Tatted Name

Here is my Christmas gift to our new granddaughter.  The alphabet is from "Tatting ABC's & 123's by Houstine Cooper and Handy Hands Inc."  Her name was tatted in size 20, the pink in DMC Cebelia and the salmon in Lizabeth.  It has been blocked.  It is ready to be framed and put up on her wall.

Took a break from hand dyeing samples to do a Christmas present which I will post in a couple of days (need to block first).  I also managed to tat a sample of a Christmas Tree Edging.  The pattern can be found here:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/lacossette.  I tried to make it look like trees in snow with snow capped leaves.  I did not have total white beads so I used crystal looking ones.

Blue-Violet Samples HDT

Blue-violets were my next samples dyed.  Had a little trouble with a couple of the colors as to much of the blue came out leaving a little fushia.  Going to tweak the formula next time.  I like the colors.  I am planning on dying the very lightest in a larger skein.  I see snowflakes in my future with this light color (it just has a faint tint of color).

More HDT Samples

I just finished a grouping of orange to black samples.  Really like the gradations from the samples.   Scanning does not to it justice but one gets the idea.

Also, since I seem be on a roll, I overdyed for the third time a 75-yard skein of thread.  I have had problems with streaking (the dye not being thoroughly taken by the thread).  I believe I now have the formula I need and lo and behold - no streaking!  I will be using this thread for the spinning wheel mat.  Just need to decide what color to use for the chains?

HDT Samples

I have decided to go back to my basics as far as hand dyeing thread (basics to me is how to mix up the dyes).  I also made a decision this week to go through Linda Johansen's Fabric Dyer's Dictionary book.  I am going to eventually do all the sample color swatches in thread instead of fabric.  Below is my first grouping.  I figured this would give me a good understanding what colors to use, how the dyes react to each other, and ideas for variegated threads.  My goal is to do one or two groups a week.  This will keep me busy and out of trouble!

Butterfly Heart and Bookmark

The heart is from Karey Solomon in her Hearts belong to Tatting book.  Did this one waiting in the emergency room with my mother this morning.

The bookmark is from Tat Days 2012.  It is a Daisy Picot technique which I have never done (til now).  I just finished dying some size 80 hot pink thread.  I have a hankie with holes around the edge.  I will be making a Daisy Picot edging for a hankie and turn it into a baby bonnet for my granddaughter.  Will post when complete.

Pretty New Shuttles

This is what the mail delivered today!  Pretty new Aerlit shuttles.  I was the proud recipient of a set after naming one of the shuttles (actually shared the name with Jane Eborall).  I am sooooo excited. 

I am almost finished with my knitted carseat blanket for our granddaughter who just arrived this morning.  After that, it is a tatted pearl tatted edging bonnet for her so two of these pretty shuttles will be put to use!

Paprika the Dragon

I missed this years deadline for submitting my TAT Course projects.  I have 1/2 of a project left plus technique samples.  Have a note to submit first opportunity next year.  Will give me plenty of time to finish, block and prepare for submitting.

In the mean time, I can now start and finish other projects that have been pushed onto the back burner.

Just finished Tat's Amoré Paprika the Dragon by Martha Ess (needs to be blocked).  It was done in my HDT called Candy Apple.  Since this is the Year of the Dragon, it will be presented to our daughter and son-in-law in honor of our granddaughter when she is born in the next couple of weeks.

Vacation

No new postings for a while.  We decided to take a road trip.  Although I took my tatting, the only time I was primarily able to work on it was in the evenings.  Unfortunately, we had some very long drive days so my tat time was limited. 

I now have four samples done for the proficiency course.  My navigators have been distributed to my coworkers and now awaiting the arrival of our first grandchild.

My new agenda before Oct 26:  1) finish proficiency course and submit, 2) dye hot pink thread for bonnet for grandchild, and 3) start on pink awareness ribbon for a relative who is going through breast cancer.

My Tat Days Experience

Well, Tat Days is over.  This was my first and am planning on returning in the future.  My goal this year was to attend and take classes of techniques I had not tried (some of which were on the bucket tatting list).  Mission accomplished.

I had finished my beaded earrings at the conference. Very easy (at 6:30 in the morning we all needed something easy after being up late the night before!).

The brooch is made of onion rings and encapsulated tendrils (neither I have tried in the past).  Need to put pin back on it and it will be ready for my Mother-in-law.

I will post other pictures as the projects get done.  This was the sad part of the whole weekend - unfinished projects.  The bright side is when I am working to finish them, I will be taken back to the great weekend I had.

Since getting back into tatting last year, I have been introduced to a world I never knew existed (via the internet).  It started with my daughter introducing me to Marilee Rockley (Yarnplayer).  I had an opportunity to meet and talk with her.  She has been my first inspiration to get back into tatting on a regular basis.

The next opportunity was searching tatting.  That is where I found Georgia Seitz online tatting class.  She is a wealth of information (and very knowledgeable) regarding tatting from history to current trends.

From there it was Jane Eborall's blog/techniques & pattern page. I keep going back to her site for the techniques.  Her explanations and diagrams are well done and easy to follow.

Through the above sites, I have met so many others that to list them would be a shame because I might miss someone.  It was certainly a pleasure to meet and take classes from them as well as meet other tatters from around the world.

From my weekend experience, tatters are a caring, helpful and funny group of people. I am certainly glad to be a part of this wonderful group!

Attack of the Navi-gators and More

I am being over run by Navi-gators : ).  Actually, I have one more in the works.  These will be thank yous for  people that will be covering for me while I am on vacation.

