Yew Wood

The yew wood is beautiful and we were fortunate to be given a chunk of it, which has been seasoning outside for many years. In ancient times yew wood was used for making bows, the trees were planted in graveyards so they are a common sight around our churches in the U.K. some going back at least a thousand years. 

Here is a newly cut stack of blanks to make some more pop-a-bobbin shuttles with. 

Resting on them is this pattern  http://janeeborall.freeservers.com/MotifFerrisWheel.pdf and of course I have used the version with a button in the middle.  As you have gathered it is Jane's pattern.   

Jane is actually helping me write out a pattern at the moment for a design of my own. I have been working on it for weeks and weeks and nearly given up many times as it is so very complicated.  It is going to be a very unique pattern based on something which is very well known, especially in our family. I don't think anyone has ever attempted to make one in tatting before.  I am so looking forward to it being finished!

More Jam

So my jam craze continues and over the last few weeks have picked and cooked the black currants which I had grown in my garden. I also have an abundance of rhubarb growing,  so by adding  ginger to the recipe have made a very flavourful jam.

One of the jars I gave away but before I did added a tatted owl because the recipient is a ‘wise  old bird’   The owl  is one of Jane’s patterns,  just love the design.

Jam Day

I have no idea why I decided to make jam on the hottest day of the year!  Strawberry  &  raspberry and also another batch of  strawberry rhubarb & ginger.  I haven’t made jam in years, now need to make some scones to go with them! 

Amusement Doily

I recently found two metal rings that I must have had for at least 10 years. About that time there was a craze in ‘tat world’ to cover rings of various sizes and make jewellery or Christmas decorations. My aim was to use a series of rings to make a wall hanging,

So as you see I tatted the amusement doily and have nearly attached it inside the ring, however as usually happens with me, I got distracted and the project is unfinished. My tatting distraction was to make some more rainbow earrings.

I have now another distraction, for the first time in years I am actually in the process of designing something in tatting.  It is not a doily, it is not an animal or motif. It is going to take a few weeks and from time to time will probably have to talk to Jane and ask for advice, but I am rather excited about it!  

One day I will finish what I started!

Found

Now I had lost these teapots when I tidied them away soon after lockdown. My aim was to put them onto cards, I can now do this, when I have found the cards! Just love this pattern from Martha Ess’s book ‘Tatting with buttons’.

The miniature teapot in the picture comes from Hong Kong, I bought it when we lived there and from time to time I think it should go but it is so unusual and therefore have not the heart to get rid of it.

Bag

I began to sew this bag in March as a ‘lock down project’ all was going  well and I was enjoying the free time and opportunity to do some creative craft work. However, very soon I lost interest in it and in fact everything. Three weeks later I picked it up again and made a massive effort to finish the bag. 

Also determined to make it a little bit different I tatted a trim, although  I thought it may spoil the bag and make it look too fancy.  However, I am  pleased with the look especially as it matches the decor of the room in which it will live.

This is a close up of the trim and the pattern can be found here

Rainbows of thanks

For those of you who live outside of the UK perhaps you are unaware of how the ‘Rainbow’ has become a symbol of thanks to those working in the National Health Service (NHS) especially during the outbreak of Covid-19.  Over the last five weeks children and adults have made their own rainbow pictures out of a variety of materials and  put them in the windows of homes and business.  We are truly grateful to all health professionals and to those people who have been looking after residents in care homes and others who have kept essential services running during the pandemic.   These are my rainbows to wear!

With the bottom set I used Lizbeth 20 thread Rainbow Splash the colour way my sister Jane Eborall thought of and it is just right with random beads for these earrings. The top set were rather a fiddle counting the colours on to the thread and shuttle in the exact order.

The pattern can be found here  it is very old.  
 I remember seeing it years ago and wanting to tat the earrings, now my time has come!  Thank you Georgia Seitz it seems that your pattern has now had a lovely come back.