I’ve been tatting bookmarks lately. And trying to make them with shuttle and ball only. I was in places where I only had one shuttle available (the others had different thread on them) and thought it would be a good mental exercise. Do you know how hard that is when you do almost everything with two shuttles? Not having that second shuttle available really messes me up!
I started with two cross bookmarks. The one of the left is in Lizbeth #611 Gold and #604 Black. The one on the right is in #663 Bright Turquoise Dark. See, only shuttle and ball 🙂
Trying to do something a little different I made this bookmark in #122 Caribbean and #604 Black. Other than being very ruffle-y I think it came out well. And only one shuttle and ball.
Then I made these, something I tried before but hadn’t been able to work out. This time it did. But not with just shuttle and ball. Notice the end? It just needed that thrown ring to look good. As I was only using one shuttle I used the shoelace trick to make it. Okay, technically, they are made with just shuttle and ball only, but not exactly what I meant about using shuttle and ball only. The top one is made with #670 Victorian Red, the bottom in #131 Vineyard Harvest and #644 Boysenberry Dark.
I liked the way I made the end of the those last bookmarks so well I tried the end just by itself in #663 Bright Turquoise Dark. All of these bookmarks are in size 20.
Notice the center of the doodads? There is an indent there, probably for a jewel. Most of the time I make this the backside, using the other side where it’s flat in the middle, as the front. Being bookmarks either side could be up so I added a little paint to the center. It’s white craft paint that can be used on metal. I had seen some metal enamel by Martha Stuart at Micheal’s a week or so ago and thought about trying it. The tube of enamel wasn’t too bad, about $4, but you had to buy a tube of activator to make it work, and that was $14. I decided to go with the FolkArt outdoor paint from Walmart instead, at $2 a bottle. I’m just trying white right now, I might try other colors later.
Anyone else having kind of odd weather this spring? Other than a few storms here and there we’ve been having pleasant, cool weather here, but Oklahoma just can’t seem to get a break from the weather, one storm front after the other going through. My prayers go out to all the families that have been effected by the severe weather down there.
“It is only in sorrow bad weather masters us; in joy we face the storm and defy it.”
Amelia Barr
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Beautiful bookmarks! Of all the things I've tatted, I've made the most bookmarks, and enjoyed making every one. AND, would you believe I only have about 2 for myself?
Waaay too cold for June here in Minnesota. Ugh. Ready for some warm sunshine 🙂
Ohhh, that1 Vineyard Harvest, Boysenberry Dark is very pretty!
Fox : )
Those are pretty bookmarks, you can do so much with size of a bookmark. I like the colors you chose.
Yes, the weather this year has been odd. We are about a month late with planting crops here on the farm, and the weather is still chilly and has been very wet. We are getting our "April Showers" now. We did get the garden and the crops planted, but time will tell how quickly they grow. Hope it is a very late frost.
Beautiful bookmarks! I love the last one.
What a wonderful set of bookmarks! I haven't made too many with doodads in the center, crosses only. I have glued a "gemstone" to the center of that flower doodad… never thought of paint!
Love your crosses and bookmarks!! 🙂
Beautiful bookmarks! I have only done the one but may do a few more to give to the bibliophiles in my life. You do such lovely work.
You certainly are a busy tatter! These are all excellent, and I love the doodads and thread colors. I especially like the third set, and the boysenberry outline with Vineyard Harvest.
I'm so 'old fashioned' I still rarely use two shuttles, as I tend to stay away from patterns that require them, although with modern patterns that's difficult to do! I don't like having to cut the thread off a ball to wind the 2nd shuttle, and I like knowing I have endless thread to work with. At least I'm not 'afraid' to use the second shuttle anymore, though!
However, I'm doing zero tatting right now. There seems to be endless work to do around the house (now that it's 40 years old, and so many things have to be 'fixed' or 'refreshed'), and lots of yard work, and we are no longer 'spring chickens'. I've been enjoying the cooler weather here in PA (high 60s), although it's been hot one day and cool the next. However, I don't look forward to the 90 degree stuff. I am so saddened to see the devastation in Oklahoma and can't even begin to comprehend that situation. So overwhelming.and tragic.
Love all the bookmarks. Where do you get those doodads to tat around?