Snowflakes

Although I don't know her, these patterns by Renata Niemczyk were posted for free on her Facebook page.  I found the repurposed vintage thread was very soft so the buttons and beads gave the snowflakes structure.  I have made many many of her patterns.

I found that the pattern could accommodate most sizes of buttons, 

 

 

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.

Even More Lanyards

A few years ago I purchased some Omega Thread, it is a nice thread.  You can tat with it but I prefer other brands for most projects. 

It is a little soft for most tatting but works great for lanyards.  I  really like the Patti Duff beaded lanyard because once the beads are loaded I can travel anywhere and tat without losing a bead.  It is a shuttle only pattern, all rings.

I have long fingers so I do not mind using a Tatsy shuttle.  I always have one loaded up ready to go.   I have found that is usually takes about 4 evenings to complete a lanyard.

Finish off the lanyard by adding a jump ring to each end then you have endless options as to how to use it. 

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.

  

One Shuttle Earrings

Quick and easy these three sets came from one shuttle of leftover thread, It is a size 20, gifted shuttle wound with this thread, a pink and white variegated.  The beads give the earrings some weight and assist with keeping the shape.

I loaded the beads on the shuttle, pulled of a yard of thread and made the first ring.  I finished off the earring with a SSSR (Single Shuttle Split Ring).  I was able to hide the ball thread in the first side of the SSSR.

All the beads are on rings so this would make a good travel project. 

Simple Star

This is a quick one shuttle pattern, Helen Stammers Simple Star.  The pattern can be found here.  I have used a vintage Coats 30 thread so it does not show up  super white.  The stars  are tatted with silver, gold and blue beads, I used a diluted white glue to stiffen.

Put 40 beads on the ball thread and take about a meter off the ball and wind a shuttle.  The pattern can also be done without beads on the picots. 

Zigzag Lanyard

I was looking for a quick lanyard pattern with beads as I wanted to have something to keep my magnifying eyeglasses on.  I like the weight that beads give to the tatting.  Searched my stash and found 3 mm fuchsia colored pearls and matched with a vintage 30 ecru J&P Coats thread.  I made a few trial pieces and this is what I came up with.

I used two Aero shuttles with hooks on each for ease of bead attachment.  160 beads made a length of 24 inches, the amount will vary for the length you want. The zigzag effect is created by switching shuttles.  

Start and end with a ring for attachments.  In this case I attached a split ring and then inexpensive eyeglass holders.  Had I attached a lobsterclaw, I could easily switch out for a medallion, hook or name tag.

I have made two previous lanyards, the Patti Duff Lanyard and a Jane Eboral Lanyard.

Tatsy Shuttle

Just back from Shuttlebirds and had such a wonderful time.  We left home at 8:20 AM and arriving at the hotel at 3:30 PM (+1) so an 8 hour drive including one border crossing.  Hubby brought his bike along and went for a ride along the many bike trails in Spokane, I went to tat.

Almost everyone there was wearing the Patti Duff Lanyard.  The finished lanyard has a nice weight and sits and flat against the neck without twisting.

I happen to have a Tatsy shuttle which can hold the 250 beads needed for the project.  This Kelly Green color 713 Lizbeth 20 thread was a trade I acquired at the conference and I bought a tube of size 6 beads and loaded up.  It is important to get the first double stitch of the ring tight against the previous bead but once that is in place the remainder of the ring goes quickly.

This project is perfect for travelling as it is only rings so no ball thread is required.  Once I had a good length tatted, I temporarily attached a small hook to the lanyard and everything fit neatly into my eyeglass case along with a pair or cheaters (eyeglasses).

This pattern is very versatile and a good beginner project. The lanyard can be wrapped around the wrist to make a bracelet and depending on the endings it can be used for eyeglasses, name tags or a matching pendant added. You have an endless choice of bead and thread combinations. The finished length is 32 inches long.

Renulek Advent Wreath

I have been busy tatting up snowflakes and gifts for Christmas and had to try this wreath by Renulek which can be found here.  She also has a new one for 2015 here.  Originally I thought I would use it as a brooch but doing it in Pearl cotton it came out quite large but I had an idea.  The idea actually came from another tatting site, I believe this is the same candle holder that Cornelia uses and shows the inserts she has made on her site.

I won this glass candle holder at The Fringe Element Tat Days 2015.  You can place almost anything between the glass and it will stay clean and protected. You can add a tealight candle, real or battery powered. If you turn it over it will hold a bit larger candle. I almost need a few more of these for the table as I only have the one. 

Needlecases

Just a sample of some needlecases I have made.  I learned to do these from the book Beaded Needlecases by Jeannie Might.

An Aunt of mine really liked these and her husband was a carpenter so he was able to make me some wooden cases to bead around.  These are the longer needlecases in the picture. The needlecase on the right was made for my mom who loved carousel horses.  I just don't bead as much as I used to. I am slowly incorporating beads into my tatting.

Crocheted Beaded Bags

Some years ago I started making these little beaded bags.  Made with size 11 beads and crochet cotton, pearle or size 10. I use mine to keep jewelry in when travelling.  It would be easy to adjust the size of the bag to accommodate a shuttle and small ball of thread or just a shuttle.  The picture below only shows what I have left as I have given many away.

They were based on the patterns and techniques found in Margaret Snouffer's book Crocheted Beaded Bags which I purchased at a local bead store.  I have also made a small evening bag using the same techniques.