Saturday, November 17, 2007

Still Tatting, but X-Stitiching as well

I haven't stopped tatting, but I have been doing some x-stitch for my daughters before they decide they want to do all of it themselves. I have done some penguins for my oldest daughter to put on a denim jacket that she will definitely grow into. While doing the penguins, my youngest thought she would like something on her vest as well, so she picked out a rearing horse. I have one done, but want to do another in mirror image so they are facing eachother for the back of her vest. She has since picked out another for the front of her vest as well.


It is a good thing the ones my youngest picked out are actually quite fast for me to do. I will probably have the mirror image done tomorrow once I get started on it. The other one may take a little longer. I haven't really looked at the pattern yet.
There was a question brought up on Here-be-tatters chatline about what inspired one to tat. Well, I first saw a pair of candle stick frills that I thought were crochetted. Well I really liked them and I had to figure out how to do them. I have done them a few times now and I will do them again for I really like them. I will have to take a picture and then post one of them on some candles. They do not scann too well when they are frilly and I do not have a digital camera yet, but, Christmas is comming.(hope,hope)

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Tatted horse and doilies






Well my shoulder is better and I was able to get some scans of the doilies I had finished. They are blocked and ready. I also tried to design a horse by combining 2 different patterns to try to make one. My vision is able to be seen, but not quite right, but for the first attempt at it, it at least resembles a horse somewhat.

I was using up threads on my shuttles. Now all's I have to do is either write out the pattern or try it again with the revisions I have in mind, like smaller circle for the hind quarters and changing the chest and back legs some.


I scanned both doilies 2wice to see the difference a background could make. It really makes a difference in the look of both doilies. The Daffodil doily is from the May 1962 issue of Workbasket . The Rose Doily is from the February-March 1963 issue of the Workbasket by Myrtle M. Hamilton.

The daffodil doily is done in yellow and blue varagated threads from Rubi Brillante size 10/2.

I am going to give this one to my Aunt for Christmas. I think she will really enjoy and appreciate it. She really likes anything hand made and in the colors of blue.
I feel safe sharing this, for she doesn't have a computer to view or read any of this.





The rose doily is done in a pale yellow #1061 and red #932 sulky threads size 30.

I am not sure what I am going to do with this one yet. I am considering mounting it on some velvet and framing it. I have some black velvet and it really looks sharp with the black background. I have to think some more on this one.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Tatting, but progress is slow



Here is what the needle lace butterfly looks like after it has been blocked. Made a big difference in how it looks.

Since doing the butterflies, I have been tatting doilies. I have done a daffodil doily, but I have to wash and block and take pictures of it before I can show it. I don't want to wreck the daffodils for they are 3D from the doily.

I am currently working on a rose doily in size 30 sulky thread. First time using this thread, broke a few threads with ring and chain stitches too tight, but am enjoying the challenge of watching my tension. Going is slow on it though for I hurt my shoulder on Monday and can only do things in short spurts so not to aggitate the shoulder. Will post a picture of it as well when it is done and blocked.

Happy tatting.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Needle lace tatted butterfly


I saw this pattern on Georgia Seitz's web site and just had to give it a try. It is Eva Shock's Butterfly with needle lace.
I tatted it in (Ne 10/2 100% Algodao Mercerizado Rubi Brilhante) I think it is a No 10 and equivalent to a size 10 crochet cotton. It is a varagated blue and used pearl cotton 8 varagated yellow for the needle lace. This piece I just finished and it is not blocked yet. The scan does not do it any justice for it is much prettier in person. I may have to do some more and get the weaving figured out better, but for the first try I think it turned out pretty well.

Friday, August 17, 2007

Butterflies,doily and edgings

Here is Martha Ess' Green Butterfly done in yellow and purple DMC (3 strands) with a brown body. It measures 4" x 5".











Next is a varagated yellow and purple butterfly done in pearl cotton size 8. It measures 4"x5" as well. This is also Martha Ess' Green Butterfly.










This is the "Forever Young" doily of Terry Dusenbury's. I did it in size 10 Southmaid Crochet cotton and measures 12 inches in diameter. I gave it to my Aunt for a thank you. She really liked it for it was done in a shade of green.











