Flower Centred Cross

This cross is from Knots and Crosses by Julie Patterson. Done in DMC Cebelia 20.  I have done this cross a few times and make a minor mistake each time. It is stiff enough for a bookmark even though I only sprayed it with water and pressed with my fingers. No tassel or tail for this one.  

Travelling Doily

I call this my travelling doily,  I started it in the summer it was easy to pack and didn't have to worry about working with white so sometimes it was stashed into my pocket. I did lose some photos but managed to have a few to share with you today.  First up is my eyeglass case with my dollar store 4X glasses. Oh there is another bit of tatting, seems I am a good starter of projects.

This is a picture of the doily travelling against those blue skies we always have.

These next few are just nice pictures to show the pattern. 

Finally, I am on the last round, it is a tricky row with some odd stitch counts.  I have found the diagram helpful and managed to understand what direction I was going.  I hand drew and wrote out some instructions to better understand what I was doing until I had the pattern in my head.  Finished one of points only 31 left to go.

The pattern is from Tatting Theory and Patterns by Jan Stawasz and it is called Doily VI.  It is worked with Hakelgarn size 20, number 58 Pea Green.

Get Ready Set

Shuttles are at the ready and a few four hole buttons too. Jane Eborall TIAS or you can view the introduction here. See you all at the TIAS.

Collar bookmark

I really like this pattern here is another bookmark by Irina Astratenko inspired, tail with beads added.

Halloween and other bits

 

Little bits I did up  and had them in my office for the week.  I didn't have time to do the stem on the pumpkin so that's just a few crochet stitches for the stem.  I think the cat was a success (sans broom), the skulls need some blocking but they where all fun to make. (Sherry Matthews pumpkin, cat by Tat-man skulls by Jennifer Tallapaneni bats by Marlene Lewis.)

This bookmark was inspired from the pattern of a collar and I made one of the arms.  I think I will add a tail so it can stick out of the book. Pattern is from Tatting Lessons for Beginner - Irina Astratenko in DMC Cebelia 20 and measures about 5.5 inches. Edith, you will be getting this soon.

Teeny tiny project to be revealed once completed.  DMC 80. Some of you may guess what  this is..

Put the tail on the bookmark. off to Edith soon

Jan Stawasz Moje Robotki 8/2007 Huge Doily tat-along Row 6

The Big D is now 15" across but such a good thing that I have finished those motifs.  One came apart as I showed my sister how I hid ends.  My sister who always gives good advice said, "Good thing it happened now and you can correct it." She is always right. I corrected the motif and then went on to get row VI out of the way. 


Not quite halfway through but other projects in the works to distract me from this. I have noticed that the feel of rightside wrongside tatting is similar to crochet in that you can feel the difference between the smoothness of the work from one side to the other.  I don't know how else to explain this. Perhaps other crafters have had the same experience. 

Thanks Ruth

Occasionally I take a look at kijiji to see what has been posted lately and to my surprise there were a few items of interest.

I met a lovely lady Ruth and purchased the above books and shuttle's for a small sum.  Our transaction took place in front of this gorgeous view. Those are the Rocky Mountains on the right horizon. She is one lucky lady to wake up to this.

I also purchased these crotat books all still in the original packaging. Not sure if I really want to learn this yet. 

Jan Stawasz Moje Robotki 8/2007 Huge Doily tat-along Row 4

Not much to tell here, just another row with the chains are still causing me grief. Now to figure out how to do the next round of twelve mofits attached sort of off centre to the current row.
The only skill in this doily that I am not confident with is reading the pattern.  It is confusing and I think I made the chains in this row too long but with just a light spray with water and pressing into a towel with my fingers it is quite flat now.

   

Jan Stawasz Moje Robotki 8/2007 Huge Doily tat-along Row 3

The doily after row three measures 18cm or 7 inches diameter. you will notice a small green knot about 4 oclock near the centre. This is a marker for the right side of the doily to assist in keeping me on track.  The ecru color seems boring after the Spring Doily so I am going to photograph against this bright background. 
My doily is quite crumpled but laying flat. Those long chains still giving me a challenge but I am hoping they will sort themselves out and behave once the doily is larger. 

Snip Snip

This Jan Stawasz Moje Robotki has me on a steep learning curve.

