It's Been So Long... I'm not sure where to start!

I've no doubt lost some subscribers over the last year due to my infrequent postings... and probably more so due to posting so little about tatting!

I'm on summer break now and needing to catch up on all the things I've not had time to do during the year.  I'm afraid I'll disappoint people again however as there's still not been much tatting going on!  But I do have some "tatting-related" items to show you.

I've really enjoyed ceramics throughout the term and finally got some pots on which I like the glazing.  Not only is throwing pots difficult... but glazing is such a mystery!  When you're inexperienced like me, every pot that comes out of the kiln after glazing is a bit of a surprise.  And not always a good one.  But I like the mix of colours on the ones below.

I made my own stamps out of clay which I used on the shallow bowl and the small pot leaning against is was decorated using a rubber mat which I laser cut with a design drawn from a piece of lace (though not tatting this time).

For this little pot, I used a piece of piece of embroidered and sequined fabric

that I pressed into the clay before the first firing.

I made a CNC-machine milled rolling pin from my Regal snowflake design.  However, I had to modify it somewhat as the design was too complex for the machine to mill so it's not as detailed as I would have like it to be.  It was an interesting experience and a great learning curve but my conclusion is that using the laser-cutter for designs is much better and so much more detailed.

I made a mug from the design but it's a bit rough!

It's now come back after glazing but I'm not happy with the result sadly.

Still related to tatting, I cast one of my tatted snowflakes in pewter!

Not perfect but something that could be explored further.

I went a bit crazy decorating one of my bowls (it's upside down on the turntable)

with filaments of clay, using a fine nozzle-tipped bottle.

I liked the look of it best like that,

before firing and glazing.

And lastly I knitted and unknitted a sweater three times over the last couple of months!  I wasn't happy with the first pattern I chose and the fit.  So I unknitted and re-knitted another pattern but found out near the end that my gauge was off and the sweater was smaller than I would have liked.  So I unknitted again and re-knitted with larger needles and finally!  The sweater is done.

(Top in photo is the first design which was being unknitted to knit the bottom design)

Completed!

(Lines across the middle are from having put it to dry over the radiator!)

Summer is slow to arrive here in the UK.  It's still very cool and we're expecting rain for the next seven days!  I hope it's sunnier where you are.  Please let me know what you're up to!  I've missed hearing from you through my blog.

Best wishes,

Frivole