I am still here, just wayyyy too busy for computer time!

I tatted this awhile back,  It's Yarnplayer's Wondrous Window pendant.  It's tatted in size 20 Lizbeth Black and Sacred Lotus HDT from Crochet4U2Dye4.

I have been awful busy taking care of my dad.  He had back surgery in July, and a total shoulder replacement(called a reverse shoulder) on Halloween, and last Tuesday he had a total knee replacement.  I do his at home therapy and help in anyway I can since my mom cannot help him and doesn't drive.  I am hoping that I will be able to able to get more tatting time in after the New Year starts!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

One small ornament during busy days

I have been on an extremely busy schedule lately and it's about to get totally worse for the next 2 weeks.  Amid all the things I have had to do I have really tried to get tatting in.  And this was inspired by the one snowflake that I don't have the link to from the blizzard of snowflakes I did.  This is 4 of those snowflakes(one on top and three around the sides) tatted in size 40 Lizbeth Blue Ice.

 Doesn't it look awesome with my snowflake garland??  :)

Here is where you can find the pattern for the snowflake that I used to cover this ornament.  :)

http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/pub/PDF/VanceTatted.pdf

Snowflake blizzard!!!

Working hard to get my request for 13 snowflakes done!!!  Here are the ones I believe she will like the most!!  :)

In this top picture are (top left) 

Minta Pattern from:

 http://spulni-blog.blogspot.com/2011/11/minta-pattern.html  

tatted in Lizbeth size 10 Snow White.

(top right) Cloverleaf Snowflake from the book 

Tatted Snowflakes by Vida Sunderman tatted in size 3 white with glitter.

(middle left) Flower Snowflake from the same book as above.  Tatted in size 40 Lizbeth Angel's Love.

(middle right) is January Reflections from: http://web.archive.org/web/20021003091602/http://www.geocities.com/tatt3r/flyrjan.html 

Tatted in size 40 Lizbeth Angel's Love.

(bottom) is Layered Tatted Snowflake from: 

http://www.be-stitched.com/pattern0706snowflake.asp

Tatted in size 20 Lizbeth Blue Ice.

 In this middle picture are 8 Lavender & Lace inspired # 3 snowflakes of mine.  

They are tatted in Lizbeth size 20 Christmas Delight, and Blue Ice.   

In this last picture are many snowflakes that either were too small for the request, or they had mistakes in them.  The top 2 are Lavender & Lace inspired #3 snowflakes.

Second row is:

 Kira's Star from: http://birgitstatting.blogspot.com/2010/03/kiras-star.html 

tatted in size 20 Lizbeth Blue Ice, and

Minta Pattern(same as in top picture) tatted in size 20 Christmas Delight.

Third row is:

Minaret Snowflake from the book Tatted Snowflakes by Vida Sunderman  

tatted in size 20 Lizbeth Blue Ice, and

Snowflake schema from: http://milczenie-nitek.blogspot.com/2011/12/schemat-sniezynki.html 

tatted in size 20 Lizbeth Blue Ice.

Fouth row is:

Snowflake # 2 without the doodad from:

 http://lacelovinlibrarian.blogspot.com/2012/09/snowflake-2-without-doodad-pattern.html

tatted in size 20 Lizbeth Christmas Delight, and

Merry Christmas Snowflake from:

 http://sharonstattedlace.blogspot.com/2009/12/merry-christmas-snowflake-with-pattern.html

tatted in size 40 Lizbeth Angel's Love.

And on the bottom is one that I found on the internet somewhere and printed it.  It's not even a full pattern because there is a ring in the center which the pattern doesn't tell about, but I thought after tatting the outer edge(which the pattern does tell about) that it might fit on one of my "doodads" and it did perfectly.  Most interesting part is that it actually mimics the snowflake in the center perfectly!!!  It's tatted in size 20 Lizbeth Blue Ice.  :)

**Sorry the pictures aren't really great and you can't see the color well at all.**

Sterling Silver Tatting Shuttle Earrings???

I thought I would share just because I thought they are neat!  I don't wear earrings, but I thought you might like to see these if you haven't.  :)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sterling-Silver-TATTING-SHUTTLE-EARRINGS-Antique-Sewing-/370644227778

Snowflake break means.....

???Snowflake flower or Christmas flower???

