Daniela Mendola

I have completed this small mat by Daniela Mendola.   You can find the free pattern on the blog here.  There are nine rounds and I used two shuttles and climbed to each row using split rings and split chains.
   

I made the first repeat of the last row incorrect so I just continued with the incorrect version for the next 11 repeats.  I thought with 12 points that this would fit a clock face but the clock I had in mind was too small and with my larger clock is not able to come apart so I am back on the hunt for a clock or smaller 12 pointed pattern.

 I used a vintage size 80 thread Star Six Cord shade 144.5. The finished piece measures 8 inches or 20 cm diameter. I had some issues with the thread breaking at a few rings.  Ahh the joys of using vintage thread.

Jan Stawasz Moje Robotki 8/2007 Huge Doily tat-along Row 12

It has been 10 months, really 10 months for me to complete Row 12.  It is not a difficult row but I took a long break.  Using size 10 is quite tiring, additionally it is now gardening season and although I can wash my hands my tatting time is limited.

I climbed out of Row 12 using a split ring and now enjoying row 13.  Once around I will slightly block and measure, but it is big.

Any discoloration in the photo is due to lighting, the doily is being made in Aida 10 Ecru.

She's Back

For those of you who have been wondering, you can now register for the Fringe Element TAT DAYS  taking place in Cambridge Ontario on September 23rd and 24th . A quick link to the participants registration form and further information can be found on the website.

One returning teacher, Jennifer Williams taught her pattern of this shuttle shaped brooch last year. I used size 10 for the shuttle and a mix of size 30/40 for the leaves and petals.

Mother's Hands

My mother could tat but she excelled at knitting. To the left is a doily she knit in white size 30, 24 inches across.  It has a stain and I want to clean it up to use in my home. For those of you who have read my earlier posts or know me, will know that my mother taught me to tat.  I completed one small hanky using rings only and it wasn't until 40+ years later that I learned to tat chains and began expanding on my tatting techniques.  My mother passed before I finished my first tatted doily, she did see it half way done.

So a very strange thing happened to me today.  I was searching the depths of my summer clothes looking for a pair of shorts to wear during the heat wave we are having and much to my surprise I happened upon this piece of tatting which must have been tatted by my mother.  I've pinned it out and it is tatted using ecru about a size 10.  I have some Christmas bells that mother also tatted but don't recall this doily but who else could have done it.   So after pinning it it looked familiar and as happen-chance this is the same pattern as the white doily I had been gifted from my sister, Vintage Doily Mystery, could it be that they were both tatted by my mother? Possible as they did know each other and exchanged gifts. The white one on the right has a few more rows but they are the same pattern. Wouldn't that be something but we will never know.
 

        

Update on the monsterpiece,  I am still on row 12 with one medallion left to go around before I start the next row.

Carry on Tatting

 A few weeks ago I won a giveaway from Tats Heaven in honor of her 450th blog post and it arrived today. Tucked in to the package was a card with a little tatted button.  The front of the card said "Keep Calm and Carry On", it should say "Carry on Tatting".   Thanks again Tats Heaven.

I have been working on the Monster Doily, halfway around row 12.  I would have been farther along but made a mistake and had to back up a bit.   I'm not tatting as much as I usually do as the garden still needs a few more rows of planting and yard work is calling me so I am spending more time outdoors.

I brought a sample of tatted earrings to one of my ladies groups which prompted a request for a few sets of earrings in different colors.  They'll be done when I find the thread and beads that will work.  I can finish one set of earrings in an evening including putting the wires on.  Below is another set of Wave Earrings born from extra thread in a bobbin and made with my Zebrano Shuttle which has the perfect hook. 

Thanks Corina - Wave Earrings

These wave earrings are made with Omega size 30. The center bead is a size six bead and the others size eleven seed beads.  I've yet to add the findings and tuck in a few threads.  They measure 4.5 cm long. 

The pattern can be found on Corina Meyfeldt blog  and she provides a free pdf in  French and English for needle and shuttle.  There are many photographs to assist in the construction.  The also provides a necklace and bracelet with variations of this pattern.

This is another great travel pattern as it is a one shuttle pattern. 

I am still working on the Monster Doily on row 12. 

Taming the Monster

It is a  very dangerous time just after I finish a project.  I start searching for a new piece to tat and

browse Pinterest and Tatting Blogs to look for ideas and inspiration.  I admit, sometimes I start more than one before finishing any. So now would be a good time to start taming the monster, monster doily that is. I've had the doily sitting idle for long enough and pulled it out of its cloth to try to tackle another row.  

