie bag

Nick said yesterday that it looked as if my tatting cupboard had been sick!!! Why? Well, I'd put my gifts and purchases from the trip on the floor outside the cupboard with the door open. He was right - it did look as if the cupboard had been sick. So I decided that I ought to do something about it. 

In the goodie bag we were given at the Fringe tat days there were some of these mesh tubes (see below - top picture). Lots of other things too, I might add!!!  I was given some last time I was 'over there' and they proved to be most useful. Kelly also gave me a 'few' more. As part of the tidying up campaign I decided to sort them out. 

The first thing I did was sew up one end. This was very simple to do on the sewing machine. Next was the task of allocating them to their new job. 

My thread drawers are always getting in a muddle and these little mesh 'bags' are really good at keeping it tidy. I put a ball into the new 'bag' and tuck the ends up into the centre of the ball. Works a treat. Below are the before and after pictures of the drawer. You can still see the colour of the thread through the mesh which is really good. 

Now to tackle the rest of the cupboard. 

Some random photos

First of all we managed to persuade Martha to put on her drop dead GORGEOUS collar that she's been blogging about for a few months. It's truly exquisite. What a lovely smile too.

Under that is a picture of a vegetable display in the store where Kelly works. I couldn't get over the different varieties of veggies that are available in the Canadian stores. Lucky people.

At the bottom is a waffle I made!!!! Yes, I do love to make my own waffles!!! They have the 'technology' to make them in the Best Western Hotels both in Canada and America so that's always my first 'stop' at breakfast if I'm ever staying in one!!! I'm a pathetic (and quite rotund) old git now!!!!

Two hearts

Two hearts but the same pattern.  Both were made in Canada!!  The first one is made with HWT which dear Ginny sent to me (picture at the bottom). 

This is a lesson that Kaye Judt taught at the Fringe Element. Everybody who goes to this event gets a folder with all the patterns in. That's a real bonus as nobody can get to every class!!!! Specially when you're teaching. 

I love, love this little pattern even though I 'lost the plot' in the second one (white) that I made I still managed to tat myself out of the mess I'd got myself into!!! I can definitely recommend this pattern although I've no idea whether Kaye will publish it or has published it already.

Now, where was I?

Ah, at Tat Days in Cambridge.

It was a busy but very satisfying two days. I'm going to put some pictures up so you can all see the fun we were having. There was very little time to take photos, though.

The first is a general view of one of the classrooms.

Second is a few of the raffle prizes which were amazing.

Third is the youngest tatter there although she doesn't know that's what she's going to be when she grows up!!!

Next is what I considered to be the star item in the auction which was conducted (in the final picture) by Vicky and Randy. The tree was spectacular and has gone to a very good home, I believe.

Then on to

The serious side of the trip!!! Well, with tatters around things can never be 'that' serious!! 

First of all I was taken to Len's Mill which was really close to the hotel where the Fringe was taking place. It was like walking into an Alladin's cave! Quite literally when you went down the stairs!  Here we found the fabric you can see below. Of course I had to buy some!!! We also met other tatters who were on their way to the hotel too - a happy, happy meet up before the event. 

I also found some Miyuki beads which were a very good price.

So after that bit of excitement we (that's Kelly, Vicky and I) headed towards the venue - the Best Western where Tat Days moved into 'setting up' mode. The organisers just swing into the place and it all goes like a smoothly working machine. I'm always amazed at how these things 'just happen' although I do know that there's about 12 months planning that's gone on before.

My first class was the heart which you can see here. I'll upload the pattern within the next week or so. That took care of the afternoon!!! Onto the evening next time I blog!!!

Did you miss me?

Well I've been on my travels again. This year the group to suffer were the Fringe Element in Canada. Well, they did ask me to come back and they should've known better!!!!!

The first few days I stayed with dear Kelly and ACTUALLY got her to try using a shuttle. I'm not going to say this too loud in case she hears me but I must say that I'm sure she'd make an excellent shuttle tatter.  The first photo shows her making out that I'm bullying her but it was her idea to have a go!!!

The second picture is a truly great hanging that she made.  The photo doesn't do it justice.

The last picture is the fire that her hubby (Dennis) set up in the yard one evening.  Very relaxing sitting round a fire pit in the warm (or that should be - hot) weather we had for the whole two weeks I was over in Canada.  In fact we saw rain for a very short time one morning and the temperatures were - well, HOT!

Unbelievable

Because I'm a twit this post didn't go out as it should've.  I was a twit because while I was away I updated my iPad to IOS11 and didn't find out til afterwards that the blog app I use on it didn't work as the developer hasn't updated that.  So, here is a two week old post!!

Now this maybe a long post but I'm sure you'll find it really interesting - just like I did.

Some time ago Liz, who lives in Australia got in touch with me regarding making my seahorses (big and medium sized). This was for an exhibition in Exmouth she was involved with over in Australia. 

Now Liz lives on the opposite side of the country from where this is actually taking place so she will never see the 'real deal' which is a shame. I'm attaching some photos she sent me of the final project but I really, really feel you should follow this link to a time-lapse video which the group in Exmouth did. Here's a link to their Facebook page too and also It's mind blowing and the results are amazing. Another link for you too.

