I was awake at 3AM and thought, 'Great! While the house is quiet I'll get an early start on Day 7 of T.I.A.S.' So I pulled up Jane Eborall's T.I.A.S. blog. Alas, Day 7 hadn't yet been posted.
Those participants who tat the new release, scan it in and e-mail photo attachments -- all before Lady Jane finishes her breakfast -- How do they do it?
I am tickled to report that by 3:44 AM the Day 7 pattern was posted. That's awesome, Jane!
After printing out a copy I seem to have lost the motivation to wander downstairs (imagine that) and am opting to give sleep another go. Happy tatting to all early birds. I'll be sleeping in.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Motif #20 - SCMR Snowflake & TIAS
Tatted in size 20 Hakelgarn Bright White
with crystal beads
Motif #20 - SCMR Snowflake
For Tatting Tea Tuesday I completed Sharren Morgan's SCMR Snowflake, shown here in a super close-up. Do the clear beads give it frozen ice crystal appeal?
As you can see, it hasn't been blocked. I had a few "d'oh!" moments with this snowflake which contributed to its off-kilter shape. Blocking should set it right.
Sadly, this darling pattern isn't available online. Sharren e-mailed me a PDF. If she grants reprint permission I will add a link to the PDF file.
Tatting Tea Tuesday
Two cups of Moroccan Mint tea accompanied my tatting efforts. I had been thinking back to my wedding/honeymoon cruise and the wicked laryngitis I had. The server at our dinner table was so kind and attentive. She served me hot mint tea every evening until my voice returned. Just in time to say "I do!"No laryngitis today, but it seemed right to raise my cuppa to the tea that got me through that cold/flu season. Hee, hee, if the tea doesn't help this time, maybe another Caribbean cruise will?
2011 Tat It And See (T.I.A.S.) - Day 4
I am participating in Jane Eborall's TIAS. Day 5 was released yesterday but I haven't tatted it yet, so I have fallen a little bit behind. If you are unfamiliar with TIAS, it is a fun, creative winter diversion. Jane releases only a small part of a pattern every day or so and won't tell what it is.
That's right! You don't know what you are making. You "Tat It And See."
Part of the fun is guessing. As of Day 4 I was still thinking some kind of lizard or a turtle. But I was holding out hope for a sea creature. Who knows? Maybe I'll get my wish and it will be Nessie from the Loch!
The Day 5 blog entries suggest that something along the lines of an airplane or jet might be more accurate. A bent pogo stick or even roadkill (perhaps a flattened rabbit?) is still likely, though not Jane's style.
It is not too late to join in the fun! You can join at any time, and catch up as you go or just to watch the fun unfold on the TIAS blog.
Wishing you all blissful me time to create something beautiful. See you next Tuesday for more communi-tea!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Flower Power from Postie
Lookie what postie brought yesterday in the mail.
Those lovely lasses and lads from the Palmetto Tatters Guild wrote to thank me for sending a donation to the scholarship fund in 2010. You don't see too many hand-written notes these days (more's the pity) and the one I received was especially nice!
As if the thank you letter wasn't enough, tucked inside was this magnificent tatted Autumn posy. I just love this!
If you were the tatter, please know that I can't stop smiling at receiving this very pretty piece of tatting.
Thank you for creating it from one giddy recipient!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
1920's Tatted Coaster Set Pattern
Passing along a link that I found today while I was typing up Tatting in the News.
Image Source: Bramcost Publications
Ring in the New Year (Day 12) Vintage Tatted Coaster Set and Box Pattern
Don't know how long the pattern link will remain active, so go look and print it out if you think such a project is of interest.
Special thanks to Bramcost Publications for making this vintage coaster pattern available! It is just one of many vintage needlearts publications they are sharing.
Ring in the New Year (Day 12) Vintage Tatted Coaster Set and Box Pattern
Don't know how long the pattern link will remain active, so go look and print it out if you think such a project is of interest.