But finally this row is getting under control. I had to get out the scissors when I found that I had been missing a picot on those long chains, but it was a blessing in disguise as I am doing and controlling them much better now.

Working with the Coats Aida (10) is very comfortable.  It tends to twist easily so I am slowed down by dropping the shuttles and waiting for them to stop spinning. I am also getting into the  Jan Stawasz method. It will be interesting to see how it looks once I reach row XVIII.


There are a few other tatting projects going on and they will be revealed in time but for now they are a good distraction from this doily. 

Moje Robotki Row 2

Whoops, had some problems with my phone and my computer each trying to blog.  Here is row 2, I had a few problems climbing out but managed ok with a few split rings and a split chain then another split ring.

 

Left, Lizbeth 10 Snow White  122 yds/ball------Right Coats Aida 10 Ecru 280m/ball

The Lizbeth is slightly larger and smoother which makes it easier to close rings and control chains. The costs were very similar.

Jan Stawasz Moje Robotki 8/2007 Huge Doily tat-along Row 1

I ordered some Coats Aida 10 Ecru and a copy of Moje Robotki 8/2007 which contains a Large Doily designed by Jan Stawasz. and have shown Row I.

The thread is actually a nice creamy color and when compared to Lizbeth 10 it is slightly thinner. I am using a Starlit and Moonlit shuttle as they hold a lot of thread.

I am trying to do it "Jan's" way which has the picots on a ds as opposed to between. This is a new way of tatting for me and I am taking it slow. The doily is slightly cupped but I think if I dampen it this will disappear. I will just put it in a heavy book overnight.


I am not afraid of a large doily, the tablecloth in the header measures about 4 feet by 5 feet and I crochet it square by square about 35 years ago, now I wish I kept better track of my projects.


 If you get this post twice, sorry, had some issues with blogger on my smart phone and  this post was deleted.

Spring Napkin / Doily Finished

Finished Size 21inches or 54 cm

Buyer Beware

This past week I had to make a quick trip to Victoria BC to attend a funeral. Saturday afternoon was free and I found myself at a "Vintage Fair".  Arriving just before closing I found one plastic shuttle for $8.00 which I did not buy and then came across these two below.

 

They were listed as a pair of French Ivory Sewing Pieces for $20.00.  The top one is bone or antler with a great weight. The lower one appears to be Bakelite, much lighter than the bone. Lucky for me all the tips are still touching and I only paid $10.00 for both. Neither are Ivory as advertised, well perhaps ivory colored. French, I doubt that too.

Dealing with a Hank

Of course I chose Corsage as the first color to try but I needed to get it from the hank to the shuttle.  Jane E suggested first winding it to an EZ-Bob bobbin.  These bobbins have one hard flat plastic side and a pliable cone shape on the other.  Depending on how full you fill them the cone will fold back over the thread and hold the thread so you can untwist the thread as you go. Just like we hang our shuttles before making a ring.

In the past mostly with yarn or crochet cotton hanks, I have used the top of a chair that has two pinnacles (H) or a volunteer.  With neither of these nearby I grabbed two large glasses and had them hold the hank while I walked around with the EZ-Bob. There happen to be a pencil nearby so I stuck that through my EZ-Bob to assist in the winding.

I attached the label that came with my HDT and ready to go.

Hand Dyed Thread

 I have been careful when purchasing my tatting supplies to do a little research to get good quality at a great price and so far have been quite satisfied with my shuttles and threads.

Today I received my first batch of Hand Dyed Thread (HDT).  I purchased a bit of Parakeet, Stardate and Corsage from Yarnplayer.  I have been admiring from afar and now have some to tat.  Any advice to move it from the hank to my shuttles?

Spring Napkin / Doily Row 11

Finally it feels like I can see the end of this project. Sorry for the poor photograph but I leave that expertise to others. This is getting quite large and I am learning a lot from it especially how to open a ring, how not to tat when you are tired and my new friend the weavers knot.  I ran into a snag when the previous row came undone. Fortunately I hadn't cut the ends yet and there was just enough to add a bit of thread and fix it.  Oh that's another thing I have been getting good at, adding a new thread. 