Look out for the whales - they're incredible.

Mrs Odum

Well if you don't know who Mrs Odum is then it's probably because you haven't been tatting for very long!!! 

Well, that's not strictly true cause I don't really know who Mrs Odum was except that she published this pattern in 1929!!! All I know is that I've seen many tatters make her daisy and have long wanted to have a go myself. So I did!!!

Here's a link to the pattern.

Cheryl's bookmarks.

Cheryl got in touch some time ago about the flowery SCMR bookmark I did ages ago. This is the one I'm talking about. Oh, my goodness - when I was looking to put in the link to it I noticed that I did that one 11 years ago!! Doesn't time fly when you're an OG (old git)?

She said she needed a little help with this but actually it turned out to be VERY little. I had a lovely message from her when she sent the picture below and this is what she said.

"Good morning Jane.

I have finished all 6 of the bookmarks. Thank you for your help and for putting this lovely pattern out there for us tatter's!! I received great joy making them and my Aunties will love them!! 

A grateful fellow tatter!!

Hello Jane, here is the blog I copied colors and tail of bookmark from. Tattingand beading.blogspot.com. she mentions the Oklahoma shuttle bugs tatting group!! Your patterns are all over our country and yours how awesome is that!! Your famous!!!"

It's always surprising and a real boost to an OG's moral when people send in pictures of their work. Keeps the aged brain going on new ideas too!!!!

A change of direction

After working Teri's lovely Forever Young pineapple doily I thought I'd try her butterfly which is called Vlinders and which can be found here. 

I LOVE this design and will definitely be making it again. I found it a little challenging in places as Teri's way of notating her work is different to the way my aged brain works.  Next time I do it I'm going to write it down in my 'way' for just me!!!!  That's because I think this is going to become another addiction!!!

Rachel blue green

Well I'm now on my way across the pond to Toronto and have scheduled a few posts so that you don't forget me!!!! 

This is another of Rosemarie Peel's Rachel mats which I finished just before leaving. I have several of these wound onto Ezybobs to take with me as an airport project. Lovely to have something that you know pretty well to do while sitting around. 

I'll try and blog while I'm in Canada but sometimes life is just too interesting and busy when I'm away to do that. However, I'll do my best!!

Of course

I had to make sure that it would 'really' work, didn't I? 

That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it however hard you try to torture me into confessing to anything else!!!!

8 bugles (again) and same stitch count.  Whoooppppeeee!

Back to bugles

I thought about this and decided to give it a whirl!!! 

Eight bugles in this pattern instead of six. It actually works with the same stitch count which I was wondering about. So, I wonder what would happen with 7 or 9 or even 10? Well - I'm not about to find out as I'm doing other things now - probably another Rachel?!?!?

Bags of bags!

Now this is a pile of book bags!!! They're off to Ghana in October for some kiddies in a school there. The charity that our Tuesday morning craft group is doing these for is Compassion Direct.  The children often walk miles to school and have nothing to carry their books in. I hope they like these.

We've also made bunting for a new maternity led unit at the local hospital, fiddle muffs for dementia patients and we are always looking for other projects to take on - particularly 'local to us' ones.

We like to do projects which involve us all with different skill sets. We have knitters, crocheters, sewers, etc.  Others who can't do any or some of these crafts help by cutting fabric, pinning etc.  Of course there's a LOT of chat and tea and coffee too!!

Below are a few of the bags I've sewn and on Saturday I did another 15. We need to get 170 done before October 1st but I'll not be able to do anymore after the weekend as I'm off on my travels.

Yawn, yawn, yawn!

Well I bet that's what people are thinking when they see yet another of these Rachel mats!!!!

I can't help it - I'm just so enjoying tatting for the sake of it. No dithering over stitch counts or how to progress an idea - this is all done for me by Rosemarie Peel and is all based on an easy to remember stitch count and progression. 

Blue earrings

Do you remember these earrings?

Well you should do as they were only yesterday that you saw them!!! 

This is another pair but I didn't 'do' the LBP's on these. I do like a change!!

Again using the SCMR adding the bead to the centre and working down one side of the big bead. You can adjust the SCMR to fit any bead but please remember how many doubles there were in the SCMR so that you get the same number when returning on t'other side with chains!!!! The one on the right has a slightly yellower top ring but that's because I used a lovely variegated thread. I think I'm going to like this pair a LOT!!!

More earrings

Yes even more earrings!!! 

Now these were made using SCMR's and adding the central beads to the core thread before closing. I also added a long beaded picot to the SCMR too. Why? Well just because it seemed like a good idea at the time!!

When I got to the bottom I dangled a bead (that's the silver one) and then worked my way back up the other side with a chain - plus, of course, more long beaded picots. 

Now one thing I must mention here is those SCMR's. I find that the best way to close these is to use this extra step which I've shown here.

Pink earrings

Yes I'm still in 'earring mode' and here's another pair I made last week. 

I showed you the brownish pair here and then I found some really truly bright pink beads in my stash. Those and some Swarovski crystals gave me the 'need' to make this pair!!! I wish that photos would do these justice but they sparkle so much that they dazzle my poor camera.  

The only 'problem' with this pair is that I'm constantly wanting to wear them!!!