Author: wandasknottythoughts@gmail.com

Evening tatting

I’ve had a bit more time to tat lately, a couple of unplanned evenings at home. Not a bad thing. I listened to a couple of audio books while I tatted, which made them very nice evenings.

Metallic thread coaster on wandasknottythoughts
Metallic thread coaster

I started the individual medallions of this coaster a week or so ago, with three of the medallions joined. I was just playing around with the thread, no pattern in mind. I decided to add a fourth, which looked a bit unfinished, so I added the round of silver. It’s not quite three inches (75 mm) across. I’ve been debating whether to add a silver ring, or rings, to the center, but haven’t tried that yet. What do you think?

I used Lizbeth #320 Steel Blue Metallic and #190 Silver Ice Metallic for this. The pictures just don’t show up that metallic look very well.

I was thinking of Easter and Easter eggs when I tatted around this button. I was aiming for an egg shape. It kind of looks egg shaped, doesn’t it?

Decorated button Feb28 on wandasknottythoughts
Hints of Easter decorated button

Whatever the shape, I enjoyed making this. It is in Lizbeth #632 Purple Medium size 20 and about 2 1/2 inches (65 mm) across. If I do it again I’ll do the top just a bit differently using either a SCMR or a ring below the clover.

For a while, I had not had much enthusiasm for tatting, reading and web surfing instead. I’m happy that I’ve gotten back into the swing of it.

“One thought driven home is better than three left on base” Fortune cookie

Cleanup In The Shuttle Aisle

I don’t actually have a shuttle aisle, but I have a messy craft room that needs to be cleaned up. While going through things in my craft room I came across a bag that had a lot of miscellaneous itmes in it, including a bunch of shuttles. I need to “clean up” all of these so I can use them for other things!

Shuttles and other stuff on wandasknottythoughts
Shuttles and other stuff

Almost all of these shuttles were partially wound. Some of the threads I recognize and can match, but others are shades that are not so easily done. So what to do with them?

Some shuttles had more thread than others. There was enough on most to do more than single ring flowers and four ring butterflies, which are my go-to for snippets of thread left on shuttles. The little flowers and butterflies can easily be added to cards and notes. I did finish off a couple of shuttles with these.

Flowers and butterfly tail ends on wandasknottythoughts
Flowers and butterfly tail ends

But the ones with a bit more thread I put on buttons. The two small buttons are just doodles, simple things just to get around the button. These work well as accents on bags and collars. Or just to do with no purpose other than the joy of making them.

Buttons and doodle on wandasknottythoughts
Buttons and doodle

The two-color button is trying to recreate the decorated grey button that I did a couple of weeks ago. I made a couple of changes that seem to change the overall look of it, not what I had in mind. But I ran out of one of the blues. And I have a lot of threads that are shades of blue. It may be hard to match it and finish it.

The metallic doodle was not started with shuttles found in the bag. This was an idea that I got when I found the doodad in the middle as I was looking through other things in my craft room. I started it before I made last week’s decorated button. I haven’t decided if this is done or not.

I really need to do more cleanup in my craft room than I need to with the shuttles. But the shuttles are more fun!

“You never know what you have until you clean your room”

Brrrr!

It’s cold! I’m sure that a lot of you are also in the deep freeze here in the USA, as most of the country is seeing record cold temperatures. At 3:30 p.m it is a breezy -1 degree F with a feels-like temperature of -19. And that is warm compared to some places farther north. At least we still have power. I understand the power company here is going to start rolling blackouts tomorrow to save energy. Wonderful.

I’m home today due to some of the machines at work not liking the cold temperatures, causing work to be canceled until tomorrow afternoon. This has given me time to work on my blog, right? I keep getting distracted by all the birds at the bird feeders. There are a lot of them today.

Birds and squirrel in the cold on wandasknottythoughts
Birds and squirrel in the cold

Yes, there was a squirrel visiting also. But many more birds and they keep coming. I’ve seen Blue Jays, Cardinals, house finch, Red-wing blackbirds, sparrows and others that I’m not sure of. I’m new at bird watching, but it is entertaining.

Cardinal in the cold on wandasknottythoughts
Cardinal in the cold

I’ve taken so many pictures today that I had to stop to charge the camera. So I finally can take time to type this up.

I have tatted a bit, and I have plans to do more.

Decorated button in blue on wandasknottythoughts
Decorated button in blue

This decorated button is in Lizbeth #320 Steel Blue in size 20. It is one of the metallic threads and is very hard to take a good picture of. It either washes out because it is so shiny, or it looks dull like regular thread. After multiple tries, this is the best I could do.

The button is 1/4″ across (about 12 mm). I had thought I was going to tat a heart for Valentine’s Day, but it didn’t come out that way. I like it anyway.

