Author: wandasknottythoughts@gmail.com

Adding to my 25 Motif Challenge

I hope all of you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day Monday. I had every intention of posting this weekend but time got away from me again. I was working on this heart, writing and diagramming the pattern and I didn’t get it done! So I decided to post it today. February has Valentine’s Day and is considered American Heart Month, but I think hearts are appreciated any time. This one is made from Lizbeth size 20 in #147. This is #17 of my second 25 Motif Challenge.

This last week Tabatha, from Crafting with Tabatha, asked for some help with ‘Angels in the Snow’ by Miranda Rensberger. Tabatha is very new to tatting, having started just this year. This is a pretty ambitious pattern for one so new, made with two shuttles and SCMR, but she is doing an amazing job tatting already so I think she should be able to make this. I’d seen this snowflake on Miranda’s blog and other places where others had made it, but I hadn’t yet purchased it. Tabatha’s questions gave me a good excuse to buy the pattern and help Miranda raise money for the Brain Injury Association of New Mexico at the same time.

Angels in the Snow © Miranda Rensberger

I made this in Lizbeth size 20 in #662 Turquoise Lt. and #657 Ocean Turquoise Dk. While I didn’t find this difficult I have been tatting quite a bit longer than Tabatha and I still remember when this would have been a problem. I started this again, taking pictures as I went to help her understand what she was supposed to be doing. I checked her blog this morning and she’s made a good start. I’m naming this #18 of my second 25 Motif Challenge.

This is ‘Triana’ by Megzaela, one of my classmates in the Design Tat class. I test tatted this in Lizbeth size 20 color (?). This was an interesting challenge. None of the elements were that hard but you have to pay attention to which way’s up and where you join. I found I had made a join incorrectly after I was completely done so it has not been fixed. Apologies, Megzaela! This will be #19 of the 25 Motif Challenge.


‘Triana’ © Megzaela 2010

While I was blog surfing this week I happened upon Peachtree Cottage Creations and noticed that one of the bookmarks she had made kind of looked like the one that I had designed last fall. And it was! If you haven’t been over there you might go check it out. In this particular post she was trying to decide how best to stage a couple of bookmarks for a photo. She has a lot of really nice things she’s done on her blog, well worth a visit.

On this Tatting Tea Tuesday I’ll leave you with a couple of quotes in keeping with a month dedicated to hearts and love.

Poetry is the song of the heart, molded by the mind.

– Roger W. Hancock –

The thing about falling in love,
is that if you do it right,
you never have to hit the ground.

– Kendall Lepitzki –

Dragon sighting

This little guy flew in on the Arctic wind blast that gusted in yesterday. My boss thinks he’s an Ice Dragon due to his coloration. I haven’t gotten much out of this small dragon, mainly his name, which he says is Jarek. He does seem to be attracted to my earrings that I had laid on the table – they don’t look too shiny here but the picture doesn’t do them justice.

When he first arrived he and I had a few problems. He twisted and turned and generally was a bit of a pain and wouldn’t lay down, making me feel quite ambisinister. He finally settled down a bit when he saw my earrings. He looks to be a Flying Minor Norwegian Dragon, in shades just like Lizbeth #142 Turquoise Twist, as described and patterned by Anne Bruvold, though I haven’t seen his type described yet. While trying to get information of where he’s from he indicated that there may be one or two more dragons flying in soon. How exciting!

Something not quite as exciting, but definitely intriguing, is Jane’s TIAS. I still have absolutely no idea what it might be. I think Isdihara’s suggestion to it being a skink is the closest so far, but that thought may easily be changed as we get closer to the end.

My version of the TIAS through day 7

I’m sure there are lot of you out there that are being effected by the really nasty, cold, icy, snowy weather that’s happening on the eastern half of the United States. Here in Kansas, in the middle (where I am) we didn’t get much in the way of ice and only a little snow, but the wind and cold are definitely letting us know it’s winter. At 2:30 PM it’s 7° F, wind gusts up to 44 miles per hour, creating a wind chill of -13° F: translates into, it’s cold! I know there are places that have it much worse and/or will be getting it much worse, but it’s still cold! Good news, my boss called a little bit ago to let me know they canceled work tonight – yeah! I don’t have to get out in this! Whoopee!

I’m enjoying multiple cups of hot tea this Tatting Tea Tuesday, which are definitely helping me enjoy being inside instead of out! Now that my day has opened up I’m hoping to entice a few more dragons inside. Do you think if I raid my jewelry box they might show up faster?

