What I've been up to

Well, here are some birthday presents and other pieces of tatting I've been working from late March till now.

Done in Lizbeth size 20, #135 and #680

As I've stated before, I enjoy the Spiral Bookmark pattern by Gina. I think the two colors I used for this blended really well with each other. When I gave this to my cousin for her birthday, she commented that it could be used as a bracelet.

Done in Lizbeth size 80, #111 and #104

This pattern is from The Complete Book of Tatting, by Rebecca Jones. I enjoyed tatting this, though I did have a few instances where the thread snapped as I was closing a ring. It was a bit odd, but other then that the bookmark came along quite quickly.
Again the two colors I chose to use blended well together.
My sister liked it, and was able to put the bookmark straight to use in a new book she had gotten for her birthday.

Done in Lizbeth size 20, #100. Motif #5.

This is another pattern that I've been waiting to tat. I liked how Jon Yusoff's Chinese Coin Bookmark could be constructed two different ways. I decided to use the single pass method this time, and enjoyed the split rings within the pattern.

Done in Lizbeth size 20, #621 and #684. Motif #6.

This bookmark was a lot of fun. It's Jane Eborall's Flowery SCMR bookmark. I still find self closing mock rings to be enjoyable to tat, and I was able to do an over the top join (OTT) for the first time as well.

Done in size 10. Motif #7.

This cupcake was for my Grandma's birthday. The pattern is one of three from Be-Stitched that are in this post. It was a bit challenging to hide the ends in the stem of the cherry, but I eventually did it.

Done in Lizbeth size 20, #131, #688, #142. Flame done in a yellow DMC Cébélia.

This cupcake was made for my friend's birthday. Out of the two Be-Stitched cupcake patterns, I think this one is my favorite. I replaced the cherry from the pattern with a candle made of split rings.

Done in Lizbeth size 20, #100. Motif #8.

This Rose Star from Be-Stitched was tatted by Honey. She and I had fun tatting the flower motifs for the center. I made the chains a little too tight for the outer edging, but it doesn't distract from the piece too much. This is also the first piece of tatting that I tried scanning, instead of taking a picture of the tatting and uploading it later.
I kind of like how it turned out, but think I'll experiment with some more pieces before deciding which method I like best.

In other news, I've began learning how to knit. Thus far, I enjoy knitting more then crocheting.

Honey, you're home!

So earlier this week, I won a rattie shuttle from West Pine Creations. Well, today Honey arrived!

Having crawled out of her pouch, Honey begins her search for thread.

Honey is adorable. She's the first flat shuttle I've ever had an opportunity to use, and thus far she has been quite nice to tat with. The little pouch she came in is really cute, and will provide Honey with a soft place to rest when she's not tatting.

Having found some thread, Honey prepares to tat.

Winding Honey was quite interesting. I like how she holds the thread, and how she fits in my hand while tatting. Honey maneuvers around the working thread very well, and is able to work both halves of the double stitch with ease.
Now, what did my cat think of Honey? Well...

Undaunted by swishing tail, Honey greets the gray cat.

Though at first uncertain of the little rattie, my cat has decided to accept Honey into the family.
I'm thankful for the opportunity to give Honey a home, and hope that she will enjoy tatting with me!

Charming motifs

Today I have two pieces to show you.

Done in size 10. Motif #3. Done in a light blue and a mint green.

This pattern is from Tatting Patterns, by Julia E. Sanders. Called figure 13, this trimming was interesting to tat because the picture was not on the same page as the pattern. I like these two colors together, and the pattern was fun. In the picture, it looked like most of the chains were facing the same way, so that's what I tried to do.
Weaving in the ends was interesting. I'm slowly figuring out what works best for me with hiding the ends.

Done in size 20, size 80, and sewing thread. Motif #4.

This is one of those uncommon pieces that I set out to make for myself. It started off when I decided to tat Marilee Rockley's Compass Pendant (bottom center, done in Lizbeth size 20, #684 and #694), from her Tatted Jewelry book. After I made it, I thought to myself, what would you like to do with this? How about a charm bracelet!
So I grabbed some thread, and tatted a doodle that looks a little like an anchor (top right, done in Lizbeth size 20, #647).
After that, I decided that the bracelet needed a hat. Because I love hats. I haven't posted very many of them, but usually when I pick up a shuttle and begin tatting without a particular pattern in mind, I end up making either butterflies or hats. (Bottom right, done in Lizbeth size 20, #115).
Then, because I like video games, I decided to tat a pokeball and the Triforce (from Pokemon and the Legend of Zelda, respectively). For the Triforce, I used a cloverleaf from a motif in The Complete Book of Tatting, by Rebecca Jones. The pokeball was another doodle I made up. (Triforce: bottom left, done in gold sewing thread. Pokeball: left, done in Lizbeth size 80, #671 and #601).
The last charm is a key. Because I collect keys, and think that keys are cool. I just made it up as I went. The blade of the key ended up looking kind of like a R, which is kind of neat. (Right, done in Lizbeth size 20, #691).
I weaved in the ends with each charm, which was interesting. I had to change to a smaller needle for the pokeball and Triforce.
The chain that the charms are on was from my jewelry making supplies, along with the clasp. So it is just the right fit for my wrist!

The dragon and the roses

I meant to post these half a week ago, after my niece's birthday.
I suppose this does count as after, so let's get to the hair clips!

Done in size 10, in my niece's favorite colors.

