a real quick post

Thanks for those who stopped by to offer sympathy for kitties. Fleas are doing better for now. The literature says maybe one more outbreak, but if I treat for that, then again a month after that it should take care of things. I hope so, my poor Banichi has bald spots from scratching.

For Tatting Tea Tuesday, I had water, and I tatted exactly 1 chain. Count it 1 chain tatted. 8 ds, picot, 8 ds. That was it. Then last night one whole ring. 3 ds, picot 3 ds join to picot on chain from previous round, 3 ds, picot, 3 ds, close. Will the fun never end? More importantly, at that rate will the doily ever get finished?

TTT and fleas :-(

Today is tatting tea Tuesday. No tea for me tonight didn't have any during the day either. No beer for tatting beer Tuesday, I think it will be tatting milk or tatting water Tuesday in my neck of the woods. I hope to get some tatting done. I discovered last night that my cats have fleas. Major bummer. I'll be stopping by the vets and picking up remedies on my way home from work. Hopefully I'll have a little bit of tatting to tell you about tomorrow, but if not it will be because I have to comfort traumatized kitties.

poor furbabies.

Timber!

Only a little tatting today and no pictures of that to show. I had a doctors appointment yesterday, just a routine med review and a documenting of various aches and pains. I did get some exercises to do that may help with the tension headaches I get occasionally, very occasionally, once every few years type. It’s probably the same type of exercise everyone else gets to do for that type of headache. Things to stretch out the muscles in the neck and shoulders. I never though to try those as I never seem tense there, I just get this weird random muscle over my skull that starts spasming. Bad news is she said the tatting may actually be causing some of the tension. I will choose not to believe her and assume that some other life matter is causing the damage. After all, tatting and other hobbies are to relax us! After the appointment I took vacation. The last of the big trees in my yard came down the night before (Wed. night) That was an adventure in itself. My neighbor who has been helping me made all the cuts. The tree was set to go down in an angle to the south east. I saw the cuts, I know a teeny tiny bit about physics, that tree should have gone down to the south east. Nice neighbor started making more cuts and again I checked, tree should go down to south east, but it started sliding off to the southwest. Neighbor didn’t believe me, after all, those cuts should have sent it the other direction. He kept cutting and sure enough tree went down south, south west. He got out of the way in time, and the tree missed the 2 trees I wanted to keep and the house. The very top tips brushed the electrical wires coming down. Gravity and strange angles of the tree that appeared to be going pretty much straight up conspired against us. Thank goodness no one was hurt. No electricians needed, and no houses or fences damaged. Here are some pictures of the downed tree. Sorry if pictures are grainy, they were taken by my trusty phone.





It is now fire wood, or in sacks and barrels ready to go to the city compost. Neighbor and I are down to cutting the stumps as close to the ground as possible, then using stump killer, or salt water to try to prevent recurring growth. I need to get around to the parts of the yard I could never get to before and pick up all the trash that is there. That trash has been there for longer than the six years I’ve lived there. It is rather appalling the amount of trash that was allowed to hide in that yard. Off the top of my head I can tell you there are car parts, parts of campaign signs, clothes, rags, odd chunks of cement, broken glass, tin and aluminum cans, Styrofoam, and plastic containers. I may have to take a couple of pictures of just the trash as it comes out of the yard, but that may not get posted, it may actually be rather revolting.

Don’t know how much I’ll get to/feel like tatting this weekend either. A friend is remodeling her bathroom and I’ve promised to help. She needs to get most of the tiling done on the floor and I think counter tops before plumber comes to install the new toilet and whatever other plumbing needs to get done. the electrician has already been there. This weekend while I help her I am hoping to learn how to tile, I also plan to fetch and carry things for her so she can concentrate on getting the work done, and maybe make some food for lunch. In fact I’m planning on making her onigiri for lunch. In case you don’t know, onigiri is a traditional Japanese dish, riceballs. You make up sushi rice, and frequently hide a little surprise inside. I like teriyaki salmon or umiboshi for the insides. Umiboshi is pickled plums. You can also just season the rice and not have fillings. It is the sort of food that we cannot get in restaurants here in the great plains states. Anyway the remodeling friend loves onigiri, but never takes the time to make it for herself. And shouldn’t one have a food they really love when they are working hard?

More Motif’s finally!

