December Tats

I have been busy testing.  The purple is a design I made myself.  The pink/red is a variation of that design.  Don't remember the black/pink.  The yellow is from Minitats by Patti Duff number 49.  The butterfly is from Learn to Tat by Janette Baker.

The key pattern is from Tat Days 2012 by Sharren Morgan.  The thread is from Tatilicious called Rainbow-licious.  I modified the pattern a little as it calls for one bead and I wanted to use two.  I did a little lock chain around the top bead to extend the top. 

I Am Still Tatting

It has been a while, but I am still tatting.  I have completed my first two rounds of the mystery doily and am about half way with the third.  A little pressing with the steam iron was all that was needed after the second to lay flat!  I was impressed.  Picture has been modified to show the colors against a white background.  They are actually lighter in color than shown here.

I am also working on a lanyard.  The pattern is by Patti Duff.  It is coming along well.  The thread is called Tigerlicious hand-dyed by Jess (aka Tat-ilicious) in size 20.  

For the November Snowflake Tat-It Challenge, I have designed and tatted a simple snowflake.  I have another two on paper but have not had a chance to tat them.  I will be posting the pattern for the snowflake sometime next month.  Need to diagram it first and block the snowflake I made so it looks nicer.  

I purchased some Sulky halographic thread the other day,  I plan on using this with some white thread for a small angel.  Stay tuned to see how that turns out.

Second Attempt at Mystery Doily

I did not like the way my first doily was turning out.  Too much rippling.  So I decided to start again.  I switch to a size 20 Lizbeth thread in Scottish Thistle.  It is laying alot better.  Some rippling with row 1, but a little pressing will take care of that.  Row two is working out great so far.  I am using the 4-2-4-2-4 chain count.  I may decide to start another but just do row 1 with a chain count of 3-2-3-2-3.  I am finding I am pushing my chain stitches very tight together.  Maybe eliminating the extra stitches will help eliminate the chain tightness and any rippling that may occur?

I modified the colors in the photo in order to see the colors better.  They are on the light side

I Know I Can

Sherry's TIAS 2013 is complete.  Here is my finished engine.  It is sooooooo cute.  Needs blocking.  Our Granddaughter will be getting this on a onsie for her first birthday
with the caption "I Know I Can".

New Pattern Added to Pattern Page

Just added my pattern for the first design I ever did to the pattern page.  It is very simple.  The instructions are for a beginner with a couple of changes for the more advanced tatter.  Will add more as I have time to design.  Just trying to get caught up on a few projects first. 

North Georgia Fair Results

 Here are my items I entered into this years North Georgia Fair in Marietta GA. 

The afghan is a knitted sampler. It was done in strips with each strip having 5 different types of stitches (so it was block looking).

The earrings, star and doily were my tatted items. The seahorse earrings and star patterns were done at this years Tat Days (a CD is available with all the patterns if you were not available to attend) and the Doily is called Milk Hill Crop Circle.  I was a little disappointed that my star did not win anything.  However, our fair no longer has a category for tatting so I had to be creative where I entered my items.  The earrings and Crop Circle were made with HDT by me, the star is Lizbeth Blue Ice and HDT Turquoise.

Mystery Doily and TIAS

The top picture is my first round of the Mystery Doily that has been posted on InTatters.  I have had to modify the chain count due to the thread I am using.  Is is coming along pretty well.

The second pic is my finished Day 3 TIAS project by Sherry Pence.  The thread is HDT by me as an experiment.  No real clue yet as to what this is.

Fall TIAS

Sherry Pence (aka LadyShuttleMaker) is hosting a Fall TIAS (Tat It and See) starting September 23.  More info can be found here.  For those of you who have not participated before, a TIAS is where the pattern is published little pieces at a time. Usually lasts for about 3 weeks or so.   It is fun to watch the pattern being tatted and what guesses are being made as to what the pattern is.   I have signed up and am ready to go. 

No. GA Fair Entries/Tat Days Projects

Finished two more Tat Day projects.  The blue star is a 3-D project.  Finally got the hang of the points on the fourth one!  The seahorse earrings were based on a pattern by Jane Eborall.  Last year did not finish one project, this year four are finished.  These two items along with the Milk Hill Crop Circle below were entered this morning into the North Georgia fair in Marietta, GA USA.

