I used to attach the tatting to the rings with invisible cotton, but this time thought I would try a different method and rather like the effect of twisting the thread around the rings.
Which ever method is used though it is a fiddly process.
In my next blog post there will be a give-away to celebrate the New Year.
No I'm not referring to 'Tat Days' but an experience when visiting someone yesterday who every year I give a tatted tree ornament to. The person is now more or less bed ridden but the family put the tree up and hang the ornaments on it. Here is a picture of some of them, there must be about eight altogether spread around the tree. I had actually forgotten that I had made these, unfortunately I have no record of the design.
However, I just can't stop tatting the button snowflake because it just looks great in whatever colour I use and I am giving them away as fast as I can make them! The one on the left though is slightly different.
After Christmas I hope to hold a 'giveaway' which will be (when it is made) a pop-a-bobbin shuttle to thank all those who regularly visit this blog and in particular those who comment, perhaps not regularly, but at least from time to time. I'm getting excited thinking about it, hope you are?
Okay I'm not meant to be too serious in this blog post, instructions from big sister! However, firstly you all need to know the meaning of the title 'Boxed Clever', well other than making tatted boxes! It means to use one’s resources beyond conventional ways. Not necessary “thinking outside the box”, although this might happen but it is not quite accurate. Boxed clever or 'boxing clever', means not only thinking outside the box, but re-defining the common thought process itself . It’s the ability to evaluate the current thought process, and replace it with a new, more superior, more productive, more efficient thought process. Does that sound like Jane?!
The pink and green box was my first attempt, there were a few issues when it came to the second side, Jane and I agreed to disagree on which way to turn the work! She really was calling me 'a pain' at this point, or may be a 'daft mo'!
If Jane designs another pattern before Christmas I will scream, cards are not being written, sermons are not being prepared and as for housework, well what can you do when there is a thread invasion?
It is one of those amazing dates today that just needs to be shouted out and celebrated or just recognised on my blog!
This will be the last date of its kind - when all three numericals in a date are the same - for the next 88 years. The next time this will happen is on January 1, 2101, or 01-01-01.
The number 12 has a great significance in many cultures. In western tradition, it is commonly associated with completeness and seen as a perfect and harmonious unit. As such, it has found its way into religion (e.g. the 12 apostles), mythology (e.g. the 12 gods of Olympus), and every day life (e.g. 12 hours on a modern clock face).
I have been busy (around the clock!) test tatting another of Jane's clever designs but it would not be fair to show you until she has announced it first, it caused a little bit of a problem (on my part) but all seems to be resolved now and I am just excited about it as she is.
Whilst in America at Tat Days I was extremely fortunate to be given some lovely gifts, one was the name tag on the scissors which I purchased from the vending room. I would like to thank the giver personally but I don't know who she is. I will now never loose my scissors and this piece of tatting means a lot to me.
As you can see the bracelet and the book mark are made from the same Lizbeth thread which I have strangely taken a disliking to over the last few months.
It is amazing how tastes change and it has happened a lot in tatting to me over the last six months. I blame all those wonderful HDTs which you can now buy.
Anyway enjoy what is left of 12.12.12 where ever you are in the world.
I was asked to make two sets of button necklaces and earrings way back in May, I was told there was no hurry! After returning from my trips to other parts of the world it became necessary to sit down and finish them. Unfortunately I found this very hard to do for many reasons. Tat Days inspired me to do other projects and then Jane keeps designing more patterns especially using buttons. Also I had to catch up with other things going on in my life. I finally completed them last weekend.
I actually lost interest in making these necklaces which had to be made in the colours requested. The purple one was started in June and by the time I came back from the USA in September I had purchased threads and beads that I liked much better and nearly cut it up and started again, but persevered and actually finished it whilst staying with Jane.
I have been also hit with a 'doodad challenge' from Diana, look at what she sent me.