These were a surprising amount of work. The pattern is Tatted Rose, by Linda S Davies.
Now, the main reason that these were on the more difficult side for me is that I decided to sew the petals together instead of gluing them. I thought that since they were going to an energetic little girl, the sturdier they were, the better.
Besides, it meant that I had to practice my sewing ability (which although not horrible, is incredibly slow and tiresome).
My niece seemed to like them, so that's what counts.


Another thing I've been meaning to post is motif number two for the the 25 Motif Challenge!

I am the jade dragon! Motif #2, done in size 10.

Now this fellow was interesting. The Chinese Dragon by Anne Bruvold is another pattern that I've had sitting in a file for quite some time. I'm not sure that I'll be tatting this particular pattern again for at least a few months; since I found it to be strangely monotonous. But I am pleased to have finished it, and enjoyed the self closing mock rings in the pattern.
This dragon was also my first attempt at hiding the ends by weaving them through the stitches. It took some time, but I like how the tatting looks without an obvious knot marking where I ended.
I think I'll continue hiding the ends using this method, despite the time it takes.
I'm going to try and have each motif for the challenge be something I haven't tatted before. It is an extra little challenge, but I think it will add to the fun!

Lovely gifts

Well, I have a bunch of pieces to show you today.
The first is a bookmark I made for my friend's birthday.

Done in Lizbeth size 20, #657 and #603.

The pattern is an edging from A Tatter's Workbook by A. Tatter. I added two extra chains for the top and bottom, repeated the edging to make the second side, and joined the small chains in the center to hold it all together.
My friend liked it.

Next are some Valentine's day gifts that I tatted.

Done in size 10. My adorableness is unbearable!

This cute bear came from the book Tatted Animals by Inga Madsen. It was fun because it was my first real attempt at a diagram only pattern. I'm eager to tat some of the other critters from this book!

Done in size 10. Haven't you heard of a purple dolphin?

I've been meaning to tat Jane Eborall's Dolphin for for my sister ever since I first came across it. But the pattern ended up sitting in a folder for a couple of years.
But that ended up being a bit of a good thing, since this pattern had a technique in it that I wouldn't have really known how to do a couple of years ago.
Namely, split chains.
Now, I love split rings. Love them. But until very recently, split chains were terrifying.
I don't quite know why, but they were.
But I was determined to do the two split chains in this pattern.
And I did!
Another thing I learned from this pattern was down picots. What are down picots? A picot that faces down! They are really easy to do, and pretty cool. I like down picots.

Done in size 10. That's quite a hearty red, isn't it?

My tension was a bit off with this heart. The pattern is Heart Frame, from Tatting Hearts by Teri Dusenbury. I don't really have much to say about this piece, other then it was the only heart I tatted for Valentine's day.

Done in size 10. Don't we look cute?

If these look familiar, that's because they are. When I was tatting the bear from Tatted Animals, part of the belly piece looked a lot like a flower. So I decided to tat some as flowers. I like the overlapping picots.

Done in size 10. Still a little rough around the feathers...

This is a griffin. A tatted griffin. I looked all around the internet for a griffin tatting pattern, but couldn't fine one.
So, I decided to try and make one.
It took a few revisions, but I've gotten most of the kinks worked out. The hindquarter is almost entirely made of split rings, while the forequarter is a combination of rings, chains, split chains, split rings, and one thrown ring. With some josephine knots and down picots thrown in for fun.
It was a lot of fun coming up with my own pattern, though there are a few things that still need some tweaking.

As I was working on the griffin, I decided that I want to participate in the 25 Motif Challenge. This means that I'll be trying to tat twenty-five motifs within a year. Am I up to the challenge? I'm going to try!
So to start off the challenge, this griffin will be my first motif!

25 Motif Challenge status: 1/25.

Two birthdays

Just a little while back, two people in my family had their birthdays!
I thought  I would share what I made for them with you.

The first birthday was my grandfather's. For him, I tatted the Whip Cream Frill doily from Tatting Doilies & Edgings by Rita Weiss.

Done in Lizbeth size 20, #134 Mountain Breeze.

He really liked it. This was a fun pattern to tat, though the center turned out a little more squished then I meant for it to.

The next birthday was for a cousin. I tatted her a Spiral Bookmark by Gina.

Done in Lizbeth size 20, #633 Purple - Dk and #640 Antique Violet Med.

This bookmark is really easy to make, and quite fun as well. I like these two purples together.
I think my cousin liked this bookmark.

I've noticed recently that I tend to make fairly small picots, even when it is supposed to be a large picot. This is something I think I'll try working on with my next projects.
Speaking of upcoming projects, I recently worked with a pattern that called for self closing mock rings (SCMR). I'd never really looked into that particular technique before, but found as I tatted the five SCMRs that the pattern called for that I actually quite like making them. So I'll be on the lookout for any other patterns that use this technique.
Oh, and in case you are wondering, I'll be posting the results of that pattern around March first.

So until next time, good luck with your own projects!

Float among the clouds

Well, I've finished another excess thread project.
This one is pretty cool, and used up most of my excess size ten thread.

See that basket? It was going to be a ring box.

The balloon was made with a single ring and a bunch of chains. I stuffed it with some stuffing so that it would maintain its shape.

The seam color of the balloon changes five times. It was also excess thread. 

I used some clear plastic cord to connect the basket to the balloon. That way from a distance the basket would appear to be floating under the balloon.

The balloon is really soft and fun to squeeze.

The order of the thread color is based on when I tied it to my excess thread ball. The thread at the bottom of the balloon is younger then that at the top, while the thread used on the basket is the youngest.

What's really neat is how the hot air balloon's shadow really does look like a hot air balloon.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this post. Good luck on your own projects!