I was trying to post at least once a week. How many times have I said I would do that? Life just gets in the way. I flat out decided I needed to make time to post today, and I even have photos to show. I still don’t have my latest tatting photographed, I’ll have to take care of that soon. But this is pretty picture heavy anyway.

Motif # 14 Remembrance Ring by Marilee Rocklee. This is being modeled by my almost niece. Since I don’t have kids, some of my friends' kids have let me become a surrogate aunt to them. The ring looks much better on her hands than on mine. It is done in size 20 Lizbeth Falling leaves and the pattern can be found here. The picture doesn’t do the ring any justice it was taken from my cell phone as I didn’t have the camera with me. Our model is now off to school, and we all miss her and are looking forward to seeing her again at Christmas.
Motif # 15 Bookmark (right) by Nancy Tracy This was done in size 20 Lizbeth Mediterranean, and the pattern can be found here.
Motif # 16 Foldover Bookmark (left) by Jon Yosuf done in size 20 Lizbeth Carousel, and the pattern can be found here.
Motif # 17 Ruffled Snow flake by Vida Sunderland. It was done in size 20 Lizbeth Seascape. The first is from the side so you can actually see the ruffles.

Here are some of my motifs waiting to get blocked and turned into Christmas ornaments.
And here is another batch of tatted motifs waiting their turn on the blocking board.
Also, since I made a post earlier about my UFOs & WISPs, I’ve decided to show that I can finish off some projects. This was finished in about 1990. It is from a magazine whose name I no longer remember, but the pattern is circled wagons. It is hand pieced, hand appliqued, and hand quilted.
I did get a touch more done on the powder room bow I mentioned and had pictures of in an earlier post. I haven’t worked much on it since, but here is part of the next section to be stitched.
I did however dig out an even older project. I wasn’t slated to finish this up till next year in my list of crafts. I started this angel by Rebecca Waldrop on 9-11-2001. The other cross stitch I had going at the time is a dragon attacking a castle. I just couldn’t bring myself to work on it and started Tapestry Angel instead. She is now with about 3 other angels by Rebecca Waldrop waiting to be gently washed and then turned into pillows. I almost always have at least one of the Waldrop angels in progress, but I do finish my projects VERY slowly. I’ll have to get the current 2 out and get pictures of where I’m at and also photo’s of the patterns so you can see where I‘m going with them.And here is a shot of my tatting/crafting space. That collection of creamy fabric on top of the couch's corner is a slipcover that I need to put back on the couch.
Here is a box of some of my threads,
and here is my cat Banichi checking out the threads. Actually he is checking out the plastic bags that they came in. He and I have a long running argument over whether or not cats need plastic in their diet. I say no, he says yes. Maybe if some of you weigh in on the subject and let us know what you think we will be able to settle this. I won’t hold my breath though. I don’t think either of us will change our minds.

Another quick check in

Tried working in yard without neighbor. Forgot gloves. Hands and arms ripped to shreds on weeds, it aint pretty. Don't know if I can get any crafting done till this heals up. Hands are also stained, I've tried soap, a soft facial pore brush and rubbing alcohol to get them clean. I think they are clean even though they look filthy, and the fingers are really rough from the small cuts and abrassions. I'm afraid I will stain fabrics/threads or snag them with these poor hard working hands of mine. I have my gloves right under my clippers for working in yard tonight. I'll see if someone can get a picture of them to remind me to never ever ever forget gloves to garden in ever again.

oh, and somehow through all the damage to the skin, I didn't break any nails. Whatever.

Another post - no pictures

No I have not fallen out of the blogosphere. I just hate staying after work to make my posts. Somehow it feels like being made to stay after school.

I have tatted some since the last post, I've also done x-stitching. I've even started a x-stitch sampler, despite what I said about not feeling like they are true samplers in a previous post. True sampler or not some of them are just so appealling!

Also, my house and yard are both fixer uppers. I guess some of my neighbors have gotten tired of how much fixing up needs to be done, and one of them has taken pity on me. Last week he trimmed up trees, cut down a bush and cleaned out the gutters. Don't worry, he did have permission to be doing this on my property. Well all except the gutters. He was supposed to wait till I was there to spot him on the ladder on uneven ground. Let me tell you, he is one tough gentleman. I tried to keep up with him for just an hour and a half after work on 2 days, and it came close to heat stroke. He on the other hand was just fine.