Now for a confession, I had found that a few of the half medallions are attached backwards. I had stopped doing frontside backside on this piece some rows back so it really does not make a difference to the overall design, but another tatter/crafter may notice.  I have been wondering if I should redo them or not and have decided not to. (I actually could have redone them by now).  

I began this doily/tablecloth for myself and I do want to start using it before we buy a square dining table.  My mother did this and then had all these circular tablecloths that she didn't use.

That is all for now. I'll post updates as I get this done and on to my dining room table.

Progress Update: Row 12 started. Using Aida 10 Ecru 

Vapor Stitch

One of the classes I took in Spokane was called "All Geared Up". Natalie Rogers taught how to do the Vapor Stitch. Natalie found the instructions for this stitch on Ninetta Caruso blog and created a pattern for this steampunk inspiration.  This stitch can be used to create a corner in tatting which is actually a little curled stitch.

Natalie says she creates a vapor stitch then does a lock join then another vapor stitch to get the stitch to look like it wraps around a corner.  I need to try that next.

This thread is Lizbeth 20 Scottsh Thistle 175 a gift from another tatter.

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.

Zebrano Pop A Bobbin

Courtesy of the Royal Mail or Royal Fail as one tatter calls it, I am now the proud owner of a Zebrano  Pop-A-Bobbin. I love the unique striped color of the wood and look forward to using it. The shuttle will take  my Aero and Aerlit bobbins so the bobbin winder will be getting a workout.

A big thank you to Jane and Sally and of course "I'm in the Garage".

I learned to tat on Susan Bates white (clover lookalike) post shuttles and have always had a soft spot for these which I now have collected a few new and used.  I have metal shuttles, clovers, tatsy, starlit and moonlit, pony  and two other wooden shuttles.  Without planning I now have a small shuttle collection.  Do you collect shuttles and do you have a favorite? 

Easter Chick

I had found this pattern a few years ago and ran across it again this weekend and it called to me.  This was so much fun to make even though the pattern was in polish and at times I was moving backwards more that frontwards.  It called for a comb on the top and was to be a rooster but it seemed more like a chick to me. 

Here is a link to the pattern. If you have any questions I can help you out. I completed this in Omega thread size 30 and the chick is just shy of 2 inches tall. 

I've put a little cotton ball in the head to keep it round.  Black beads for eyes are put on at the picot join and bugle beads added for a beak after tatting. 

I found it a bit difficult to take a good picture of 3D tatting and would welcome any suggestions. 

Just for Ewe

It has been a tough few weeks but I am finally back to doing some tatting.  I got struck by a cold virus that knocked me out for a few weeks. I ran across this little ewe and had to tat it up. The free pattern can be found on the patterns page here.

I did this in Lizbeth 20 Snow White and it measures three inches across.  I think it would be a great addition on a card.

Vintage Doily Mystery SOLVED!

One of my sisters sent me a package which she said was some crochet cotton she had cleaned out of her Mother in law's linen closet.  Inside the box were some lovely vintage tatting threads along with these bits of tatting.  I have been able to identify the two doilies and found a reference to the edging.

Coincidentally both doilies can be found in the same pamphlet. Coats and Clark's Book No. 111 Priscilla Doilies to Crochet, Knit and Tat.  The top Doily is called Christmas Star but I love the dimpled rings in the center making a four leafed clover, there are many other dimpled rings/hearts on this doily. Although I have never made a dimpled ring I think this would be a lovely doily to tat.

The second doily is larger and I believe needle tatted.  Certainly not tatted by the same person, it has many broken threads so I have not fully blocked.  It is called Flower Frost and the picture in the book is nothing like the sample I have. The chains in the doily I have are just too loose. 

Finally we come to the edging.  There are 58 of these clover/heart shaped motifs all joined together in a line. I've seen this pattern many times, sometimes tatted as a heart.  I ran across a copy in   Hees, Marie Antoinette. Old and New Designs in Tatting, Book No. 5,   I thought I could wash and starch the edgings and make some lovely tatting brooches. What do you think?

There were also two of those jewlery bags with inside pockets I've seen other tatters use. I think my tatting will have a new home.

Yes, another Heart

I had actually finished this heart on Sunday, Valentines Day but it was late and it didn't get uploaded to the blog.

