Still Tatting Newcastle

I'm still enamoured of Marilee's Rockley's Newcastle necklace.  I did it again in size 20 thread this time and it looks really lovely on the neck too, in the smaller size.  Don't look at how I finished the blue necklace, I knotted the ends because I'm testing it just for myself at the moment.

I've made some very small changes:  first of all no beads at all whereas the original has lots of beads but I've kept the central pendant which I like to have on a lot of tatted necklaces as it gives weight to the piece and helps it stay in the right place on your neck.  Then just some minor modifications on the centre part.  I do mean minor.  But I always feel I have to say when I've changed something to a pattern in case someone else makes it after seeing mine and then wonders why theirs doesn't look quite the same.

It's a really nice pattern which looks striking when worn.

Best wishes,

Frivole

A Tale of Two Necklaces

This is Marilee Rockley's Newcastle Necklace from her Tatted Jewelry Book.  I started it yesterday in blue and only had time to do the first round before I had to leave for the school run.  I wore the first round on its own and thought it looked nice.  In the evening, I set to, tatting the second round.  I first started it in a contrasting colour (an ecru) but didn't like that.  I took it apart and decided to make the second round in the same colour instead.

... and then decided I preferred the necklace with only the first round!

Here is the first necklace with both rounds completed

and with a chalcedony nugget pendant.

And here's what it looks like on:

So I started again and tatted it in black the second time.

Here's the second necklace (one round only)

with a black pearl pendant:

And here's what it looks like on:

I omitted the beads between the large rings on the second version and omitted the outside beads on both versions!  I fancied picots instead of beads.

I think it looks quite different when you add the second round and I prefer the lighter, lacier look of the necklace with one round only.

I do like it and am wearing it today.  Thank you Marilee!  In fact, I very well might make it in a different colour next... something lighter for spring... if it ever comes!

Best wishes,

Frivole 

Tourmaline Flower Necklace

To give you some relief from the interlocking rings of the last few posts (and to give me a break too!), here is a necklace I've been working on based on the layered flowers from Edwige Renaudin's book.

Yarnplayer's Tourmaline thread is one of my favourite ever so I thought I would use it to make a necklace.  I happened to have some nice green semi-precious rhyolite which matched the thread very well.  I like adding stones to tatting for jewellery as I find it gives the lace just a nice bit of weight to keep it in place.

Motif 17 of 25-motif challenge

I'm very pleased with how this turned out.

Best wishes,

Yarnplayer Perfection

As mentioned yesterday, the Keyed Up earrings in Marilee Rockley's new book "Tatted Jewelry" were shouting to be made straight away.  I really like the shape of them, perfectly balanced.

Tatted in Lizbeth 20, Country Turquoise (Med.)

In the book, one sample pair has little keys dangling from them, hence the name, but I didn't have any and anyway, I love pearls so I added freshwater pearls on mine and silver-lined seed beads on the centre ring.

And I tatted these FSBS!  I figured that they would always be seen from the front so this would be one circumstance where FSBS is worth it.

Lovely pattern, thank you Marilee.  Quick to make and very pleasing result.  Now just need to find something in my wardrobe to go with these earrings so I can wear them today...

Best wishes,

Twilight Zone Earrings

A tatting friend kindly sent me a sample of Yarnplayer's "Twilight Zone".  I had seen a doily she had tatted with it and when I mentioned how pretty the colours were and that this shade had sold out - she sent me some to try! - aren't tatting people great?!  I knew I wanted to make something "for me" with that thread.

So here is what I made.

A pretty pair of earrings which I am wearing right now.

I added a black freshwater pearl to the centre.

The pattern is just a classic repeated 6 rings and chains and has another layer added in the centre to make them more three-dimensional.

I'm having a "Yarnplayer day" as just this morning I received her latest book, Tatted Jewelry, in the post (was delighted to find it in Amazon.uk).  There is a pair of earrings in there that is shouting really loudly and I think I'll have to go make them... NOW!

Best wishes,