Happy New Year 2023

Another year of tatting, I can see I get just a little bit better with each year.  I saw my largest improvement when I attended my first conference.  

Thinking of attending one in 2023, I have listed some in the USA below, sadly there is no event planned in Canada.  Perhaps I will see you at one  or two :) 

1. Finger Lakes Tatters -  April 14 - 16, 2023  www.fingerlakestatting.com

2. Camp Wanna Tat  - April 20 - 23, 2023, September 28 - October 1, 2023

Held at the Lutheran Bible Camp located on Flathead Lake near Kalispell, Montana

3. Shuttlebirds -  April 27- 29, 2023   www.shuttlebirds.com 

4. Tatting Corner - July 6 - 8, 2023    

Tat Sea cruise Nov 5 - 12, 2023 www.tattingcorner.com 

5. Palmetto Tatters - August 17-20, 2023

 www.palmettotatters.org

I tatted these flakes using a 6 strand Sandbest thread.  All designs are from Robin Perfetti Four Dozen tatted Snowflakes. 

Robin Perfetti #16

Robin Perfetti #45

Robin Perfetti #35

 

Dorset Buttons

The button below was taught at Palmetto Tat Days 2022 by Shawna Wachs.  It is made in a Lizbeth size 10 and is a good size for an ornament. Oddly I ended up taking three classes from her this year.  Great teacher, great patterns. 

It was a dear friend who taught me to make Dorset Buttons, below is my first one. They are a good use of  thread that does not work well for tatting.  The one below is made with a variegated pearl cotton. She also showed me how to weave a little shank on the back for attachment.

What can you do with a Dorset button, well anything you can do with a button plus they are a cute little give away too.

Ornament Ornaments

 

Patti Duff designed and taught this  pattern at Camp Wanna Tat this fall.  We were able to do it in one pass using a single shuttle split ring. 

The two little two tone blue ones are done in a size 20 Lizbeth thread and the others using a 6 strand Sanbest thread. 

I really like these and although I did make some that I gave away, I will be keeping a few for my own collection. 

In and out snowflakes

It must be ten years ago that I first saw these flakes by Renulek on her blog.  I replaced a tiny ring with a Josephine ring in the top one.  Done in a DMC  size 80 thread they are about 5 cm point to point.  I made these for myself as most of my tatted flakes get given away especially this time of year. 

The rounds are all made separately, with the first two interwoven before you complete the third.  

 

Icy Earrings

I love these little blue earrings. I used a free pattern from Instagram provided by @kimihof . 

I used a size 80 thread and size 15 seed beads and a small 4mm bicone crystal for the center.  I tried to measure the w\eight on my kitchen scale.  Two earrings including wired were less than a gram.  They sparkle up nicely once I rubbed the starch off the crystals.  Since the beads are already on the thread I just may attempt another pair for a friend. 

Gwiazdka Dalia

Found this pattern in my files from 5 years ago. It was a free pattern on a blog site,  you can find the link here.  With a few split rings and split chains it can be done moving round to round.  

This flake was done with a DMC 80 thread and measures 2.25 in or 5.5 cm.  I need to try another with a few beads added.

Helix Tatting

I was taught this technique at Camp Wanna Tat fall session 2022.  The pattern is by Richard Embry and involves the use of eight shuttles at once.  He taught this at Palmetto Tat Days in 2021.  

Completed in a size 10 Lizbeth thread it measures  7 inches or 18 cm.  Because the tatting is hollow I have put a craft pipe cleaner inside to hold the bend. 

 

Laura's Beaded Wreath

 

I am not quite ready for snowflakes yet so I tatted up this two round wreath.  I used a size 80 vintage coats thread color 23 along with size 15 beads.  I have put on a bit of stiffening and plan to add to a card.  The wreath measures 3 in or 7.5 cm.  

Laura Bobay designed this wreath and I have had the pattern in my files for some time.  I think it needs a small red bow. 

Dora Young Pot Holder

It is actually the center of the potholder but done in size 40 thread this pot holder  measures only 2.25 inches (5.5 cm) point to point.  You would have to have a very small pot for this to hold.  

Tollway Tatting Group

This is the result of my attempts of tie-dye some cotton shirts.  I used the teeny tiny kit from Dharma Trading Co. and also purchased the shirts from them.  

The kit contains everything you need except an apron to protect your clothes. Leftover dye can be kept for a few months too.  The shirts have gone through a few washings and still look great with no fading.  

I have been fortunate to enjoy the company of the Tollway Tatting Group over the past few years.  Zoom has allowed us to meet.  They always wear Tie-dye shirts so this was my prompt to create mine to wear during the monthly meetings.  You can find the group on Facebook. 

Slippers

Again a pair of slippers, this time from a crochet pattern by Stephanie Zed.  After I made them I found that they needed a strap so that they would not slip off so I made a strap and added a mother of pearl button from my mom's button jar.  

These slippers are for my sister to wear in the temple. She loved them.  I used a four ply acrylic yarn with a size 3mm hook and finished these in a few hours.  

I prefer more of a bootie or barefoot depending on the season.  I also like a more solid sole which could be added to these very easily. 

Mobile of Angels

  It is called "Cathedral Angel" and the design is by Elaine Gan.  I really like this one she designed as it makes good use of those chandelier drops. 

I inserted a crystal drop inside and used another crystal bead from the chandelier for the head.

I didn't have a form to block these on so I just used a large dowel to hang them of to dry as I had dampened with water and straightened out the skirt.  I added beads to all the edges and was able to complete in one pass.  So if you haven't learned to do a split chain yet, it will open a whole world of seamless tatting. 

I entered this into a judged competition at the Calgary Stampede and won a third place ribbon. 

