Snowflake and Star

Some evenings when I am actually at home and not out attending meetings etc, Jane and I scan in what we have tatted and e.mail it asking each others opinions. Although I have to say that this is rather one sided as I find very little time to tat, especially anything new.  It can be very hard making any criticisms when it comes to other people's tatting especially when it happens to be your own sister!    Not every time is my opinion asked but I do get to see most her patterns, if not all, before they are published.  Occasionally I find time to tat them too, not as a test tatter though as I tend to know where her patterns are going anyway and if I don't then it is usually because I am too thick to understand and have to shout for help!    The inside out snowflake I tried before Jane published it on her blog and this is the first and only one I have made. I decided to use some really long bugle beads that I had been given ages ago.

Now for the star, quite unusual to find a five pointed tatted star pattern, this one is from Rosemarie Peel's tatting for pleasure it is resting on some post shuttles which need to go on a journey!

So I can't wait to show you the next pattern that Jane has designed, I hope she blogs about it soon!

Three Snowflakes

Someone has asked me for small snowflakes to put on an angel that she is making.  The church she attends is asking the congregation make angels so that they can be displayed in church at Christmas.  However trying to find a pattern that was interesting but effective was a bit of a challenge.  I started with the large one which is Renuleks , but that one was far too big so then made Betsy's snowflake which you can find here.  My final attempt to find one even smaller is from Jeanne Lugert and this snowflake is so delicate and just right.  I did alter the picots slightly to make them more flaky looking and was pleased with the effect.  All three snowflakes are tatted in one round so only two ends need to be tied.

I hope to see the angel that I have made three of the smallest snowflakes for, especially as there is now talk of tatting a 'halo'  - which could be a bit of a challenge!  I will also need to see the angel to get measurements for such a holy head piece if it is required to be tatted.

Raspberry Jam and a Cup Cake

The title of this blog post sounds like afternoon tea, doesn't it?

Sue Hanson has given us some very interesting wood, but some pieces are too small to make shuttles from, however sanded and polished they stand out on their own.   The wood that the cup cake is on is called Raspberry Jam!  Apparently it refers to the strong odour of this freshly cut wood, which resembles raspberry jam. The tree is found in Western Australia, those who live there can perhaps throw more light on what I have just written?

The cup cake pattern is one that Jane taught at the Palmetto tat Days and I am giving this particular example away tomorrow to the person who cooked some amazing cup cakes for the Scarecrow Festival.

As for the pattern (unless you are Jane's sister) but she only has one so you can't be!  Or you attended Tat Days and then of course there is a good chance you will have this pattern, then you will have to buy the CD with all the patterns on from here.    I am in the process of making a chocolate one and intend to tat some earrings too. 

This is a bigger piece of the Raspberry Wood and hopefully some shuttles can be made from it.

Thistles and Harvest Decorations

Someone in the USA has requested six of my thistle bookmarks.  It is strange but whenever going back to a pattern there seems to be something you want to do to improve on it, especially a few years down the line.   One of the more noticeable things I did was to tat a different tail.  Here you can see one with split rings and the other with the technique Jane has just put on her blog a half double double stitch.  They both look fine but I think I prefer the slimmer stem!

We have just celebrated harvest in our parishes and there were some lovely decorations, although I forgot to take pictures of the fruits, but at least have some flowers!

A basket filled with autumnal flowers

Hops decorating the porch of a church

Hops are used primarily as a flavouring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavour, although they look so pretty hanging over a porch.

If you look through the door you can just see the basket sitting there!

Bead Soup!

I have just finished all the motifs for the mirror magnets over 30 in total and all but two are stuck on.  It was very difficult photographing them but managed a few reasonable pictures in the end.  By tatting them I used up a lot of odd beads that have been lying around and also managed to reduce my 'bead soup' a little, although need to try harder with that problem!

I seem to have a lot of bead spillages and now have two containers full!

But they look so beautiful when all together.

This afternoon I read about the Aka tribe from a copy of the National Geographical Magazine, they  live in the northeast corner of India.  Apparently they have more than 26 words to describe beads.  Beyond being objects of adornment, beads are status symbols and currency.  Do you know what I could go with that idea!