I hope to get pictures of all my WIPs soon, and then I will stay after school/er work and get pictures posted.

Motifs 11, 12, and 13 plus cat

I apologize here and now for the following pictures. I took them with my phone as my camera is currently staying at Mom's house. I got a fair bit of tatting done. But no pressing or blocking. The first motif doesn't really have a name, but it is one I had in the past tried repeatedly to tat. Never could get it. Then I read up on how to do rings on chains, something I had never heard of the first 10 or so attempts to tat this motif and I learned more of the principle behind the shoelace trick, and voila! My first attempt in my second tatting life turned out a completed motif! The pattern can be found here. It is by Lisa Trumble of This 'n' Tat. (Sorry for my fingers in the pictures) Here is Motif 11.
This next motif is number 12 and it is Trefoil Snowflake from Vida Sunderman's Tatted Snowflakes. It was tatted in size 20 Carousel by Lizbeth instead of the called for size 10 white. I'm kind of liking my multi-colored snow-flakes.
Motif 13 is also from Ms. Sunderman's book Tatted Snowflakes. It is the Glitter Snowflake tatted in size 5 instead of size 30. It is plenty small in size 5 thread.
And just because I found it on the phone, here is an 'awww' picture of Leo taken around Christmas time. Talk about one relaxed kitty. He is sleeping on my double wedding ring quilt that is taking me forever to quilt. I really need to quit finding new crafty things to try out and finish up all my WISPs and UFOs. Oh well, some year.

Crafting happened, but where are the pictures?

Hi all,
I was so excited, Mom switched from dial-up internet to broadband, so I could just go to her house, visit and do my blog entries there. I am in the dark ages and don't even have dial up at my house. I've been doing my blogging from work, but off work hours. Well, I may be back to that. Mom's computer seems to be lacking in USB ports, so uploading pictures is a problem. I'm going to mess with my USB sticks, and her USB ports and maybe get both of us an external USB docking thingie so we can use all the peripherals easier. You can tell I am really up to date with all the computer lingo and such. Oh well, as long as my tolerant salesperson at the computer place can understand what I am asking for.

So anyway I haven't done much in the way of stitching or tatting, and I have pictures that I cannot upload of what little I have accomplished. The reason being, I got the rest of the DVDs for my favorite anime series. I had been putting off purchasing them as DVDs are expensive and I didn't want to spend the money. BUT, therightstuff.com had a great sale on all 8 that I didn't have yet, so I ordered them. Well once they came in I had to watch them. Plus I watch TV, and Movies almost exclusively in the language they are created in, and I am pretty mono-lingual so no hand work just reading subtitles. Anyway it was an after work and weekend marathon for the last 2 weeks. The anime in question is Saiyuki -- all three series plus the one movie that I can find commercially available in the United States. That is 101 episodes at about 23 minutes each, plus the movie, don't remember running time on it. The first 50 episodes I have seen often enough that I can stitch through them, and I even remember enough Japanese that I sometimes argue with the translations. The last 51 episodes I still have to just watch. Now if I can just get a hold of the other movie and the 2 OVAs I can loose more stitching time.

I did get another ornament tatted, and some cross stitching done on a couple of pieces. I have pictures taken, but alas will not be uploading on this post. I hope to get the pictures up soon.

My first Tatting Tea Tuesday

Just dropping by to report on my first official Tatting Tea Tuesday. I'm on lunch so this will be a quick post.

I did get some tatting done last night, but don't have a picture to show yet. I worked on an ornament from Vida Sunderman's book, and am just over half-way done. I was at a friends hanging with the cats while said friend is hanging with her family on vacation. I tatted while there, then when I got home I was too hot to do any crafting, so after doing dishes and fixing dinner and today's lunch I just sat like a slug. I hope to finish off the ornament/snowflake tonight while hanging with the cats again. We'll see. Now, it is back to work.

Good Bye Que, and some x-stitching

Sorry I missed out on posting last week. It has been hectic for people around me. An old room-mate got a septic infection in her arm. She is now home from the hospital and recovering nicely. There were car problems, and there were emergency runs to the grocery store for those without a car. Then most unfortunately there was a sudden hospitalization and then death, complete with visitation and funeral. A beautiful gracious lady, and mother/mother-in-law to some of my longest time friends died. She was a truly wonderful lady who made everyone she met feel welcome. Her last words to her son were "God is love" as she was wheeled into surgery. I did get to the hospital in time to say goodbye, but she was unconscious. I have to believe that she heard all our I love you's and we'll miss you's. She never met a stranger and had that rare and wonderful gift of making everyone feel special. I love you Que, and I'll miss you.

