Beaded Tea Candle Holder

Another WIP complete.  Pattern is from Sabina Carden-Madden.  Easy ring/chain with a split ring every once in a while.  Will be added to other projects for a craft fair at our senior center in November.  Thread is Lizbeth size 20.

Temp Tat-Along and Butterflies

 

Catching up on the temperature tat-along.  January at bottom.  Now working on June.  Got a bit behind due to a couple family members being hospitalized, watching grandkids, doctor appointments and a lack of wanting to do anything.  Now that things have again simmered down, I am feeling more energized to work on things again.  May has been warm being 80-85 degrees F.  June looks like it is following the same pattern.

In the meantime, I have been using scrap threads to make butterflies.  These will be donated to The Palmetto Tatters Guild at Tat Days in August.  

I have also done some color research.  I hope to be getting my dyes out and play with new color ways for next years Tat Days.  This will be a winter project as I have projects I need to finish first.

Tat Days 2023 Couple of Projects

      Here are a couple of finished items from 2023 Tat Days.  The earrings still need findings.  They are Beanile tatting.  I love how these turned out.  Picture does not do it justice.  The bird is a bookmark.  This piece used several tatting techniques which made it interesting to tat.  

     I have several works in progress.  Hopefully will have pictures and make a post this weekend.  There are two doilies and the FB Temperature Tat-Along (that just started for 2024).  

Lagniappe Doily

After four starts because I did not read the pattern correctly (kept joining instead of putting a small joining picot), Round 5 is finally finished.  This is my home away from home project.  Therefore, I am not in a hurry to finish.  Onto Round 6!

Alenalea Rako is hosting an Advent Calendar Tat-along  2020 through Facebook.  It started yesterday; however, if you haven't joined, it is not to late.  A pattern will be given each day.  Part of the fun is it will use up left over thread left on shuttles or little pieces that you may have left over here and there.

Jane Eborall will do hosting a Tat Along starting in January.  Have missed starting a new year off with tatting.  It is wonderful she is doing this again and very thankful for her time and effort that it takes to host.  

Tat Days 2019 Part 1

Home again, home again, lickity split.  Took most of the day to get unpacked, reorganized and finished a couple of projects.

First, another nice Tat Days has come and gone.  Early mornings and late nights.  I miss those who were not able to attend, stay or feeling under the weather.

Some first timers that I met were:  Jenni Clark from Australia, Sue Fuller from the Tuesday Online Tat Design class, and Melanie Cervi who is in charge of the Monday online homework page.  I know I have missed others either not met or unrecognized.  Note:  it was nice to meet you also.  It was also nice to catch up with others I had met before (the regulars and those who are able to come when they can).

The upper left picture is a chapstick holder.  It is a pattern from Heather Johnston that I modified a bit with permission.  I made these for the teacher bags this year.  I used every color of size 10 thread I had so everyone received a different color holder.

The past few years I have volunteered to test tat.  The picture on the right are two of the patterns.  The earrings are called Dancing  Peacock Earrings.  It is based on a pattern by Muskaan (see her blogpost from January 23, 2018) modified by Anita Berry with permission.  Actually, ended up being an assistant at this class.  The oval doily is called Sonata by Melanie Cervi.  Nice relaxing pattern.

Stay tuned for Day 1 and 2.

Tat Days - Part 3 (Final)

Three more classes today.  Lee Pearl Flower, Puzzle Fun with Split Rings and Single Shuttle Stacked Rings.

Lee Pearl Flower was another single shuttle pattern.  I saw the teaser and thought what a great item for a barrette for my granddaughter. I showed her the picture and then let her select the thread.

An open forum for everyone was conducted prior to lunch.  Designing 101.  There was a panel of distinguished designers that talked about how they got into designing, with tips for those who do or would like to design.  Good tips.  One thing I saw was a panelist that had a notebook.  In the notebook were samples of lots of techniques along with finished designs using the techniques.  That is the best tip I came away with and am going to start my own notebook.  It will be a good reference tool when designing future patterns. 

Puzzle Fun was the class I taught.  I like to think outside the box.  It is made of individual pieces (just like a puzzle).  My students were really excited.  One piece was tatted to learn the technique of split and thrown off rings along with single shuttle split ring to end the piece.  Between continuous thread method and SSSR, there are no ends to tie, cut and hide.

