D*i*a*mond Earrings & Sweetheart

No, not that kind of diamond... but still pretty?  I wanted a pair of red earrings to go with something so just quickly tatted these last night, and wore them today.

I added Snowflake Obsidian semi-precious beads as I like that bit of extra weight to the earrings.  They look slightly asymmetrical but it's just the angle they were on when I took the photo.

I like how they've turned out and will probably make a couple more pairs in different colours.

I also used Jess's Messy Jess-y again to make Birgit Phelps's Sweetheart.  This is a great little pattern but if I was to make it again I maybe would try it without the two uppermost rings to give it more curve at the top... and maybe shorten the side chains just a little?  Oh, but I'm fussing.  It's a lovely heart.

Best wishes,

The Heart Within

I finally made it to the end!  It's taken me AGES to write this pattern up with all the variations and all the diagrams!  I've looked and looked and looked at it, trying to catch all the typos, all the mistakes - phew!  I also had the help of my test-tatter (thank you Carol!) but it's still quite worrying that something might have escaped my attention and you find out after you've sent it out in the big wide world!  So fingers-crossed, all is good with it - and you like it!

Motif no.8

I was particularly pleased with the little heart that forms inside the big heart...

hence the name of course!

This pattern comes with three variations:

So you can choose which one you like best.

I had one more version which didn't make it onto the pattern

as it was getting rather large (it is four pages long

with diagrams and photos)

Just one more to show how nice

it looks on a card:

I wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day as I will be away until the 23rd of February.

Best wishes,

Happy Heart - A Gift for You

This is not the pattern I was talking about in the previous post (I'm still working on that one, hopefully to appear soon in my Etsy shop) but I got side-tracked (as I so often do!) by this other idea for a smaller, simpler heart.   

I knew the Catherine-Wheel Join (CWJ) would come in handy in one of my patterns and this is it!

A small heart (3cm wide in size 20) that's quick to tat

and which would look nice on a card.

Forgot to say that this is motif no. 7 for the 25-motif challenge

Happy Heart with 3ds chain at bottom and the ends
just tied around the SR for an easy, no-sewing-in-of-ends finish.
This one is tatted in Lizbeth size 20.

So if you've been putting off trying the CWJ, now is your chance!

As the outer edge of this heart is all done with CWJs.

If you need help with "how to start on a chain",

there is a video on that in the Techniques pages of this blog.

If you need help with the Catherine Wheel Join,

Yarnplayer has made a great video of this technique.

You have to be very careful not to let the threads twist as you make this join or it won't work.  It took me a few goes to get this right but now I can do it quite quickly, so as with everything, just a bit of practice is needed.  I also find it quicker doing this join with an Aero as you can just put your shuttle through the loop in one movement which avoids giving the loop a chance to twist if you let go of it to put down your hook down and pick your shuttle up.  It's a great join!

This one has the ends sewn in
and is tatted in DMC Babylo size 10.

This one I added a few strands of thread and made a small "tasselly thingy".
Also tatted in Babylo size 10.
This one is a bit "wonky" at the tip as I was still working on the stitch count.

On this one I just added a bead and tied a knot.
This one tatted in Lizbeth size 10.

I hope you like it.  Here is the link to download the pattern :  

Best wishes,

Heart

It's February!  Of course, you knew that already.  But February makes you think of hearts, doesn't it?  So I'm thinking I need a heart of my own design....

And that's what I've been working on the last few days.  I think I may offer it with variations as I'm not sure which version I like best so far!

Best wishes,

Butterfly Heart

Whilst on my cyber travels... I came upon this pretty little heart by Irene Woo.  I feel silly now because I printed it and the pattern had a photo but now I cannot find the link again!  Does anyone know where to find it?  I found a link on Tatting Chic's blog on the wayback machine but it doesn't have a photo.

It was tatted with Yarnplayer's gorgeous Tourmaline thread in size 30.

It reminds me of Lizbeth "Vineyard Harvest" which is one of

my favourite Lizbeth...  I think I may have to re-tat it to compare colours.

A couple of chains are looking a bit "wonky" and I'm not happy with them

so that's a good excuse to make it again, is it not?

A quick tat which would look pretty on a card.

Best wishes,