This is a picture of my daughters blouse that I made for her with the tatted edging I also made. I used the clover and chain type edging and for the neckline I added a round of chain to hold the neckline. The neck hole was just a little too large for her. Once I got the neckline done, she asked if I could put some edging on the sleeves. The picture doesn't do it much justice, but when she has it on, it looks really nice.



Well off to start another project. My oldest wants to learn to X-stitch and tat. Will have to see if I have the patience to teach her or just give her the book I learned from.;-) Time will tell. At least she is not left handed like my other daughter.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Been away from Blogging, but still tatting

Hi all. I have not been able to blog lately, but I have still been tatting. I am working on an edging for a table cloth that I cross stitched a few years ago that is about 36 inches on each side. I am using the edging from the tatting calendar of January 23rd for the pattern that Gina Butler put on. I haven't got a picture of the edging to show you, but when I get it done, I hope to get a picture with it on the table cloth, to show.

I have been tatting a bunch of the patterns from the tatting calendar, and playing with pearl tatting, daisy picots and split rings with the shuttles. I find split rings with the needle so much easier to do, but as I go along, split rings are getting easier with the shuttles.

This little flower is what I came up with while trying to get the pearl tatting down and the daisy picot figured out more. This is don in size 30 DMC cotton. Didn't have anything in mind for this or a few other things I have done, but now I'm looking at the tatted denim bag challenge. I sure have enough laying around to cover a good size bag.



The cross I did from memory from the January 26th tatting calendar. I did this one in about an hour before we had supper on Easter Sunday. In-laws couldn't believe what could be created in such a short time. This is done in size 8 pearl cotton with my shuttle.






And this is the Irish derby(Hearts) by Ruth Perry from the March 13th tatting Calendar. I have done this in white and red size 30 DMC cotton. I worked this up with my tatting needle.

Now this means I am done my second 25 motif challenge. I am not going to do it again right now, but I am going to keep tatting. I have to do an edging for my 10 year old daughters t-shirt I made, for the neck opening is too large and I figured that a tatted edging would just set it off and really make it an original.

So long for now.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

I think this brings my count to 21 motif's of the second set


One ring Shamrock of Ruth's from the Tatting Calendar on March 2. I had done this one in white and red before, but had to do one in green and a little bigger to see what it would really look like. This one is done in Southmaid cotton size 10.



This one is the Daisy Picot Shamrock of Ruth's that was on the March 5th Tatting Calendar. It is also done in size 10 Southmaid cotton.





This is Riet's Daisy Picot Hearts bookmark from the February 19th Tatting Calendar. Are you getting the theme of what this posting is about?;-) Yes, these are all from the tatting calendar. This one is done in size 8 pearl cotton.







This is the Irish Derby Hearts of Ruth's of the March 3rd Tatting Calendar. It is done is size 10 southmaid cotton.










This one is Eliz's Maltese Pinwheel Snowflake, alterred to a five point. I have a few mistakes in it, but I just had to master this technique. Anything that I haven't tried before I have a hard time sleeping until I get it figured out. This is done in size 8 pearl cotton pink and dark green.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Modified doily

Here is the doily I mentioned in an earlier post. This one was supposed to be cro-tatted, but I couldn't find a cro-tatting hook the right size so I just decided to needle tat the motifs and edging. The flowers of course are crochet. The pattern I went off of was by Elizabeth Ann White out of the Old-Time Crochet magazine. The thread size is size 10 that I used and it measures about 8 inches square.

Monday, February 12, 2007

#15 a heart from Rosemarie Peel



This here heart is from the Ring of Tatters site by Rosemarie Peel. I used a deep red size 10 cotton for this one with pearl beads around the last round. I can see this being a small purse if worked a little bigger. Might just give it a try, but got to finish the doily I'm working on right now.

I will post pictures of the doily when done in a couple of days.

#14



Another one of the cross's variation on Beeton's edging from the Tatting Calendar of Jan 27th. This one is done with blue varagated southmaid cotton and white southmaid cotton size 10. This one is probably going to be a decoration as well.

#13 of second 25 motif challenge



This here is from the Tatting Calendar on Jan 27th. Again I used a multicolored varagated thread that is about a size 8. I think this is a little big for a bookmark, so have to figure out what to do with it. Maybe a decoration.

