I Should Have Been

I should have been on the road with one of my favourite tatting mates, travelling to a conference and a new adventure instead I am at home keeping busy. 

These are ear savers.  I added the buttons as I tatted at the ring join.  Just pull a loop of  ring thread  up through the button, then down through the joining picot then the shuttle goes through this loop.  Making sure the core thread still moves,  tighten up the thread so the button sits right on the join.  This pattern is one that Victats posted on  a facebook group.

The thread is about a size 5 so I needed to add some extra rings to the pattern.  It is a called Twilleys Lysbet Super Cotton and tatted up very nicely. 

I completed these ear savers to use if you need to wear a mask for an extended time. The mask loops go over the buttons instead of your ears. And to go with the ear savers below are some masks I made. If you recall I am still learning to sew and need to perfect my skills.  I am part of a group making masks for free.

Now regarding the ear savers, these are quick and easy, it took longer to find two matching buttons so it they need to be discarded with a mask that's ok but I believe they would survive a wash or two. 

Sadly I had lost my tatting mojo for a while and haven't blogged but feel I have it back now that so expect many more new things happening both tatting and other crafty things. 

From Down Under

I participated in another Fringe Exchange and received these beautiful tatted items all the way from Sydney Australia. We were to exchange a favorite pattern.  I sent my go to butterfly heart of course and received these from Ms DS.  

She states that she tats these,  the larger an anklet and the  smaller  bracelet, to entice the younger generation into the world of tatting .

The ankle bracelet is made using the balanced double stitch (BDS) and the smaller bracelet using the spiral chain.  the beads are a lovely black 4mm crystal and unfortunately one of them broke in transit. 

This is the link to the FRINGE ELEMENT TATTERS website so you can see what this is all about. 

Metis Beadwork

In mid February I took a Metis Beadwork course offered by the Calgary Guild of Needle and Fibre Arts.  The class was a full day and a reasonable cost.  The teacher Deborah Fitzsimmons provided kits which included pattern, beads, threads, needles, cloth and instructions.

She calls this piece Blue Flax & Rocky Mountain/Wood Lily - Grassland Flowers.  We used a two needle method, couching over the row of beads.  Deborah also provided many hints with her detailed instructions. 

During the class I was only able to do a few outlines.  The piece did not really come together until I did the stems.

The centre small orange flowers and the amber ground runner are vintage beads made in  Murano Italy 1800's to 1920.

Happy St. Patricks Day

I had made two previous pairs of earrings and brought them to my guild for show and tell last week.  I had a request for them so I gave them away.  Of course I needed to make another pair for myself .

These shamrocks with the celtic knot in the centre are a pattern from Yarnplayer, Marilee Rockley.  She has provided a free pattern here.  I made slight pattern alterations by using a SSSR to finish and hide ends in the stem.  I used another the SSSR again in the second round; a ring for the earrings attachment.  This is one of my favorite ways to end an earring especially to hide both ends.

Hold on a minute

Another year here and many new things happening in 2020. Firstly on the tatting front I must get some of my projects finished from past conferences and workshops.

I will post my progress as it happens.

I have also been reviewing conferences I want to attend in 2020 and reviewing costs and logistics.  I hope to see many of my tatting friends and see all the wonderful things being done round the world.

If you have ever considered attending a workshop or conference please do so.  It is very rewarding and will give your craft a boost, plus it would be fun to see you too.

Below are the tatting events happening in 2020 with links to the web pages.

Finger Lakes  CANCELLED

Shuttlebirds  CANCELLED

Tatting Corner Tat Days

Palmetto

Fringe Element Tatters

Happy Tatting