“The Lenox Globe (in the collection of the New York Public Library) bears the phrase ‘HC SVNT DRACONES’ (i.e. ‘ hic sunt dracones ‘) on the eastern coast of Asia,
‘Here Be Dragons!’, they warned “.
taken from draconian.com

TIAS, Test tatting and Trying something new

On this Tatting Tea Tuesday the TTT could stand for this week’s tittle – I put a lot of T’s up there! I’ve let my housekeeping laps a bit so I can do other things – terrible of me, I know. Today as I ignore my chores again I’m drinking Vanilla Rooibos tea and writing this.

TIAS day 5 2011
Jane has posted up to day 5 of the 2011 TIAS and I’m still right in there with ’em! Yea! I still have no idea what it’s going to be, I don’t even know if this is right side up or if whatever-it-is is standing on it’s head ☺. There have been some really cute guesses so far, but Jane still isn’t telling.

This week I tatted a couple more motifs designed by my classmates in the Design-Tat class. This one is by Nina Libin. I liked it in the white she made it in and really liked it when I made it in two colors. The two colors change the look, letting you see the flow of the pattern more clearly. Sharon suggests that we design in white or a light color but then seeing how color can change our patterns is fun, too!

Design © 2010 Nina Libin

As I’m going through this class I’m learning how much goes into writing the patterns, how to write the pattern to explain to all who read it what each step needs to be to get the same results I did when it was designed. We’re writing them out in long form, in short form and then diagramming them. Each type of pattern writing has it’s good points and bad points, and some are easier to do than others. After reading patterns of classmates, how they have written their patterns, I’m looking at my own pattern writing more critically, seeing how they phrased things to make themselves understood and asking myself “have I accomplished that?”

In a Christmas swap this year I was given a Nifty Knitter by Tabatha. It’s a round plastic loom with pegs that you wrap yarn around. It comes with a tool that’s got a hook which is not nearly as small as a crochet hook and not bent as far, more like a 90 degree bend. You use this tool to catch one wrapping of thread on a peg and pull it over the top wrapping on the same peg. Okay, it’s easier done than said. So in the last couple of weeks I’ve given it a try and found it’s rather fun, and very easy. These looms come in several sizes; small, medium, large and extra large. I was given the smallest loom that makes hats small enough for infants and with it I was able to make two small hats.
Hats done with the Niffty Knitter
Many ages ago I learned the basic stitch of knitting in school. So that no-one had to spend money on something that may never be used again the class used sharpened pencils as knitting needles. And, yes, the pencils marked the yarn a bit but we didn’t care. It was a cheap way to learn and we had fun – who wouldn’t want to do something like this a few times during school instead of math or English or such? But that is as far as I ever went with it, a pot holder or two (it was a good thing we didn’t have to pay for knitting needles!). I never thought I’d make anything like a hat. I feel so accomplished!

If it’s not fun, you’re not doing it right. – Bob Basso

Motifs, TIAS and Tea

Motif
I am in the current Design-Tat class that Sharon is doing. We’ve designed our motifs and are learning how to write them out, both in text and with diagrams. We are also supposed
to test tat some of our classmate’s motifs, both to help them write better and for us to learn
to write better as well. This is the second one I’ve successfully done.

Design by Barbara Barney, 2011

We all started with the same basic center and had to design a second round. Didn’t Barbara do a great job on coming up with something totally different? This was fun to do and I can think of several places to put a motif like this. I was trying to empty a couple of shuttles so the threads aren’t exactly the greatest match but they still aren’t too bad. The center is Lizbeth #114 Sea Shell and the outside is Lizbeth #641 Lilac Dark, both in size 20. And I got to use my new shuttle that I got from a swap partner for Christmas. It handles nice but it’s going to take a little bit to get used to it.

TIAS

My day 3 of Jane Eborall’s TIAS

This year I’ve joined in on Jane’s TIAS. I started the one last year and life got in the way so I didn’t finish it. I’m hoping to do better this year. So far, so good! I’m using Lizbeth size 20 thread in #657 Ocean Turquoise Dk and # 662 Turquoise Lt. I have no idea what this is going to end up.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, TIAS stands for “tat it and see” – Jane’s idea of how to have fun in the winter. She gives just a little of the pattern every few days without telling us what it’s supposed to be. We try and follow along and make guesses as to what we think it will be. It’s fun because there are people from all over the world doing this together. Not quite like being in the same room with other tatters but kinda close. If you’d like to try it there’s no time limit to start or to finish so you would have plenty of time to join us. Here’s a link to Jane’s blog and a link to the TIAS blog, where she posts the updates.