Another Celtic Cross


Here I have done once again one of Rozella Linden's Celtic Cross bookmark from her book "Celtic Tatting Knots & Patterns". I did this one in Multicolored thead that seems to be about a size 8. Using the three pastel colors really gave it a nice relaxing look.

#11 of second 25 Motif challenge


I have been slow on blogging lately, but I have been tatting.:) Here I have done up a bookmark using Beeton's Lace edge from the Jan 26th Tatting Calendar. I used a blue varagated southmaid cotton size 10 for this one and of course still using the needle.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

My first Bookmark I designed.

I finally designed a bookmark. I started out with just rings and chains, then thought, how about a clover? So I did a clover on an end and joined the rings on the way back to where I started. Did another clover and fastened off. I liked the look of it, but it had too much negative space. Then I got the idea of doing more rings and chains, but alternating sides of the original piece with the second piece. Whalla!! A Celtic bookmark. I like the look of it.;-) Maybe now I will brodden my design capabilities.(HeHe!!)

Friday, January 26, 2007

More mits and tatting



This is another mit with a heart that again I didn't have a pattern for, just tatted. It even held its shape without being manipulated.












This one is actually done on a red sparkled felt. The celtic cross I did in size 20 DMC thread and the pattern is Ruth Perry's Trefoil knot cross. I made a couple of mistakes, but it still has the general look it should.













This one is also done on red sparkle felt. The flower is another one of Ruth Perry's designs. It is the small celtic knot flower in her book Celtic tatting Knots & Patterns. The thread is size 8 pearl cotton. These mits are a nice way to pass an hour or two, once the tatting is done.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Hearts on Mittens


This is the start of another mitten ornament/gift bag. I made the hearts with Multi's embellishment yarn. It doesn't say what size it is, but I think it is around a size 5. I made the 2 hearts and intertwined them and then sewd them down to the felt. I did not follow any pattern, but just followed the flow of the chain and went with it.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Earrings and horse heads


These are the earrings that Ruth Perry put on the tatting calendar. I have been wanting to do some earrings and figured that these would be a good start. I did them in size 8 pearl cotton.






I think I have the horses head shape figured out (on the left). I put beads in for the mane and for the eye. The one on the right I had to add thread and I guess I didn't do it quite right for it gave me a funny look. I like the beads for it gives it a little more dimension. Just have to figure out how to fill in the negative space in the middle of it's head.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Penguin mit

Not exactly tatting, but fun just the same. I got this pattern from the "For the love of sewing" email list. My oldest loves penguins, so had to do one.
Even though it was done by hand, I had this little guy done in about an hour. All the pieces are sewn, not glued or bonded. Need to go and get more colors of felt so I can play with other kinds of designs.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

#2 of 2nd 25 motif challenge

I am playing with this design to try to make it more lifelike. May even try to continue to make the body yet. This little horse head is done with about size 80 DMC thread. I tried to put a bead in for its eye, but it turned out to be more centered than I wanted. May try to put this one on a necklace for it is small enough, but too big for earrings. Still working out how to make them into earrings though. Would make a nice set for anyone who loves horses.
I am playing with the idea of this set of the challenge to try to modify desings to make my own or just design my own out of my head. This I think will be a little more challenging and take me more than 2 months to finish, but you never know. :0)

Thursday, January 4, 2007

#1 of 2nd 25 motif challenge

Couldn't wait to get started. Here is #1 of my second set of the 25 motif challenge.
I made this bookmark from Size 20 Opera thread. I got the idea for this bookmark while trying to get the center of a doily right. Thought about it for a while and came up with this. Not sure if there is a pattern similar to this or not.

#25 of 25




Here we are, already done the 25 motif challenge. Think I'm going to try it again. This is another Celtic cross done with beads. I like the other one better, but this one is pretty. It is done in size 8 pearl Cotton with the needle.

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

#23 and 24 of 25


Happy New Year. Hope everyone had a great Christmas.
It's hard to see on the scan, but I decided to add beads to Ruth Perry's Celtic Cross. I like the effect for the beads show through on both sides and givesd them added character
















Here is a keychain I made of a horse head. I used Debbie Arnolds
sea horse as inspiration. I have done a couple others changing the pattern even more. I am almost satisfied with the design.