Last blog post 2019

Two blog posts in one day is very unusual but I wanted to achieve the total of 30 posts for the whole year, which is not many considering I used to achieve 60 a year.  Still at least I am still blogging! 

No resolutions but aims for 2020

1. To celebrate 10 years since the creation of the pop-a-bobbin shuttle, with some new packaging.

2.  Find time for more tatting.

3.  Keep my tatting supplies tidier (this is what I say every year) but hoping to achieve just once! 


See you in 2020 - Happy New Year, keep tatting!

Snowman

Over the last few days I have been tatting this little chap. It is the snowman from Inga Madsen’s book ‘12 Tatted Fairy-Tales'.  I purchased this book from e.bay a few years ago and never managed to tat anything from it, until now.  All the illustrations in the book are tatted in white, but I used black and brown thread to distinguish the different parts of the snowman.

I also spent ages choosing a background for him, this was the best, he needed to standout but at the same time I had to be careful that the background did not overpower him. 

On the shelf

I have not been very active on this blog in 2019 and just wanted to get the count of posts to an acceptable amount, before the new year started. So please excuse this little fellow which someone from the computer group I help to run, gave me.

He is not exactly an ‘Elf on a shelf ‘ rather a ‘Pixie looking a bit tipsy’! 

Back to tatting tomorrow 

Christmas Cards

I really did intend to blog all through December, especially  as I have organised two Craft afternoons. These were for people to create their own Christmas decorations and I have some lovely photos, which I must show you.   But somehow time past that quickly and life got so busy.
These are what I tatted for my Christmas Cards this year, but now struggling to find time to write and send them.

Mixing threads

Here are a few snowflakes that I have made by tatting with two threads wound together.

Just love how they have turned out .

I have used 40 white or coloured thread together with these  sewing cottons 

This is what happened when I scanned the snowflakes, the colours seems to have been washed out of them!

I intend to use them for decorating Christmas cards.

Tatting and Necklaces

Originally I was making these necklaces using just felt, cotton material and felt flowers but then I looked in my tatting stash and decided to use some bits that have been lingering in a box way too long. It makes them now look very unique and interesting and more importantly  the tatting has been put to good use. 

They are going to hopefully be sold at a charity fair next weekend. I am unable to attend,  which in away is a shame especially if any questions are asked about tatting.  Although I have to say after trying to sell so much of my work for decades at fairs and on the whole being disappointed, sort of happy about the situation and if any money is made it is going to a good cause. 

String Thread

That is what it said on the label of this thread which I purchased from Singapore.  The day is a bit dismal so the colour is not very good. But if you were able to look closely in good light then you will see different colours including pink, green blue etc and it does glitter.  Tats as 20 thread. 

The patterns are all Janes, the front two are her newest which you will find on this blog post.   The patterns are not up yet, but will be very soon, just a perk of being a sister sometimes I get to try them out first!

I have been making quite a few of the front right one as it is going to be such a useful snowflake and rather fun to make too! 

More snowflakes

Using the same pattern as in the previous blog post I have been making more snowflakes.  Again winding two threads together.  At the moment have a huge amount of sparkly and plain threads and it is just a matter of getting the size right for each one i.e. using 40 and a sewing thread or two 80s, making sure they are not too large or small.   Have also made some really dainty ones using 60 and a sewing thread, those I think will look good on cards, need to experiment with that idea and then show you.

I have even had a chance to use the thread I purchased in Singapore  (coming up next) . Now sent my son off to look for more!   He asked how many do you want I said every colour! As far as I can remember there were not many colour-ways, his face was a picture as he probably imagined that I was talking about dozens of reels of thread!

Actually it has taken me 10 months to use the thread so told him not to hurry to buy more, that is assuming it is still there, do hope so.

A necklace

I have been making quite a few snow flakes using this pattern over the weeks, it is of course one of Janes.  Someone saw my collection, which is growing and said that it would make a nice necklace.  So here it is and she is now the proud owner.

I wound together the threads below and the effect is quite stunning.  Actually all the snowflakes I have made have been made by using two threads wound together.  Will try and find where I put them to show you! 

Still have not managed to do anything about the shuttles even though they are tested and packaged ready to go - life is too busy!

Pop-a-bobbins

Here are the latest shuttles to have been made, they are nearing the quality control stage, i.e. I have to test them.  Some are promised to people who have emailed me, just need to see if they are still interested, after such a long wait!  I am afraid 'Im in the Garage' is very slow at making them these days and the cold weather will set in soon so the garage will have to be heated and production even slower. 

At the adult craft sessions I organise one of the materials they use is wood and this is what one of them made using the technique of pyrography.

I must say it is great having such a wide selection of wood around us and even more pleasing when those who are so artistic enhance it with their extraordinary talents.

Crocheted and Knitting

Back in August I finished a crocheted and knitted throw for a futon that was going to be put in a bedroom. Here is the post showing the finished throw. 

At that time the bedroom had not been decorated and was in a complete mess. I am pleased to say it is now finished and the room is lovely to sit and relax in. I use it for watching television, crafting and it also contains the computer which I am using now. 