There is no longer a tatting category, so I was creative in which division I put them in so they all could be entered.  I wish there were more tatting submitted.  Perhaps in time there will be and they will put the category back in the program.

Tat Days 2013 and Crop Circle

Had a great weekend at Tat Days in Toccoa, GA this year.  It was nice to see those I met last year plus meet new tatters this year.  Yes, Jane you were missed but I did use your tatting tidy at all my classes.  It worked wonderful.

This is a pic of two of the classes I took from Randy Houtz.  I actually finished them!  The purple/white I finished after class because we used the Magic Thread Trick.  I have had problems in the past with this technique and I wanted to finish before the next class with him to make sure it worked as easy as he said.  Lo and behold, I am a believer!  The trick - using 20-pound filament  (braided) fishing line.  It pulled through with no tugging, breaking or frustration.  Went to Wal-Mart yesterday and bought a reel.  I am ready for whatever comes along and will use this trick as often as I can from now on. 

I was fortunate to be able to test tat this pattern from Karen at Tatting For Spirit. It is called Milk Hill Crop Circle.  She does beautiful work (thinking outside the box).  Her work is needle tatted based, but I shuttle tat.  She was pleased that the pattern worked for us shuttle tatters as well.  The pattern starts as a circle and the arms are split rings.  This crop circle is going to be entered into our fair this coming weekend.  She has just listed her pattern for sale and you can find it here  Milk Hill Crop Circle.

Current Tatting

The top motif is from Jan Stawasz "Tatted Treassures" book.  It is called Mirror on page 82.  Outside row was done my normal tatting way as I could not figure out how to do it the opposite way as diagrammed. The thread is from Yarnplayer, size 20 in Corsage.

The bottom pic is my second start to the mystery doily.  I am using size 10 Red Heart thread.  My chain spacing is 3-2-3, join, rw, 2-3.  It still cups a little but not as bad as my first attempt.  May only do two rows and set down for other projects and them come back if I desire. There is a thread at Intatters that has the info on this doily as well as the pattern and updates to the pattern.

Tat Days is next weekend in Toccoa, GA.  I have my tatting bag packed and ready to go.  Eager to learn new techniques, refresh what I know and see fellow tatters.

August 2013 Challenge

Here is my original design for the August Tat-It challenge.  I am really liking these challenges.  We were to start with a 4-ring base.  Then design using 3 different techniques.  I used split rings, mock picot, and graduated picots.  I also changed thread for the outside as I wanted a definite border. 

As you can see, I have updated my blog a little.  I asked a fellow tatter about making tabs at the top.  She gladly shared directions on how to do them.  I now have a pattern and need diagrams.  The pattern is were I will post my patterns I would like to share with tatland.  The need diagrams is were I will post pics and any information about the design.  They are their as reminders for me to diagram them and put them into the pattern format for sharing.

I am presently working on an In-Tatters mystery doily tat-along.  I also have other testing to do and need to start again on my Proficiency course samples.   

So much to do and so little time!

Free Pattern Tab

I think I figured this out.  I do not know if it will work so if anyone will test it and has problems, let me know.  I have saved my Encased Gem Earring pattern under the free pattern tab above.  It is in Google Docs (pdf version).  I am hoping it works so I can add more patterns as I go along.  If it does not, I am going to have to figure something else out.  I am open to suggestions!

Earrings

This is my second attempt at a diagram/pattern.  The pattern is in the testing phase.  As soon as testing is over, I will figure out a way to post the pattern.

The pattern was designed as part of a challenge.  I had it in my mind all through July but finally had a chance to put it on paper, tat it and then diagram.  I then tatted the other one just to be sure I had everything written correctly. 

The thread is hand dyed by me as an experiment sometime ago. 

Tat Days 2013 Quilt

This was sent by the Palmetto Tatters Guild regarding the scholarship fund:

"Donations to our Tat Days Scholarship Fund are always welcome.  Here is a FUN way you can help.
http://www.tatdayss cholarship. info/index. shtml   Georgia Seitz and the Tatting Community have once again out done themselves with these 2 WONDERFUL BEAUTIFUL quilts!  You MUST take a look!  PLEASE pass this link around the world!  DEADLINE for donations online is 30 days away-September 3rd."


The quilt is beautiful and is a nice way to show off tatting from the tatting community.