Single Shuttle Stacked Rings 2 colors is based on "Waves earrings by Corina Meyfeldt" which can be found on Craftree.  The technique of stacked rings was new to me.  Instead of cut/tie/hide ends between the two colors, I just added the new thread by hiding ends between last and first color rings.  I also decided to add beads but with a twist.  Black beads on Boysenberry and Boysenberry on Black.  It was a hit in class with show and tell along with pictures and instructions.  Another color variation was discussed in class and I will be try it out later.

TIAS, Quilt Squares and Brussel Squares

TIAS for 2018 is now finished.  She has been swimming her way across the pond and finally made it into Jane's email basket.  It was another wonderful TIAS.  Thread was my own HDT in Cherry Cola with yellow eyes and Lizbeth pink thread.

I did a few of the Brussel Squares.  I did not send them (missed the deadline).  But I loved the pattern.  Worked them up with bits of pink thread I had on shuttles or left over from previous projects.

I have also been busy finishing up on 6 quilt squares for the 2018 Palmetto Tat Days scholarship.  Had fun deciding what to put on the squares.  Patterns were from Jane Eborall, Georgia Seitz, Sherry Pence, Karey Soloman, Wally Sosa, Martha Ess, Coretta De Loughmiller, Mary Konior and my own design.  If I have forgotten anyone, please forgive me.  I just started tatting away without writing down who was what's design.

I have another request for a couple more lanyards.  Halfway done with one.

Palmetto Tatters is doing a couple craft shows in April.  Would also like to tat a few projects for them to sell.

Also, I did submit and approved to teach a class for this years Palmetto Tat Days to be held in September.

Home from Tat Days

Finally catching up on last weekends Tat Days held in Toccoa, GA.  What a wonderful weekend.  Unfortunately, Hurricane Irma hit Florida that weekend.  Thoughts and prayers were with those who were not able to attend.  All in all, it was nice to meet new tatters whom I knew in name only and friends I have met at previous Tat Days.

My major secret project this year was:  tatting 120 lucky pennies.  These were sent to Palmetto Tatters to include in the goodie bags.  No two colors were the same and each had a shiny penny!

I did behave myself this year.  I ordered two books (3-D flowers and the nativity) from Reit prior to Tat Days.  However, I saw the Tatting Online and Beads and Knots.  They somehow jumped into my hands!

I saw the cat shuttle and "I just had to have it". The blue tatting book was given to my by a fellow tatter that happen to have an extra copy.  Lots of nice patterns.  The royal blue shuttle was a shuttle that just happen to jump in my hands also (love blue anyway).  The denim varigated thread was the only thread obtained this year.

I had the opportunity to meet Diane C. aka Lace Lovin Librarian and Wally Sosa.  I was selected to test tat and be class helper to all of Wally Sosa's classes (bottom left - suncatcher, angel, button flower oya igne style, and hybrid tatting bracelet).   I have to admit that I shuttle tatted the hybrid bracelet with split rings originally.  I did learn to needle tat the weekend before Tat Days as hubby watched Georgia Seitz Needle Tatting DVD so I was able to help those in class (the pattern was specifically made for needle tatting with the help of a shuttle).  I came home and got out a needle and redid the bracelet as proof I did the pattern correct.

The early class on Saturday was the Ice Blossom by Karey Solomon and Friday's Fleur-de-lis by Linda Reiff.  The last tatted item in this photo is my cup sleeve from the class I taught.

The final photo was another surprise.  Baby Groot was finished up Wednesday morning prior to leaving.  It is a crochet pattern that I converted to tatting.  This was my first attempt at converting.  I give kudos to those who have converted other patterns.  It is made in three parts.  Each part is a continuous chain and lots of Catherine Wheel Joins.  With the theme of Tat-A-Con, I could not pass at trying my hand at this pattern and showing it as eye candy.  I was very surprised when I went to pick it up that it had won Best of Theme.  I selected one of Rita Richmond - Shuttle by Design - commemorative shuttles.  

Need to start back on the paperclip project I started for the online tatting class - class starts on Monday!!!!  Will be taking some time to catchup on a tat along doily and then finish up on my Proficiency Course.  After that,  might be time to think about next years Tat Days.