Got frustrated making too many mistakes on snowflakes so I took a break and this is what happened.  :)

Tatting thread organizer

This is my new tatting thread organizer.  It's actually for Christmas ornaments, but I thought it would work for what I want.  

 It's nice sized and has 60 compartments.  There is a nice clear window in the top.

 There are 3 "drawers".  They are cardboard and need assembly.  They fit VERY tightly in the case.

I have my size 40 variegated threads in the top.

 The second drawer holds my size 40 solids.

 The bottom has my size 10s and 20s, as well as a few random.

 Here are what the drawers look like out.

 If anyone is interested here is a link to the "organizer" 

 http://www.walmart.com/ip/Classic-Accessories-Ornament-Organizer-and-Storage-Bin/17473256

I have been working on my request for 13 snowflakes.  I want to keep them all about 3 inches in size.  I have tatted about 10 snowflakes, but several have been smaller so I will be finding a purpose for them later.  :)

Another finished Christmas gift. :)

This is another(tatted) Christmas gift for my mother-in-law.  It has been an experience trying to tat motifs that would fit in these coaster.  And I wouldn't recommend these coasters(from Bed Bath and Beyond store). The back of one has fallen off twice and I have re-glued it both times.  I am going to let my mother-in-law know that I will replace the coasters if they fall apart at anytime.

These motifs have all been shown on my blog already.  

An Apple today :)

Finally found a smaller motif that will complete a Christmas gift which I will show later.

This is the Back To School Apple by Mark Myers.

It's tatted in size 40 Lizbeth Christmas Red, and size 40 Yarnplayer's HDT Celery.  :)

I am currently working on an order from a friend who wants 13 of my Lavender & Lace inspired #3 snowflakes.  She wants to give them to her children and grandchildren for Christmas this year.  How awesome!!!  :)

Triple Inspired Angel

This angel was inspired by 2 patterns and a picture of a decorative pin.

The head and skirt are from this pattern:  http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2009/ellenpclipangel.pdf  from Ellen Lai(Singtatter),  and the wings are from this pattern:  http://maryshandmade.blogspot.com/p/modelele-mele.html  Mary's Butterfly, and the pin from here:  http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=252782&product_redirect=1&Ntt=252782&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP  Tatting in size 40 Lizbeth Blue Ice.

There are still a few things to work out, but for a try I think she is lovely!!  :)

A link to the "doodads" I have been using

For those who haven't seen them in Hobby Lobby, I found them on their website-they call them Assorted Dream Catchers(although, to me the centers look like snowflakes).

Here is the link:

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/assorted-dream-catchers-547943/

Hope this helps! :) Have a great day!!!

Lavender & Lace inspired # 3

Here are the other points turned into a snowflake.  Again tatted in size 20 Lizbeth Blue Ice.  

My husband was almost speechless when I showed it to him.  He really likes it!!  :)

 And here without the background.  :)

Lavender & Lace inspired # 2

After the first try resulted in such a triangular snowflake, I thought I would try each point separately and this is the first result.  Tatted in Lizbeth size 20 Blue Ice.  It makes a pretty good snowflake.

 And here on a white background for bring out a little more of that icy feeling.  :)

Hopefully tomorrow I will have the other "point" snowflake done.  :)

Lavender & Lace inspired snowflake

Well, when I had to cut off my first-second round on the Lavender & Lace motif I thought it would make a great snowflake.  Well, it kinda does.  It gives a triangular effect, but I thin it's pretty good for a first time.  I am going to try it again and do each point of one kind, and then another snowflake with each point of the other kind(hope you all understand what I mean).  :)

This is tatted in size 20 Lizbeth Christmas Delight and in about 3 hours.  :)

Natalie's Five Pointed Star ornament officially done

Do you remember this sadly shapen star (  http://hiskid66.blogspot.com/2012/08/2012-25-motif-challenge-motif-19.htm   )???  It's a request from our oldest granddaughter to go into the collection of ornaments I am making for her for each year of her life.  Well, it's not sadly shapen any longer.  She really likes it and her sister likes it(a bit too much) too.  And it has a coordinating hook now too.  :)

Another motif(this one just finished)

This is a motif from the Lavender & Lace table set in the book Tatting Doilies & Edgings edited by Rita Weiss.

It's tatted in size 40 Lizbeth Royal Blue.

This sure could use blocking!!!