I hope all of you in the deep freeze are staying warm.

Brrr! on wandasknottythoughts
Brrr!

Decorated Grey Button

I’ve still not decided what project I’m going to do next, so I keep doodling. I doodled around most of the weekend without accomplishing a lot. A little, but not a lot.

I doodled with the grey button I started last week.

2nd round decorated grey button on wandasknottythoughts
2nd round on decorated grey button

I thought on this a while before doing the second round, then gave it a try. The picots that attach the first round to the button on a bit loose making it interesting to block. It is still a bit frilly, which will probably correct itself with a little bit of water and a flat surface.

I started a couple of other doodles but didn’t get to a good stopping point on any of them. Maybe later this week I’ll get one of those done.

Like other parts of the country right now it is cold and white here. For the first time in years the temperatures are supposed to stay below freezing for over a week. The snow makes for some pretty pictures, if you can see them while in a nice warm place.

Black Kettle Creek in the snow on wandasknottythoughts
Black Kettle Creek in the snow

While I can I will stay inside and enjoy the white landscape and the cold from inside where it is warm and maybe get some tatting done.

Is it cold and white where you are?

“The Eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them: there ought to be as many for love.” Margaret Atwood

Nothing as planned

Since I finished the 10 point coaster I’ve not decided what I want to do next. I keep thinking I should keep a physical list, maybe digital, of things I want to tat, but I haven’t yet. When I’m in the middle of projects I think of all kinds of things I want to do when I’m done, but when I’m done I go blank. And that’s where I’m at now.

I’ve been seeing a lot of decorated buttons lately, and I have several buttons that would be good centers. I did work on one, without any pattern or plan. It doesn’t look bad but it didn’t turn out all that great.

Decorated button in greys on wandasknottythoughts
Decorated button in greys

I miscalculated stitch counts so my (vague) idea didn’t come out as I thought it might. I’ve been debating with myself if I should do another round and see where that takes it, but I’ve not decided which side has won yet, to do it or not. It is made in Lizbeth #607 Charcoal Med and #190 Silver Ice, which did not come out well in the picture.

I also started a little something in a couple of the Lizbeth Metallic threads #311 Silver and #320 Steel Blue I recently got from Tatting Corner. I had another vague idea about what I wanted to do with these but very soon took a wrong turn.

Metalic doodle on wandasknottythoughts
Metallic doodle

When I realized my thoughts had gone astray, I went ahead and finished it, sewed in the ends. I might use this as an accent on a card or something, no reason to throw it out. This picture doesn’t do the metallic threads justice at all, they work well together. I’ll be using this combination again.

I like working with the Lizbeth Metallic threads but threading a needle with them to sew in the ends is somewhat problematic. You can see in the picture how they separate. Which makes me glad I have a Clover needle threader.

Clover needle threader on wandasknottythoughts
Clover needle threader

Using this makes threading a needle with the metallic threads easy. I keep it on my tatting tool keeper all the time even though I don’t use it often.

Tatting tool keeper on wandasknottythoughts
Tatting tool keeper

I use this tool keeper instead of a chatelaine. All the tools are on a badge reel, so I don’t have to take it off to use any given tool and it doesn’t hang in the way when I’m not using them. I also don’t drop anything on the floor and lose them, lol!

I do not make anything for mentioning Lizbeth threads of Clover tools.

“Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.” Gloria Steinem

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/gloria_steinem_121278

Coaster and Buttons

The two color 10 point coaster is finished.

Two color 10 point coaster done on wandasknottythoughts
Two-color 10 point coaster done

I like how this turned out! I also like how it was done in one pass. Much improved from the original.

When I finished the coaster I needed to empty a few shuttles of leftover thread. I’m not sure what the color is so I couldn’t get more thread for a chain thread or anything other than a small project. I pulled some thread off of the shuttle for the chain thread, which limited the size of whatever I finally made. I’ve been seeing a lot of decorated buttons on the Facebook page which inspired me to do a little something,

Decorated shank button on wandasknottythoughts
Decorated shank button

This came out very simple, but it didn’t take much thread. I’ve never used a shank button before and I didn’t do a great job on it. I know I’ve seen instructions on how to join to a shank button somewhere online but I didn’t take the time to look it over, I just gave it a try.

Speaking of buttons, when I recently visited my mother I got to go through a few of hers. I found a couple of cards with buttons that I like. I also recently got a shipment of thread from Tatting Corner, a couple of which I think will go well with one of the buttons.

A button and threads on wandasknottythoughts
A button and threads

I’m debating with myself about what I could do with this combination. What do you think?

“Every project is an opportunity to learn, to figure out problems and challenges, to invent and reinvent.” David Rockwell

10 Point Coaster Revisited

Last week I shared a small 10-point coaster. The problem with it is it was made with 10 individual motifs, which means a lot of hiding ends. If I did this again I really wanted it in one pass. I did some thinking on it, and I came up with a way.