Tea
Did you know that this is National Hot Tea month? Over at favecrafts.com they have several tea-related crafts in honor of Hot Tea Month. So today for Tatting Tea Tuesday I’d thought I’d share one of them with you.

Image courtesy of favecraft.com
They call this an Upcycled Tea Box, made from an old book (sorry, Diane, it wasn’t my idea!). They even have a video to help teach you how to do this. They suggest it as a gift for Mother’s Day. Do they think Mom has to hide her stash of tea?

It’s taken me almost all day again to get this posted! I have to figure a way to get done a little earlier than this. But I am happy with what I have achieved this week, and that I did actually get this posted on Tuesday!

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort
Franklin D Roosevelt

I’m a little slow getting this Tatting Tea Tuesday post going, but I’ve definitely been drinking tea – lots and lots of plain ol’ green tea. Hot tea has a soothing effect on my sore throat. Yes, I have the dreaded cold. It’s hard to get motivated, or even get my brain to concentrate on anything. Not that there hasn’t been tatting, just slowly, and some by others.

Others, as in Wendy from Umi & Tsuru and Fox from tat-ology. Both volunteered to tat my Design-Tat homework motif “Elcie”. Check these out:

“Elcie” tatted by Wendy with long picots. Quite a different look.

And “Elcie” tatted by Wendy with shorter picots.

This is how Fox tatted it. Isn’t it nice in red?

What is kind of funny is I had just finished tatting Fox’s “Abigail” when she sent me the picture of “Elcie”. So I had to show Fox how I had done her “Abigail”
“Abigail” design by Fox
tatted by Wanda

In Red! 🙂

Thank you both for testing out the pattern for me!

The only other thing I’ve done this last week is this bookmark. It is suggested practice of crossed picots from “Advanced Tatting Patterns +” by Judi Banashek. I definitely need to work on them! Its done in Lizbeth #142 in size 20.

Well, that’s all folks! It has taken me all day to write this much. Hopefully I’ll feel better next week and do a little better job.

Homework

Do you remember when you were in school as a child? Did you ever ask why you had to learn a certain skill/subject? Back then, you could never see how you would ever use it and homework could be a real pain. And then you’re older and taking classes, through a school or because of your work, on subjects that you are interested in. Then the homework isn’t quite the drudgery because you can see the where, why and when you’ll use the knowledge. It doesn’t mean it will be easy, though.I’m taking Sharon’s Design-Tat class, learning how to design tatting and then how to share it by writing out the pattern. One lesson was to design a motif, with part of it given to all, and a part of it we each were to come up with ourselves. That wasn’t too hard, and was fun. But then the next lesson was to write it out – not as much fun. But after a bit of stress and several starts (and re-starts) I finished that, too.

So, what do you do with a motif? I’ve done lots of them over the years, but when they’re done, just what is their purpose? Some I’ve done in white and hung on my Christmas tree, though they may not be a snowflake, and a few I’ve put in frames. Quite a few are tucked away, hidden from sight, because I didn’t have anything planned for them. I think the main thing done with motifs is to join them together to make mats or runners or tablecloths – something bigger anyway.

Okay, I have a motif: let me try to make something bigger.

I played around with my motif a little and soon realized that it, at least to me, did not lend itself to be joined together, not as it was anyway. The edges are very frilly, and when two are joined together as designed end up with overlapping picots. Not very aesthetic. So I made a few modifications, which helped a little, though I still wasn’t happy with them. I played around with them a little more and came up with adding corner pieces. Much better. This design leaves the finished piece a little floppy as there aren’t many joins to the center. I found that a bit of hair spray after blocking does a great job of stiffening it enough to fix that without being too messy or taking too long to dry (hair dryers are a wonderful tool)

Both the single motif and the mat are made in Lizbeth size 20 in white. I’m going to call the single motif #15 of my second 25 Motif Challenge and the mat #16. I’m hoping someone in the class will be kind enough to test-tat the motif. It really does a help a lot to have someone else read over a pattern and try it. I always see what I know should be there, not necessarily what’s really there. I haven’t written out the changes and additions to the mat pattern yet – I’m waiting on the proofing of the other pattern first.

And now, on this pretty Tatting Tea Tuesday as I sip my “Constant Comment” tea (“tea flavored with rind of oranges and sweet spice”) – which was a gift from my Advent swap partner – I’m going to share what my wonderful husband did for me this weekend.