All these motifs have been due to a search for small items to put in photo coasters, but the angel, the star of leaves, and this motif are all too large to fit in the coasters(some just slightly).  Oh well, the search is still on.  :)

Star of Leaves

This is Star of Leaves from the book Christmas Angels and Other Tatting Patterns by Monica Hahn.

It's tatted in size 40 Lizbeth Sea Island Citrus.

This one took awhile since I loved the center(all by itself), but I really wanted to tat the star of leaves.  Well, each star "point" is tatted separately and that was a bit frustrating, but I am glad I finished it. And I love the color!!!  :)

Tatting on a beaded garland

This is a tatted beaded garland inspired by Snapdragon Lace pattern here: http://www.snapdragonlace.com/?p=886 

This one is 10 feet long.  The beads must be much larger than the strand in the pattern cuz' I couldn't use her stitch count of 3 p 3,   I had to use 7 p 7 for one side of each bead.  Oh, and I used size 10 thread.

 Here's a close-up

 Doesn't look like 10 feet, but it is.  The garland strand was actually 32 feet long, so I cut it into 3- 10 foot sections, and gave my daughter the other 2 feet(which I will have to show what was done with that).  :)

I have done some tatting.

I have tatted this many times before.  I had a friend who saw one of these crosses I had tatted before and she asked for one, so...here it is done.  I have also been working on tatting on a beaded garland which I will post as soon as I get it done, or at the half-way point.  :)

Fire Mountian Gems $1 Sale

A friend of mine posted this on her Facebook tonight.
  I thought since Diane(Lace Lovin' Librarian) had told us about this place, it would be nice to share this.  :)
http://www.firemountaingems.com/Shopping/KW19HT450PVBB2G?T=T1B&WT.mc_id=FBZ121003-05

Meeting the Tollway Tatters

Meeting the Tollway Tatters was awesome!!!  :)

Above, Marilee(Yarnplayer), Cheryl(Cheryl's Tatting), Diane(Lace-lovin' Librarian), Carol(Lelia), 

Denise, Barbara, and Sue Anna.

This picture above is Marilee's(Yarnplayer) HDT, tatted pendants(absolutely exquisite!!), and heart.   Click to view larger.

 This is Cheryl and her tatting.

This is Denise, Eva, Allison, and Cheryl.

This is Carol, Diane, and Sue Anna.

Above, a view of our workspace.  :)

Denise's angel with 1 wing.

And her angel with both wings!!  :)
















We had a really great time and were glad to meet some tatters and learn some new things!!!  :)
Thanks so much to the Tollway Tatters for allowing us to join you for such a wonderful day!! :)

2012 25 Motif Challenge: Motifs # 24 & 25

I was having a rough week this past week and really couldn't handle much, so I sat down and tatted....an angel.  :)  She is from the book Christmas Angels and Other Tatting Patterns by Monica Hahn, page 8 Angel #2, and she is tatted in Lizbeth size 40 Tropical Punch-she is #24.
And then I got a wonderful chance to go join an awesome group of ladies Saturday.  They are the Tollway Tatters!!  Cheryl and I were blessed to meet such wonderful ladies and enjoy a day of tatting, chatting, and learning.  And we got goodies too!!!  :)  Hope we get to go again!!
While there I was able to learn from Marilee Rockley some techniques I can use(hopefully soon!!!).  And I did get some tatting done.  This little motif called Masquerade from Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior.  Every time I have looked at this pattern all I could see was flowers and leaves, so...I tatted flowers with leaves.  :)  It's tatted in size 40 Lizbeth Fruit Fizz, and size 40 Yarnplayer's HDT Celery(which I love!!).

I will have to upload the pictures from Saturday tomorrow hopefully!!

2012 25 Motif Challenge: Motif #23

I have been working on these for some time now and gave a little glimpse the other day.  Here they are all completed and ready to give my mother-in-law for Christmas this year.  She had seen the flowers I had made quite awhile back and said they would make a great collar edging, so...I decided that would be a great gift for her this year, and her favorite color is blue so I did a blue edging too-which is my challenge #23.

This edging is from Tatting Doilies & Edgings edited by Rita Weiss.  It is from pg. 33 Gift Edgings(the bottom edging in the picture).  It's tatted in size 40 Lizbeth Peacock Blues.

