Bobbie's Pincushion

There is a lot going on here. The pincushion was designed by Sharon J. She designed it after "Bobbie's Pincushion".  Bobbie Demmers original pincushion had a crochet center but Sharon started with a SCMR in honor of Gary H.  Sharon taught her design at the fall 2023 Camp Wannatat workshop.  

Kits were provided to complete the cushion.  I started that center so many times and in the end finished four pincushion tops.  The thread used for this one is a  Hakelgarn size 20. I love how the Hen and Chicks edging sits beyond the cushion.  

I don't sew much or well but am pleased with how this one came out. My plan is to use it in a gift exchange later this month.

For his Guild

I had a request in mid March for some "tattings of jewelry nature" that would be for sale. The request was for a door prize at a "Twisted Sisters Craft Guild".  I offered all I had and two earrings were chosen.

The top earrings are Sweetheart by Marilee Rockley, they are actually navy blue, size 20 Hakelgarn.  The pattern is in her Boutique tatting book. Available from Yarnplayer or her Etsy page.

The lower pair in black is by Corina Mayfeldt  Waves done with silver beads and size 50 Altin Basak.

Fairy and Tardis

This Fairy, pattern by Jane Eborall, found its way to another's tree as part of an ornament exchange. I used Lizbeth 101 Spring Flower size 20.  The legs are added separately.  I really liked how the beads gave this pattern sparkle. The exchange partner has a little girl and I thought she would like a fairy. 

I also sent along this Tardis.  The Tardis is made with Hakelgarn 20 navy blue. I made it right after the US election but sadly it's not big enough for anyone.

The Tardis is designed by Anne Bruvold and a free pattern is available here. This pattern uses split rings  to move on from one row to the other. and a split chain to finish.

 As it turns out the recipient  of these ornaments is very interested in tatting and wants to learn, sadly she is many miles away but I'm here to help in any way I can.

Another Lanyard

I have completed a green beaded lanyard and it is on its way to a tatting friend. The glass beads were a dollar store purchase and vary a bit in size.  I sorted out the too large and too small.  I used a hakelgarn 20 ecru thread which is very smooth.  Using a Tatsy shuttle is a must due to the size and number of beads required.  The pattern is from Patti Duff with an adjusted stitch count.   I blogged about this pattern before here.

This one shuttle ring only pattern travels well so it does not take too long to finish these. With inexpensive beads and a bit of thread my Tatsy shuttle is ready for another lanyard.

I attached jump rings so additional findings can be attached easily.

Today is a Canadian Thanksgiving day and I have rushed to post before getting dinner on the table.  To all my Canadian friends around the world, Happy Thanksgiving Day.  I am very grateful for all I have. 

Mixed Media

In honor of Valentines Day, I give you some hearts. There are four different tatted hearts and four identical crochet hearts.

I have made these small crochet pineapple heart sachets for many years and given to my girlfriends on Valentine's Day. They are a modified pattern from an old White Crochet magazine.  I create two pineapple motifs and lace together with ribbon. A small soap can be inserted or a bag of lavender. You could also fill with fiber filling and create a pincushion.  They make up quickly and I now add some tatting to the top to make them my own.

The tatted hearts are as follows:
Starting at 12:00 o'clock is the Sweet Heart Valentine by Maria Lenuta "MaryLena" Pop.  This is a pattern provided by the online tatting class. I created this with one shuttle only. It is similar to ankars tatting.
At 3:00 o'clock is  heart by Agnieszka Dreker and a link to the pattern is here. 
At 6:00 o'clock is a pattern by Eileen Stafford, I made this in Hakelgarn 20 and the pattern is available here.
At 9:00 o'clock is a tatted heart made from a corner vintage pattern,  I spoke about on the blog here.

Heart Doily

Finally, I have completed this doily.  I used Hakelgarn size 20.  Odd but the yellow thread was not as smooth as the blue or rust.  The completed size is 15.5 inches or 37 cm.  That is one of the larger clover shuttles in the picture. The pattern can be found at Land of Laces website.

The banner of 20 hearts is made and then attached to the previous row.  I left long tails on the banner row  and then finished up the joining the hearts. Once all the hearts had been attached I finished the banner row.  I did this to ensure I did not get any twists in the banner.

This started off as a use up the left over thread in the shuttle  and that is why the center is blue.  I think I could remove this and retat the center in the rust or yellow but I am happy to have this completed.

Hearts Doily Row 7

I am on the last row of this doily, the banner row complete now to attach to the main doily. Wish me luck.

I am thinking of replacing that blue center with the yellow and I think it can be done. Any suggestions?

Helpful links:
Last Row

Almost half around

Almost half around this row and eager to finish to get back to the "Big One".  You tat a banner of hearts separately and it is recommended not to close into a circle but wait for the connecting round. I really like the hearts pattern round the edge of this doily. The pattern can be found here.  