Blog Moderation

I have put my blog on moderation mode for a while.  I had a post that apparently being posted to several blogs about being selected as one of 75 best blogs.  I have since deleted that post.  Just a minor inconvenience but worth it to keep my blog tatting related.

Misc and Adventures in Dye Land

The first photo are two new additions to my library.  Have to wait until later this year to start.  The Tatting a 4 Square Ring has many options.  No diagrams but lots of information for those who like adventure.

The Tatted Quilt Squares was a surprise book from my daughter. 

The four colors of green was done as an adventure.  The far right is from the Tulip Custom Tie Dye kit called "Mint".  There is a booklet that comes with the kit for many custom colors.  A little light for me but a start for future reference when using this kit.  Of course, to start I had to scale down the amount of dye and water.  Also, I noticed there is quite a bit of filler with the Tulip dyes (might be the soda ash).  When using regular fiber reactive dyes with the same amount of dye/water as the Tulip, the color turned out more of a yellow-green instead of a green-blue.

I have been interested in trying to convert Pantone or CMYK colors into colors I can duplicate with the fiber reactive dyes.  I came across a blog called Leigh's Fiber Journal.  She has had adventures in try to come up with dye recipes with computer coding.  She then decided to dabble into CMYK/fiber reactive dyes.  This has been interesting to me from the start.  Well I got to play a little and this is what I came up with.  The color I was trying to duplicate is Pantone 351 Mint.  I think I am pretty close with the second from left (blue holder).  I plan to keep experimenting with another desired color to see if I can duplicate.  Stay tuned for further experiments.

The last photo is a desired color gone experimental.  I had intended this to be more red than greenish, however, I accidently added yellow instead of fuchsia.  The resulting color is interesting.  It is a green but kind of has a slight yellowish background.  Really like this color.  I have make a couple of 50 yard skeins in size 20 that I will be selling at Tat Days. 

Tat Days Registration and Thread Colors

First, Tat Days registration has opened.  Lots of nice classes.  Look forward to attending again.

Second, I have found out I have 96 different colors of Size 20 thread.  Not enough different colors to finish my project I have been working on.  So I got out my dyes and proceeded to dye 10 more different colors (10 yards each).  Will post a pic when they have been washed.  I may stop after this and wait until I have a final confirmation of people attending the event.  Finally seeing light at end of tunnel.  I have so many other projects to get going on.

Until Next Year

Home from Tat Days.  Exhausted from two days on vacation and two full days of Tat Days.  It was nice to see tatters I met in the past, tatters I have never met in person and faces to names to those I have met online.

It is going to take a few days to recover.  Have a couple projects to finish.  Will gather all projects, any test tatting, etc and post pictures later this week.

Other than being very tired, I had a great time.  Everyone is so nice.  Tatters even look out for one another even if they are not as prepared as they hoped.  The Friday after banquet auction was spectacular as always.  Georgia does a great job.  A smaller second auction was held on Saturday late morning by Georgia.  Both auctions had wonderful items that now have new homes.

Time flies so fast when having fun.  If all goes well, I will be back next year.  I some ideas for projects, but for now, rest - rest - rest.

Who Gives a Hoot

I do.  Actually, used some of my treasure thread I purchased at Goodwill and made a bunch of owls to donate to the Palmetto Tatters Guild.  It was size 10, type unknown.

Been busy with hand dyeing thread again.  These are some beauties that I will bring with me to Tat Days to sell.  Mostly size 10 and 20, 50 yards each.  Lizbeth base.  Have one size 3 and a couple that have 25 yards.   I have another two types drying and will try to post in the next couple of days.  It is not alot.  This year has gotton away from me between babysitting grandkids and having to deal with my aging mother.  Anyway, what ever is left, I will post next week on this blog for anyone wanting to purchase.  

Have a few color variations that I want to dye but no names.  Might have to post the variation requesting names then random select.  Winner will receive a skein free!

Everything is packed.  Tatting bag is loaded with shuttles and thread for my classes.   It will be good to get away, tat, relax, tat, see friends new and previous met.

Tat Days, Doily and Thread

Tat Days registration for 2016 is now open.  Hubby and I are all signed up and I am eagerly awaiting to attend.  Fun for all!

Diane Doily is now complete.  Needs ends worked in and pressed.  Pleased with this one.  It will be my fair entry this year.  it is number 8 of my current motif challenge.  Pattern can be found in Craftree (search for Diane Doily).