I am out of hibernation (but didn't get much sleep) and seemed to have got rid of my computer frustration, well for a little while! This past week I have been extremely busy sorting out the photos on my blog, or rather where they are stored in Picasa and then downsizing them. I had no idea that was the problem, just uploaded everything on to the blog without a thought to how much space they were taking. Lesson learnt. Big sister came to my rescue and you can see her blog post talking about it here.
With the pink bracelet I added the beads from the core (shuttle) thread whilst on the yellow bracelet they were on the ball thread.
This is the only bit of tatting I managed over the last week. I had thought about making these bracelets for a while and recently noticed Janemactats and it inspired me to actually do something about the idea.
So I am blogging again and thanks to those who commented on my last blog post, would really have not wanted to be away for too long as I would have also missed you.
Not sure if this will be my last blog post for a while as I am having trouble with blogger and photographs. Here are some badly scanned buttons which you will have seen on Jane's blog today. A fantastic pattern which has given me hours of fun whilst making them.
However, I am loosing patience with computers and have decided to go into hibernation until all problems have been sorted.
Just wanted to say thank you to all who have bought shuttles etc from Jane's shop, there are still a few items left which have been made by 'im in the garage, including these bobbin holders. There is a story about the wood that they are made from, we purchased the wood from a funeral director. Many, many years ago his late father had purchased the mahogany to make coffins out of. Now a days most coffins are mass produced so this wood was doing nothing, just stacked up in a garage. It is lovely mature wood, rich in colour and the bobbin holders are a work of art as well as being very practicable. Here is the link to the wood when it arrived at our house.
One of the problems when writing a tatting pattern to be used with a bauble or button is that even with the best will in the world, it is not always easy to find a universal pattern that fits all, even measuring buttons and baubles does not always work! Threads can also vary, not to mention every ones different tatting tension. So I've tried my best with this pattern and just ask that if you use it, then test it first and alter your stitch count accordingly, especially if it is not a cosy fit over the bauble. When you have finished the pattern the bauble cover should look something like this.
To complete fit over the bauble and thread a piece of tatting cotton through the gap made between one of the sets of bugle beads (five gaps 10 bugle beads altogether) continue through the rest of them and draw up tight then add a large bead or beads, thread more cotton through the pulled up beads and through the dangle beads, knot close to the beads making a tassel.
I have so many projects (tatting and otherwise) on the go at the moment, but hopefully should have completed some of them in a few weeks time.
Although I did not sell very much at the Christmas Fayre the baubles were quite popular and prior to the event I spent hours tatting around them, and have continued in the same vain! If I stop I know that I will never start again until the last minute before they are needed next year. Having a good display also means that there is plenty of choice. I have bought so many of these baubles that I must now stop and complete the ones I have, but the temptation this time of the year is too great, especially when I see them in the shops! Here are the ones I have been working on over the last week.
They are relatively quick to make and use up thread and beads that I have had for a long time.
I am also tempted when seeing buttons, these are my latest purchase from a charity shop.
The purple one is 1 1/4" across!
More shuttles are in the process of being made and I hope to show you some pictures next time, included in the next batch are some post ones.
Today there was a Christmas Fayre at the church and I took along my tatting to sell, I have actually been tatting so furiously in the last few weeks in order to have enough to sell. The larger items such as necklaces did not sell but the lower priced items sold quite well, they included earrings and Christmas baubles. These leaf earrings are using Jane's pattern which can be found here. Although I have to say not one of them sold!
I took along these earrings too. Barbara Hevener who I met in the USA designed the Christmas Wreaths I am very grateful to her for sharing the pattern it really is very clever and very effective and I was so pleased to meet her in person.
The little seahorses are again Jane's pattern and they look so cute but I did not sell any of these little chaps either! The earrings that sold the best were Marilee's Giddy earrings from her book 'Tatted Jewelery', which are such fun to make and yes I also met Marilee in the USA!. So all the items that I made for today and did not sell will be packed away for another year. I must just add that we live in a village, not a big town and so there were not that many people around for the few hours that the Fayre was open.
I just feel that I have now got my life back and can stop tatting for a few days in order to catch up with other things. People have no idea how time consuming tatting is and so are unprepared to pay for the time that is spent making the items.
