Floral Edging… and Shoes!

I've tatted a few of Robin Perfetti's designs already - she can be found here - this time it's a floral edging (pattern in her pattern section).

This edging also comes with a corner.

It would definitely make a very pretty hanky.

And Robin also provides a bookmark version.

My two versions above have not been blocked.

They were just little samplers to try the pattern.

On a completely different subject, I thought I'd share with you my latest craft adventure.  If you've been following me for a while, you will know how much I like blues, in particular turquoise and teal.  I was lacking a pair of turquoise shoes for my wardrobe.  As you can imagine, they are not that easy to come by.  So I thought I'd give shoe dyeing a try.

I chose a pair of old shoes which I didn't mind messing up if it didn't work.  

After one coat...

After three coats!

The finish is a little too shiny for my liking

and the shade of blue is not quite what I was after

but it's a process I can now repeat.

I decided I will buy a couple more dye colours

and mix them until I get the shade I'm looking for!

I like recycling.

Best wishes,

Frivole

Bracelet Done

There are different way to finish a Cellini spiral;  I chose to finish it as a bangle, without a clasp or toggle.  Once you reach the desired size, you just zig-zag the two ends together for a seamless finish.

It works out very neat I think and the design appeals to me very much.  I'm already seeing it in my favourite turquoise and teal colours…

I like to wear a few different bracelets together…

Best wishes,

Frivole

A Few Ongoing Projects

Yesterday I went to the wool shop again and worked a bit more on my granny square blanket.  I'm also having another beading spree and working on a bracelet and a new pair of earrings.  And then there's the tatting…

The blanket is getting fairly large to cart around so I decided to work on the first two rounds of the squares only and then make the third round and attach later.  These little squares work up quickly and are satisfying to make.  I think if I ever make another blanket I will do it that way next time; I won't attach as I go as I've been doing but just make piles and piles of squares and then join them all up at the end.

This is the pair of earrings I'm working on, inspired by the red ones of the previous post but much smaller.  Still not happy with the top part and how to attach the bottom part.  They need more thinking. As you can see they have only 6 petal beads at the bottom instead of 18 in the red earrings!  They are definitely much lighter.

And this is a Cellini spiral which will become a bracelet.  I don't have a lot of red jewellery so I thought it would be nice to have a red bracelet to wear with my red earrings (maybe).  Looks a bit too much like a candy cane perhaps?…  But I like the design (this is my first try at making it) and will no doubt make it again in different colours.

And finally, the butterfly doily!  This one has been "in progress" for such a long time!!  I'm starting to feel embarrassed to keep showing it.  But then I hope that if I keep talking about it, I might eventually get around to finishing it.  I even took it with me on my holiday thinking it would be the perfect opportunity to make some progress on it… but no.  Stuck on the last round, can you believe it?  I mentioned it before but it feels a little "tight".  Every time I think I'll pick it up again, I wonder whether I should change the stitch count and then I can't make up my mind so I put it away again.

Oh, and then there is one more hanky edging which is completed and just needs attaching to the hanky.  That might be about it for my current WIPs.  Not so bad, is it?

Best wishes,

Frivole

Petal Earrings

I had the chance to buy the kit for these earrings at an incredibly reduced price.  I made one earring a few months ago and hadn't gotten around to making the second one… until today.  I decided I should make it at last, so I could enjoy wearing the earrings instead of looking at the lone one!

These are the Yafa Petal Earrings

designed by Penny Dixon

There was only one colour scheme available when I bought the kit but I have now purchased the petals in my favourite turquoise colour and may just have to make another pair…  They are substantial earrings and I'm wondering if I could modify the pattern a bit to make a similar but slightly smaller earring.  We'll see.

Oh, and I know most people are probably aware by now but just in case I can catch a few more:  

Fox's blog, Tat-ology, has moved to a new address:

www.tat-ology.blogspot.ca

I know I was worried when I got the "404 URL not found" error message when I went looking for her blog a couple of days ago so just in case you were wondering too, this is where she can now be found.

Best wishes,

Frivole

Return from Travels

Oh, it was lovely to be away and spend time with my family and friends.  I hope you all also had a nice Easter?

I didn't do much tatting during my holiday but I was able to make one quick egg to decorate our Easter table and also to complete Renulek's spring doily.  I stopped at round 8 because my father liked it as was (and I was giving it to him) and didn't want it any bigger.  I managed to complete the last few repeats about two hours before my flight was due to depart!  I didn't get a chance to take my usual photos myself but here are a couple sent by my Dad.  The doily is on their dining table.

 My little Easter egg

where it ended up as a decoration

in one of the pot plants!

And here's the doily.

My father likes bright colours!

The photo below shows the 8th round

in the first colour I had tried which turned

out to be too dark and too "blue"

for my liking.

I cut that out and did the 8th round again in

a colour that better matched

the rest of the doily.

Renulek's spring doily has been popular and there were many examples of it being tatted (and still being tatted) all over the world!  I think that's great.

Best wishes,

Frivole

Unintentional Re-Design!

This is what happens when you're not paying attention.  I found a nice motif on Jennifer Williams' Website and decided to tat it last night.  I have made some of Jennifer's designs before.  She has some lovely ones, including the gorgeous beaded fan I made a while ago.

Anyway,  I was watching TV and got started… then once I'd done the first repeat I thought I was fine and didn't need to look at the pattern again.  I soon realised I'd gone wrong but decided to complete the motif anyway rather than start again.  This is the result.

It was quite a tight fit to get all the little rings in but I managed to make it lay flat for a scan.  I particularly like the centre with the overlapping rings.  This morning, I decided to re-tat it, as per the pattern!

This is what it should have looked like!

Quite different, isn't it?

I actually like the look of both versions.  But the proper, green version, does behave better as there's not so much tension between all the elements.  

Best wishes,

Frivole

Thought I was done but...

I wore my new coat for the first time today.  Definitely liked its new purpleness!  Pleased with the sleeves too… but it was still missing something.

At the 6th attempt, I finally got the shape I was after so that it would fit neatly onto the corners of the collar.

Yes, I think it's more complete now.

I even found some spray to re-proof it, which I have now done and it is drying on the washing line outside.

Best wishes,
Frivole