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?

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.

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!

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.

On not tatting

I have been burying myself in things other than crafting. Meaningless things like playing video games, meaningful things like reading books, and day to day things like avoiding doing the dishes, or doing the dishes. I am working on another motif for the challenge. I am about 1/2 way finished. I might have gotten further, but I chose the wrong movie to throw into the DVD player. The motif is one I have tried several times to tat. It should be easy, 1 shuttle + ball of thread, with only chains and rings. I did very well while watching the Anne Bolynn sequence of the old 1972 version of Six Wives of Henry VIII. Then I made the mistake of switching to Fellowship of the Ring. I haven't seen FotR as often as the Six Wives series and once again I was completely caught up in the visual feast. The tatting went back in it's bag and I curled up under a quilt, the cats curled up on me and I once again journeyed into middle earth.

Pictures Finally

I finally have some scans of my tatting. So here in all its glory, I present to you: twisted picots, wildly uneven tension, thread so soft it needs to be blocked and stiffened, and ends needing to be tucked in. Oh, and lots of stray cat hairs too. They will be happy to know that their contribution made it into this post.
Motif 5
This first piece is from the Tat-along project. This is Base motif number 2. This is the motif with the twisted picots, and well even more obvious is the uneven tension. I just need to take some time to tuck in the ends. Then I will stiffen it and use it for a Christmas ornament on the back of the tree to fill in space and not waste the thread and time.

Needle tatted.

Motif 6
This Albino Bat is from Mark Myers site. Again with uneven tension and loose ends. I'll probably attach him to something. I will say it looked much better after I ironed it, now it is at least recognizable as a bat.

Needle tatted.

Motif 7
One X from the Cecelia Doily. This is one of my old threads from when I was going to crochet a whole bunch of bookmarks. The Thread is nice and soft and even after ironing it will not hold its shape. I plan on making as many Xs as I can from this ball of thread and making a doily. Probably a rather small doily.

Needle tatted.


Motif 8
I cannot find the website for this motif at the moment. I'll have to look it up at home and see if I can at least find the name of the designer. Again the thread is very soft, and this motif will end up being attached to something else so it can hold it's shape. The designer is Lisa C. Trumble, and it can be found at this website.

Needle tatted.

Motif 9.
Another motif from the tat-along project. This is motif is my variation on the first motif. More of that soft soft thread. Again this motif will probably just get stitched onto something else so that it can hold its shape.

Needle tatted.


Motif 10.
these are so small I'm counting the 2 of them as one motif. This is thread from a friends step-mother-in-law, or that woman's mother. We aren't sure exactly. They are just doodles that I needle tatted, and each motif used up what was left on a spool of thread. I didn't use a pattern for these, but I do know that a clover and a daisy are far from original. I just made up the counts as I went along and used up the thread. These will also become part of something else, some day.

So, now I am caught up on posting my tatting and moving along on my tatting adventure. I hope to be able to credit the creator/designer of the triangle pattern very soon. However if anyone knows off the top of his/her head, please let me know so that proper credit can be given. Found it, Lisa C. Trumble, her website is listed above.

No Piccies yet

Hi, I didn't get any scans made, but I got some Tatting done! I am rather excited about that, plus I have a general invite for tea and homemade cookies if I offer tatting lessons to my co-workers at my part time job. Over the weekend they were looking at my work and talking about the dying art. I assured them it wasn't dying. Then i got to thinking that that is the wrong response. I will now ask people if they would like to help keep it from dying, and thus try to recruit new tatters. Then once they are committed (yeah right) I can spring on them the plethora of web sights and blogs, all the wonderful vibrant and living people out there with their innovations and new creations that are breathing life into this far from dead art form.

But back to the piccies part. I finished the tat-along motif, it was number 2, and did a very amateur job of it, uneven tension twisted picots and who knows what else. I'll still starch it and turn in into a Christmas Tree ornament, I'll just put it at the back of the tree. I also made Mark's aka Tatman's Bat, and the little x from the Cecelia doily. Hopefully pictures tomorrow.