The cupboard you see on the left of the picture contains my tatting supplies and the box on the right hand shelf holds my collection of tatting shuttles.   Everything is quite neat and tidy at the moment, just hope it keeps that way.

Tiny Star

Really love this little star pattern which can be found on Jane’s pattern page http://janeeborall.freeservers.com/StarSmall.pdf 

I am hoping to use them on small Christmas cards as a decoration. Over the years have accumulated so many plain cards and envelopes and have been meaning to use them, but never quite managed to find something that will work.  Perhaps these stars will, must try them out soon.

Each one has been tatted with two threads wound together, the star on the far right sparkles but unfortunately this does not show up in the picture.

A cross

I can't believe how much attention this cross has received since I started wearing it.  Although it was ages ago since it came off my shuttles and was sadly put away forgotten and unloved! Then about 6 weeks ago I bought a dress and suddenly discovered the cross and found that it was the exact colour of the a dress, which was amazing!  The pattern was one that I designed myself, originally for earrings in fact at one point I may have even had earrings to match!  

This morning I went to a coffee morning and was showing a group of people my latest tatting and have now got an order.  It is for a snowflake which I am going to turn into a pendant, will post another time. 

Lavender Bags

Managed to get three lavender bags made today. The bags themselves are a dark purple colour but look quite grey in the photograph.  They smell gorgeous and I plan to make more. 

The other week I completed these pin cushions, the left hand one is for myself as my old one has faded and looks a complete mess.  They are such fun to make.

What I love doing is choosing the buttons for the centre of the pin cushions, getting the right shape, colour and size. 

Necklace finished

I am so pleased I managed to complete this necklace and have already worn it and received some lovely compliments. 

One of the main reasons why I came to a halt and the necklace lay abandoned for years was that originally there was going to be a tatted chain from the end two motifs, so I left a large picot without a bead ready to accommodate the chain.  However, it then looked as though the necklace would not lie well unless there was a chain on the top of all the motifs. It was at that stage, in the middle of tatting it, that I gave up, lost the thread and the beads and the will to actually continue.  

The HDT I used is either Yarnplayers or Karey Solomons, sorry completely forgotten, but lovely Autumnal colours.      

An old project

Thank you for your comments regarding the lavender sprigs, I haven't been able to make the bags to put them on yet, but I will in time. Tidying up a bedroom and decorating it, meant sorting out some long forgotten tatting, which needs some TLC (Tender Loving Care) in other words finished!  This is a necklace which was sadly abandoned because of various issues.  I cannot bear to destroy it so hope to resolve the problems I had with it and complete.

We all have given up on a piece of  tatting at some time or another and I know how hard it is to re visit, wish me luck!

Lavender and Bees

My neighbour always grows the most beautiful lavender, which I was fortunate to pick and dry this year.  My aim is to make some lavender bags but also want to put a piece of tatted lavender on the front of them. These are my attempts and think I have decided which is the best one. 

The lavender attracts hundreds of bees, so my hands were in the middle of some very vocal buzzing insects, but they did not worry me and I was not frightened about getting stung.

A little bit of tatting

I have definately started tatting again but have been tidying up my supplies at the same time, which means making tiny butterflies to use up the odd bits of thread.  The other thing I have been doing is preparing for another craft morning, and have become rather hooked on making these pin cushions.  Although the aim is for those who attend the morning to make them themselves!  Not everyone uses a pin cushion but I find them an essential bit of equipment, not only for pins but also for needles.  

But as you can also see I could not resist putting a piece of tatting on each one!  It also gives me the opportunity to play with the large collection of buttons that I still have.

Time to start tatting again

So have had a very long break from doing any tatting, the longest in 10 years, but feel I would like to get back to my shuttles now.  This is what I spent months doing and what any tatting was abandoned for. 

It is a throw for a sofa bed, only I can't show you it as the room needs decorating first!  The panels are different patterns with a crocheted border.  I choose the colours to correspond with the outer edge.  

It is going to seem very odd picking up shuttles after using knitting needles and a crochet hook!

Tatting shuttles

I have not done any tatting for months although still knitting and sorting out ideas for the next Craft Evening in three weeks time.  A surprise phone call today meant that I was given some tatting shuttles which otherwise would have probably been thrown away!  They were from a friend whose mother had died, just wonder how many shuttles are disposed of, especially when relatives of deceased loved ones do not know what they are.  I was just fortunate because my friend knew I tatted but had no idea that these were the shuttles used for the craft!

Included are my favourites the aero shuttles, one has not got a bobbin, but that is no problem as I have hundreds in my house!  Two Susan Bates, one Milward and a cute little one made out of bone?

Might start tatting again soon

Some how I have lost any interest in tatting, but still knitting which is something I suppose! I found this necklace in a charity shop today amongst a bundle of jewellery.  Thought to myself why don't I tat around those butterflies?   Anyway no big deal if I never get around to it as the necklace only cost 50p.

And my knitting so far, still a long way to go, another few sections and then to complete crocheting the outside.   Why do things take so long?  Answer I hardly have time to sit and do them!

