Diagonal Potholders

One gal in my Tai Chi class asked if I could fix some potholders for her.  She said she had them for years and they finally broke down in the dryer.  I looked at them and figured out how they were made and I have since made her a few new pairs.  

This easy potholder pattern is a double layer of crochet with the stitches going in opposite directions. They give great heat resistance being 100% cotton and are easy to clean.  I made this set  including the matching dishcloth. 

I'd forgotten how fast these made up.  I also found a link to the pattern. Enjoy.

Beaded Reticule

This small tatted bag was done in Lizbeth size 10 Color 684 Leaf Green, the beads are a 3mm purple. This was a class I took at Fringe Tat days in 2016.  This is a Karey Solomon pattern and she taught the class too. I have been sorting and organizing and found this WIP, (work in progress).

As I remember, I purchased a kit with blue thread but while tatting I ran into a knot so the green was substituted.

It is a bit fiddly to work with all these beads on such a small project and the weight of the beads makes the reticule heavy.  I had no problem loading the beads on a large clover shuttle. The reticule is 3 inches at the widest part and not quite large enough for a small clover shuttle.  But if you have a barbie doll this bag is a perfect fit.

  

Matching Clip

Just enough thread left on the shuttle to complete the badge clip cover matching the retractable Measuring Tape. 

This pattern was compiled by Diane Daiker and available as one of the classes at The Fringe Element Tatters Fall 2017 workshop.  It is done in a size 10 Hand Painted Thread by Karey Solomon of Graceful Arts.  The color is called Haloweenie 2.

There should be a metal split ring attached to the clip at the back but I have temporarily put a bent paperclip in until I find a ring the right size. 

You can attach your scissors to the badge attachment at the  bottom and the blue ribbon at the top goes around your neck.

Measure Up

This is the result of a class I took at Fringe with the teacher Diane Dalker.  Diane adapted the pattern from "Ecru Doily Pattern" from New Twist on Tatting by Catherine Austin, Sterling Publications, 1994.  It is a tatted cover for a retractable measureing tape.

I made this in a size 10 Hand Painted Thread of Karey Solomon of Graceful Arts. This color is called Halloweenie 2.    

Fringe also provided another pattern by Diane Daiker to cover a retractable badge holder which they suggest you use for scissors.  

I have one of those and must may make a matching set. 

More Flowering Quatrain

Because one bookmark is never enough, I made another Flowering Quatrain bookmark.  There is one flaw an extra picot can be seen on the top left clover. Oh well, I was well around by the time I realized it.

This time I used a large bead and a head pin curled into the single shuttle split ring at the end.  Great way to finish off  because when you are done, you are done.

I have a few single earrings that could easily be attached to finish off the bookmark too.  I think if you added another repeat in the middle the resulting size would make a good bookmark for those who don't like anything hanging out of the book.

This free pattern is by Joëlle Paulson and available on her site Le Blog de Frivole.

Flowering Quatrain Bookmark

This week we had a visitor, her initials are EEE. She is an accomplished musical artist and provided me with many free concerts.  We shared a laugh at the Schubert tune that comes from my washer and my dryer indicating the end of a load.  It is the only classical music I listen to.

As a little token of our friendship I tatted the Flowering Quatrain Bookmark in Lizbeth 178 Grape Pomegranate for her.

This free pattern is by Joëlle Paulson and available on her site Le Blog de Frivole.

The pattern is easier than it looks, you start with a series of split rings down the center then tat around them.  I continued on with a Josephine chain, and after putting a few beads on the end I finished off by finger tatting a single shuttle split ring (SSSR) and hiding an end on each side of the split ring. The SSSR keeps the beads on the end and facilitates the addition of a charm using a lobster claw finding.

The treble clef charm is just clipped to the SSSR and could be changed out for any to suit your recipient. 

Fringe 2017 continued

At the conference I had a class with Jane Eborall and purchased a beautiful  bag and pink brooch.  I did tat her little heart  which she called "My Heart is in Canada". Jane gifted me with a bit of her tatting, thanks again Jane.

Randy Houtz was teaching three classes and I took two of them.  I also purchased two more of The Shuttle Brothers books.  He had lots of shuttles and samples of his work which I thoroughly enjoyed.  He has a great sense of  humor is an excellent teacher.

Much to my delight Martha Ess was also attending the conference and brought some of her books to sell.  I bought home two.  Martha also brought her amazing tatted collar and to see it in person was a real treat, it is spectacular. She modeled it for us and I have pictures but best you visit her site to see it. Then if you have any questions she can answer them for you.

Now what tatting adventure is next?

Fringe 2017

I had a wonderful time at Fringe 2017 held in Cambridge Ontario.  But before Fringe I arrived a few days early to take in the Stratford Festival. They have a lovely walk along the shore of Lake Victoria where 22 swans reside.

I traveled with Marjorie and we saw two plays; Guys and Dolls  on Wednesday and and Bakkhai on Thursday.  After Guys and Dolls I was so overcome with emotion that I literally cried.

We left the theater Wednesday and headed off to Kingston to meet Ingrid who would be our guide into the Mennonite countryside.  We stopped at a farmers back door and I bought raw honey for my honey.  Marjorie bought plums and Ingrid, eggs, plums and potatoes.   The lady selling had lots of other homemade crafts for sale but I wanted to be careful to leave room in my luggage for tatting.  Many of the farms do not have electricity and some use buggies and horses to get around.  A few of the churches had hitching posts and outhouses.

We went to St. Jacobs for Dinner and Ingrid finished up the tour with a visit to the universities surrounding Kitchner/Waterloo area.

The next morning we traveled north to see St. Jacobs Farmers Market but we only stopped at the Antiques Store.  I found an edging book with crochet and tatting and a small hanky and a crystal which will have tatted wings added to it so it becomes an angel. 

Back to Stratford to See Bakkhai a play based on greek mythology and a tragedy.  This play was shorter so we had an evening free to snoop around the Mennonite countryside by ourselves.  We found a fantastic general store in Wallenstein.  I highly recommend a stop in to see the hats and boots in the back.  I found another little hanky (they call them honky's) and then on to Elmira then back to the hotel. 

Friday morning we had to return our rental car and had a pleasant walk back to the hotel.  The beauty about this conference is that there are stores and a variety of  restaurants all withing walking distance from the hotel.