Christmas Angels

There were only cards hung up in our home this Christmas, no tree and no other decorations, sounds miserable but as we were completely by ourselves with no guests or visitors it just did not seem worth the effort.   However, I continue to tat items that can be hung up at Christmas so that other people will enjoy them in their homes. The break also gave me an opportunity to tidy up some of my craft stuff amongst which were bangles purchased 5 years ago.  This is what I have used some of them for, there are dozens more!  The angels are from Martha Ess's book 'Playing with picots'

I used to attach the tatting to the rings with invisible cotton, but this time thought I would try a different method and rather like the effect of twisting the thread around the rings. 

Which ever method is used though it is a fiddly process.

Even though my home had no decorations I did hang some mistletoe in the parish office, 

well just in case!

In my next blog post there will be a give-away to celebrate the New Year.

Blast from the Past

No I'm not referring to 'Tat Days' but an experience when visiting someone yesterday who every year I give a tatted tree ornament to.   The person is now more or less bed ridden but the family put the tree up and hang the ornaments on it.  Here is a picture of some of them, there must be about eight altogether spread around the tree. I had actually forgotten that I had made these, unfortunately I have no record of the design.

However, I just can't stop tatting the button snowflake because it just looks great in whatever colour I use and I am giving them away as fast as I can make them!  The one on the left though is slightly different.

After Christmas I hope to hold a 'giveaway' which will be (when it is made) a pop-a-bobbin shuttle to thank all those who regularly visit this blog and in particular those who comment, perhaps not regularly, but at least from time to time.   I'm getting excited thinking about it, hope you are?

Boxed Clever

Okay I'm not meant to be too serious in this blog post, instructions from big sister!  However, firstly you all need to know the meaning of the title 'Boxed Clever', well other than making tatted boxes!   It means to use one’s resources beyond conventional ways. Not necessary “thinking outside the box”, although this might happen but it is not quite  accurate.  Boxed clever or 'boxing clever', means not only thinking outside the box, but re-defining the common thought process itself . It’s the ability to evaluate the current thought process, and replace it with a new, more superior, more productive, more efficient thought process. Does that sound like Jane?!

The pink and green box was my first attempt, there were a few issues when it came to the second side, Jane and I agreed to disagree on which way to turn the work!  She really was calling me 'a pain' at this point, or may be a 'daft mo'!

The second box was made very quickly and this time I used square buttons

If Jane designs another pattern before Christmas I will scream, cards are not being written, sermons are not being prepared and as for housework, well what can you do when there is a thread invasion?

12.12.12

It is one of those amazing dates today that just needs to be shouted out and celebrated or just recognised on my blog!

This will be the last date of its kind - when all three numericals in a date are the same - for the next 88 years. The next time this will happen is on January 1, 2101, or 01-01-01.
The number 12 has a great significance in many cultures. In western tradition, it is commonly associated with completeness and seen as a perfect and harmonious unit. As such, it has found its way into religion (e.g. the 12 apostles), mythology (e.g. the 12 gods of Olympus), and every day life (e.g. 12 hours on a modern clock face).  

I have been busy (around the clock!) test tatting another of Jane's clever designs but it would not be fair to show you until she has announced it first, it caused a little bit of a problem (on my part) but all seems to be resolved now and I am just excited about it as she is.

Whilst in America at Tat Days I was extremely fortunate to be given some lovely gifts, one was the name tag on the scissors which I purchased from the vending room.  I would like to thank the giver personally but I don't know who she is.  I will now never loose my scissors and this piece of tatting means a lot to me.

As you can see the bracelet and the book mark are made from the same Lizbeth thread which I have strangely taken a disliking to over the last few months.

It is amazing how tastes change and it has happened a lot in tatting to me over the last six months. I blame all those wonderful HDTs which you can now buy.  

Anyway enjoy what is left of 12.12.12 where ever you are in the world.

Tatting Requests

I was asked to make two sets of button necklaces and earrings way back in May, I was told there was no hurry! After returning from my trips to other parts of the world it became necessary to sit down and finish them.  Unfortunately I found this very hard to do for many reasons. Tat Days inspired me to do other projects and then Jane keeps designing more patterns especially using buttons.  Also I had to catch up with other things going on in my life.  I finally completed them last weekend.

I actually lost interest in making these necklaces which had to be made in the colours requested. The purple one was started in June and by the time I came back from the USA in September I had purchased threads and beads that I liked much better and nearly cut it up and started again, but persevered and actually finished it whilst staying with Jane.

I have been also hit with a 'doodad challenge' from Diana, look at what she sent me.

These little beauties will have to wait until after Christmas, but I am sure going to have fun with them. Do I try to design a pattern for them or see if I can find someone elses? I guess that is part of the challenge to go it alone!  Thank you so much Diane

Problems sorted!

I am out of hibernation (but didn't get much sleep) and seemed to have got rid of my computer frustration, well for a little while!  This past week I have been extremely busy sorting out the photos on my blog, or rather where they are stored in Picasa and then downsizing them.    I had no idea that was the problem, just uploaded everything on to the blog without a thought to how much space they were taking.  Lesson learnt.  Big sister came to my rescue and you can see her blog post talking about it here.

With the pink bracelet I added the beads from the core (shuttle)  thread whilst on the yellow bracelet they were on the ball thread.

This is the only bit of tatting I managed over the last week.  I had thought about making these bracelets for a while and recently noticed Janemactats and it inspired me to actually do something about the idea.

These are the buttons you saw on the scan but look slightly better photographed

So I am blogging again and thanks to those who commented on my last blog post, would really have not wanted to be away for too long as I would have also  missed you.