Ice Queen

That's what I decided to call my new pattern.  I hope you like it.  I would say this is an intermediate to advanced pattern because of the loop-tatted rings and because of some of the joins.  But as I said in the previous post, it's all really a matter of a bit of practice and I'm sure most tatters would get the hang of LTRs pretty quickly.  I will have to amend my LTR video to show that I now hardly ever finger-tat but instead I slip a post shuttle onto the loop and use it to make the stitches instead of finger-tatting:  much quicker!

I made it again as I was testing the pattern, in blue this time.  I need to get more bugle beads really - I had some silver ones somewhere but I can't find them.  I think it would look nice with silver.  I added a couple of extra stitches to the LTRs as mentioned in the previous post and I prefer it that way.

The pattern is now written up...  I'm just debating whether I should have it test-tatted but I know everyone is so busy at this time of year so I don't dare ask anyone as I'd like to have it done NOW!  Here I go again with my impatience.  Anyone keen?  Only one or two at most would be fab.

I would like to thank Shannon, Jeff, Margaret and Michelle for test-tatting the Snow Crystals pattern (available now).  I really appreciate their help.  Shannon (Shannon-in-Love) made her picots longer than mine, feeling they would look more snowflake-like:

Snow Crystals tatted by Shannon

I'd have to agree, they look great with longer picots.

And one last thing:  the tiny latch hook I mentioned in the last post - I was so pleased that I ordered a second one, but it's not the same!  Be careful, there are different sizes in these tiny hooks and the new one I bought is bigger than the one with the yellow cap and does not fit through bugle beads.  The yellow and red one says Inox 4/0 on the cap.  I'll have a search to see if I can locate one.

Hope to have "Ice Queen" ready really soon.  Keep an eye out if you are interested in trying your hand at this challenging pattern.

Oh, and I nearly forgot why I particularly wanted to do a blogpost today:  it's the 12th day of the 12th month in 2012.  Special day, think you not?  And there won't be another matching date like this for 89 years!  So make the most of this one!

12.12.12

Best wishes,

What About This One?... and Wonder Tool!

Still thinking about snowflakes - when there's so many other things I should be doing! - and how to get a more angular look and the idea of using bugle beads floated into my mind...  yes, they would make a nice angle or point, wouldn't they?  This snowflake evolved from there.

It has, in fact, lost some of the angularity given by the bugle beads because of the shape of elements I added around the beads but I still think it's worked out interesting.

This may not be for the faint-hearted:  I used thrown rings, mock rings, even loop-tatted rings and some slightly unusual joins.  But after making a series of loop-tatted rings, I've decided they're not difficult either really.  As with everything, it's just a bit of practice.   I wanted a straight up bugle bead with a ring on top so that's the technique I needed to use.

This is my first sample but I will be playing with it some more.  I'm going to try it with a larger ring on top of the bugle for one thing and I already have other ideas I want to try too... it's finding the time!  I could also have a few seed or delica beads around the edges to add even more sparkle.  As always:  so many ideas, never enough time.  And I definitely need to re-do it in different colours.

And finally, I just had to bring to your attention this wonderful little tool I just rediscovered and how perfect it is for tatting!

I've had this tiny latch hook for years, using it when making Honiton lace, which is worked with some of the finest cotton there is.  I don't know what made me think about it all of a sudden but I was finding it fiddly to get the bugle beads on the thread and my other hooks were way too big to get through the hole... so I had to use a bit of thread to get the bead onto my tatting thread... but this little hook!  What a marvel!  It's so tiny, it gets through most beads, including bugle beads.  Wonderful.

Tatted in size 20 Lizbeth, Ecru

Best wishes,

More on Snowflakes

Whilst working some more on the snowflake from the previous post, another idea popped into my mind...  I think it's worked out kinda neat.

And this is the first snowflake that I remade, testing whether I'm happy with the point.  I still like the overall shape of the snowflake but not completely happy with its construction.  So the point... I thought I was being clever by making a ONE STITCH SCMR.  That's how I got the point.  I think it does give a better pointy shape than making an SLT or a lock stitch.  I've tried all three options and I think that, with a bit of refinement, the one-stitch-SCMR works well.  I'll try to get comparative photos in a future post.

I worked this one in a size 10 too-fluffy thread which I don't really like.  

I've also not abandoned the hanky edging.

I work on it here and there, in between other stuff,

and have now turned the second corner.

On the other hand, I just don't know where I put the butterfly doily!  It has temporarily disappeared.  It never ceases to amaze me how things can just vanish in this house.  Hopefully it will re-surface soon and I might find time to do some work on it during the Christmas holiday.

Best wishes,

The Beauty of Snowflakes

I've been looking at snowflakes again.  Real snowflakes.  I find them endlessly fascinating.  They are so beautiful and each different.  

Here is one:

Image Source:  SnowCrystals.com

I wanted to try to reproduce it in tatting.  To have a more realistic-looking tatted snowflake.  A small one.  And in fact, I don't think this one is small enough (I'd like one to wear as earrings) - though of course I could always tat it in a finer thread.  But here's where I got to so far.  The challenge was to have that point in between the longer arms.  Those points make a lovely diamond shape in the snowflake.  Tatting, though, is not generally "pointy", it's definitely more about curves.  But I've come up with a "trick" that lets me turn at the end of the chain and go back the other way with a point instead of a curve.  Technique still needs to be perfected a bit but here's my first sample.

