Under construction

I’m doing some work on my blog and I’ve seem to have lost my Patterns Page.
Fear not, it will return.
As soon as I figure out what I did with it.
“I put my heart and soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.”
Vincent Van Gogh
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Putting on cuffs

No, I didn’t get arrested.
I put tatted buttons on denim with a little lace and made cuffs for my daughters for Mother’s Day.
Tatted buttons on 2 denim cuffs in purples and blues @ wandasknottythoughts

My original idea for my daughters did not work out, so I scrapped it and looked for something else.  While on Pinterest, where I spend way too much time, I came across decorated material cuffs.  They sparked an idea that had a chance to get done in the time left before Mother’s Day.

I started with a known favorite color – purple – and tatted the buttons.  These could be done in the car going back and forth to work as the passenger.  The easy part.
At home I found an old pair of jeans to cut up for the base.  At first it was going to be one piece of denim for each cuff.  It didn’t take long to decide there needed to be a backing to cover up all my stitching and keep the back pretty.  I collected odds and ends of lace, ribbons, and buttons to play with, laying them out on the denim with the buttons in different ways.
Tatted buttons on a denim cuff in purples @ wandasknottythoughts
I had recently purchased some leftover pieces of lace material from a local second hand shop which made a nice base for the other decorations.  It didn’t take long to notice the buttons could be flowers.  And what are flowers without leaves?  A few leaves of green material – didn’t quite look right.  They were very plain and boring.  A few simple stitches with embroidery floss helped them look much more like leaves.
It took longer than expected to put the first one together.  Mostly because I couldn’t make up my mind how to place things or what, exactly, I wanted.  But, at last, the first one was done.
Tatted buttons on a denim cuff in blues @ wandasknottythoughts
The second one didn’t take as long.  Other than changing the thread colors to blues on the buttons it was pretty much the same.  Except – the green material used for the leaves didn’t look as good with the blues.  I had to find a different shade of green material and thread for them.  I also added silver beads as I stitched everything down.
My sewing machine is not accessible at the moment so I stitched the ends down by hand.  Which would have looked much better in something other than white, especially I as I can’t sew straight.  I purposely left the sides frayed-looking but it won’t fray far.  The two layers of denim are glued together.
Tatted buttons on denim cuff in purples, worn @ wandasknottythoughts
The cuffs are finished off with a button on each end and an elastic hair band in the same color as the flower buttons.  They are easy to put on.
I gave the cuffs to my daughters the week after Mother’s Day.  One was completed on time but not the other.  Gotta be fair, right?
I’m thinking about making one for myself.  Will I continue with flowers or try something else?
I would hate to be cuffed to only one idea.
Okay, I’m done now.
“Don’t let your habits become handcuffs.”
Elizabeth Berg

No tatting, just the new kitchen

 No tatting today.  Thought I’d share the improvements to my kitchen.
Kitchen sink wandasknottythoughts

 The sink is now in the island.  I love it this way.

There are also cabinets in the corners, which we didn’t have before.
New kitchen floor wandasknottythoughts
The floor is concrete with hardwood on top.
Kitchen stove wandasknottythoughts
 We bought a new stove and microwave.
New kitchen cabinets wandasknottythoughts
 I have a lot more cabinets than I had before.
My goal is to keep the counters clear.
Kitchen counter lights wandasknottythoughts
 We put lights under the top cabinets.  It’s great!
Kitchen prior to remodel wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
This is what the kitchen looked like as we started emptying all the cabinets before the remodel.
The main reason we did the remodel was the cracks in the kitchen floor.  We had put duck tape over all the breaks for years.  So great to have a new floor!
We are still in the process of putting things back in the cabinets.  The kitchen is now bigger and I have a lot more cabinet space.  Now comes the decision making of where the best places are to put everything.  My hope is that the best place for some things is a second hand store.  I’m sure I don’t need everything I took out.
I really love my new kitchen!
“Kitchens are made for bringing families together”

Medallion Cross Bookmark Pattern

Tatted Medallion Cross Bookmark, found on wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
Medallion Cross Bookmark
© Wanda Salmans 2016
Finally!  I think it’s ready!
Medallion Cross Bookmark, tatted, found on wandasknottythoughts.com
The pattern is on My Patterns tab.
This sample is made in Lizbeth #657 Ocean Turquoise Dark in size 20.
5/26/15 – the patterns page is not up yet on this site.  Coming soon. 
I hope there isn’t any trouble getting to it.  The hosting site changed a few things and I had a little trouble.
Now on to other things.
“Being the first to cross the finish line makes you a winner in only one phase of life.  Its what you do after you cross the finish line that really counts.”
Ralph Boston
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Medallion cross once more

