Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Bed Beginnings & Leprechaun Trap

Precious little tatting to report this week. Late-winter/early-spring viruses and allergies kept the whole family down in varying degrees.  As for me, allergy-onset + a 24-hour vomiting spell = several days lost productivity. 

Sprout went to a girl's birthday party last weekend which had a kitten adoption theme, so he came home with a blue beanie-kitten, a crafty ball of yarn, a plastic mouse toy and Swedish Fish candy as take-away goodies.

Sprout & Wilbur

"Wilbur (adopted kitty's name) needs a tatted bed to sleep in, Mama, " Sprout informed me.

So I decided to follow Fox's lead (see her links from March1: Jivin' with Jan and March 7: Delightful Doilies Dominate) and begin with part one of Doily VI from Tatted Treasures by Jan Stawasz,

Lace-lovin' Librarian Diane gets credit too, as her lacework (February 24: Doily VI, Round 1 and March 18: Round V...done!) inspired Fox.  Bravo ladies for enabling me so successfully.  LOL!

My blind stab at Part I of Doily VI
Lizbeth® 20 # 111 Cotton Candy

For some strange reason I thought that the central motif from Jan Stawasz' Doily VI was published sans stitch counts. (Indeed, the motif in my copy of his first book omits them.)

After a few days I got wise and double checked both Stawasz books to discover that book two does include stitch counts. Mine are not at all close to his!

Sprout insists Wilbur's bed be lined, padded, decorated with tatting (the kid thinks big, doesn't he?) and have a door. I'm hoping this version of the motif will work as an inner round.

How to Catch a Leprechaun

Yesterday was a snow day so I had Sprout home with me. We colored a pot o' gold, shamrocks and told each other tales of leprechaun mischief. Before long he decided it was time to build a leprechaun trap!


We agreed to stage these trap photos using Ciarrán before actually setting the trap. (Yes, that is a light saber toy in the background.)


Note the yellow "o" made to look like a gold coin and the big arrow pointing toward the entrance.  He asked me how to spell gold and thought I had said "e" instead of "g," but promptly corrected his error. He is still perfecting his spacing (runs out of room for all of his letters) but I love it all!


At periodic intervals Sprout would "hear a sound" and rush to examine his trap. Surely he would find a captured pixie!  Here he is peering in to see what he had caught...


He had placed a pirate doubloon inside the box as well as a hand-drawn shamrock as bait.  Sadly, no leprechauns fell prey to his ingenious trap. But all in all, it was great snow day fun!


8 comments:

Margarets designer cards said...

I am tatting the butterfly from your last post only mine does not want to behave as yours, now I see by your picture you have a ring in the middle, I did mine like a set of four clovers.
Your post today was interesting to read, hope you have a nice day
Margaret

Sally Kerson said...

Its just too cold for leprechauns at the moment!
But it did sound as if you had great fun snow day.
Was a bit worried when I first read2034 about the 'kitten adoption theme party', until you explained that it was a beanie one, phew! I thought what ever next at children's birthdays!

Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane said...

I do find Jan's patterns a little intimidating, but I'm slowly learning to read them. It looks like you're off to a great start!

God's Kid said...

Looks like a great start to your "doily" bed!! :)
Looks like a wonderful day of fun!!! :)

Jane McLellan said...

Oh dear, I'm sorry your leprechaun trap wasn't successful. I love the photo of your son checking it though.

Crazy Mom! said...

Um, you do know that Wilbur is a BEAR, don't you?

The Sprout looks great - tell him hello for me!

IsDihara said...

You're so funny, Crazy Mom! It is a kitty, you just cannot see it's kitty tail from the photo.

I give the party mom credit for including "boy-friendly" colors of kitties in the big kitty basket. Sprout was the only boy at the party. (He and the birthday girl have been "bonded" since preschool.)

tattrldy said...

I love how Sprout thinks - of course Wilbur needs a nice bed with tatting! :-)
What a fun way to spend a snow day. His leprechaun trap is excellent even if it didn't catch any that day.