He made me another shuttle!

It was hard to take pictures of this; I had a hard time getting the camera to focus. Finally I got the right setting on the camera and was able to take some clear pictures but not as good as I’d like.

This shuttle is made with, we think, Japanese walnut; he actually got the wood from one of our neighbors. In the pictures it looks like the sides are rough but they are actually smooth. In person it looks the same, you touch it expecting it to be rough. It’s also very light weight. The color was much lighter before the hand rub polyurethane was applied. The tips don’t, and aren’t supposed to, meet, but when dangled the thread doesn’t unwind because of the way the slots are cut. I will have to keep a crochet hook with me when I use this shuttle because it doesn’t have a sharp point, but that’s okay, I have several hooks:) It’s a little longer than the Clover shuttles I usually use, but not bad. I think it will hold a bit more thread than a Clover, too. It might be a good shuttle for when I use beads.


Can you tell I’m a little excited about this shuttle??

May this be the start of wonderful new year
May you have enough thread for all your projects
May your shuttle always hold just enough thread
And may there always be a little tea with your tatting on Tuesdays: )

Happy New Year!

2010 is almost over

Can you believe the year is almost over? It’s been such a busy year it hardly seems possible.

I look back over the year and think of all places I went, the new things I’ve tried,
and the people I’ve met – I must say it was a year well spent. We went on several great trips, both with family and by ourselves, and made wonderful memories. I learned
several new tatting techniques that will open up all kinds of possibilities for
projects this next year. I met some great people in the travels I made this year as well as
locally and on-line, people I hope to keep in touch with in the years to come.

The last week I did some tatting, some right up to Christmas Eve, but then the projects were done or they weren’t and it was time to enjoy family and friends. We had
great get-togethers with both sides of our families (the in-laws and the out-laws, LOL!) and
still have one to go. It has been a wonderful holiday season.

I did want to share one more gift I received from my Advent swap partner. She really
spoiled me this year.

Check it out – she sent me Yarnplayer’s Layered Ring Christmas Tree pattern! I was thinking about getting this but hadn’t yet taken the time to order. She also sent me a tension-adjusting
tatting shuttle! (I haven’t tried it yet, but I will soon!) It came in a cute little tin. There was
also a beautiful beaded tree ornament that she made – very nice, very sparkly! Her
son had her include someSpongeBob Squarepants candy books for my grandsons and their families and one for us, too. And a large ball of size 30 white thread. She was very
generous!

I hope all of you have had a wonderful Christmas this year. And may your New Year be filled with wonder and joy!

Getting ready for Christmas


… and I’m still very busy. I have quite a few things yet to tat before the big day arrives. I did take a little time out from all that to make this bookmark for The Tatting Forums’ bookmark-a-month challenge, just for fun: ) It’s made in Lizbeth color 625 size 20.

I was thinking how busy I’ve kept myself the last several weeks, and though it’s been fun it’s also getting to be a bit stressful as the day gets closer and I don’t have everything done. So I took a little time out for a different kind of fun. With a nod to Isdihara of Ambitatterous, famous for her twisted lyrics, and an apology to Clement Clarke Moore, sit back and enjoy a cup of tea this Tatting Tea Tuesday while I leave you with a poem that I – hmm, adapted – from Mr. Moore.

‘Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the house

I was still stirring, and I think so was a mouse.

The stockings weren’t hung, the mantle was bare,

I sure wasn’t ready for Christmas to be here!


Patterns of lace were strewn all over the bed,

While visions of things undone danced in my head.

With thread on the table and a cat on my lap

I couldn’t settle my brain on one thing to tat.


When out in the hall there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter.

Hanging down from the table a part of my stash

Caught me off guard, I went down with a crash!


The glitter that fell from the table like snow

Gave quite a shine to my head down below.

When, what to my watering eyes should appear,

But a miniature person in fancy foot gear.


She was dressed all in lace, from her head to her toes,

And her clothes were all covered with lots of picots.

An array of bright thread she had clutched in her hand,

And she looked very lovely, in fact very grand.


Her eyes – how they twinkled! Her tresses, how lovely!

Her cheeks were like roses, her stance very queenly!

Her red little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

The dress she was wearing was as white as the snow.


She spoke not a word, but went straight to her task,

What she was doing I had no thought to ask.

And plying the thread, not seeming to bustle,

She made gorgeous lace with a bright silver shuttle!


Her hands flew through the thread, this lovely small elf,

And I laughed as I watched her, in spite of myself!

