Category: tatting

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.

Tatting demonstration

Yesterday my husband and I were cleaning before re-arranging the living room when I came across one of my daughter’s old school newspapers from 1993 with my picture in it. My youngest was in second grade that year. Her teacher, Mrs. Val Graber, had the students invite parents or other family members to come in to share their skills and hobbies. My daughter asked me to share tatting with her class. I remember trying to come up with a presentation for 7 & 8 year olds. I talked about the different names tatting goes by in different countries and had them help me try to pronounce them, then shared some of it’s history. We had them sit on the floor close by and I tatted a few rings and chains for them. Each child received a 3″ x 5″ note card with some little bit of tatting on it, a butterfly, a caterpillar, or flowers I had made, the backgrounds made with markers. They were very pleased to get them, as I was very pleased to do them.

This was the first time I had gotten up in front of people to demonstrate or talk about tatting. Since then I have given other demonstrations, most to people of a slightly more advanced age, but all built on the confidence I found in sharing my enthusiasm about tatting with second graders.

Bell pattern

Yesterday I posted the picture of the bell ornament. Today I’m going to add the pattern for it. I’ve not written out patterns that others have had to follow yet, so, please try it if you’d like and let me know if you find any mistakes. Refer to the picture from yesterday if you have any questions. I do make things that have a definate front and back so I don’t know how it will turn out if you don’t do that also. Happy tatting!

Bell Dec2007

2 shuttles

#

Sht1

R 5-5-5-5. RW

Ch 3-2-2-3. RW.

#

Repeat between # 3 times, joining 1st p of each R to 3rd p of prev R.

R 5+5-5-5 to 3rd p of prev R. DNRW

Sht2

Ch 3-2-2-3. RW

R 5+5-5-5 to 3rd p of prev Sht1 Ch. RW

Ch3-2-2-3.RW

R 5+5-5-5 to 3rd p of prev R. RW

Ch 3+2-2-3. DNRW

Sht1

R 5-5-5-5. DNRW

Sht2

Ch 3-2-2-3. RW

R 5+5-5-5 to 3rd p of prev Sht2 R. RW

Ch 3-2-2-3. RW

R 5+5-5-5 to 3rd p of prev R. RW

Ch 3-2-2-3. DNRW

Sht1

R 5-5-5-5. RW

Ch 3+2-2-3 to 3rd p of prev Sht2 R. RW

*

5+5-5-5 to 3rd p of prev R.RW

Ch 3-2-2-3. RW

*

Repeat between * 2 times

R 5+5-5-5. DNRW

Sht2

Ch 3-2-2-3. RW

R 5+ to 3rd p of prev Sht1 Ch 5-5+5 to 1st p of 1st Ch

Ch 3-2-2-3. join to base of 1st R.

Add hanger and jingle bell clapper if desired.

p.s. I’ve added the diagrammed pattern to my sidebar August 2011

Colonial lady applique

I have been cleaning out drawers and cabinets lately and found a lot of tatting from years ago. Some of it I shake my head at, amazed at how far I’ve come, and some I look at with a laugh at the things I tried.

I found the lady in a drawer where I put her after she had hung on the wall for awhile. She’s “Colonial Lady Applique” from Aunt Ellen’s Tatting Handbook, originally from Workbasket Vol. 19, August 1954. It’s marked as “challenging”. I knew I could tat pretty well when I completed her! I don’t remember what thread I used but I do know I worked very hard on her because I entered her in the Kansas State Fair in 1990 or ’91 (terrible I don’t remember exactly!). I actually got top blue for her that year. The one and only time I’ve entered at the state fair.

And poor Aunt Ellen’s Handbook! I have made qute a few things out of it and it shows how much I used it. It’s falling apart and has notes in the margins of the items I made. It was given to me by my “other mother”, my mother-in-law, in 1989 – I know because I made a note in the front cover. I rarely even look in it now, but it is responsible for many gifts and happy hours of tatting.

Crochet doily

Rainbow Rose Connie had a challenge to determine if a doily was crochet or tatting (top picture). I thought it was a pretty doily so thought I would try to come up with something close. Mine is made with DMC Cebelia size 20 colors #955 & 992 and 4mm silver beads. It obviously is smaller than the crocheted one, too. I didn’t want to use any larger thread or make the rings any bigger. I like it but there are few things I would definately do differently if I did it again!

Tatting in public

A couple of days ago I drove my parents to Wichita so Dad could visit the VA clinic. While waiting for his turn to have blood drawn and what-not I pulled out my tatting, it looked to be a long wait. There was a couple beside me that instantly wondered what I was doing. The gentleman was quite intrigued with it. Another lady across the way had to come over and see what I was doing, also. She knew what it was but had never actually seen anyone do it. We had a nice conversation about tatting. The gentleman commented that he had used the word ‘tat’ in crossword puzzles before but had never known what it was. When they left he thanked me for the knowledge about tatting. I always enjoy meeting people this way.

First post

Well, I’m going to try blogging. I’ve been reading some really great ones and I’m excited to try it myself.
I’m going to start with an old idea, at least in our family. This is a turkey wishbone thimble holder. A great-great aunt of my husband’s had made these, some with tatting and some with crochet. I decided I would give it a try. Unlike my husband’s aunt’s, I sprayed the bone with a sealer before putting the thread on.
My kids liked what it looked like after I was done, but a little unhappy because they never got to break the wishbone at Thanksgiving.