Tag: cat

Cats, Hats, and Bats (and a few other things)

Tatting Corner Tat Days is officially over. It was a wonderful three days for me, meeting new people, and seeing friends from last year. Lisa did a great job of organizing all of the tatting classes, and making sure everyone had food that met special dietary requirements. Thanks, Lisa!

A few Tat Days 2023 projects on wandasknottythoughts
A few Tat Days 2023 projects

These are a few of the projects offered this year under the theme “Ghosties, Goblins, and Tatting – Oh MY!!”. The Baby Bat by Rozella Linden is the only project I finished while there. Mary Anna Robinson taught the class from the book “Things That Go ‘Tat’ in The Night”. Those that took the class also received the book, yay! Ria and I discussed several techniques while making it.

Ria and me working on the Baby Bat on wandasknottythoughts
Ria and me working on the Baby Bat

The “Halloween Cats on a Clip” class was by Mike Lyon, aka Shuttle Commander on Facebook. I did the orange on the clip with no problem and started the first cat with the size 40 black thread but had a few issues. I tat so tight I kept breaking the thread when pulling the SCMR closed. Finally, I went to a size 20 thread I had with me – and broke that thread, too. I gave up during the class but worked on it again that night and was successful with the size 20! I just have to learn to not tat so tight with these! I see lots of possibilities with these kitties! Looking forward to making more.

Working on the Sorting Hat on the way home on wandasknottythoughts
Working on the Sorting Hat on the way home

The Sorting Hat was the brainchild of Donna Pagano Denny. This was fun! I chose a bright color for it so I could see the stitches and finished it on the way home. As you can see in the picture at the top I don’t have it shaped yet. But I will!

Kristina and me working on our Sorting Hats on wandasknottythoughts
Kristina and me working on our Sorting Hats

Kristina was in the class, sitting across from me making the hat. She was so fun to talk to! I found out she is already a follower of my blog! Hi, Kristina! Looking forward to seeing you next time! She sent me a picture of her Hymnal Angel that she made for Christmas last year. She did a wonderful job!

Hymnal Angel tatted by Kristina Fry on wandasknottythoghts
Hymnal Angel tatted by Kristina Fry

Another class I took where I didn’t finish the project was “What Am I?” or “Tatted Pocket Toddler” by Carolyn Craig. This is done entirely of Split Rings with a couple of very short chains thrown in. I am enjoying this immensely! I’m looking forward to dressing my toddler when I’m finished tatting the body. FYI, if you haven’t seen Craig’s Mermaids and all the toddlers she’s done, you are missing out! They are fantastic! She’s on Facebook and a member of the Friends of Tatting Corner group.

Tatted Pocket Toddler not quite done on wandasknottythoughts
Tatted Pocket Toddler not quite done

I made a bit of a mistake on this, but it won’t make any difference, especially once she’s dressed and has hair.

The last class I took was Kaye B. Judt’s “Mini Witch”. This is so cool! Kaye (also a Friends of Tatting Corner group member) took the time to take us through the construction phase, which is the last thing to do, and which few got to (that I’m aware of). She had a table full of little dolls made like the witch in different colors and sizes and outfits. So cute! I think the only thing besides putting it together I need to do is to tat the second arm.

Mini Witch in pieces on wandasknottythoughts
Mini Witch in pieces

Yes, there are several pieces – including the one tatted arm – that are missing. Like the head, a wooden bead. I have all those pieces, ready to go when it’s time to put them together.

Tat Days was so fun! I was sad to see it end, though my hands were glad of the break. My husband and I are already talking about going next year. Of course, before then there is the cruise in November, where I’ll get to see some of my tatting friends again. And I’ll be teaching a class then!

“Friendship is the golden thread that ties the heart of all the world.” John Evelyn

Trying for a Dog

Thank you to all who made guesses as to what I had tatted, both here and on Facebook. I really can’t say what they were, just not what I was trying for.

I started with a mouse pattern. I used it to make a kitty. From there I thought, “why not a dog?” That’s what I was trying for, but so far I haven’t had much luck. I have made some cute critters but not a dog.

A few more of the critters that aren’t a dog.

Maybe a rat? on wandasknottythoughts
Maybe a rat?

I think this one looks kind of like a rat. I added the red bead to be the dog’s tongue. Looking at it now I see I should be careful which two beads I use as the eyes.

Maybe a bear? on wandasknottythoughts
Maybe a bear?

I think this one looks like a bear, a teddy bear. Obviously, the tail is wrong for a bear but I can fix that.

Rabbit on wandasknottythoughts
Rabbit

This one made me think of a bunny immediately, so I made a fluffy tail. The ears could be longer for a bunny, but I didn’t see the resemblance until farther along.

I have more ideas to try in the pursuit of a dog. But I really should be making snowflakes…

What do you think of the critters?

“Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.” Groucho Marx

Not a Cat, a..???

I’ve been making several of my Button Kitty because they are fun to make. Thanks, Marie Mccurry of West Pine Creations for sharing the kitties she made. Check out the post on my Facebook page to see them. She added beads for eyes and such cute ears!

I also have a few ideas about other things to do with the pattern. I’ve been trying a few things, which aren’t bad but I’m not sure they turn out quite like my vision.

From a cat to something else on wandasknottythoughts
From a cat to something else

I had already thought of making the ears bigger but I loved Marie’s addition of the beads for the eyes. I also thought maybe a bigger bead for the nose. I got all that. But what is it?

Then I tried again.

Another try on wandasknottythoughts
Another try

I did the beads again and the nose a bit differently. I like it, though I did goof on one of the eye placements. But again, I’m not sure it looks quite like I what I had in mind. Cute, though.

So, what do you think they look like?

“We live in the world our questions create.” David Cooperrider

Forgotten kitty

Tatted cat from The Complete Book of Tatting, Rebecca Jones, found on wandasknottythoughts
Tatted Cat © Rebecca Jones 1985
tatted by Wanda Salmans
I was visiting an aunt this week and noticed this kitty on her side table among other pictures and nick-knacks.  I had completely forgotten about making this until I saw it again.
When I saw it I was trying to remember where I had found the pattern and when I had done it.  I had to do some thinking about how old it might be before I could think of the book.  Amazingly I guessed right the first time and pulled out the right book the first try.  The pattern is found in ‘The Complete Book of Tatting’ by Rebecca Jones.  I checked the published date to give me a clue of when I might have tatted it.  My copy of the book has “reprinted 1992 & 1994”.  I’m pretty sure I tatted this about 1995 and gifted it for birthday or Christmas the same year.
I’m guessing the thread is DMC pearl cotton size 8 because, at the time, there weren’t many other threads in pretty colors that I could find.  I didn’t take a lot of time to look at it closely when I was at the aunts’ house or I could be more sure.  It is mounted on light blue material in a wooden frame without glass.  It’s almost hard to believe I made it 20 years ago!
This is a favorite aunt that I spent many hours with growing up and once I knew how to tat she was the lucky recipient of quite a bit of tatting.  In those days I didn’t take pictures or write down what I made or where it went. This is one of the reasons I started blogging, to keep track of all that!
It gives me a little warm and fuzzy feeling to see that she has kept it all these years and still has it out to enjoy.
“The ideal of calm exists in a sitting cat.”
Jules Renard
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