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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Busy, Balmy and Beautiful

It is a balmy and bustling day on the tiny tract of terra firma that Ambitatterous annexes in Tat Land.

For springtime, it is a veritable heat wave. Mid 80's! But the breeze is just right to take tatting outdoors while The Sprout plays in the car.

This week for Tatting Tea Tuesday, I must catch up on a few weeks worth of test tatting that I have had up my sleeve. And break out the iced tea pitcher!

Not long ago (when the days were gray, drizzly and we all were searching for signs of Spring) our beloved Tatskool was locked away in her dying shed, feverishly perfecting a combination of yellows, oranges and greens to infuse our dreary doldrums with a burst of fresh, daffodilly color. You've seen her post about it in Transitions No. 2 OYG!

Well, I begged for a sample and tatted up this OYG Trial 1 heart sample to add to the Flame Lantana heart I tatted at the end of February. It is my hope that a few more Transitions trials will result in a Transitions Heart Bookmark. (Rainbow Heart Bookmark designed by Betsy Evans.)

Stage 2 of Transitions Heart Bookmark

I couldn't stop there, so another Iris Niebach Heart motif was born. While unblocked, it has six sides and dimpled rings to really show off those gorgeous heart shapes.

Iris Niebach heart motif made using OYG Trial 1

Special thanks to Dale Marie for getting me hooked on this motif. You can visit her blog, Shuttle and Thread, to see the gorgeous doily she made for her mom. I am hoping she receives her International Tatting Day giveaway prize in the mail today!

Eventually I will add a seven-motif doily or perhaps a dresser scarf to my 25 Motif Challenge. Right now I'm having a ball using Iris' heart motif to practice loosening my notoriously tight (death grip) tension.

But if you read through Tatskool's post you will know that the OYG trials resulted in TWO gorgeous new colorways — Daffodil Dell and Just Daffodils.

Here is a sample of Julie Patterson's Spring Bookmark using Just Daffodils for the blossoms and a dark, moss green solid for the stems. Both in size 20.


Tatskool's link (see Transitions No. 2 OYG above) includes a sample made using a lighter green Flora thread.

Her Flora green perfectly compliments Just Daffodils. But I still like the contrast of the darker shade.

My goal is to tat a full seven-to-eight inches, then join a matching length to make a double-width bookmark. My complicated brain demands it. With a tassel tail. *sigh*

This week I did start tatting the first of several entwined hearts for a wedding project on which I have volunteered to assist. But I can't show you. The reveal of these lovely hearts is best left to the primary tatter. I am just a volunteer helper who doesn't wish to steal her thunder.

All this and another Easter has come and gone without me breaking out the Vanilla Sky I have been hoarding all year. *heavy sigh* I do hope Dale Marie enjoys hers!

Thanks for joining me this week for Tatting Tea Tuesday. Wishing you all blissful me time to create something beautiful.

See you next Tuesday for more communi-tea!

17 comments:

  1. Beautiful colours of threads. Very spring feeling!!

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  2. You are a lucky girl to have those threads already! The hearts turned out lovely, I've always loved Betsy's pattern. Your stitches are perfect.

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  3. Working today or I would have been there! I love your tatting today. The patterns are beautiful in that gorgeous thread! I have downloaded that pattern and am keeping my fingers crossed to see if it (Daffodil Dill) makes it to the drooling public!

    Your work is wonderful.
    Fox

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  4. Your Iris heart motif is gorgeous. I've tried dimpled rings before but I had a lot of trouble, they are NOT easy.

    I've seen that heart bookmark pattern and wasn't sure I liked it but it looks great in the colours you've chosen.

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  5. Aren't those colours just stunning!!! I love it!!

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  6. Lovely! Lovely! Lovely! Spring is certainly in the air!

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  7. The springy colors are beautiful! I also love tatting this Rainbow Heart. One of my favorties!

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  8. Cute tats and cute background! ;)
    ~TattingChic ♥

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  9. Thank you for your uplifting comments, all nine of you! It was a very busy day and all of us at Silly Hat Central collapsed into dreamy snoozes by 9:00 p.m.

    (I, however, was rudely awakened by two V.B.D.'s whose whining could no longer be ignored.) They have YOU to thank for the improvement in my mood!

    *V.B.D. = Very Bad Dog

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  10. Lovely tatting and BEAUTIFUL threads!

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  11. I've always loved Betsy's heart bookmark and have made 2 and given them away. Want one for ME now! Also love Iris' heart doily and don't know why I haven't seen it until recently. Threads are gorgeous too!

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  12. *blushes* Thank you Vinnie and Gina. I am a huge fan of both of yours!

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  14. I love the transition in color for the hearts. I cannot wait to see the finished product...such a lovely idea!! And I absolutely LOVE the colors in Iris' design as well! Beautiful!!!

    I finally got round to posting on my blog about my giveaway win! I do so love what all you sent me *grins*. Now that things here have settled a bit I hope to be back blogging, and of course tatting soon!

    I am also thinking about having my own giveaway soon...plans brewing in my head as we speak!

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  15. Dale Marie, see me skipping around in glee? I'm so pleased you are enjoying your giveaway prize pack.

    I will be keeping an eager-beaver stake out of your blog! Don't want to miss a future giveaway. LOL!

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  16. OH, I never got round to commenting on this. The trial threads look great in these designs...keep it up!

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