Now, enough of my reasons for not posting and on to stitching:
Not much has been happening in the way of
tatting lately. I have been crafting though. I only have pictures of cross stitch. To the right are some Christmas ornaments that I finally put in their little frames and finished off. I believe they had been waiting around for finishing for 2 years. Sorry they are so washed out. I think the camera flash must be reflecting off of the little plastic protectors. I have 2 more ornaments that are waiting to get finished off, I think they will be too big for these ornaments so I will have to think of something else, and lost in my land of UFOs and WISPs are 9 ladies dancing and a partridge in a pear tree.

Next up is the fingertip towel that I listed in my goals as wanting to finish. I cannot find the colors of thread that I was using to finish all the back stitching. I will be using this myself, it isn't a gift or to sell, so I declared it done and crossed it off my list. So here are 2 items that can be crossed off that long list of goals for this year.

While I was looking for items that were on my 2010 goal list I came across a 'door bow'. It is a long piece of aida cloth with edges all finished. You just cross stitch 4 designs on different parts of it, then make that long swatch into a bow. The cross stitches are all done on the first motif/decoration. You are supposed to save all the back stitching for last, after all 4 designs are cross stitched. I may not wait that long as I can easily get bogged down and not finish a project that has just back stitching to do. Witness the fingertip towel above!



Here is where I started up again. It is the second
motif/design on the bow. I have (since this pic was taken) finished all the cross stitching on to this section and started on the 3rd design area. I do need to get more photos to show the progress.

Then in addition to my huge list of projects, I almost have another MarBek Angel kitted out to start, and I started a x-stitch that is a sampler style. I must admit that since I do regular embroidery in addition to cross stitch, I find it a bit hard to call the cross stitch pieces actual samplers. Some of them do have a variety of stitches though, so those do count.

Now as it is tatting tea Tuesday, I am off. I will tat tonight. I have had tea here at work and will not have anymore today as the caffeine would keep me awake. But there has been tea, there will be tatting, and I will try to get more pictures to show soon. And all my friends and relatives have been put on notice that they have to stay happy and healthy! And remember Que's words "God is love"

Pictures finally!

Sorry for such blurry pictures, but blurry or not
I've been promising pictures of what has been
tatted and so here they are.

This first picture is the circle in a square motif
designed by Rozella F. Linden the pattern is in her book "Easy Tatting". I tatted it in size 10 ecru cebelia. It is motif #7 in the 25 motif challenge.

Here is a re-do of Jon Yusof's foldover bookmark.
I used Lizbeth Vinyard Harvest again for this bookmark. I tend to tat while watching television and so in addition to plain old needing practice to get things even, I need less TV time and more attention as I tat to keep things even. This is motif # 8.

I didn't have any patterns with me at the time so I just started re-tatting this book mark cross from Rebecca Jones' book "Complete book of tatting" This is done in cebelia size 80. I don't know the name of the colorway. This makes Motif #9. Oh, and the book, It was given to my by my Aunt on my 7th birthday. It was embossed with her name and I don't know for what occasion she received it. The book is just a few years older than I am. I thought the little cross bookmark was too small to use as a bookmark, then I remembered it would be perfect for this prayer book!

And last is motif #10. The
Entertainment Doily by Celtess whose website I cannot find to link you to the pattern. It is done in size 20 Lizbeth Jellybean. Not only did I tat most of this in front of the TV, I was watching shows with subtitles so even less attention than normal was paid to the tatting as I tried to read fast enough to keep up with the shows. The very inner ring was done without distractions and you can certainly tell the difference between that ring and the 3 outer ones. Oh well, I doubt I will quit crafting in front of the television anytime soon. And since I don't plan to sell these they don't have to be perfect. It is hobby time.

Now to go on a bit more from the previous post on goals. I said I was going to list ten things to finish off this year, and then proceeded to list 16. Well, I was going to just commit to 10, but as I looked I upped it to 17. Right now I am working on the Yo-yo coverlet and will continue to Tat. I hope to get at least one motif tatted per week. As for all the items on the list, they may change as mood/whimsy strikes me, but I do intend to finish off either these 16 items, or some like items rummaged from my hidden supply of UFOs and WISPs.

