Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Finished (12/25)


These are the reason why I haven't had as much time to tat. There are 3 more that didn't make the picture. Juggling balls!! We decided to learn how to juggle. Tom-Kat is great, but I haven't quite mastered it yet. Hopefully soon. The kitten loves to "juggle" like mom--that is throw the balls everywhere.

The bracelet is finally finished. My wrist is really small, so it is way too big for me. I would need to take one of the flowers out for it to work for me. Just so I can remember, the bracelet is about 9 inches long. I'm going to wear it just the same this weekend at a function and will probably give it to the first person who likes it and has a bigger wrist :) Thanks so much to Jane Eborall for the button flower pattern. I think that I will be making more of these!



And last but not least. Here is one of my current tatting projects. This is Mary Konior's glass mat spinning wheel done in Lizbeth size 20 Country Turquoise Medium. Sorry the picture isn't great, but I didn't feel like working with the scanner :) Hopefully I can finish it soon and show you the finished project. I'm also working on an edging for a skirt of the kitten--I might be asking for opinions next week.

The Scarlett Letter (14/25)

Here is a letter "A" tatted from the alphabet shown here . Much thanks to the tatters at InTatters for help finding the tatter again. I love looking for patterns on the internet, but sometimes it is hard re-finding them :)

It is tatted in size 20 Victorian Red of Lizbeth. I just grabbed the nearest thread when I started and realized part way through that I was tatting the scarlet letter!! It isn't perfect with a join off at the top and it probably needs to be blocked some (I still need to get a blocking board). I just started tatting without thinking on this one. I should have saved some thread when my needle thread ran out, but instead I had to wind some thread off mid-way during tatting. I need to get some of those Ez-bobs and just wind some of all of my thread on them. Are there any physical stores that sell these or is the shipping cheap since they are light?

The letter is about 3.75 inches tall by 2.5 inches wide. I want to tat someones last name for a wedding gift and this would be a bit large to frame. I wonder what the size would be if I tatted it in 30 or 40. Any ideas?

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Patchwork (13/25)

There is a new winner of the opinion quiz giveaway! Congratulations Beelizabeth!!

This is Patchwork from "Tatting with Visual Pattern" by Mary Konior tatted in Lizbeth size 20 Country Turquoise Med. I didn't realize until I finished that I had messed up at the very beginning. Oh well, it was fun to tat although I kept having to untat because I messed up my counting. I will be trying this again in the future.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Aha!! (11.75/25)

I figured out Jane's lock join. I just needed to figure out what "outside" meant! When I figured it out I said "Aha" just like Winnie the Pooh (see "In which Kanga and baby Roo come to the forest, and Piglet has a bath" from the Pooh Bear books. If you haven't hear or read them in a while it is worth laughing at again).

So I started with one and used black so that I could clearly see a difference in the threads, but then I wondered what it would look like with 2 joined together. And then I wondered what it would look like with more. Before I new it there were 5 together :) Now is it just waiting for me to buy a clasp and figure out how to finish the bracelet. Not quite my color scheme, but I still love the idea and I think I know the perfect person to give this to. Since it isn't finished I'm counting this as my 11.75 th motif :) Hopefully I can finish it soon and post the finished product.





Any advice for hiding ends with black thread? It is so hard to see. I guess the benefit is that no one can see if it isn't perfect, but boy is it hard.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Socks, socks, socks (9, 10, 11/25)

Here are all 3 of the socks together. I appreciate all of the opinions. Not the best pictures, but then the light here is awful for pictures. I added some more close-ups at the bottom of the post. The tatting didn't take long, but sewing the edging to the socks was a pain. I have 3 more socks that I bought, but I think that I'll put them away for now. Now I have some baby gifts all ready. Hope my friends have girls :)

And the winner is.........