Each piece as she finished she laid on the table,

Fine tatting she made, her face very tranquil.


When her tatting was done, when finally she finished,

Then as quick as she’d come she suddenly vanished.

But I heard her exclaim, ‘ere she faded from sight,

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good knot!”


Based on “Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore


PS Real quick – did you see the lunar eclipse last night? Pretty cool, wasn’t it?

It’s white all over

Snowman and snowflakes, all in white, at least inside my house. (No snow on the ground here, and I can live with that.) Working all in white is what I’ve been doing all week. The cute snowman is something I saw on line and decided I just had to try. It’s made from an old, inside-out sock (it was washed!). I gifted it to one of my grandsons yesterday. Well, actually, I gave it to his mother to put out on a shelf for decoration because my grandson really liked it when he saw me working on it the other day. I had to do a few things a little different than the directions called for, but I think it turned out well.

The snowflakes are ones I’ve come up with this last week trying to decide what I wanted for my 2010 Christmas card snowflake. After making all of these I’ve decided the one I will consider this year’s snowflake is the one at the top right.

Speaking of snowflakes, did you see what Kathy did with one? She hung it from the inside a clear plastic ball ornament. It looks great! I’ve got to try this. I know I had some clear glass ornaments somewhere but I can’t find them. If I don’t find them I’m going to go get some! I just love this look. Great idea, Kathy!

Today for Tatting Tea Tuesday I’m enjoying a cup of Raspberry Royale tea, a gift from my Advent swap partner on Ravelry. I wasn’t sure I’d like it because I’m not that fond of the taste of raspberry, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s pretty good: ) In the spirit of TTT I’m trying a new technique (to me) I saw online yesterday. Who knows, if I really like this, and I can do it, my snowflake for the year may change.

For my Advent gift today my partner sent me a cute little crocheted stocking for the tree and a ball of hand-dyed thread from Crochet 4 U 2 Dye 4 in “Mistletoe”, size 20. I’m looking forward to using it. Isn’t she the sweetest swap partner ever?

I hope you are taking the time to enjoy the season, without getting too stressed. Take a few minutes for yourself, have a cup of tea and tat a few minutes this week – a gift to yourself.

A busy busy elf

That’s how I’ve been lately, very busy! I’ve been working a lot on Christmas things, both for swap partners and for family. But I can share a few of the things I’ve been working on now as some were for an advent swap and have been opened.
Something to brighten the evenings

This is a candle jar that I decoupaged with red tissue paper then added small tatted snowflakes. There was also a candle tucked inside. I had never done decoupage before I started adding a little bling to my shuttles and now I can think of so many things I could do with it. In fact, I have all kinds of things in mind for Christmas gifts now that include a little decoupage. Now if I only have the time!

A little sparkle for my partner to hang on the tree.

Napkin rings to add a little Christmas cheer to the her table.

A stocking for the mantle with a little chocolate inside!
I had such fun thinking up all kinds of things to send. It couldn’t just be snowflakes, I needed a variety! I’m hoping she’s having as much fun opening them as I had putting them together.

I have also received some wonderful gifts in return. These are just a few of the great gifts I’ve opened so far.

Kooly the Koala

This is a Kritter Craft Case from Clover. Isn’t it cute?! It’s a semi-hard case that will be just perfect for a tatting project.

A little something to dress up my dish soap!
A dishcloth, a notepad and a size 12 crochet hook

And today the cutest hot pads!

This advent swap has been so fun! There is talk of doing this again next year and I am seriously thinking about it already! I will certainly start making things much earlier, though: )

In the midst of all this crafting I’ve also been trying to find time to put up my Christmas decorations. The tree is up but not decorated (it’s one that already has lights so it doesn’t look too bare) and that’s about it so far. Maybe this weekend…

Speaking of decorating, did you hear? Sharon has won Isdihara’s decorated chocolate box contest? If you haven’t seen Sharon’s box you definitely should check it out. Check out all the others, too, the links are on Ambitatterous, Isidhara’s blog. There are some very cute decorated chocolate boxes! This was a fun competition. Congratulations, Sharon! You had an awesome entry.

I’m enjoying English Teatime tea this morning that was in the box of gifts from my swap partner. I’m fortifying myself for another busy day of playing elf. I have a long list of things that I would like to get done before Christmas though I keep telling myself if I don’t get them done it won’t be the end of the world – no sense in stressing over doing things that should be fun!

Wishing all of you a blessed Christmas season. Take a little time for tea and tatting, and maybe a little time to reflect on the reason for the season.