Spring Napkin / Doily Row 8

Row 8 was similar to row 3 but it took a very long time to get aound. No more new colors but I don't like the pink, its a bit light for me and it does not show up well in the photo.  Completed this row on May 23 and gave it a bit of a spray with water and very gentle and lightly with the iron.  Didn't want to erase the stitches.

Spring Napkin /Doily Row 3

Row three completed, as I am unsure how much thread I will need so I plan to use a bit of each of the vintage pastels mom gifted to me. It has been suggested that I use the weavers knot and tat over ends which is working quite well. This post is late I actually was finished Row 3 on April 25, 2014.

The Clay Chimera Studio

I had the pleasure of hosting the Clay Chimera Studio last night. They were in town for the Comic and Entertainment Expo.   I had purchased the pot with the lid a few months ago.  Amanda gifted me some beautiful clay pieces she created to tat around. Here is a close up below.

I hope the tatting will not take away from these lovely pieces.  What do you think, a centerpiece for a pendent?

Thank you again Amanda.

Spring Napkin/Doily Row 2

Row two complete and time to choose new colors.  So far it is laying very flat.  I still have the ends to deal with and hate that there is no easy way to change color and end between rounds.  Going at my own pace but enjoying the pattern.

Happy Easter

We have had to wait for the snow and ice to melt but finally sunshine and a glorious morning. I have started the 2014 Spring Napkin/ doily and below is row 1 and the start of row 2. The directions can be found here.

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!

Rose and Crown

This is a little experiment comparing shuttle and needle. I admit it is not quite fair as the orange is very soft thread and does not shuttle tat well. The pale pink I was experimenting a bit with the joins so it’s not my best needle tatting either but nice to see them side by side.

The pattern is from Le Blog de Frivole she has lots of free patterns and many you can purchase too.

I like how easy the interlocking rings are to do with the needle and I can see many applications of this like the centre of a ring or any center for tatting.

Hearts Desire

Needle Tatted

No time to tat (sad face) so I thought I'd share one of the first pieces I did.  I needle tatted this long before I could correctly read a pattern or know how to reverse work. But Diane loved it and took it on her trip to Europe.  The pattern by Susan Fuller can be found here.

I love the Spring colors, I have lots of this thread and you will see many pieces that I have done with it. It is J&P Coats 6 cord Merc Cotton 20 shade 1228. Below the same pattern but Shuttle tatted this time.  I was still having issues reversing work but it is getting better. 



First Shuttle tatted piece July 2013 Pattern: Heart's Desire by Susan K FullerJ&P Coats 6 cord Merc Cotton 20 shade 1228

Magic Moments

I was gifted this thread with an order from HH about 4 shuttles full on a little spool. It is Lizbeth Size 20 and I am guessing the color is sherbet delight but I could be wrong.  I adore the designer Jon Yosoff and the link to the pattern is on her site here. It is a two shuttle pattern and good practice for an intermediate tatter. I hope you love the spring colors as much as I do. 
I started to drop the shuttle through my rings on this project to see how it would work and I had a little twist at the end, it has been suggested to add a 2nd half ds at the end of the ring to see if it balances the ring a bit better. Oh and don't forget to hold the ring in the pinch as you close and make sure you dangle your shuttles to reduce thread twist.

I have finished my taxes and just one more hurdle at the office before I can devote more time to my tatting.

I FOUND IT

While on the hunt for some beads to work into a sample piece I was working on, tucked back in the drawer was my little hanky that I had done so many many years ago. The little rings tied so nicely.  It is a ring only pattern from my Learn How Book, which I still have.

About Me

I learned to knit and crochet more than 50 years ago and but most recently I have been tatting. I did learn to  shuttle tat (rings only)  more than 40  years ago, I only did one hanky edge and then never picked up another shuttle, Then in May of 2013 I taught myself to needle tat and picked up the shuttles again.  Some people call me ambitatterous because I do both needle and shuttle.  I am still learning to make rings and chains  and tatting the patterns that inspire me.

Grandmas Shawl

 Mom said grandma was a terrible knitter and you never knew where your heels would be in the socks she knit but we have a picture of her wearing this crochet head scarf/shawl as a young married bride. We estimate it to be about 95 years old.  It is still a light yellow color and has one stain on it.  The thread is still strong and the work done with alternating motifs and an edging. All about size 30 cotton thread. I don't recall her teaching me but I remember I could always go to her if I had a problem with my stitches.