The thread are finds at my nearby Goodwill the last couple times I have been there.  The upper right I just could not pass by.  Most will be donated to the Palmetto Tatters Guild.  It would be great thread to use to teach newbies.

Happy Holidays

Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday season.  Enjoy the time with family and friends.

Palmetto Tatters Guild is ready to post any day now applications for teachers and logo designs for Tat Days 2016.  They are due February 15.  How time has flown as it seems like just yesterday I was at the 2015 retreat.  Got a couple of patterns ready.  Have one more to design (hopefully) and a logo to design. 

Jane Eborall's TIAS will be starting in a couple of weeks.  Need to pick thread, beads and wind shuttles. 

Not tatted related, but I will be working on a cross stitch stitch-along this year.  The theme is "Let's Go on an Adventure!".  There will be a piece of the pattern emailed once a month so we will have traveled to 12 locations.  It will be a nice gift for granddaughter next year.  The info can be found here:  http://www.thefrostedpumpkinstitchery.com/.

Still Tatting

Life has been a little crazy, but I have still managed to do a little tatting.

Monster doily has been worked a little bit as time permits.  Need to dye some more thread as I  miss read my row colors and I think I will be short.

In the meantime, we took a vacation a couple of weeks ago.  Started the Dianne Doily.  This is a very easy, relaxing pattern.  It is easy to carry and I was able to work on the airplane without problems.  It is the greenish doily in the pic.  I think next time, I will use one color (either solid or variegated) or use the darker color for rings and the lighter for the chains.

The blue and poppy beaded tea candle holder pattern is from paradise treasures.  These will be gifts for coworkers.  I purchased LED tea candles from Big Lots.  DH thought they would be safer than regular candles.  Will make another for us next year.  Got other projects and Tat Days 2016 patterns to complete.

All thread is Lizbeth, Size 20.

Fair Results

Went yesterday on opening day to our local fair.  After going through the barn, we wondered into the craft area to look and see what we did.

I was thinking the lanyard (needlework-misc) and red/white star (Christmas- ornament) would win also.  It just was not meant to be this year.

There were three entries in the tatting category.  My husband received a third for a tatted owl.  Some one else received the first for a white doily.  My brown doily was the second.

The purple necklace was entered in the jewelry category.

Overall, I am pleased.  Now to plan for next year. 

Another Tat Days Over

Another Tat Days has come and gone.  Taking the day to rest and get reorganized.  Need to take pictures of project and post (probably sometime this week).  Classes I taught went well.  Still found corrections to one of the patterns.  Those that finished their bugs had fun playing with them after class.  Met new tatters, caught up with previous tatters and placed more faces to names of tatters.  Already thinking of next year!

Earrings and Bookmark

This has been my past week evening's work.  I sit in front of the TV for noise and sometimes watching but have my tatting right next to me.  These items are in the mail to the Palmetto Tatters Guild for their scholarship fund.

The red earrings are called Simple ROR earrings by Corona Meyfeldt.  The medium blue are Tigereye earrings by Elizabeth C. Zipay. The green is a pattern by Kerstin (on Crabtree) called Tutu Motif.  There is a Tardis Bookmark by Anne Bruvold.  The pen insert is from Tat Days 2013 by Tonya Smith.  The key fob was the start of a lanyard for hubby.  Pattern by Patti Duff. 

Edited:  this makes number 9 to 14 for the 25 motif challenge.

Time go get going on the Monster Doily again.

Blinged Shuttles

My play day this past week did not go quite as planned.  However, over a couple of days, I was able to bling some shuttles.  I had gone to Michael's and found some stickers.  I had been collecting some shuttles from December to play with.  Below are a couple of my results.

The top are the results of side one.  The middle one is the California Angels (aka Anaheim Angels) baseball team halo A team symbol.  Had found some material years ago to make a blouse and had kept the scraps.  Cut around the halo A and tah dah - a blinged shuttle.  Shuttles 2 and 4 represent Minions and Frozen.  The first just has my initials and the last is halographic origami paper.

The bottom represents the finished back sides.  I have not decided on what to do with the yellow ones yet.  The backside of the halo A will also have the same symbol so it will be the same on both sides.  Tinkerbell was done last year.

I had purchased some glitter Modge Podge and used that on shuttles 2, 4 and on the green front side.

Now to get to some tatting!