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. 

One Little Picot

I find it amazing what one little picot added to this pattern by Patti Duff has done.  The typical lanyard has been transformed, so much so that the new design gave me inspiration for a pair of matching earrings.

This lanyard is meant to be stitched on a hat as a hatband and together with the earrings are being gifted to a lovely lady who gifted to me her extra pair of boot grippers.

If the hatband is too long a small part can just dangle down or if too short then a flower or bow can be added to make up the space.

I used a Tatsy shuttle for the long hatband but only a small shuttle is required for the earrings.  Don't forget that extra thread and beads on the shuttle can become zipper pulls of various lengths.

I used a vintage Coats 30 ecru and a 3mm glass bead.  The hatband is 22.2  inches or 57 cm long.

Thank you once again Patti for a quick and easy one shuttle pattern. 

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. 

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.

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.