Bronze Shuttle Sin

Forgive me tatters, for I have sinned.  I have coveted my neighbor's shuttle.

At the end of May, Marie Antoinette (real name Mauricio), who writes Boudoir Tatting blog, posted about his bronze acquisition. That is when my sinning began. 

His new project, "sombrero tatting," caught my attention. I hope he is able to share photos of his progress so that I may ooh, aah, and be distracted from the lovely bronze treasure.

But until then, my covetous thoughts continue. Can you blame me?

Tatting Tea Tuesday - Motif 15 Celtic Snowflake

Three cups of tea into Tatting Tea Tuesday and enlightenment finally sets in.

Celtic Snowflake © Jane Eborall - 2012

Tatted by Is'DiharaThread: Lizbeth^® 40 #163 Blue Ice & #149 Peacock BluesBeads: size 11 blue seed beads & a disc bead measuring just under 1.3 cm (1/2 inch)

Motif 15 - Celtic Snowflake
I cannot say enough good things about this new pattern from Jane Eborall. It is easy to tat with clear diagrams and instructions. And look how pretty!

That said, this snowflake suffers a bit from lackluster decision making.

It started out "right" enough. I carefully chose the pattern, thread, beads and even read through the instructions twice.

Tatting merrily along, I completed the outer section without realizing that using size 40 thread would require adjusting the stitch count around the central bead of the inner round.

Cue Mantra
I Make These Mistakes So You Don't Have To.  
But I was stubbornly committed to size 40 and had already tatted around the bead.

'It will work out,' I told myself, and didn't go back to readjust the stitches.

Lackluster decision number two: adding beads to the joining picots around the center bead. (The instructions do not call for them, and a careful examination of the photos on the pattern reveal no beads added to these joining picots.)

At this point I should have excised the offending bits with scissors and started again, wiser for the effort. But I tatted on, this time contemplating a cupped center.

'I'll pin it to a satin ball and everything will be fine,' I rationalized, 'It is too pretty to stop now.'

Once the inner round was finished it seemed that a simple steam press would fix the problem. But after pressing, the crumpled side rings of the clovers stood out clear as day.

The scan says it all.  Ah well, perhaps a fourth cup of tea...

Hubris itself will not let you be an artist.
~ Larry Wall

Postscript: As pretty as this snowflake looks, it deserves to be redone in size 20.  I would tat it again in size 40 if I could find slightly smaller beads. 

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Enjoy these lace and tea-themed links as you browse Tatting Tea Tuesday posts today.

Caterpillows
Think you are a savvy tatter? This crafty caterpillar makes doily-hideouts out of flowers.


DIY Tea Gift
The Edible Crafts Team over at Craft Gossip has shared this lovely tea tidbit: Make your own calming herbal tea and find links to packaging supplies HERE at Country Living.

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

Bitter Over Autumn Apple Pie?

I feel compelled to offer apologies to anyone in Tat Land who purchased Lizbeth^® #169 Autumn Apple Pie and is disappointed with the way the colorway tats up in projects.

My post from September 15, 2011, described Autumn Apple Pie as one "of the most desirable (IMHO) color mixes in the Lizbeth^® line." On the ball this thread is gorgeous.

I wrote, "This thread makes me want to eat a warm slice of apple pie," and seeing it does make me want to eat a warm slice of pie. But, as I have said, I am not so sure it tats up as beautifully as other variegated colorways.

Is this colorway one of the unfortunate ones — a "crap-tastic" composition doomed to the dusty recesses of the tatting closet or worse...the dust bin?

After TIAS in January I intended to put this colorway through a series of tatting trials. To tat:

•  a Martha Ess bookmark
•  a Heart's Desire heart by Susan Fuller 
•  a Mary Konior Spinning Wheel Glass Mat

So far I have only completed Martha Ess' broomstick tatted bookmark and one other bit of edging.

But I have made a discovery. This thread comes up aces when used for single-shuttle patterns, for example Mary Konior's Curds and Whey.  (I was tatting in the car.)

And Martha's Broomstick Tatted Bookmark looks terrific too. No final verdict has been made, but I can tell you that all hope is not lost.  Heart's Desire and a Spinning Wheel Glass Mat are up next.

[Psst, see the peacock feather tail I added to Martha's Broomstick Tatted Lace Bookmark?  I love it! The pattern is from Peacock Feather Bookmark © 2008 Wally Sosa.  Two more examples of Wally's bookmark are:

• Le Blog de Frivole:  Peacock Feather Bookmark
• Fun With Tatting: My Previous Work (scroll down a bit)

I think the peacock feather complements the central rings in a pleasing way.  Don't you?]

Please email me privately (my email addy is listed at the top of this blog) with your comments/concerns/complaints about this thread. I want to know what you think.