This one is my flower design based on Mary's Butterfly( http://maryshandmade.blogspot.com/ ).
It's tatted in size 40 Lizbeth Island Breeze(funny, in the picture the colors look like swirling pinwheels).
Can't wait to see her face!!!  I might have to remember my camera quicker this year!!!  :)

Oh my Goodness!!!

There was a knock at the door just a few moments ago.  It was a mailman(and I truly think that if he knew what treasures he was delivering...he would have kept them for himself-or a friend, but I am thankful he had no clue!!!).
This is the package he handed to me.

I had won Jon's( http://tatsaway.blogspot.com/ ) give-away a few weeks back and she sent all these beautiful items to me.  Thank you so much Jon!!!  That gorgeous doily will be gracing our television stand where it can receive the most attention.  It is absolutely stunning!!!
And there are notecards with envelopes, a tatted heart dangle, wooden buttons, a postcard from Malaysia, white plastic rings, a beautiful blank card with a Mary Konior tatted motif on it, 4 bags of beautiful beads(which should go well with some of my new threads!!), a small bag from Malaysia, self threading needles, a Mary Konior motif keychain(I collect keychains so this is awesome!!), and a Mary Konior glass mat!  All so beautiful I feel like Christmas is here early!!!  Thank you again so very much Jon!!!  May your day be extra blessed!!!  :)

A glimpse of tatting, new book, other things

I have been doing some tatting and trying to finish up some Christmas presents.  I want to show the finished projects, so today is just a glimpse.  :)

Second glimpse.  :)












My mother-in-law went to Indiana with a friend and found this book for me in a small shop.  She was so excited, but even more so when she found out that I have wanted to get this book since seeing many of the lovely projects on the blogs tatted from it.  :)




This mess in my livingroom is the start of a princess costume for my oldest granddaughter, and there is another costume soon to be in progress for the youngest granddaughter-a fairy.  I will post those on my craft blog when done, but this is just to show that my tatting will be slowing down a bit cuz' time is very limited to get these both done.  :)

"Doodad" Snowflake patterns

I have the patterns typed up(to the best of my ability-please let me know if there are mistakes if you tat these). I posted the patterns in the order the snowflakes are shown here. Happy tatting !!! :)

Tatted "Doodad" Snowflake # 2

*2 shuttles needed

R: ring

Ch: chain

TOR: thrown-off ring

j:join

cl: close ring

rw: reverse work

sw sh: switch shuttles

R 2 p 4 j(to doodad) 4 p 2 cl, rw

**Ch 10 do not rw -sw sh

TOR 2 p(x5) 2 rw -sw sh

R 6 j(to previous ring) 4 p 6 rw

Ch 10 rw

R 2 j(to previous ring) 4 j(to doodad) 4 p 2 rw

~continue at ** to the end.

[will cup when the last join is made, force to lay flat]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tatted "Doodad" Snowflake # 1

*2 shuttles needed

R: ring

Ch: chain

TOR: thrown-off ring

j:join

cl: close ring

rw: reverse work

sw sh: switch shuttles

R 4 p 2 j(to doodad) 2 p 4 rw

**Ch 6 do not rw - sw sh

TOR 2 p(x5) 2 rw -sw sh

R 6 j(to previous ring)4 p 6 rw

Ch 6 rw

R 4 j(to previous ring) 2 j(to doodad) 2 p 4

~continue at ** to the end.

[will cup when last join is made, force to lay flat]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tatted "Doodad" Snowflake # 3

*2 shuttles needed

R: ring

Ch: chain

TOR: thrown-off ring

j:join

cl: close ring

rw: reverse work

sw sh: switch shuttles

R 2 j(to doodad) 2 rw

Ch 8 do not rw- sw sh

TOR 2 p(X3) 2 rw - sw sh

R 15 rw

Ch 8 rw

~repeat 6 times

2012 25 Motif Challenge: Motif #22

Well, I have come very close to the design I have been trying to mimic. This last snowflake was tatted (in motion-we were on our way to buy a new van). And the tiny snowflake was just emptying the shuttle. All the snowflakes were tatted in size 20 Lizbeth Blue Ice.

I wanted to show them in order, but I messed up and don't feel up to realigning them. The order they are in is #2, #1, #3, and last. :)

I can type out the patterns if anyone wants them. And just a note* they are all 2 shuttle patterns(except the tiny one which can be a shuttle and ball). :)