10 point coaster path on wandasknottythoughts
Path of 10 point coaster stitches

When I started making this I was doodling, then when I put them together I was putting multiple doodles together, and the doodle started at the top clover. This is why they are individual motifs instead of one pass to make the coaster. Why I didn’t stop and think of a better way at the time is unknown. Okay, I just wasn’t thinking it through, just tatting.

But I have tried another way that adds a couple of chains but still leaves the coaster with the same feel.

New path for the 10 point coaster on wandasknottythoughts
New path for the 10 point coaster

When I start with the bottom clover, go up and back down I can chain over to the next bottom clover. This makes the coaster in one pass, with minimal change in the overall design. I suppose I could have used a split ring to go from one clover to the other, but this is simple and only changes the look slightly.

10 point coaster improvement on wandasknottythoughts
10 point coaster improvement

I started the second coaster with two colors to see how I was using the two shuttles. I like how this looks. In the two colors it really brings out the center, doesn’t it?

I didn’t quite get the second coaster finished by post time, but it won’t take long. I’m much happier with doing it in one pass. The two colors look pretty good, too.

“Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.” Keri Russell

New Coaster

I mentioned last week that I was working on another project. I did finish it, and I like the look.

10 point motif on wandasknottythoughts
10 point coaster

When I started this I was just doodling. I had the gold thread on the shuttles and started something to use it up. The first piece was less than inspiring by itself. I thought it might look good with some others, and it turned out much better than I expected. But is it a motif? A small doily? It is so small I decided to call it a coaster.

This isn’t hard to do but rather tedious. Each point is a separate piece, which means there are a lot of ends to hide. When I decided to continue I went with how I started, but I keep looking at this wondering, could I do this in one pass? I’m just not seeing it right now.

Besides thinking about how to have fewer ends there are a few other places that I am thinking I might do better a wee bit different. But do I want to make another? Hmmm, I don’t know.

I made this with Lizbeth # 699 Harvest Gold in size 20. This might look good in one of the new threads that I just got. I’ll have to think about it.

“There’s more than one way to do things. There’s always different points of views.” Tim Hudson

Goodies in the Mail

Tatting Corner had a 12 Days of Christmas sale in November, in which I bought thread. And such pretty thread!

Thread from 12 Days of Christmas sale 2020 on wandasknottythoughts
My thread order arrived!

I chose several metallic threads as well as colors I’ve not tried before. And a couple that I needed for other things – notice the Ecru balls. But aren’t they pretty? I’m looking forward to using these, as soon as I decide what I’ll be making with them.

Small Angels 2021 on wandaksnottythoughts
The wings are much better on these two.

I made a couple more of the Small Angels. I’m happier about the wings than I was about the previous two. I’m looking forward to seeing other people’s versions of the pattern to see how they come out for them.

I’ve started another project, which I want to finish one way or another before I start anything with the new thread.

New project 20210103 on wandasknottythoughts
New project in gold

I’m not sure I like how this is working out, but I’m planning on finishing it anyway, to know for sure.

I’m starting 2021 with a new project and new threads. Lots to look forward to. How about you?

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something. Neil Gaiman

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/neil_gaiman_676237

Trees and Angels

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! We did. Christmas Eve I finally got a few Christmas decorations put up and decorated a tree.

Christmas tree 2020 on wandasknottythoughts
My 2020 Christmas tree

This isn’t exactly a tree, it is several branches from some evergreens that we took out of the yard a couple of days ago wire-tied together. The shape is not quite right, but it brought the scent of a real tree indoors, didn’t cost anything, and, when decorated, looked festive. The only ornaments on it that I made this year are the music angel and the round paper ornament. All the others are ones I randomly found as I got my Christmas decorations out. I found quite a few more tatted ornaments and hung them around the house.

The little time I’ve had to tat I’ve been making the Small Angel. Which isn’t hard, but that left wing! Making it look like the right is a bit of a challenge. It’s all in the picot size and the chains. And maybe the join for that longest picot.

Small angels on wandasknottythoughts
Three small angels

As you can see, neither of the red angels have wings quite like the original gold one. And they don’t even look like each other! I think the wings on the red angels look more like leaves than wings, but they still look okay. I must be holding my mouth wrong as I tat to make them so different! I’d love to see how they turn out for anyone that makes them.

Usually, between Christmas and New Years’ things for us slow down a bit, but this year it’s not that way. There are several things that need to be done before the new year, so many that we don’t have much time to do as we’d like. I have tatting plans that will have to wait a little bit more.

What are your plans for the New Year?

“If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” Woody Allen https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/woody_allen_136686