Friday, December 28, 2012

Playing Up ‘Posy'

 posy
                           noun:a posy of snowdrops and violetsbouquetbunch (of flowers)spraynosegay,corsage; boutonniere.
I did not realize that posies were to be snowdrops or violets,and had nonetheless chosen this mauve thread because A) it is new and B) because I wanted the motif to look anything but Christmas-y as this next one does:
Pattern by Mary Konior             #20/100 MC                 Lizbeth #40   

I was so pleased with the older one below, which I tatted before Christmas and intended to keep it for myself, but then gave it to my daughter-in-law, who loves wreaths, instead. 
Posted December 13 So, I HAD to tat myself another... and then just one more in mauve. Such a lovely pattern.
Here is a comparison of the two #40’s. I always assumed that Olympus was a lot bigger than the Lizbeth #40, but it is actually just minimally larger.


Thread UpdateNewest Favourite Thread: Olympus. 
I had forgotten how brilliant it is to work with. It is too bad that the selection of colours is so limited,because the quality is really superb.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Forging Forward...

Fourteenth Row Begun!


This would not fit on any of my counter space, so I had to dampen it 
and let it dry on the floor, so that I could see if it was still lying flat. 
Thankfully, it was!

LATER:
I forgot to add that I had to cut out a lot of the 13th row, as I had added beads and then realized that they did not look well in the overall pattern - disturbed the visual... SNIP  SNIP SNIP!

I am now inching into the 20’s on the yard stick...


Gian doesn't care one way or the other. Natch.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Comparison Plus BIG Sale

Yes, I finished Row #12 last night. And I was so fixated on Miranda’s comment yesterday about not thinking about the tension that I thought about the tension all night!

Then I had to dampen the outside rows to see if they lay flat and behaved and ... they did!

Comparing
 the Honey Napkin to the Snowflake Napkin 
both  designed by Renulek

This is the piece at the completion of Row#12
 at 18 inches!

On to Row #13!

********************
Big Sale 
at my 
Etsy Shop!
********************

Friday, December 21, 2012

Truckin’ Through Twelve


This is getting to be very, very big. 
I should be able to begin Row#13 tonight! 
Wish I had not decided to add beads - it really slows things down... 
Can’t stop now either. 

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Courageous!

That would be me!
Look at what I accomplished - first time, too. 

Only one real mistake but I actually un-tatted and re-tatted the very same error yet again! Then when I saw the problem, it was too late to correct; by that time I was hooked on Jane’s fantastic pattern.

I have wanted to try this for a while, and last night I just could not help myself... It is a very addictive tat that I shall repeat. : ) Thanks, Jane!

                                                                           #18/100 M/C
The pattern called for #20 thread and all I have is #40 Lizbeth, so that is what I used it. Next time I shall add more beads to the centre long picot to fill in all that extras length of thread.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Something Still Amiss?

I tatted this Rosemary Peel pattern last night and it just looked wrong. 
I kept looking at it and could not see the problem:


Then I realized I had left off two parts of the last clover, so:

#17MC  Lizbeth#40   Delica beads à la Miranda:Tatting Fool

 It still looks a bit wonky to me, but I did a pretty good patch job, I must say! 

I have no patience for tatting anything but the honey napkin these days. It is weird, but my brain will not concentrate on anything else. My hands hunger for honey!

Honestly, I just have to get this done soon as I cannot seem to do anything else - too many mistakes and ruined thread.

Probably from now till it is finished I shall just focus on the big one.  : (

Monday, December 17, 2012

Row 12 and...


Only 6 to go!!!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Pushing The Periphery to #12


Here we are... Row 11 ALMOST done. I just could not get to that final bit last night - just could not face it! Oh, this is turning into to be a real jaw-clencher! 

So sorry - all I do is complain, so one would think I would just move on to something new... but I can’t! I must see this through to the bitter end! Aghhghhhhh...

The thread is diminishing at quite a rate, but I have enough of both colours to finish. At least I think I do. I am NOT purchasing new thread for this.

Also, it is very big - substantial and heavy. When I pick it up I am amazed that this is tatting!