This is the Valentine Heart Bookmark by Janice Blair and was completed using shuttle and ball vintage Coats size 50.  The pattern can be found on the Way Back Machine linked here.

This makes up fast and with a ribbon added it is a quick and easy bookmark.

I love the simplicity of design and easy rhythm of this heart.  A great pattern to travel with.

Vintage Thread Vintage Pattern

I found this deep red cotton thread in my stash of vintage  threads.  It is by J&P Coats Mercer Cotton size 50 and it called me to tat it. I don't have much on the ball and I was looking for a quick heart pattern.

This tatted up quickly using shuttle and ball.  It is a very nice thread to use. What you are seeing in the picture is unblocked and despite a few twisted picots which can be fixed it is a great piece to tat.

I used my Oak shuttle and small hook made by Keld Olesen  purchased at Tat Days; they were the perfect tools for this fine thread.

Have you guessed where the pattern is from yet.  Well I'll tell you, it is from  Clark's O.N.T. J&P Coats Book No. 229 pattern  9106.   This pattern is the corner of a coaster under the Sherry glass on the cover. It made up into a very nice heart.

Exchange Flake Arrived

Just wanted to share with you all the exchange flake that arrived for me.  It came all the way from Denmark from a lady who lives near Copenhagen.  It is tatted in Lizbeth 20 color 185 Arctic Waters.

Along with the flake was this beautiful handmade card with a quilt block designed with paper. Card making is a hobby of this lady. She is also a member of the Danish Tatting Board or Dansk Orkisforening.

Now just waiting for my sent package to arrive at it's destination and hopefully I will hear something by next week.   Thank you to the Fringe Element Tatters for arranging the exchange.  Happy tatting all.

Winter Frost Exchange Flake

This blue flake is on its way to my partner in an exchange organized by the Fringe Element Tatters.  I have been in only one exchange before and for me it worked out. I sent a gift and received a gift. 

But I know that is not always the case.  Sometimes things get in the way and beyond  our best efforts an exchange may not make it to the intended recipient.  I have done my best on this side. I'll let you know when my recipient receives this.

This is Winter Frost by Robin Perfetti.  I was able to be one of her test tatters for this flake and the pattern is for sale at her Etsy store. Tatted in Size 20 with Lizbeth thread Turquoise Lt. number 662. Keep the chains tight and even and you'll have no problems with this flake.

First Snowfall

This little flake is called First Snowfall and is by Robin Perfetti and can be found on her blog, tattingbythebay.blogspot.com.  She has quite a few free tatting patterns for you to try.  

I used a vintage variegated blue cotton thread by Coats & Clark, size 70.  It says color 14 on the inside and held up well with no breakage. This is without any blocking.

I am still creating diversions from the big doily but I'll get to it soon.  

If you haven't heard the Shuttlebirds have opened up registration  for the 20th Annual Workshop, April 15 - 16, 2016.  Perhaps I will see you there. :)

Winter blues

I've got the Winter Blues so I used up some gifted thread and tatted up these two flakes.  The top is Sharon Briggs 2015 Snowflake and she shares her pattern with us  and it is linked here.  It is an easy pattern and can be done in one round using a split ring and split chain.  I tried using a SCMR for the center ring but don't like how it turned out. 

The lower flake is Loop de Loop by Teri Dusenbury.  It is tatted in one round using split rings. The pattern is also available on her website and she provides clear instructions.  I did find that Teri has her own way of notation but once you build a key it works well. This is my first pattern by Teri Dusenbury. If you would like to try the pattern here is a link. 

Both flakes measure 2.75 inches across. The same thread for both flakes was gifted and wound in a ball like you would if you undid some crochet. My guess is that it is a vintage Coats Thread size 30.  The cream color does appear dirty (but it is not), otherwise a nice thread to tat with. 

Now I don't have the blues too bad, just can't seem to pick up my big doily and get it done.  Need me some inspiration.  

Johar, a Star

I am still cleaning up UFO's and emptying shuttles. This Star is called Johar and is designed by Jon Yusoff, Show below is the star right off the shuttles so it still needs to be blocked.The pattern can be found here.   I stopped tatting this a few years ago because I didn't know how to add thread.  It is made with Lisbeth size 10 color Snow White, the problem is that the star is 7.5 inches wide.  I plan to sew it on to a red sweater and wear to our ladies lunch next week.