Now I have the weekend off, I will be away from the computer and I wish any browsers a wonderful weekend!

Some Goals

I have been reading through a co-workers needlework blog. She does beautiful work, but she has the same problem I have. She loves stash. She and I agreed that we both have SABLE. I don't know if she is still doing it (I started at the beginning and am only into 2006) but for a while anyway she was setting goals to try to finish off WISPs, limit new starts and slow the growth of stash. It seems a wonderful idea. So, I took a look at my UFOs, WISPS, and the fact that I am in a challenge to create 25 tatted items in a year. Then I took a deep breath and forgave myself (I may need to drink a bottle of nice wine to help forgive myself, but don't have any in the house.)

My confession. Counting the 15 tatted items left to do, I have over 100 started projects. Next problem, I have no children to leave these treasures too. If I did they probably wouldn't want them anyway. What's a girl to do? Maybe go buy that bottle of wine? nope, that probably won't solve the problem. Well then, let's set some goals. Finish the 25 motif's for tatting (15 left, I'll get the next 4 posted after work) then, I will try to finish off at least 10 more projects by December 31. So I made a list of things I would like to have finished. Since there are only 6 months left out of this year, many of the things I choose are almost finished, some are completely stitched and just need some sort of finishing. So hear, in no particular order is my goal list of crafts I want to finish by the end of 2010.

1. 25 motif challenge (15 left)
2. Noro yarn sweater. (just need to hem sleeves and body of sweater) WISP
3. Yo-yo coverlet. (I have enough yo-yos to make a lap size coverlet) UFO
4. Sampler (just need to finish the border and stitch my initials and date) WISP
5. Fingertip towel (just need to back stitch the cross stitching) UFO
6. Coat sweater (most of this still needs to get knitted, but the yarn is in my living room easy to get to and it is super bulky yarn so should knit up fast)
7. Cape Cod needlepoint. (A small 4x4 or so picture that just needs the finishing details added, then finishing off) UFO
8. Chrysanthemum pillow (needlepoint pillow that just needs to be assembled-I have everything but the stuffing) UFO
9. Seashell Pillow - all stitched UFO
10. Country Cottage (cross stitch picture that just needs framing) UFO
11. Christmas Angel (cross stitch that I will turn into a pillow) UFO
12. Star Angel (cross stitch that I will turn into a pillow) UFO
13. Praying Angels (cross stitch that I will turn into a pillow) UFO
Numbers 9, 11-12 need fabric backing and stuffing but are all stitched awaiting finishing
14. Hummel cross stitch. Frame or turn into pillow? If it becomes a pillow I'll finish it with the others, if it needs framing I need to save up and pay cash for the framing. UFO
15. Finish off cross stitch Christmas ornaments. WISP
16. Tuck in loose ends, starch and create hangers for tatting that will become Christmas ornaments.
17. Sachets. (all crocheted, just need to stitch up bags for scents, find scents and add finishing.) UFO

The list looks VERY ambitious to me, but I think some of the finishing can be done in batches and that will go quickly.

Anyone else make lists or goals?

excuses excuses

Just stopping in for a bit to apologize for lack of pictures and lack of posts. I think I have one project completed and ready to scan/photograph and another two that are almost there. Allergens are pretty bad in this part of the country right now, and when you combine that while watching anime in Japanese with the subtitles since I've forgotten what little Japanese I knew not much tatting has happened. And it seems I have had to cut out almost as much as I have tatted. Plus my delightful orange tabby helper has been around to taste and tangle the threads. I will try to get some pictures to post soon though. Not sure if it will happen tonight as I need to run errands and mow the rest of the lawn, and housework. All these things I should be doing but it just cuts in too much to the tatting time. Well, it is time for work, everyone have a wonderful day.

Motifs 5&6

This is Quantisque Snowflake
It was done in size 20 Lizbeth Thread, but I forgot what the color is called. The first 2 rounds were quite fun to tat, and then they are interwoven so you get a 'celtic' effect. The third ring is tatted onto ring 2. I had troubles starting with that 3rd round, but after a bit I seemed to figure it out and most of round 3 went easily as well. (No, I'm afraid it isn't Jelly Bean #119, I'm using that now for another project. I went to look it up online and it is Carousel, but Jelly Bean is very similar.)


