OMG

Well, I never, never knew such a simple little chick could create so much attention.

My Easter Chick has been nominated by Craftree members in the category of Best Overall Project.  If you want to know how it was created just follow this link back to my original post.

Thank you to all the Craftree members who voted for the chick and thought I deserved to be in the category along with other great projects. Please take the time to go on over and take a look at all the nominated tatting by clicking on the image above,  and please vote but it does not have to be for me, voting is now open to the public.

Good luck to all those nominated in each category.

I have completed my tatting for the Fringe Element Tatters exchange but can't show you until my exchange partner has received it, which may be a few weeks from now.

And finally, my Ring of Tatters newsletter has arrived and it is full of celtic tatting and ornaments and many other goodies. If you want to know more about the Ring of Tatters or become a member please follow this link.  Now what to tat next...

Awareness Ribbon

I went to a class at a local health store about the history of chocolate and tatting always goes better with chocolate.  I brought a ball and shuttle of green size 70 (vintage thread) and worked up these green awareness ribbons as the lecture went on.

The pattern is by Lenore English and depending on the color used you can support the awareness of your choice.  The pattern can be found here or here.  

This green is for Organ Transplant and Organ Donation awareness. In Canada, Canadians are encouraged to make a decision to donate organs and tissues, register their intent and discuss with loved ones the decision.

A few years ago I met some members of the Danish Tatting Guild who were wearing tatted pink ribbons (they called them bows). For the past six years this guild has tatted the pink ribbons for free and sold them with all the proceeds going the Danish Cancer Foundation.

As different groups, foundations and organizations have adopted the awareness ribbon as a symbol of support, there are now causes shared by the same or similar ribbon color. 

At the end of the talk we were all rewarded with a cup of rich hot chocolate with pumpkin spice.

Inspiration

It is the smallest things that give us inspiration. One of the ladies in my exercise class passed this green scarf ring to me.  It has a cute note attached. She said that it came from her aunts things, an aunt that went to many craft sales.  I do like to wear scarfs and perhaps that's why she thought of me.

How would it have been used?  I think it would be pinned to the inside coat collar and the scarf passed through when worn, alternatively the ring could be pinned inside the coat and when hanging up your coat the scarf is passed through so you don't lose it. 

I don't believe it would have been used without being pinned to your coat but please let me know your thoughts. 

This is not tatted but crochet around a plastic ring, The plastic ring is 1.25 inches 3 cm in diameter.  If pinned to the outside of your shirt it could also be used as an eyeglass holder.

This gift has inspired me to create a tatted scarf ring or eyeglass holder.  I will share my creations in a later post.

Celtic Motif 3

This celtic motif is the third taught by Jennifer Williams at the Fringe Tat Days 2016.  I have been told there are three kinds of celtic tatting; those that involve a third round to intertwine two previous rounds, a long chain wound into a celtic knot and interlocking rings shown here using a celtic shuttle.  Interlocking rings can also be completed using a second set of shuttles.

Since there is not a lot of thread on the celtic shuttle, you could use a regular shuttle and unwind it when you need to complete the interlocking ring and rewind to continue.  You wouldn't need to unwind until you are at the second large ring.

You can make your own celtic shuttle using a bent paperclip or cut and sand down a Popsicle stick.  I had ordered a set from Handy Hands a while back.

I used a size 10 HDT by Karey Solomon. The completed motif measures 2.25 inches or 6 cm across.  It is a good size for a pendant or an ornament if done in a Christmas thread and beads added.

I added cream colored glass pearls, clear glass beads and a ring to act as a bail. The glass beads give the tatting a good weight for a pendant.

Some Assembly Required

Most of my  tatting projects are finished once I cut from the shuttles.  Oh sure sometimes I do need to block but this project required some assembly.  This is the Remembrance Day Poppy by Jennifer Williams and can be found on her website.   I did the petals first and loved how nice they looked. The frilly picots are completed by doing front and back picots.  You will need to know how to do a Catherine Wheel Join which allows you pull the petal in to cupped shape.

The leaves were straightforward, two shuttles and a few split rings. Next the calyx, it will be cupped once completed.  I needed a small black button with a shank but only had a pink one so painted it black with a sharpie.  The beaded center covers most of the button.

The stamens were beads on a long chain. I used a floss threader instead of a needle to pass the thread through all the parts required. 

I followed the directions as best I could to assemble.  I used a pin through the petals at the back until I had the calyx on and then started with the florist tape. If you don't have florist tape any dark tape would do. 

I started wrapping the leaves and then carried on after the calyx and down the stem incorporating the wires and threads.  I cut it short and will be adding a brooch pin to the back to attach to my jacket for Remembrance Day November 11.  Size 20 thread was used and the finished flower is 1.75 inches across.