Now off to vote as it is the European Elections  today, which would not have taken place if we had come out of the European Union, but the country is in such a mess with all that hanging over us. Big sigh.

Where has this month gone?!

April has been manic for me and therefore decided to have today off work mainly to tidy and the clean the house!  Still a lot to do but decided to have a break to show you some pictures of the items people created at the Craft Evening at the beginning of the month.

'Im in the garage' cut out some geckos and crafters had a lot of fun either burning designs in them or trying their hand at painting.  I am already starting to plan for the next Craft Evening in July.  

As we all know if you enjoy doing crafts it creates its own stack of equipment and materials.  At the moment we are hoping to extend the church so that there is more room for activities especially has most of the time the building is shared with a pre-school.  It is a standing joke that I am asking for a Craft room, not going to get one,  but people are getting used to the office being a storage place for Crafts in progress! 

Craft Evening

On Monday I organised another craft evening for adults.  Lots of different items to create using wood, string, material, paper and card.  Here are a few examples that I prepared before the evening.

The hedgehog is made from an old book

There were actually seven very different items to create,  I will show you what people achieved at the end of the evening in the next post.  

Tatting shuttles

The garage is getting a little warmer so it is time to make more shuttles. They will be mainly pop-a-bobbin ones but we had a special order for some ebony post shuttles, one of which I have photographed on a white hyacinth. Actually they are going to a customer in England who could not find any wooden ones in our part of the world. Not a brilliant photograph, this morning is dull and it is drizzling with rain.  This shuttle has a dimple on the top and bottom so that you can comfortably hold with your thumb and finger without them slipping off.

The next two have also been promised and will be setting off on their long journey any day now.  This time pop-a-bobbin ones, a  Cocobola Rosewood and an Olive shuttle.

I really do need to get back to tatting but there doesn't seem to be any spare time at the moment.

Button Bow

I am still knitting, but doing other things as well.  When I first received Martha's book 'Button Jar Tatting' I made two of these bows, but can only find one!  Sometime in the future I intend to make it into a choker, there are two large picots at the top on each side to work a chain, you can just about see them.

Then I decided, rather foolishly, to try my hand at macrame.  The reason being that I want to teach people to do it at the next adult craft club.  So ended up buying a job lot of string off e.bay and wondering if I have done a wise thing, now in a right knot about it all, the idea is not going to plan!

Also 'im in the garage has been making more shuttles, only this time to order as people have found out about them. 

Having a break from Tatting

Sometimes you need a break from things, call it a holiday (vacation), respite, whatever.  Don't get me wrong I enjoy tatting but I was finding the time I spent doing it very limiting. I needed to do other crafts, so  decided on a bit of knitting, haven't knitted for years.  The aim is to knit a throw. I am in no hurry either, was going to crochet one but the wool I have is a little diverse and did not think it would look good if used for crocheting. Below are the two plain colours to start the project.

The picture does not show the true colour it is a dull lilac and the pattern is Harebell.

Again this green is dark but probably not as dark as the picture and is knitted in Daisy Stitch. The aim is to knit lots of strips like this in different patterns and then join them together. I will have to crochet around the edge, but expecting this project to last at least a year!  Need to return to tatting at some point!  As I said just taking a break!

Still playing with threads

After awhile I always come back to Martha Ess's Canopy Bookmark especially if I am winding two threads together as I love the way the long picots show up the different strands.  This was so difficult to photograph as I was trying to get some natural light to show up the colours.

I think it is time to get back to some one strand thread tatting as this method was beginning to get a bit of a challenge when I got into a tangle after starting another project!  

Thread Find

Not only have I been clearing out and tidying stuff at home I have also been tackling a huge store room in the church which also contains a lot of craft stuff.  Some of it has been left over from previous children's activities, which have now come to an end.  In the find were these threads, I wound them together with cotton threads in my stash and made snowflakes.

The snowflakes are from Lene Bjorn's book.  The top one is The sixth Day of December and the bottom one is The tenth Day of December.  I am now experimenting with more colours and different thicknesses of cotton thread. Sadly you can't see the sparkle on them very well. 

Watering Can

The tidying is still continuing but it is going to be a long time before I see any benefits from the exercise.  The reason being is because I am actually taking storage space away to allow for a sofa-bed to be put in the room, so big decisions are being made with certain items. Although so far no tatting thread has suffered whilst this project is being carried on!

I made this watering can, another of Jane's patterns. I wound together some 80 white and 80 black and white, so it looks like a weathered galvanised watering can.  Hoping to make a few of these to put on cards.

New Year Resolution

My New Year Resolution is going well so far, I am having a massive clear out and being quite ruthless and throwing lots of things way.  Mainly stuff that I have kept because "it will come in useful one day" and of course it never has, and probably never will!  Amongst my finds were some blank cards, some I have thrown away, because they looked a bit grubby, but the rest I am adding tatting to so that they can be transformed into greeting cards.

The only tatting which I had to do for this card is the wheelbarrow which can be found here on Jane's pattern site along with the butterfly and the slug. All other bits were found in my stash.