The last of this years canning has been completed and I just finished up 11 quarts and 2 pints of pears.  It is not my husbands favorite so these are all mine, although I did promise a jar to my sister.  I used the glass lids and rubber rings, these look so pretty in the cupboard as I remove the metal bands to store. It is a little tricky to use glass lids and I wouldn't recommend it to someone just starting out canning as there are newer and easier ways.

Hearts Doily Rows 4 and 5

It might be hard to see these last two rows, they are full of picots in contrast to the only joining picots in the previous rows.  Next is a band of hearts and then finally a joining round.  I am doing the round of hearts in the rust color.  The doily in Hakelgarn  20 currently measures 11 inches (27 cm).   

I've been busy doing up some gifts and below is one of my favorite snowflakes, It is from Tatting by Penelope Book 3, picture on page 4 and directions on page 14.  I plan to put it on a Thank You Card.  I have actually tatted this once before and in my earnest to tat this I learned to do split chains and my first split ring was done on this pattern. This snowflake is done with a soft embroidery thread measures 4 inches (10 cm), point to point. I made slight modifications from the original pattern.

 

Hearts Doily Row 3

Don't look too close, I had to repair in two spots as I had extra set of chain stitches in them.  Then there were eight ends to hide.

I went ahead with the rust color and it looks great, I will use yellow for the next two rows and then a row of rust hearts to finish off.

I am also working the Big Monster JS Doily but row 12 has been quite the struggle.  Miscounting and the size 10 tires me out so I make more mistakes.  Seems I go backwards more that frontwards so I have put it aside again.  

Leftover Thread in the Shuttle

It started out as just using up the leftover thread from the lanyard project.  Instead of choosing a smaller project this happened. I was able to get more than halfway around before I needed to add thread as I was using the large clover shuttles. 

This is the first two rows of the Heart Doily found here, Frywolitkowa Serwetka Serduszkowa - Tatted Heart Doily by Dorothy Koscielniak.  It is a very striking doily offered up as a tat-along from Land of Laces. You tat the row of hearts separately and use a joining row to attach the hearts to the previous rows of the doily.   I have used Hakelgarn 20 in a navy blue and pale yellow and am trying to decide on  a color for the next row.

So should I stay with these two colors or branch out?  The other Hakelgarn colors I have at hand are light green, bright yellow, beige, peach, rose, rust and red. I am open to suggestions.

First Lanyard

It always feels so good to finish a project and this lanyard is done.  It's not perfect but that leaves room for improvement.  I used Hakelgarn 20 in a navy or dark blue. The pattern was from Jane Eborall.

Although I do like the pearls I found them difficult to work with. The length of the beads are 34 inches and does stretch a bit.  I did have some issues keeping the threads straight, it was tricky using the larger clovers but a good learning experience. 
I had recently broken a lanyard so I had extra attachments to put on the ring.  I may make another one. Any suggestions?

Jane's Lanyard

This is the second start of a lanyard using a Jane Eborall pattern. (the first was a test and may become a zipper pull.) I revised the ring count to fit the two sizes of beads and added a picot instead of more beads at the sides. The round beads do not like to sit beside another round bead, Bicones may have been a better choice, or only beading every other ring.  too late now. These are plastic pearls in two sizes, don't ask me the size as I just raided my stash.

The shuttles shown are the large clovers and if you don't like the points on clovers, then these points are even more painful but the shuttles hold more than twice the amount of thread than the smaller clover shuttles hold. My big hands don't mind the larger size at all.  I am using a dark blue Hakelgarn thread, marked 20 but it looks and tats closer to 30, a nice and easy tat and retrotat but... it is a dark thread so I work with plenty of light.

The pink paperclip is because I load up a bead just before I start the ring and don't need two hands to remove the paperclip once the bead is anchored to the top of the ring. I keep a hook nearby because I am attaching to the previous ring to keep the lanyard from twisting and it is working so far. I also use the hook to load up each bead. If you use smaller shuttles and find you need to add thread,  the ends can be easily hidden in the beads.

I have beaded a few lanyards before and found them very useful. By adding a lobster claw to each end you can attach a big loop to rest your glasses, cheaters or pendant,  it becomes a functional chatelaine and of course a place for an ID badge for work or play. 

Small Maple Leaf

I made these little earrings for one of my co-workers.She is Canadian but has been living in Hong Kong for the past seven years and manages our office there. They are not identical, but then neither are my ears and these still need ear wires. I will make another pair for myself and we can each wear maple leafs on Canada Day July 1st. 

I used Hakelgarn 20 and 2mm pearls and it took less than one hour per earring. The pattern is from Yarnplayer.  If you have ever been wishing for one of her books, HDT or patterns visit her blog and you will see why you should do it NOW.   Thanks Marilee!

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.