Here is another attempt at varigated thread.  I had to over dye it again because of streaking.  It is Watermelon, Raspberry and Orange.  Turned out just the way I wanted.  As soon as I can constantly dye without streaking, I may think of opening an Etsy or Storenvy.

Well, I am semi packed and will be off to Tat Days tomorrow. My first so I am looking forward to meeting fellow tatters and putting faces to names I have met online over the last year.

More HDT

Here is the latest HDT I have made.  The hot pink will go to Tat Days with me.  It will be used with white to make an edging for a baby bonnet (our first grandchild - a girl - in late October).  The teal turned out better than the previous try (see an older blog post below).  The grape turned out great!  The Lilac is a little darker than I wanted.  I will try making it a little lighter or maybe some periwinkle.  Want to use the lighter with thgrape to make a HuckleBear (a pattern by Gina Butler).  The walnut was suppose to be a dark rust orange.  Turned out nice.  It is also going to Tat Days for some late night tatting.

Craft Tote

Just finished my craft tote.  It will be used mostly for my tatting to carry with me where ever I go.  It might also hold some knitting.  It's first official use will be at Tat Days in September.  It will be good to carry all supplies at once instead of in several different things.  It has 4 pockets on the outside and 6 on the inside.  It is also large enough to carry my pattern books of at least 8.5 x 11 inches.  Might think of spraying with waterseal so I can carry it around in wet weather!

Butterflies for Tat Days

Been busy the last couple of days practicing the tatted butterflies for the tat off at Tat Days.  Just trying to empty shuttles of thread so I can refill them for classes I will be taking.  Also, have almost completed my third element for the TAT course.  Also, all HDT is complete for the navigators I want to tat.  These will be given to coworkers who will be filling in while I am on vacation later this year (actually better get started on these as well).

More HDT & Ribbons

First of all, I have been tatting away at making green ribbons at a request of a fellow tatter.  These are for a fund raiser in support of a family member that has had a heart transplant.  Green designates heart transplant. 

Second,  I was able to get out the dyes this weekend and here is what I was able to accomplish!

The solid I did on Saturday with fresh dyes.  The third color was suppose to be teal blue; however, it is way to dark for my liking.

Shannon in a previous post commented that she liked the green and purple.  I liked the pretty blue/gray from the varigated.  So, on Sunday I tried to duplicate the colors.  Well, I used the blue/gray from the solid above (obviously it dyes differently soaking verses brushing on the thread).  The green and purple were fresh (very close to what was done previously!  YEAH).  The rust was fresh and a little deeper than I made previously and like the color better. 

The second varigated had a very interesting outcome.  I mixed fresh navy blue.  I used the red from the above solid and mixed the blue/gray with the grape.  Well, when it was washed out, the red faded to a light lavender/pink color, the blue/gray/grape was streaky and the navy ended up with slight variated shades. 

I have one more variagated I want to try and hopefully will do that on Thursday. 

Latest HDT

Here is my latest HDT.  The colors are a little lighter than I wanted, so it will be back to the formular board.  The varigated is by first attempted.  It turned out well I think.  I mistakenly used the steel gray instead of grape so I will probably redo it also.  The last coral pink was an experiment.  I mixed two colors left over and that is the result.  Will definately want to redye and make more yardage. 
I now have colors for making gifts for people who will be covering me when I am on vacation later this year.

I plan on starting another list of colors to dye.  This time when I am dying, I will be more careful when I am finished with a color to put it away so it doesn't get mixed up and used accidently.

Teal Awareness and Patriotic Ribbon

Here are my finished teal (ovarian cancer) awareness ribbons.  They are on their way to family members in support of our neice.  

All ribbon patterns are from Lenore English (see link in last post)

The patriotic ribbon was my first attempt at split rings.  I think I have managed that technique quite well. 

I hopefully will be able to play at dyeing some more thread tomorrow and try to attempt a 3 color varigated.  We will see.

I have signed up for Tat Days in September (event sponsered by the Palmetto Tatting Guild.  This is my first and I am so excited to be attending.

HDT and Awareness Ribbon

I want to support a family member diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  After looking up the color for an awareness ribbon (teal) I went looking for thread.  Unable to find the color I wanted, I proceeded to try my hand a mixing the color and dyeing the thread myself.    The pattern is by Lenore English, which I downloaded several years ago.  My fourth mixture was perfect for the color I wanted.  The photo is my result and the finished ribbon.

Tatting Shipment Received

My latest shipment from Handy Hands arrived today.  The book is in German.  I will need to translate some of the text!  The diagrams are great and am excited to get started on some of the projects.  My first thought is to do the peacock in colors similar to a regular peacock.  Will need to think on that idea.  The thread is size 10.  I have been waiting for it so I may started my Tatters Across Time Proficiency course.

Updated Posts

I have updated the blog a little.  I purchased a book for dummies and have been going through it.  It is nice and easy to read.  As I learn, I will be updating the blog so it is easier for readers.  It is nice to learn new things and apply them to the things I do.

Earrings for Daughter

Pattern is from Marilee Rockley called Quadrille.  I plan on making a pair for me in black and varigated orange/red/yellow with red beads.

Tischband Tat-Along

My modified tat-along from umintsuru.  I like the way the rosettes came out.  I did not like the way the leaves joined in the middle so I made it a triangle instead of a square.  Next time I will modify the first leaf with a picot where the other leaves may join to it (similar to the way the middle of the rosettes are joined).