Below is 'Elegant Snowflake' from Vida Sunderman's book, Tatted Snowflakes. I used a size 20 Lizbeth thread for this motif as well, the same that I used for the foldover book mark which was motif 4. I still haven't looked up the name of this color. (Vineyard Harvest -- thanks to Paige Marie for the info)


Now I am almost caught up to posting my tatting, I have one more motif that I need to photograph. I am having trouble getting photos that are not blurry. I suppose practice there will even things out, just like practice with tatting will help to even it out. On and speaking of evening things out, I'm using the base of the crochet hook that I use to join picots as my picot gauge as well. I didn't think I would like them this large, but it turns out I am really liking the larger picots.



(Thanks for the help with colors people!)
(all in parenthesis are added edits)

Some questions

I'm on my lunch and don't have time to post my pictures, will try after work. But I do have some questions. I've been away from the tatting world for a while and just coming back. I am seeing a bunch of references to Tatting Tea Tuesday(?) or something similar. What is this. I love to tat, and I love tea it seems like tatting and drinking tea on Tuesdays would be a delightful pass-time.

Next up, I was playing with the changes we can make to our blogs. I'm liking what I have chosen, but for those few who follow, what do you think? I'm worried about it being hard to see the print and it being hard to read.

Next, last night I started 'Entertainment Doily' by Celtess. I am not finding her blog or website, can anyone point me to it?

And now lunch is over and I am back to work.

Thanks!

No pictures yet

I have been tatting, I just don't have anything finished to show. Ends still need to be tucked in, and some need pressing to hold their shape. I also have a full weekend so I don't know if much tatting will happen, but I do hope to tuck in those ends and have some pictures. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Motif 4

I finally got something tatted that I thought was worthy to give to my mother. It was late for Mother's Day, but I didn't have anything that I felt was good enough for her. At least 2 other people have made this bookmark for their 25 motif challenge and after the first one I saw tatted up I knew why. It is beautiful, well theirs are beautiful. It was designed by Jon Yusoff and her pattern page is here. This is the foldover bookmark. I actually had kind of a hard time tatting
this. I had to redo the bottom part twice. The rings are all close to the same size, but I need to work on pulling up the chains so they are all even, and the picots, well I really need to make up some picot gauges to get them close to even.

I finished tucking in ends on the Sunday before Memorial day and gave it too her that day. It was photographed with the book she was reading.

I then spent the rest of the day with her, watching old war movies on Turner Classic Movies, and tatting on another pattern by Jon Yusoff. I did get all the tatting done, but now it needs to have its ends tucked in and it needs to be blocked.

Yesterday all my tatting attempts ended up in the scrap bin, but there are just days like that. I don't know if I'm the only one who has them, but even if I am I refuse to be upset and depressed about it! Hopefully soon I'll have another motif ready to show!

Cats and some Tatting

First my other 2 cats. The grey kitty is Motoko, named for the cyborg anti-terrorist Major Motoko Kusinagi from the anime series and movies Ghost in the Shell. Here my little (or rather tubby) anti terrorist is protecting my knitting from any evil doers, you can barely see the knitting needles in front of her. She is a momma's girl and loves doing girl stuff with momma. Things like knitting, sewing, crochet, using power tools, and watching chick flicks, her favorite being Pride and Prejiduce with Jennifer Elle and Colin Firth.
Next up is Leo who helps me tat. I have no pictures of his idea of helping for fear that images might be too graphic for my fellow crafters. So, no tatting hanging from hims jaws, no threads neatly severed due to his chewing on them/tasting them, just a sleepy look.

And finally, the tatting. It is the field of clover doily from the Bestitched website and I am currently on round 3.
I may take a little break from it for a bit and work on something smaller then go back and finish the 3rd round. I love doilys but really don't have anyplace to put them. Plus with my little (tubby) orange tatting taster I'm not sure they are safe to have out.

No progress.

Just checking in. No pictures today, but tatting has been happening. I'm working on a doily right now, and of course progress is much slower on those than on motifs. My orange tabby Leo has been helping me to tat. He tastes the threads to make sure they taste good, then tries to chew on the actual tatted part to test them for strength. I'm not sure how to cope with all that help! I usually just hide the tatting from him and love him up. Tatting is slower, but does not get chewed up, and Leo is quite content with getting pettin's.