  

Round 6

This round was an easy tat, just rings and chains all the same count.  On to number seven. 

I am using a vintage Coats & Clarks color 13 size 70 along with a DMC color 67 size 80. I have been able to climb to each new round so far. 

You can find this doily on Renata's site here.  She offers the option of waiting weekly for a new round to be released or purchase all 17 rounds from her Etsy site. 

And then she tatted

Sorry I couldn't resist the Renulek Spring Doily 2022,  These are the first four rounds.  By this time I had restarted four times and cut once.  Right after this picture was taken I had to cut again as I missed a little but very important TOR (throw off ring).  

I am using a vintage Coats & Clarks color 13 size 70 along with a DMC color 67 size 80.  I may even add another color along the way.  I am trying my best to do front side backside.

At the present time I have not blocked not trimmed my ends and the current stat is a bit frilly but I am confident that this will settle. Visit again to see the next round and my 2021 doily progress.

You can find this doily on Renata's site here.  She offers the option of waiting weekly for a new round to be released or purchase all 17 rounds from her Etsy site. 

Doris The Dragon TIAS 2022

   

The final stitches have been completed and it is a Dragon. I didn't know there would only be a few more days left, and that is part of the fun of Tat It And See, you just don't know.  

Don't forget to send you completed dragons on to Jane at the TIAS site so she can count you in. Tell her the thread and of course where you are from.  

Scissor Sheath

While stitching with a friend I lent my scissors; they commented on them so I thought, somebody needs scissors. Then I saw some cute scissors for a low price and ordered them.  They did not come with a sheath.  I like to keep my scissors in a sheath to protect the tips and my threads in my project bag so I needed to create one.  

I had a few bits of  leather, traced a pattern, cut and lightly glued the two pieces along the edge.  Then I used a tracing wheel to create the distance between stitches. I used an awl to make holes. I used two needles and a saddle stitch to stitch around the edge, backstitching at the start and stop. 

The next time I see my stitching friend I will gift these scissors and sheath.   

I added a bit of tatting to the scissors and included one of my needle minders to the gift. 

They were well received, happy stitching. 

TIAS 2022 Day 4,5,6,7,8,9,10 and 11

 

Emblem Tatting

Her name is Clematis and she takes 144 beads on the shuttle.  This is a ring only one shuttle pattern.  The directions are given in English, Japanese and diagramed.  

Once you understand the notation you can quickly tat this motif.  I used some seed beads and 6 strand Sanbest thread.  I was able to fill a large clover shuttle with all the beads and enough thread to complete. 

The design is from the book Emblem Tatting by Mikami Gaku.   As soon as I shop my stash for some additional beads I'll be making another.

Blame it on Diane

Sometimes you get a pattern in your head and you just can't stop tatting it.  Well that happened a few days ago and along came all these icedrops.  Made popular by Diane Cademartori.

I had posted about these earlier here. So it appears that I have again gotten Icedrop fever.  The pattern is a slight variation on the pattern Purple Fudge Ice Drop and is made in one pass.  Patterns can be found in the files of the Facebook page Ice Drop Addicts. hmm, seems to be a theme here.  

Over the years I have had many of these glass drops gifted but I mostly had a bag of clear ones.  I painted the flat bottoms with nail polish, one or two coats as needed.  Then tatted these up using some 6 strand Sanbest polyester thread.  

Finally I used earring stops and a coilless pin to create one into a brooch. 

It's a Shank Button

I needed two buttons a while back for my sisters slippers but they came in a set of three so this button sat idle in the button jar for a time.  I recently saw a design by Sharron Morgan called I Heart This. 

The design is a tatted heart attached to a 9/16 inch jump ring, then you put a shank button through the ring.  Using a coilless safety pin and earring stoppers the tatting is now changed into a brooch. 

So I borrowed this idea and this button can now be worn on my hat, well perhaps my sisters hat.   

Occasionally  I run across a few shank buttons that would look nice on a lapel or such. You could even do a cluster of them.   

I hope I have sparked your idea for the use of some of your favorite shank buttons.

Goldwork

One of the many perks of joining a needlecraft guild is that you are introduced to different types of fiber arts.  My local guild, the Calgary Guild of Needle and Fibre Arts put together a starter kit and taught this project in Goldwork.

I learned a little about pearl purl, rough purl, smooth purl and spangles.  Whew a whole new language.  

I still need to finish the back of this piece and perhaps that will be another class.

This is a pattern by Sarah Homfray and you can find her website here. 

Keeping Balance

I met a kind person who happens to love flamingos so I tatted this to put on a Thank You Card.

The pattern for this flamingo can be found for free on Jane Eborall patterns page and you have the option of tatting with two straight legs or one bent.  

I used a Manuela size 20 thread and two shuttles for all those split rings.  

 

TIAS 2022 Day 1, 2, 3

 

If you haven't begun there is still time to start.  Link to the TIAS blog is here. 

Lace Baskets

Years ago, I had the honor of meeting Judith Connors, She taught a course in making a tatted basket.  Designed by Lene McKenzie called Lacy Basket and Lid.  Judith told the class that Lene had made these to hold treats at her daughters wedding. Lene made one for each guest, I recall the number was over one hundred.

I never did finish that basket but I did finish this one, It is an adaptation by Linda Williams and Joelle Paulson. 

There were numerous mistakes and I will make another better.  The floral glass bead in the center was clear but I painted some nail polish on the flat bottom. School glue diluted with water was used to stiffen, remembering to remove excess and clean the glass before letting it completely dry.   

I have a few projects from last year still on the shuttles and they are calling me.  It is a perfect opportunity to work on those projects while I get to do TAT IT AND SEE 2022 which starts in just a few days.

 so