Dragonflies

There are on their way to Georgia Seitz for the 2013 Tat Days quilt.  The littles ones were great to use up my bits of dyed samples.  Will probably do more of them to give away while I am out in public and for the  Palmetto Tatting Guild to give away at the SC State Fair.  Here is the link for the pattern.  Used size 10 thread for all dragonflies except the orange/yellow one - that was size 20.

A Tardis bookmark in size 30 is in process.  I will be sending this to my niece for her wedding next April.  It was an idea to perhaps attach it to her garter!  I guess this could be used for the something new and blue.

I am still waiting for instructions for a Tat Days project.  Needs to be completed prior to class.

I have an idea for a pair of tatted earrings.  This will be my second design.  I need to sit down and figure out the stitching, tat it and then diagram/write the pattern.  This may be this weekends project.

I think after that I will proceed with my proficiency course work while adding an occasional project.

New Additions to Tat Library

Here is a photo of my new books.  I am so excited.  I have looked through them and see lots of tatting in my future.  I need to now find more time to sit, relax and tat.  Too many projects, too little time!

Time to Blog

I am still around tatting in the evenings.  I am preparing a couple of items for the silent auction for Tat Days.  I have a bookmark done and the doily was just completed (needs blocking).  Planning on some HDT and have a couple of colorways in mind.  We will see how they turn out in the next month or so.

In the meantime, I found some samples of edgings that I completed last year.  They were going to be part of a fund raiser for Tat Days but fell through and never happened.  Picture is to the right.  They are edgings from an Ann Orr book on tatting.   We were to pick edgings and put our own twist on them.  Enjoyed this challenge.

Tat Days 2013 - Here I Come

I have registered for Tat Days 2013.  I also have my hubby coming.  I am so excited.  Here is the link if anyone is interested:  http://www.palmettotatters.org/events/TatDays2013/TatDays2013.shtml.  Had a fantastic first time last year.  The teachers, shopping and fellow tatters were really great/nice.  I will be nice to see my fellow tatters again.

3 Hearts Design

After taking Sharon's Design class and Sue's Tatting Design class, I jumped into the Tat-It yahoo groups daisy design challenge.  I needed a break from projects I have been doing.  With two shuttles that had extra thread on them, this 3 Hearts design is what I came up with.  It took three starts and four paper designs to come up with this one.  Needs a little blocking but I am pleased with my official second attempt at designing (first to show the public).  It measures approximately 2 1/4 inches at its widest.

Class Projects Posted for Tat Days 2013

The Palmetto Tatters Guild have posted their class project pictures for Tat Days 2013 in September.  It is going to be hard to choose as the projects are really nice.  Last year was my first. If you have never been it is a well worth experience.  It was enjoyable and fun.  It was nice to meet those in the tatting world I only read about and have made several friends to correspond with afterwards.  I have marked it on my calendar as I am hoping to go again this year.

Web site is:  http://www.palmettotatters.org/events/TatDays2013/ClassProjectPictures.shtml

Tardis Bookmark

The Glass Mat was accepted delightfully by my mother-in-law for Mother's Day.

Just finished the filled-in version of Anne Bruvold's Tardis Bookmark.  I modified it a little bit more to have two open windows only.  It is a gift to someone who has watched five cats while daughter was on vacation.  The bookmark was done in size 20 hand-dyed a royal blue (although it was not quite as royal as I wanted).  I will be making another in size 30 to be attached to a wedding garter for my niece for her wedding next year.

Glass Mat

Another project off the bucket list.  Every since I purchased Mary Konior's Tatting With Visual Patterns, I have had this pattern picked out to do.  Such a simple pattern; however, for the last half of the pattern, I was untatting more than tatting.  The pattern called for a 3 to 6 ratio of rings.  I modified it to a 5 to 10.  I used size 10 thread that I hand dyed.  The varigated is red, orange, red-violet.  The picture does not show the colors very well.  Might have to invest into a better photo editing software.

Earring and Pendant Set

 This set is made from Marilee Rockley's book Tatted Jewelry.  The pattern is called Keyed Up.  The earrings are done in size 20 and the pendant in size 10.  This is HDT in purple.  The dangle is mother-of-pearl.  The set is made as a gift for someone who has been very kind to our daughter.

Halfway through with a glass mat.  After seeing so many posts, I decided it was time to tat my own.  Should be done sometime in the next week or two.  Will post when complete.