The clocks go back this evening so I am looking forward to an extra hour in bed, but not much chance at the moment as I am tatting like mad to get items ready for a Christmas Fayre. The temperature outside is freezing and some parts of the UK are said to have been colder than Moscow this weekend brrrrrrrr.
So to get in the mood here are some snow flakes, the first one is Martha Ess's Circles and Squares, this is my favourite snowflake pattern and just for a change I have worked it in silver and white thread.
This one is my own design, but it looks like a lot of others so can't really claim the fame! However, I do think the bugle beads enhance the snowflake, sorry that it is a little bit off centre, always find it difficult to scan finished items.
Well back to tatting - more to show you soon!
Sometimes there is just too much colour around us, and occasionally it is good to look at something in black and white. How many of us remember when there was only black and white television?! There is a memorable British sports quote given by Ted Lowe during a snooker commentary. Ted was aware that at the time not all viewers had a colour television so he said "and for those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green."
So to start with here is Sherry Pence's Scottie Dog, which I promised to tat for someone months ago. I think one of these little chaps would look great on a greetings card. Thank you Sherry for kindly sharing the pattern.
And finally my son Dan who was taking a break from Aikido in Singapore. I was not able to get close enough for an action photograph!
Yes he is a black belt!
I am always looking for ways to use buttons and tatting together and decided it was best to put into action an idea that I have had for a long time now. This is the result.
Each of the brooches uses (apart from the tatting) two buttons a bead and a finding at the back. I hope you can see that there is a smaller button just beneath the bead. The only glue used is the finding on the back otherwise everything is sewn on.
The pattern I used is here Jane's Mother of Pear Tatted buttons, I just added a few extra beads at the tips. Fortunately I do have some large buttons but I have also been looking in charity shops for others as my own supply is quite limited. I also found that solid coloured thread works best, not variegated.
The brooches look very effective when worn and I hope to make a lot more before Christmas!
After a few aborted starts, mainly because I made some serious mistakes, I did manage to to complete the Daisy Necklace and now would like a little break from this pattern!
It was such a great day meeting the Guild Members and the fun did not end there. Afterwards we went to a really amazing restaurant called Flight Deck where there were pictures of aeroplanes plus model aeroplanes hanging from the ceiling. Here is a picture of Marie outside the restaurant showing us a new technique/idea with Riet.
A lot of laughs with so many good friends, it was hard to say goodbye.
And very sad when it was time for us to fly home.
Well not on an aeroplane like this!
I am like a child in a sweetie (candy) shop at the moment! Since coming home from tat days I have so much choice of threads, beads and findings that I just don't have enough hours in the day to put them to good use. Regularly now I pick out thread and beads to match ready for the next project, however before I get to it some other colourway has grabbed my attention!
For many years I have admired Jane's bracelet pattern and thought it would be too difficult to tat, but now I have mastered it I can't stop making bracelets. These two are promised to people already and I am going to make a few more for the Christmas Fayre. I also would like to carry on with the pattern and make a necklace.
The left one is made with Lizbeth thread and the right one is using HDT from Yarnplayer called warm dark brown, a lovely shade. Thank you Sue Anna for giving it to me along with so many other beautiful threads.
Thank you also to Sandra and Joanie who kindly took Jane and myself to craft supply shops whilst we were with them, there was so much choice and so many bargains!
When we were at Tat Days there was a 'Night Owl' class during which we made some owls by finger tatting with wool, it was great fun and required minimum skill. Also by then our eyes were quite tired so it was easy on them too! I made this one when I got home as all the owls that we made at tat days are going to a State Fair next month. Riet took the class and it was lovely to meet her at last and to discover that she is very fond of owls.
Today though we had a scarecrow festival outside one of the churches.
And a solar powered scarecrow that was given to me by Pam when in the USA. All the shops were sold out of these little chaps and I am so thrilled to have this one and love the way he jiggles! He also came up to the church with me, but I guarded him as it would have been such a shame if someone else had taken a fancy to him!