Thanks to all for the opinions. And thanks to the kitten's Teddy for posing with the winner. The correct answer is 384. And no I will not be tatting that many socks!!! Greenly family I could not access your profile, so I have no way to contact you. Please leave a comment on this post with a way to contact you. If I have not heard from you by 8 pm on Tuesday June 22 then I will pick a different winner. Below is a picture of your prize.
I also am a winner today since I found some great deals at yard sales. Most of the items were for the kitten, but I found 16 of the cards that you see above with the heart for $1. I have been thinking about coming up with a way to display the hearts when they are given away and I think this works. I also received some buttons from someone's stash. I'm attempting to tat Jane Eborall's mini button. I think that I'm stuck on the Locking join, but hopefully I can figure it out tonight. I have some plans for these mini buttons--I have some girl clothes that are in need of some tatted extras added to them and I think these would be perfect. I'll keep you posted.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

the kitten's "tatting"



The kitten loves thread. Here is a sample of her "tatting" and the reason why all thread must be put away!! The loves any stray thread that I send her way though. Maybe she is planning on this for Christmas gifts :)

purple Stumpy bookmark (8/25)


Here is the Stumpy bookmark designed by Kersti Anear tatted in size 10 Lizbeth Purple Splendor. It is a bit wild for my taste, but will be perfect for the recipient. I love this pattern since it is quick and fun to tat--perfect for gift giving.

Thanks for the opinions on the sock edging. Remember the giveaway is on Saturday!!

Monday, June 14, 2010

opinion quiz

After the wonderful credit card trick shared by Fox, I decide to attempt some tatted socks. I found 6 socks for $1.25, so I have several to play with.

With all of the options I'm in need of some opinion help, so start a comment and make sure that you include contact info (a blog is fine with me) because there might be something special in it for you :)

Question 1:
Do you think the edging with yellow in the following figure is too small for the sock? Is the one in green a better size? (The thread with yellow is Lizbeth Topical Punch and the other is Lizbeth springtime).
Question 2: Does the small edging in tropical punch look better on this shorter white sock. It looks non-white in the picture, but is a nice white with some light pink design.
Bonus: Just to show you how difficulty a decision this is. How many options of tatted edgings are there if I have 12 threads to chose from, 4 different edgings, 2 sizes for each edging, and 4 different beads to use!! (The beads were included for you Fox since I have yet to tat with beads. I'll try and remedy that with my next pair of socks)

I will randomly choose one winner for a tatted heart from the comments that get the bonus correct. If no one gets the bonus correct I will choose my favorite answer, so don't leave the bonus blank.

In an effort to curb cheating :), I will not publish the comments until all answers are submitted. (hopefully I got this set up right) Can you tell that I was a professor before the kitten? This "quiz" will remain open until 5 pm EST on Saturday Jun 19. Only one entry will be accepted and no tatting will be harmed based on your opinion. I believe that is all, so happy quiz taking and tatting!!!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

The Goodies

The kitten is much better. So still not much time to tat :) I'll have to show pictures of her "tatting" soon.


So here are the goodies all beautifully packaged!!





And here are on the goodies. Have pity on the shuttle because it is going to be my "learn to shuttle tat" shuttle. Thanks again Gina!!!!!!!


And I'm a very lucky girl because my mom also sent me some hankies to tat around.

I'm in hanky heaven!! Now to find a good edging to start with. Any recommendations? Do you prefer to tat and then attach or attach as you go?

Monday, June 7, 2010

Movie tatting and the package (6 and 7/25)

The kitten has been sick, so I don't have much to share.
These are hearts that I enjoy tatting when I need to pay
attention to more than just tatting. My mom keeps asking
for more to give away, so it works out well. They are the Sweetheart pattern from ???. Can anyone help me out with the designer. The page is no longer up on the internet. I decided to tat one without the outside picot--it gives it a different look.

I also received the giveaway package this morning. I don't have access to the camera at the moment, so pictures of my goodies will have to come later.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

fixed bookmark (5/25)


Here is the fixed altered version of Jon's bookmark. I can't make up my mind, but I think that I like with one better with the outer picots. What do you think?

The thread is my latest 40% buy at Hobby Lobby. It is Lizbeth Vineyard Harvest and I just HAD to bring it home. I'm so glad that they expanded their selection.