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Puttering With “Patchwork"

Thread: Wildfower by Caron   16/100 MC   

Of course who else could have designed this motif but Mary Konior.

Pretty, isn’t it in this thread, which I am unhappy to inform you I shall NEVER tat with again!

This new stuff is definitely not the same quality as the thread sent to me by Ladytats. Hers must have been older and produced differently than this newer thread, which is not as shiny, and is very fuzzy. I was so disappointed.  It was difficult to close rings and to un-tat was a nightmare!

Colours are certainly a dream though!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Sanity Saver

Finished this Mary Konior ‘Posy” pattern and am delighted with it. I have tatted this pattern three times over the past few years and have found it to be immensely satisfying.

 Measures 2 1/4 inches                Lizbeth #40              15/100 MC

“Honey” is calling...grumble, grumble.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Temptation

Oh yes.

I have been sorely tempted. I have given in to temptation. Most happily; that Honey napkin is no honey of mine.


Recognize this favourite? I just had to begin one...

Love the Woldflower and just had to take a break in order to tat another one of Karey Solomon’s patterns. Sweet and simple:

14/100 MC
And yesterday, while buying some shelf paper in the dollar store, I could not pass up this opportunity. Can you believe it? Hankies suddenly look like so much fun! : ))

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Racking Up The Rows




As a break this time I decided to play with buttons... 
This is really not my thing. I don’t seem to be enjoying tatting with 
them as much as lots of other tatters...

Nope.
: (

Saturday, December 8, 2012

The ‘Honey' Drags On... and Mail Box Magic


Worse than a hankie. 

This doily is interminable as each round takes a very long time; it has become so very large! Hopefully, I can get to Row 11 by tomorrow. I am only finishing it because I will NOT quit. I am very bored, but it is very pretty in real life, I must admit. ; ))

Mail Box Magic

I received a surprise upon my return from my break. In the mail was a package from Martha, who tatted a bunch of Angelow Crichlow patterns for me, from “Let’s Tat!”

Martha is a wonderful tatter - I am in awe of her tiny, perfect stitches.

She also surprised me in that she sent me these patterns re-written by her in modern tatting terms. Thank you, Martha! This is such a treat!

That lady in the dress is in very fine thread, and it is flawless. I am so impressed.



Another exceptional tatter  I heard from, after I arrived home, was Val , who sent me these balls of Omega to try out. They are #50, and the thread is fairly soft. I am eager to try them out.

I am not so sure about the variegation  - there appears to be long lengths of each colour and a lot of white... I cannot imagine how it will look tatted. But that is the fun of it, isn’t it! Thank you, Val for the opportunity to try new threads.

The little motif on Val’s card is yet another example of the way I want my own tatting to look. Val’s tatting is, like Martha’s, flawless.


Thank you both for spoiling me!

Friday, December 7, 2012

New Threads

Bought this yesterday on impulse - Guterman’s Sulky - some sort of non-cotton, rayon or something.

It is WAY too fine for me at first try, but I am going to tat it again, as I LOVE the look of it.  It is inspired by Snowy’s wonderful fine tatting. She always uses the really skinny stuff.



Love ‘Wildflower' thread! 
Thanks Ladytats, for the sample. 

I have ordered three new skeins 
of this - my new absolute favourite thread.

                                                                     13/100 MC
I was so excited using this wonderful thread that I completely forgot to add the pearl beads in the last four joins!

In spite of the oversight I am enamoured with the look of this thread for tatting.


 Row #10 Begun
Renulek’s Honey Napkin


After tatting with the smaller threads, this feels like a Hudson’s Bay blanket -  dense, heavy and substantial. The doily actually feels more like a crocheted piece than a tatted piece of work; I know this, as I used to crochet those big fancy, old-fashioned doilies. 

The Finca thread has a lot of body; it has a three ply loose and shiny twist.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Soujourn


Several of you expressed concern at my blogging absence... I have been away on planes, trains and automobiles, having a welcome break from it all. All is just fine.


Thank you for your emails and kind words.

Not much tatting got done, but I did manage to complete 
another round on the Honey Napkin and
am ready to begin Row #10:

This piece has been spoken for 
by ...  my seven your old grandson! 
So be it. : ))