Motif #1 for 25 Motif Challenge

I did it! I have signed up for the 25 motif challenge. See me wading into the waters with SweetHeart pattern by Birgit Phelps © 2003.

I chose it for a few reasons:

• 2003 was the year I went on a tatting hiatus (until 2008)
• the joins create the illusion of four-petal clovers
• no awkward downward joins

Plus, I think this design makes a terrific central motif upon which to build a bigger heart. More on that later.

The colorful heart on the left was made with an itty-bitty mini skein of Tatskool's lovely Rainbow Bright HDT in size 20. Hee, hee, the center rings remind me of Fruity Pebbles^®.

The pink heart uses the same thread as the pink-and-white edging pictured in my last Tatting Tea Tuesday post. This thread came to me in a box salvaged from an estate sale rubbish bin. Not sure, but I think it is a finer quality crochet cotton in roughly size 30.

For the past few weeks I have been experimenting with a lattice-like heart design that includes four-petal, split ring clovers and adapts an edging pattern for the last round. But my end point is awkward and I'd prefer not to have to cut and tie ends to start a new round.

Birgit's SweetHeart motif looks like it will adapt well. It offers a more straightforward "climbing out" point to begin the next round. Hence, the pink heart on the right.

I'll stop here to ponder the best "climbing out" method. Simple chain? Split chain? Other options?

Time to put the kettle on. See you on Tuesday!

She Made Me Do It...

Really, she did. TattingChic's post, Tat Like an Egyptian, put that 80's song in my head. You know the one. And I haven't been able to get it out. So now I am posting this photo. http://yfrog.com/63y3pj

Have you signed up for her 50,000 visitors giveaway? You still have time, but the clock's ticking, so walk like a famous Pharaoh or Queen on over to her blog. Hurry!

You have until 7/31/09 at MN PST!

Say IsDihara sent ya. ;-)

Tatting Tea Tuesday - Birthday Edition

(Click on the photo to enlarge.)

It's time for another Tatting Tea Tuesday!

That's my favorite teapot in the photo. I bought it at a "boot sale" during my first visit to the UK. It's not fancy, just my favorite. In it is steeping a lush blend of Rooibos Earl Grey and a fragrant, fruity herbal that I save for special occasions. The aroma is pure heaven.

This auspicious day calls for tea and layer cake all around.

What? That's not enough? You need more to feel like you're getting your blog stop's worth?

Okay, how about a sexy Lil' Black Border pattern?

(Click on the photo for a larger view.)

CAVEAT: I have not been able to find this pattern online or in my fairly extensive library of tatting books, magazine articles or Workbasket magazines.

I will remove the pattern immediately upon request, providing the person or organization supplies proof of rights and the pattern's original source.

(Click on the photo for a larger image.)

It is tatted in a fine, size 70 thread. Not sure which brand, since the spool label is missing. It would look lovely as a sleeve accent or around a camisole neckline and hem. I've always envisioned this with lingerie. After reading TattingChic's post about tatting like an Egyptian, I can also see a pyramid! The possibilities are endless.

Can you believe there will be a solar eclipse today? A celestial gift! I won't be able to see it, but maybe you will in your corner of tat land.

Wishing you all blissful me time to create something beautiful.
See you next Tuesday for more communi-tea!

Christmas in July: Snowflake Card

Saturday I received a piece of email marketing (what I like to call SPAM mail) from Jo-ANN fabrics. Normally I just delete these but the copy caught my attention. It was promoting Christmas in July.

Growing up in small town USA we always looked forward to Christmas in July celebrations such as sidewalk sales, lifeguard wearing a Santa hat at the local pool, strolling around the KOA campground admiring holiday decorations and making Santa smores around a campfire. Do people do this anymore?

A Christmas card project in the email got me thinking about how a small tatted motif could personalize or "kick up" a card design.

Replacing the paper flower in the card above with a tatted snowflake would be a nice addition, don't you think?

Booth Crasher
For lack of a better phrase, I crashed a lace demo on Saturday. Thinking it would have slow stretches when no one was around, I took along a small snowflake pattern book and my tatting bag to help pass the time and to demonstrate the versatility of tatted lace. A mini Christmas in July project seemed to be just the ticket.

Long story short, I never did start a snowflake at the Piedmont Lace Guild demo booth. After dropping by to introduce myself, I stayed for three hours. Bobbin lace was the focus of the demo but tatting got attention too, especially after I arrived.

In fact, I taught two ladies to tat and both of them got the flip on the first try! The second young lady left with one of my shuttles and some ball thread as a gift so she could keep practicing. At the end of the demo I felt so energized.

Since I didn't get a chance to start that mini-snowflake, it seems only right to invite you to create one with me.

Tomorrow is Tatting Tea Tuesday and a new post will go live with an edging pattern I had promised to share. But it is also my birthday. Here's a weird fact: I'm as old as the Super Bowl.

I'm sure you were hoping for a giveaway, but my birthday wish is for you tat a mini-flake for Christmas in July. Oh, and enjoy some tea-time cake to help me celebrate!

Thanks to each and every one of you for making this space so much fun to write in and update. Hope to see you again tomorrow for a birthday session of Tatting Tea Tuesday!