Getting there?

Here they are side by side:

Best wishes,

Split Ring Join, Karey Solomon Threads & Bjorn Snowflake

A little note on Square Elegance:  I made it so that you end the last round with a trefoil.  In practice, when I make it, I start with a trefoil and end on a chain so that I can hide ends in the last chain (as many of you know: I HATE sewing ends in!).  I was going to write the pattern like that but I realised that for many people it could be off-putting as you do have to fiddle about to get the last chain done with the last join on a small picot and two stitches after that.   Anyway, I wanted people to know that you can end on a chain with this motif if this is a method you like to use to be able to hide ends in the last chain.

Also, I had put a P.S. at the top of my previous post for those who have the Papillon pattern and needed help on how to do the join on the second half of the split ring at the end - here it is again:  the video on how to do this.

If you click on the YouTube logo in the bottom

right-hand corner, you can go over to YouTube

to watch it with a bigger picture and where

you can adjust the quality for

a better definition as well.

A very kind tatting friend who was going to Palmetto Tat Days generously offered to buy some of Karey Solomon's threads for me.  I've said that before, but I'm going to say it again:  tatting people are the best!  Well,  I just received my little package and I just had to show you a picture because they are soooo beautiful!  I only wish they were easier to get a hold of!

And I can even say the picture doesn't do them justice.

The colours are even prettier IRL.

(For some reason there's too much blue in this picture)

I really like how unique her threads are, the colour changes are different to most other HDTs.... though Jess! of Tat-ilicious has also produced the lovely Messy-Jess!y which appeals to me with its subtler colour changes too.

The problem was, I just couldn't decide what to tat with them or even which one to use first.  So here is a pitiful bit of tatting just to give you an idea of what it tats up like.  Hopefully I'll find the right pattern for these lovely threads and show you something better soon.

Just one "hedgehog" from Mary Konior's book

which is in fact a reproduction of an old Lady Hoare pattern.

I thought that was too disappointing as the only tatting to show you so tonight I set to and tatted a pattern I'd been meaning to do for a looong time.  The first time I saw this on my cybertravels, I went straight off and bought the book.  Then I never made it!  So recently, I saw it again and I got the book back out and finally tatted it.  It's the third snowflake from the book "24 Snowflakes in Tatting" by Lene Bjorn.

But now I find there's too much contrast between the red and the silver.  I would re-do it in different colours.  I do like the shape of the outer petals very much though and the "fluffy" centre is interesting and original.

Best wishes,

I know It's a Bit Early...

but this snowflake just "happened".  After working with Diane's square ornaments (they are SO pretty and I shall be doing more with them), I went ferreting in my bits & bobs and found a few round ornaments I'd never done anything with.

This little one with 12 points caught my attention so I just played around with it and came up with this:

Now, what I'd like to know is:  are these ornaments easy for people to find?  Is it worth publishing patterns that require an added "doodad" or should I stick to patterns with just tatting (maybe the occasional bead)?  Oh wait, I know, I shall adapt it so you can tat it with or without ornament though it's true in this case, the ornament adds a lot to the prettiness of the design.

So far I'm not having much success finding the "doodads" here in the UK but then I'm not even sure what to Google for!  What name should I put in the search box to see if I can find these "components"?  I'm sure they must be available here somewhere!  I'll keep trying.

I got these off a market stall in our village some time ago.  I shall have to check if the lady still comes around next market day.  

Oh, and anyone to test-tat the Square Elegance pattern?  You must have square ornaments 1.5cm wide (5/8").  I'll send the pattern to the first 2-3 who respond.  Thank you!

Best wishes,

My Own Snowflake

Last night I was fiddling about with my shuttles, thinking I must get going on making a few snowflakes (as it's December already next week!) and then I thought... I really need to make one of my own!  So I had a look at some pictures of real snowflakes for inspiration and this is what I've come up with so far:

What do you think?

I might play around with it a bit more with slight adjustments

but I think I like the general shape.

Best wishes,

Orsi's Snowflake

A very pretty pattern by Orsi. 

I love the shape of this snowflake:  small but perfect.

Again I added beads for a little extra holiday sparkle.

Best wishes,

Susanne Schwenke - Spitzen Kreationen

Thanks Fox for bringing Susanne Schwenke's little book to my attention, it arrived this morning and I'm very glad I purchased it.  Here is the first motif I have made from the book:

I like it but regret having done the centre in a darker colour.

Also, she must make her chains a bit looser than I do because the "petals" were

a bit tight and would have benefitted from a few extra stitches.

Here is a photo of the book, I will be making a few more things from it 

in the near future.  In fact I know where my Christmas snowflakes 

will come from this year!

On another note, I have an admission to make...  One that is upsetting me at the moment...  Remember Michelle's beautiful handkerchief?  Well, Creativa asked me how I was getting on with it and so I went in search of it (where I thought I had left it) and I can't find it!!!  That's what I get for taking my tatting with me everywhere.  I'm sure it is safe somewhere but I can't locate it just now.  So please send me some magic-hanky-re-appearing-vibes so that it turns up soon!  It's too beautiful and I wanted to continue work on it now that I have finished the one from Diane.  Thank you.

Best wishes,