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.

Crochet to Tatting

Using a document in the file section of the Facebook tatting group, I am in the process of making a tatting pattern from a crochet pattern.  The original pattern calls for worsted weight yarn.  I am using a size 8 Artiste from Hobby Lobby.  It is giving me the stitch counts I need using the conversion document.  Will need to dye the project when finished as I could only find white thread and I need a brown.  I will post a picture after Tat Days in September as I am bring this project for show and tell.

After this project, I will be able to get back to my paperclip project for the online tat class.

There is a Mistery Doily Test Tat Along being held by Alenalea Tatting.  This past week was the start.    Round 1-3 complete.  Onto Round 4.

Diamond Snowflake

Here is the finished Diamond Snowflake I wrote about in my last post.  The pattern can be found on my patterns page.  It uses square rings.  There are two versions:  one without beads and one with beads.  After doing both versions, the version without beads seems to create a diamond shape better (my opinion).  Many thanks to Muskaan for testing and submitting suggestions for this pattern. 

My How Time Goes By

I have been very busy with things and time has gotten away from me.  Time to recap the last two months.


First my Lucky Penny project is half way done.  77 of about 150 complete.  It is amazing how much size 20 thread I have accumulated.  I still have not used double colors yet!

Next, Palmetto Tatters Guild have uploaded class teaser pictures for Tat Days 2017.  Lovely projects as always.

The tatted cats are earrings and the tan, red, and blue are necklace/earrings - all not finished.  Had plans to submit these to the Palmetto Tatters Guild for their craft shows in April.  I misplaced the necklace/earring sets.  By the time I found them, it was to late to submit.  They will be finished and brought to Tat Days for their auction.

The snowflakes are my design.  The pattern was not accepted this year for Tat Days.  Muskaan has been kind enough to test and help with quite a few edits/suggestions on this pattern.  It is based on a snowflake I had seen on the Mickey Mouse Club (watching with Granddaughter).  It is made with square rings as the show was focusing on diamond shapes at that time.  Have one more review and then I will forwarding to Georgia Seitz for the online tatting class.  Will post to blog within the next month or so.  I originally used three shuttles; however, I decided to use only two and then a third thread for the diamonds only.  After making the final green one, I decided I had to make one with beads just to see what it looks like.

TIAS and Tatted Squares

Just a reminder, Jane Eborall will be starting this years Tat It and See (TIAS) this Wednesday!

Since Metro Atlanta is pretty much iced in this weekend (and maybe until Tuesday), I have plenty of time to tat.  I saw a snowflake on The Mickey Mouse Club program (Granddaughter likes watching the program) and thought that would be a great tatted pattern.  The snowflake has diamond shapes in it.  I had seen an article before and after a Google search found it.  The author referenced a book by Anne Dyer To Boldly Go Where No Shuttle Has Gone Before.  Just so happens I was able to pick up that book at Tat Days last year.  Here is my first attempt. I am actually making a star (5 points instate of 6).  Pattern is about half done.  This will be submitted for Tat Days later this year.  Nice technique for making odd shapes.  EDIT:  Star did not work.  Back to drawing board to modify it to a snowflake (6 points).

Just goes to show, you never know when inspiration will come from when looking for items to tat.

Lucky Pennies and Jewelry

Been working on my lucky penny collection. Twenty-nine are now complete (out of the 150ish I am planning on making).  As I finish, I place in plastic bags to keep them clean.  I will make labels for them when all are done.  I am using the bright pennies with the shield on the back.  If they are not quite as bright as I would like, I am using Brasso to brighten them up.

The tatted jewelry is from Marilee Rockley's Tatting with Beads Jewelry book.  Beads for the first piece, Beatrice, are from Fusion Beads (along with the findings when I finish them off later this week).  The second set, Beaded Path, I found beads in my stash.  Please with the way these turned out.

I am now designing a piece to submit for next years Tat Days.  Would like to finish this design along with another before the end of January 2017. This way I will be ready to submit when Palmetto Tatters Guild opens up applications.

With the completion of these items, this now completes my third 25-motif challenge.  I am going to take the next year off from this challenge as I want to submit my application for Phase III (final phase) of the Tatters Across Time Proficiency Course.  I will be turning all my attention to this phase once it is received.

Earrings and Motif

The earrings are from Marilee Rockley's (Yarnplayer) new book called  Beaded Tatting Finery.  They are called Boomerang.  I did not tat the extra cord that goes across the boomerang.  I love them just the way they are.  The thread is hand dyed by me. 

The book is available in an ebook version as well as hard copy.

The February challenge is to design a heart.  Well the Owl was suppose to be that heart.  It looked good on paper but when tatted up it turned out different.  Got another design on paper and will give it another try.

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. 

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!

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.