Category: doily

Motifs # 9 & #10

Yes, Christmas is over but the ‘snow’ is still here. These are two snowflakes I made before we took the tree down. The white one is, of course, Micheal’s snowflake,made with DMC size 10 with silver beads. The red one is one I designed a few weeks earlier, in DMC size 10. It’s a maroon color, not red, with white pearl beads. These are #9 & #10 motifs for the 25 motif challenge. If you look back through my blog I know the last motif was labeled as #6 but I went through all of it and found I mis-counted. There are eight previous motifs and now ten all together.

I have been working on a doily lately, but I’m not very happy with it. I’ve done several nice bits and pieces in it, but over all it’s not very pleasing to the eye, too haphazard from round to round. But it’s something to play with. I have printed off several patterns that have been mentioned recently on eTatters that I plan on making, but I haven’t decided on the thread I want to use with them. I might just have to get some new thread. Yeah, like the thread shopping is going to break my heart!

We are counting down the days to the next grandbaby. My oldest daughter is due in 14 days! She’s very ready for him to get here. He’s been very active, not letting her forget that he’s there. This daughter is in Wichita, much closer to us, so it will only take a little less than an hour to get there when she says it’s time. I keep a phone with me at all times! Another baby, oh boy, oh boy!!

Bob’s coily becomes a doily!


Well, here it is, at last! I made another ‘coily‘ designed by Bob the Bike, except this time I think it definitely qualifies as a doily. First, I made this with Manuela size 10 white variegated thread, which made it noticeably bigger than the pink coily I made in Cebelia size 30. Then I added another round that I designed, hopefully in the spirit of the original. The end result is a doily about 8 1/2 inches across. I think it works. I did have to try a couple of times on the last round – the first try I didn’t make the chains long enough and it was cupping quite a bit. I am very much into right side/bottom side and I started with the single R right side up, which means that the flower had to be done from the bottom with two split rings – which I usually do front the right side. Ugh! If I didn’t pay very close attention I’d start the second half of the split ring with the wrong half of the ds. It took me longer to do the last round than I anticipated because of this. The picture doesn’t show the color of the thread very well. It is mostly white but shades to very light pink and then light blue. I hope Bob likes it! And I’m counting this as motif #6 for the motif challenge.

I have been busy the last few days, too busy to post anything here. I’ve been able to skim through several blogs and eTatters when I’ve had a few minutes here and there, so I’ve got to see what others have been doing. It keeps me motivated! And I have been reading the comments from everyone, even if I haven’t commented back! I really appreciate those of you that visit!

I’ve got most of the Christmas cards done – most of the ones that are left will be hand delivered. I haven’t wrapped a gift yet! Good thing we’re not doing many gift exchanges this year. We have several gatherings that we’re just visiting and eating. So I have to figure out what to make – easier than trying to figure out gifts for everyone! I think it will be a little more relaxed through the season that way, no frantic, last minute shopping. And then my daughter’s baby shower is the 27th. One more day of family and friends.

Of course, all the planned festivities may depend on the weather. We’ve had quite a bit of winter weather this year, and it seems to me we don’t usually have this much this early, here in Kansas at least. Tuesday morning we woke up to about 4 inches of snow. The roads weren’t too bad and the wind had died down – the weekend was windy!!. But it has been very cold since Sunday. Today wasn’t too bad but tonight we are supposed to get freezing drizzle and fog. The drive to work in he morning looks to be very s-l-o-w. (It might be a good day to call in sick!)

I have a few other things I plan on posting but I’ve run out of time. I’ll try to post again before the end of the week, but no promises! Happy Christmas, everyone!

P.S. I’ll try to get the pattern for the last round posted soon if anyone is interested.

The evolution of a snowflake

Journey of a snowflake found on wandasknottythoughtsI started work on a snowflake the other day and it went places I hadn’t planned on. In fact, I didn’t really like it. But I kinda liked the idea of it so I did it again with a little change.

I liked it a little better but I still wasn’t quite happy with it. I had made both in white size 30 DMC because I had shuttles already wound. Maybe another color or two would look better? Which could be a little tricky because I kept switching shuttles in different places. In one color that’s not noticeable but with two colors it would be. But I decided to try it with blue and green size 30 DMC, also because the shuttles were already wound.

Another little change later and I was much happier! It looked more like it belonged that way than the previous versions. The small points between the long arms really changed the look. The center was also changed, made a little smaller. I did have to switch the shuttles in a few places to get the colors how I wanted them. I’m tempted to make another one and not switch the shuttles so it will be easier to write down the pattern. I’m going to consider these for the 25 motif challenge as #3, 4 & 5.

I’m now working on the “coily” (coaster or doily?) that BoB the Bike designed. I saw it on his website and thought it would be fun. It’s in pink – maybe to go under the rose bouquet I received from Lorena. But then again, I have a friend who’s birthday is coming up that might like it…

Tatting and still visiting the grandbaby

I’m still in Omaha with the grandson, enjoying seeing him discover his new world. It’s so great! He’s spending more time awake so more time for us to watch him learn to move and react to sound and light. He’s so much more fun to watch than TV!

I have been getting some tatting done. This little doily is made with size 30 DMC Cebelia in Ecru. It measures about 4 1/2 inches across at the points. I spent just over a day doing the seven inside motifs and three days trying to figure out what I wanted to do with the outside. I had an idea of what I wanted it to look like but just couldn’t get it to come out right. I started five different times and and cut it off four times. I’m not sure it’s really what I wanted it to be but I was just ready for it to be done! I can live with it, and it will make someone a nice gift for Christmas.

I’ve started another something, I’m not sure yet if it will be a snowflake or a doily. It’s in pink and blue – remember, I don’t have a lot of choice of colors. You’d think that in a city as big as Omaha there would be someplace that sells more thread choices than a few colors in DMC size 8 and size 80 and white and ecru in size 10 or 20. So far, I haven’t found that place. Of course, I’m looking on line so I could have missed a place some where but I don’t want to take that much time to do it in person. Kinda of disappointed though, I’ve been having some pretty neat ideas, but in colors and sizes I don’t have with me! I’ll just have to write them down and try them when I get home.

A few days ago the package from Lorena Rosechicfriends arrived at my house -what she sent me for winning her 100 post giveaway. As I’m in Omaha and not at home I haven’t see it yet. I will share a picture of the goodies with everyone as soon as I get home and see them myself. I’m excited to see what she sent!
This week is Thanksgiving here in the States. I’m not sure yet what exactly we’re going to be doing. We are trying to figure out if my daughter and her husband are going to try making a traditional Thanksgiving dinner – turkey, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, etc, – or do something a bit different. But whatever it is it probably won’t be with the entire family – my other daughter and her husband, our parents and siblings – because they are all in Kansas. But whatever we do they will be in our thoughts as people we are thankful for. And I wish all of you a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving as well.