Have a couple of Tardis bookmarks to complete after that.

Must admit, idle hands are nonproductive!

Another Paci Keeper

In honor of International Tat Days, I brought my tatting to work and during down time, tatted while enjoying a discounted chocolate covered marshmallow bunny.  The pattern I used for this paci keep is the foundation and 2nd row from Jane's Interlocking Ring Choker found on her blog here.  The thread is Lizbeth Size 20 white and I believe Ocean Turquoise Dark.


I am now working on my second with a third to follow.

Superbowl 2013 Snowflake

Catching up on a few projects.  Finally finished by snowflake from Superbowl 2013.  The thread is size 20 from Tat-ilicious.  Not sure on the color name.

I have finished a test pattern I have been working on.  I am hoping to get permission to post this week when she posts her pattern.

New Paci Keepers

Been busy working and getting ready for granddaughter's heart surgery.  Have managed to do some tatting.  Finished two paci keepers.  They are made with size 20 hdt from Jess (http://www.etsy.com/shop/Tatilicious?ref=em).  The first is Blue Ridge and the second is Bahamas.  The paci clips I found on Ebay.

On another note, I have completed and passed the Phase 1 Tatters Across Time proficiency course.  I have submitted the application for Phase II.  Need to work on a few things but overall proud of what I have accomplished.

I am test tatting a pattern for Tatting for the Spirit .  Her tatting is inspirational.  Goes to show any design can be turned into tatting.

I have thread ready for a couple more projects (one of which I really need to start in the next couple of weeks).

New Samples and Thread

 Working on a couple of more paci keepers for gifts.  Will post pics in a couple of days after I tie in the ends.  In the meantime, I have played with dying more samples, Lilac and muted yellows.  Also dyed varigated muted yellow which I have plans for after I finish a couple more projects.

Day 10 TIAS and Paci Keeper

Well TIAS for 2013 is now over.  Today was Day 10.  Here is my submission.  My buggy is going downhill from the looks of the wheels.  I have really enjoyed this years as I have learned a couple more techniques that were on the bucket list!  So sad though because now I have to wait another year for the next one.  Hopefully, there will be a TIAS somewhere on the net that I will be able to participate in.

I have finished another pacifier keeper for us (see post below for pattern info).  This was done using Tatilicious' Livi Ballet Shoes in size 20 and white.  I swapped each color to start with at each ring to get a spiral effect.

TIAS 2013 & Hucklebears

Here is day 6 of Jane's TIAS.  I think I have changed my way of thinking from an Easter basket to a basket of some sort or an ark.  We will see as the mystery continues.

In the meantime, I have dyed some light lilac last week.  I finally was able to do some Hucklebears.  It is a pattern from Gina Butler.  I have been wanting to do this pattern since I saw it last year.  I will probably do a few more and keep them in my tatting bag.  They will be used as give away to kids when we go to the sporting events and there are little kids nearby.  If not, they will go to the Palmetto Tatting Guild for their booth at the South Carolina Fair in September.

TIAS 2013 - Day 3

Day 3 is complete.  I am using Yarnplayer's Size 20 Summer Trail.  My guess of an Easter basket is not correct.  Will wait some more and take another guess. 

TIAS 2013

Today is the first day of Tat It and See (TIAS) 2013.  If you haven't participated before, I would urge you to try it.  The link is http://tatitandsee. blogspot. co.uk/.  I did my first last year and it was amazing.  She publishes pieces of the pattern every few days.  The exciting thing of the whole project is that you are welcome to give a guess as to what the tatted piece will be as we go along.    Each piece of the pattern builds on the previous until the finished piece is tatted.  Last year there were over 100 participants from all over the world.  It was great to look at all the postings of the finished piece (goats).

The TIAS is for every level of tatter.  If there is a technique that needs explaining, she explains it very easily. I actually learned about SSMR's last year for the first time.

I have mailed in my Phase I of Tatters Across Time Proficiency Course.  It has been received and is now in the evaluation phase.  

Pacifier Keeper

Finished a pacifier keeper for our grand daughter.   Modified Jane Eborall's janeeborall.freeservers.com/funnyface.pdf  bookmark pattern and a lock chain.  Used Yarnplayer's HDT size 20 in peaches n' onions and olde rose. Clips were purchased through Ebay. I will definately be making more of these.