Tatted Medallion Cross Bookmark on wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
Medallion Cross Bookmark © Wanda Salmans
I seem to have a lot of these crosses now, all just a little different from each other.  I keep trying different stitch counts, looking for just the right pattern.
This cross is in Lizbeth Twirlz #404 Mermaid Lagoon.  I’m not all that excited about how it looks in this thread.  I also had an awful time taking a good picture of it.  This is the best of the lot.  Can you tell that is a piece of white printer paper behind it?
I think I finally have the pattern done to my satisfaction.  I still need to tat one with this stitch count to go on the pattern page.  I started one, then I lost it under my seat in the car.  Up until then I thought I’d have it done today, but that was the end of working on it while we were driving.  I lost a bit of tatting time so it won’t be finished as soon as I’d hoped.
Due to a couple of rainy days my kitchen didn’t get finished until Tuesday, but the construction is done! *happy dance* What this means is I now have to put things away.  I have lots of cabinet and drawer space and I have no idea where I want a lot of things.  We just started putting items in cabinets where we (I) think is a good idea, at least at the moment.  If they don’t work there I guess we’ll rearrange.   Pictures will be coming as soon as I get a chance to download them to the computer.
Through all of this mess and muddle I’ve been tatting small things like this cross.  Now I need to move on to other things.  Not sure if I can call them bigger and better, but different anyway.
“See any detour as an opportunity to experience new things.”
H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
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Lace in the dust

In an earlier post I mentioned we are remodeling our kitchen.  As you can imagine, it is a dusty process. There is dust everywhere! It gets into everything!
A couple of days ago I was looking for something in a drawer in the living room and found something unexpected.  I wasn’t even sure what it was at first glance because I couldn’t think of anything I had that looked like it.
This is a glasses case.  There was a hanky with a tatted edging laying across it in the drawer.  The dust infiltrated the drawer and left a lovely pattern in dust on the case.  It’s amazing how disappointed I am that I messed up the pattern when I picked up the case.
Dusty tatted lace - dust left an impression on a glass case. The tatted edging of a hanky echoed in the dust. wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
The good news is that the kitchen is almost done.  We can actually start cleaning up some of the dust, as most of that work is about over.  The contractor is putting the finishing touches on.  I may have my kitchen done by the weekend!  The background in the picture is my new kitchen counter.  Isn’t it pretty?
I’ve been working on the pattern for the Medallion Cross bookmark.  I want to review it a bit before I post it but I’m hoping to have it ready in a couple of days.
“An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it.”
William Bernbach
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Eenie, meenie, meinie, moe

Two tatted Medallion Cross Bookmarks on wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
Medallion Cross Bookmarks © Wanda Salmans 2016
in Lizbeth #122 Caribbean size 20
I shared this bookmark a few weeks ago.
Original tatted Medallion Cross Bookmark on wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
Medallion Cross Bookmark © Wanda Salmans 2016
This is how I made it originally.  Well, not quite, but almost. After looking at this picture I thought there must be a way to make the medallion center look a little better. For the last several weeks I’ve thought about it and tried a couple of different things.
Tatted Medallion Cross Bookmark version 2 on wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
Medallion Cross Bookmark v2© Wanda Salmans 2016
This version has several changes.  In this one the chains are joined at the arms to make it a bit less likely to twist.  The long, bottom arm is also made with one ring at the top of it instead of two.  The picot count has been reduced making it less frilly.  It came out pretty well, but is it the way to leave it?  Maybe the long arm should be a bit thinner?
Tatted Medallion Cross Bookmark version 3 on wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com

 Medallion Cross Bookmark v3© Wanda Salmans 2016

Version three is the same as v2 except for the long arm.  It was made a bit skinnier by making the ring and joins between the sides a little different.  Not bad, but good enough? Is this the way to leave it and write the pattern?
The chains are joined at the arms where they weren’t before and now both of these versions cup slightly.  In a book they would probably soon loose the cup and wouldn’t be noticed, but it’s not pleasing.  Looking at the picture of the original it’s obvious that the way the chains were modified changes the look of the medallion more than planned. Maybe the chain stitch count needs to be altered back to how it was.
Hmm.  What do you think?
Which version should make it to the pattern page?
“Eenie, meenie, meinie, moe
Catch a tatter by the toe
If she hollers make her tat
Rings and chains to make a mat
My mother told me to pick the very best one
and you are not it!”
 
