Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Counting Down The Hours


Maebh ponders the 34 names to be entered in 
a random number generator tomorrow morning...




This came out all right and was a lot of fun to tat.  I think I will make a lot more!  I would like to put a tail on the next ones, but am baffled as to how everybody twists those things.  Opposite directions each colour, right?  Is there a trick to it?  It is a simple, not tatted, twisted  tail I am talking about.  Surely, it cannot be brain surgery! Anybody?

There are lots of patterns in Jon's book and I am eager to try more of them.  Thanks, Jon!


Remember I was rattling on about new bsiness cards to promote tatting and - well, let's be honest -  my blog?

I have been handing them out left right and centre at work, and decided to put one up in the shop with an example of tatting attached. 


This is what I put on the mirror that is right by the entrance to the shop. My boss thought it was a fine idea!  (The pile of little flower do-dads is there to obfuscate my personal data.  They are NOT part of the card!)

Now I am worried that the motif will disappear.  There it sat, languishing in a box in my cupboard, and then it finally had a great purpose and a true  reason to BE. Now, here I am fretting that it will be stolen! (Oh no!  Not the motif done in Tatskool's gorgeous 'Rainbow Bright' HDT!)

I can't win.

Ah, the challenges of displaying one's artful endeavours!


See you all tomorrow!
You-Know-Who
wishes you all
bonne chance!

Anon,

15 comments:

  1. Is Maebh consulting with the Buddha for tomorrow's drawing?

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  2. I am color crazy and I just love that awesome motif!!! My daughter saw it too and she loves it too! :)

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  3. I think your Motif it came out really well and I love the idea of your business cards.

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  4. Gorgeous thread on your business card! I have trouble with tails too, so I stick to tassels on bookmarks - I'll be watching for a helpful reply on your blog!

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  5. A "twisted tail" makes me think of the way I used to make dog pull toys out of yarn. I don't know if this is what you mean...but:

    1-Loop the thread into an oval about 1/2 as thick as you want the tail to be and about 3 times longer.
    2-Place one end of loop over something stationary, like a furniture knob, take the other end and start twisting (a pencil or dowel is really helpful).
    3-Keep twisting until you can bring the twisting end to the stationary end and the rest of the thread wraps around itself (so it looks like a rope).
    4-The ends can be secured with an overhand knot or use another piece of string to tie them together.

    I hope I have described this well enough...but it may not be what you meant. I used to use synthetic yarn and make thick "ropes" for tug-of-wars. The really neat thing was that they could be put in the washer and drier when they got dirty (very, very often!).

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  6. If I want a tail, but not a tassle, I usually tat a chain and add a smaller motif to the end. I've been considering some other options. One is Judy in Greeley, CO, suggestion for a book thong with beads at the opposite end from the tatting. The other involves alternating colored sections of unflipped knots over a core thread. Is that called a Maltese chain?

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  7. Hi Fox.
    Having a little trouble with my fingers tonight. As I near completion of my message to you...everything disappears...good thing I am not tatting right now...what would happen then?
    Finally, you ask a question about which I actually know something...LOL! I am truly an embroiderer --tatting is 'new'-- but we embroiderers make twisted cording all the time!
    I have really good instructions (in the form of a Word document) that describes how to make two- and three- colour cording, as well as instructions to make a type of twisted-cord fringe I made for the edges of a shawl.
    I can email them to you, but how and where?
    My email address is rlobirek(at)mts(dot)net.
    Let me know if I can, for once, be of help to you...!

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  8. I like your new business cards, and I like the idea of your motif hanging off of it.

    I hope Maebh has a wonderful time rummaging threw the 34 names to find a winner.

    Have I told you yet, that I like your new header artwork, clunies no less, beautiful!

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  9. Hi Fox

    When I make tales I do Josephine Chain (all stitches are just the first half of a ds or the last half) or Victorian Sets (ex. 10 first half stitches/then 10 last half of stitches) you can change the number but do make them the same!! Hope this works. Can not wait to see who wins!!!

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  10. Leanna, I tried to email you but it seems the address is not working! If you read this, please send me an email, (see my profile) and I will respond to yours. Thanks,
    Fox : )

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  11. Thanks, Tatfully Yours,
    Yes, these are terrific and I do use them often, throwing the shuttle from side to side, after about 5 half ds, but I am really trying to figure out the simple two-colour twisted thing!
    Fox the Foxed : )

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  12. Stringy Dogs,
    Thanks so much, but this is not the one I am after - too thick! I want two strands twisted tightly together, and not unravelling, not four.
    Fox : )

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  13. Love the contrast of the royal blue beads on the white! Cords....Lily Morales showed us how to make this kind of cord with a gadget that I actually bought and forget how to use! I've also done it by hand though. Hope you got the instructions from Leanna. I was going to email her myself til you said the email didn't work. You could probably search either google or youtube also. I know it's two colors that are twisted tight and then allowed to twist upon each other falling into a natural spiral but I don't remember the lengths - and they are then doubled & quadrupled if I remember right.

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  14. Jeepers the motif on your card looks GORGEOUS..but then I am biased....must make one for myself!
    Maebh is soooh photogenic...she must have been to modelling academy! She seems to have friends in high places.

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  15. Tatskool, OHM My, I'm glad you noticed. : ))
    Fox ♥

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