Special thanks to Bramcost Publications for making this vintage coaster pattern available! It is just one of many vintage needlearts publications they are sharing.
More on Shuttles, Treat Mints and a Teapot
Santa's goodies included two decorated shuttles: one from La Cosette with holly, berries and snowflakes.
And the other a Clover shuttle blinged out with pretty pink posies from Lace-lovin Librarian Diane. See it peeking out from the red satin bag? That same bag was tantalizingly displayed in Diane's post, The Big 500. She celebrated her 500th blog post with a giveaway and I was one of the lucky five winners. The prizes were a mystery and I have to say the suspense was palpable. But I couldn't be happier with the prize!
That darling red satin pouch held a treasure trove of goodies: the pink posy shuttle (hand-decorated by Diane), a ball of vintage white tatting cotton, a 12-yard sample of Sulky thread (color 4025), an EZ-Bob for winding thread, and a charm clip. Such nice goodies. Thank you, Diane!
To see a nice photo of all the items together, check out Martha Ess' blog post. Her belated thank you says it all, so much better than I have.
Tathogen® Treat Mints
To the ladies in my lace guild, who have been nervous about thread-eating microbes ever since I returned from Palmetto Tat Days, I gave out holiday samples of Treat Mints. Everyone seemed to like them and it afforded some peace of mind (particularly to the bobbin lacers who couldn't tat a Thyme leaf cure).If you haven't heard about the thread-eating microbe, read about it in this Tatting Tea Tuesday post from August 31, 2010.
And on that note I kindly thank you for reading all the way to the bottom, and leave you until anon.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Motif #19 - Elcie
Design © 2011 Wanda Salmans
#652 Royal Blue and Flora #238 Navy Blue.
The latest addition to my 25 Motif Challenge is a test tat of tattrldy's Elcie motif. Didn't it turn out well?
I loved tatting this. The pattern was easy to memorize and fun to the final stitch. And it makes a lovely mat.
Elcie measures an even 3 by 3 inches (7.6 by 7.6 cm). Three shades of blue give it a tranquil air. Adding this classy little square to my 25 Motif Challenge will bring my total up to 19.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Motif #18 - If He Only Had a Brain
Design © 2002 Dolly Hollander
Through no fault of his own, poor Nutmeg has become an unfortunate Christmas camel.
I didn't bother to block him (for reasons to be explained) but will still count him toward my 25 Motif Challenge.
Motif #18 - Christmas Camel
Nutmeg is tatted with Lizbeth #671 Christmas Red, #638 Christmas Green and Tatskool's Nutmeg HDT. All size 20.He has a size 11/0 black seed bead for his eye and size 8 gold seed beads for his saddle. The flat scan doesn't do it justice, as the saddle bows out slightly for a lovely 3D effect.
Here is a link to Tatskool's Christmas camel from 2007. Hers is decked out so handsomely in his Christmas finery.
A Series of Unfortunate Decisions
Poor Nutmeg's neck is all out of whack so I didn't finish his bridle and reins. But the problem is not with the pattern.
He was coming along so well until I missed a join behind his ears, resulting in a misshapen neck and disturbing lack of brain.
(Now Nutmeg has something in common with a certain Scarecrow.)
Of course, decapitation is an option. I could tat him a brainy new head.
Would you fix him or leave him to suffer his fate?
While I don't consider this next bit to be an unfortunate decision, I would reduce the stitch count if I were to tat it again:
I tatted Nutmeg's tail using Jane Eborall's marvelous Padded Double Stitch technique. But I didn't adjust the stitch count so his tail is a bit long.
Okay, I am done being my own worst critic. Whew! Aren't you glad that's over?
Let me stress that this is a wonderful pattern. Tatskool downloaded it from the Internet a few years ago. When I asked her if she could share a link, she was able to screen grab the pattern for me using the Wayback Machine. But my Wayback Machine searches have turned up bupkus. I am not sure where you can find it now.
E-mail Dolly Hollander privately at the email listed at the top of this post to request a copy of the Christmas camel pattern.
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