Children’s choosing game –
modified 🙂

A short edging

Short edging in Rainbow Splash on wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
A short edging in Lizbeth #184 Rainbow Splash size 20
 I have an aunt that is currently in assisted living while undergoing rehab after surgery.  Outside of every room in the facility is a shadow box with glass shelves.  The shadow boxes for those people that are there for long term care usually have quite a few things in them, from pictures to miniatures to postcards and such. My aunt is not expected to be there for a long term but it does look sad to have the shadow box empty.  My mother has been finding cat miniatures at garage sales to put in my aunt’s box to give it a happier appearance.
I kept thinking her box needed a little tatting.  While I was visiting the week before Easter I showed her what colors I had with me and offered to make an edging for her box.  She chose Rainbow Splash.
I envisioned doing something quick and easy that would hang over the edge of a shelf.  That is what developed but not quite as I saw it in my mind’s eye.
Then there was the problem of attaching it to the shelf.  At first I thought I would use sewing thread to go around and around the shelf, attaching to the edging as I went.  I thought it wouldn’t be too noticeable.  But that didn’t work at all.  My husband suggested gluing it to the glass.  As I happened to have a glue stick with me I gave it a try.  It worked great.  As it’s just a regular glue stick the edging should come off easily when she goes home.  The glass should clean off easily as well.
My aunt is very happy with the edging.  She makes sure she mentions it to whom-ever is assisting her as they come and go to her room.
I wanted to get the edging done by Easter – which I did – so pretty much went with the original idea.  There are a few things I want to change the next time which should make it hang nicer without twisting.  I think the edging came out well for a ‘quickie’.
“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.”
Salvador Dali

International Tatting Day 2016

 

International Tatting Day 2016
I had a lot of fun today celebrating International Tatting Day.
Becky, Sherry and I celebrating International Tatting Day
Becky, Sherry and I celebrating International Tatting Day
Becky, Sherry, and me at Montana Mike’s Steakhouse
( I should have moved over with the others so the window wasn’t directly behind us)
Had lunch with two ladies that are my students.  We get together once a month to tat and this month it was in public with tatting and chocolate.  I brought Hershey’s kisses in several varieties, something for everyone.
Becky and Sherry
Lunch with Becky and Sherry for International Tatting Day 2016
I put the tatted buttons I’ve been working on in a teacup. The other teacup has the chocolate.  I also had a candy bowl with several shuttles wound with a yard of size 10 red thread and card stock wrapped with 2 yards of size 10 white thread.  These were to be given away if anyone was interested in trying and wanted them.  I demonstrated for one interested person but she didn’t take a shuttle.  We had several people stop and ask questions about what we were doing and were very impressed.  No-one turned down the buttons when offered one.
Becky helping Sherry with a knotty problem
Sherry was having a little trouble and Becky helped her out.  Nothing ensures you know what your doing as much as having to demonstrate and help someone else.
I  think I gave out about 10 buttons while we were out today.  At work I gave out the other 15 I had, along with a Hershey kiss.
I guess I need to make more buttons 🙂
I hope all of you enjoyed International Tatting Day where-ever you were.
Keep Calm
and
Tat On

Eggs, blooms, smoke and snow

I had a chance to decorate Easter eggs this week.  Nothing elaborate, but fun.
Decorated Easter eggs wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
We didn’t cook any eggs to color this year.  They have eggs at the store that look almost real, and all you have to do is decorate.  My daughter bought two dozen white ones for the kids to decorate.  I thought I was picking up the same thing except colored, ready for stickers or coloring.
They were chalkboard eggs.  They even came with a package of chalk.
Decorating Easter eggs wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
I used colored pencils instead.  Along with a bit of tatting, of course.
I had a lot of fun with these though I only finished three eggs.  I guess I have some to work on for next year.
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned how many of the ornamental pear trees were blooming.  There are a few of those still pretty though most have greened to leaves now.  But the Flowering Crab Apple and Redbud trees are now in full bloom.
Decorating Easter eggs wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com

In the last week or so there was a hard freeze but it doesn’t look like it did a lot of damage.  Well, I don’t have a garden or fruit trees so I could be wrong, but there are a lot of trees and flowers still blooming.

Blooming crab apple tree and statue wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com

This is a Flowering Crab Apple tree in my daughter’s yard and it is beautiful!

The sky has been other than blue over the last week.  There have been several large wild fires in the state that created a lot of smokey skies and caused ash to fall miles from the fires.  The fires are very hard to contain when the wind is blowing 40+ miles an hour.
Smoky sunset wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
A smokey sunset seen from where I work in Wichita.  I missed being outside when all the ash was falling.
We finally got a little moisture Easter Sunday.  In the form of a beautiful snow fall.
Easter morning snow wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
The view from the bedroom window about 8:00 a.m. Easter morning.
Easter morning snow and blue sky wandasknottythoughts.blogspot.com
This was about an hour later.  Check out that blue, blue sky!
It was a perfect snow.  The roads were clear, the snow only lasted for the day and it was perfect for making snow balls. It did mean that the grandchildren had their egg hunt in the house, but they didn’t seem to mind too much.
This Friday, April 1st, is International Tatting Day.  The two ladies I get together to tat with, my sister, and I are planning to be at the Montana Mike’s Steak House in McPherson for lunch.  We’ll have our tatting and chocolate out and I know we’ll be having a great time.  If there is anyone in the neighborhood that would like to join us there you would be quite welcome!  We plan on getting there about 11:30 a.m. and taking a long lunch.
What are your plans for ITD?
“If an egg is broken by an outside source, life ends.
If an egg is broken by an inside force, then life begins.
Great things happen from the inside.”