Cats, presents and motif #3

Some more birthday presents! a picture that I need to decide where to hang, and a wonderful book with all sorts of cute little critters to crochet! It is going to be hard to decide which creation to work on first.
My cat Banichi with a book.

Banichi checking out a piece of tatting. The blur to the right is Motoko another cat arriving to see what Banichi finds so interesting.

And finally, motif #3 a cross bookmark. I used size 10 cebelia thread. I got the pattern from The Complete book of tatting by Rebecca Jones. She says that all patterns in her book are her own, or are traditional patterns. I'm really not sure which this is. It does still need to be ironed and starched.

Gifts and a little bit of tatting

I tatted this snail before I rejoined the challenge, so I am not counting it as one of my motifs. It is done in Cebelia lavender thread size 20. The pattern is by Nancy Tracy and can be found at Bestitched. It is shuttle tatted, and when I finished with it, I realized that yes I can shuttle tat. I was quite thrilled as I don't believe I have ever successfully shuttle tatted anything before this. The tension isn't awful either.

Below are the books I got for my birthday last month. A very dear friend gave me the Soup Bible and The complete book of Tatting. This book by Rebecca Jones is the book I wish I had when I started learning how to tat.


And here are the books my Mom got me. She told me how much I had to spend, and I went to Amazon. Ms. Cherryh is one of my all time favorite authors, and this book, Deceiver is Book 11 in one of my favorite series. I usually dislike long running series, but this one is pure gold. I don't think I will ever tire of reading about these characters. And my black cat is named after one of the main characters of the series. Banichi, that would be the tallest illustrated character on the cover. I pre-ordered the Cherryh book, then the 3 tatting books were marked as cheaper together, decided I could wait for slower shipping to make that free, and Mom and I have been congratulating ourselves over what a good shopper she is ever since.


It's time for me to get off to work, hopefully by next week I'll have another motif or more to show for the challenge.

Motif 1&2

I'm back from vacation and I got a little bit of tatting done. Motif one for the 25 motif challenge is a tree topper design from the book "Tatting for Today" and was designed by Marion T. Leyds. For years I had been afraid to attempt this design, it looked so complicated to me that I was sure I couldn't do it. This past month or more I've been reading up on the theory and evolution behind tatting and things clicked into place. Suddenly the pattern no longer looked complicated. It was just rings, chains, and rings on chains. The whole rings on chains thing was something I hadn't understood before. I took these pictures with my phone, so I'm afraid the quality is abysmal. My camera with better pictures is at home where I do not have internet so these barely focused pictures will have to do.
Motif 2 is really an edging for and handkerchief. They need to be attached to each other, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. It is a very simple ring and chain edging and is about 38 inches long.




I used a very simple edging in the hopes that I could do it with minimal mistakes. While there are not a whole lot of boo-boos, there is one ring that has 4 extra double stitches and one extra picot. I made sure not to get that part of the edging in the picture.

So, now I am back at work, tatting will be happening more slowly, but I am off to a decent start on getting 25 motifs/edgings/doilies/whatever done in the next 12 months.

Another go at 25 Motif Challenge

I am going to give this yet another go. My blogging has been non-existent, but I have been haphazardly crafting along. One thing about this meandering through crafts is I picked up tatting again. I had another chat with my mentor. I got a wonderful book from a friend on my birthday, “The complete book of tatting: everything you wanted to know but couldn’t find out about shuttle lace. By Rebecca Jones. Here is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Tatting-Everything-Couldnt/dp/0916896390/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272637080&sr=8-2

It was published in 1992, the first edition may be even earlier, but she does cover the basics. Between that chat with my mentor, and reading through the book everything seemed to fall into place. I actually have some shuttle tatting that isn’t embarrassing. So, I plan to go to the 25 motif challenge and sign up again. I plan to shuttle tat this time instead of needle tat. And this time I think I can get it done.

The challenge asks that we state our theme for the 25 motifs we plan. I had originally thought I would do 25 snowflakes from Vida Sunderman’s “Tatted Snowflakes” but to tell the truth I’m not sure I can stick to a specific theme. So, the best I can do at this point is to say that I will work diligently on tatting 25 items within the next year, and post pictures of them on my blog.