Opinions Please!

I received this sweet vintage hankie and the Cébélia #30 blue thread a while ago from A Friend In North Carolina. 

Since then, I have been visualizing the border ( Mary Konior’s Marguerite) that I have wanted to tat since I saw it on Frivole’s blog, here:

Mary Konior ’s design is the blue and Frivole added the interior bit of yettlow. So clever! So, I am going to copy that border, but do not know whether to use the yellow (which is wound!) or the pink (which I was not sure about) for the interior edging. There is no appropriate green in my stash or even another shade of blue.

So, what’ll it be? 

Pink or Yellow?

p.s. Gray (he is three) has been asking for a purple gecko! Kids surprise me all the time. 

I have a pattern from Karen Bickerton that I have begun a few times with beads and I messed up royally. 

I think I shall forgo the bling and just get the thing tatted for my sweet, little friend/grandson.  : )

Judicious Manipulations

71/4 inches

Those are just big, fancy words for 'I changed the stitch count to make the two sizes of threads work for this pattern, from Karey Solomon’s new book:'

I went from this thread:

to #40 Lizbeth for the last two rows,

 as I was going to run out of the Babylo. 

It is such a thick thread that I had to fill the bobbin three times for the inner two rows. That is the problem with heavier thread.

I was lucky that I had the end of a ball of the variegated pink and green Lizbeth, which is now gone, in order to complete the pattern in colours that worked.  There was also a small ball of a good #40 Lizbeth green in my stash.

What do you think? It works?

The frustration was so great I have ordered two of the larger Clovers, so that should I tat another of Karey’s doilies I will not have to keep adding thread!

Though these are post shuttles, I am willing to give them a shot for the larger pieces, as I have become impatient with adding thread, I’m afraid. ( I was also  AGAIN enabled by Diane. Heheheh!)

Now, 

Kathy Rocks!

She said she would put up some instructions for interlocking rings on her blog and she has quickly done it! Yay, Kathy! Thank you so much! It took me only two attempts and this is what I did, quite effortlessly, I might add!

Kathy will be adding the next part - the last join - soon. I am so grateful as it has taken me forever to be able to do these rings. And it is all accomplished with a shuttle. So cool.

Oh Dear...

I would be too embarrassed to admit to you how many hours I have spent on this... and I do not think it is right yet...

I have watched Karen’s YouTube #77 a gazillion times to no avail. So frustrating. : (

Then, I tried to add a hook from a brand new Aerlit that I bought to a brand new Pym shuttle. It never got hot enough (the hook) and I ended up melting the end of the shuttle and ruining it without getting the hook to adhere. 

Not a good tatting day.

Big Is Not Better

Though I do like this Bablyo crochet thread very much, for it is smooth and easy to tat, I am not pleased with the #20 thickness of it. I think that is why I got rid of al my #20 Cébélia. Just too bulky.

This is the beginning of a new Karey Solomon pattern from her new doily book, and it is going to be rather big. There is another row yet to go.

If I had tatted it in my usual #40 or even smaller in #80, it would be more the size I am comfortable with. I realize I do not like to tat large motifs.