Tag: clover

Playing in Clover

It’s March, that time of year I see hints of spring and green things. It makes me think of Leprechauns and clovers. I’ve had shades of green on my shuttles for several weeks now, making clovers.

Clovers on wandasknottythoughts
Playing with clovers

I’ve been having fun making these clovers. I haven’t quite decided what I’m going to do with them, which is why they still have their tails. I might need them to sew them down to something.

Clovers on clips on wandasknottythoughts
Clovers on paperclips

I put some clovers on paperclips. I think I like them like this, but I’m not sure enough to cut off their tails.

A field of clovers on wandasknottythoughts
A field of clovers

I’ve made clovers in several shades of green. I think they look good in both, though I’m partial to the brighter shade.

Clover lapel pin on wandasknottythoughts
Clover lapel pin

I even made a clover lapel pin using a large, springless safety pin. I received some very nice compliments on it at church Sunday. I’m very happy with how it turned out.

Clover colors on wandasknottythoughts
Clover colors

The clovers are all in Lizbeth thread: the lapel pin in size 3 #684, Leaf Green Med; the paper clips in size 20 # 676, Leaf Green Dk; and the loose clovers in size 20 #713, Kelly Green.

I made a few clovers a couple of years ago from the same pattern, including a pair of earrings. Maybe I need another pair in a different shade of green. Here’s my pattern for them if you are interested. They don’t take long to make.

Simple clover pattern on wandasknottythoughts
Simple clover pattern

Having green on my shuttles for clovers and bookmarks was one of the reasons the doily I’ve been playing with was in green. I like how it looks without the button in the center.

Two green doilies on wandasknottythoughts
Two green doilies

The centers definitely change the look of the doily. I also changed the outside round stitch count to have it lay flatter. I’m liking this doily!

“To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee, One clover, and a bee, And revery. The revery alone will do, If bees are few.” Emily Dickinson

A Touch of Green

Can you believe we are halfway through March already? The temperatures are mild, the grass is green, and some trees have leaf buds, ready to open and welcome spring.

I’ve done a little tatting in green also.

Clovers in metallic green on wandasknottythoughts
Clovers in metallic green

In my last thread order, I bought Liz Metallic #343 Christmas Green. I thought this was an opportunity to try it out. I’ll add a safety pin or something to these so they can be worn on St. Patrick’s Day this week. All you need to celebrate is just a touch of green, right?

Something I noticed using this green was the color came off on my hands. Maybe I didn’t notice the other colors of Liz Metallic I’ve used recently because they are a lot paler, the color not as deep. You can see the green left a trail of color on my finger.

Leaving a trail on my finger on wandasknottythoughts
Leaving a trail on my finger

A week or so ago I emptied a shuttle of Lizbeth Twirlz #404 Mermaid Lagoon. There aren’t that many Twirlz colors, so it wasn’t hard to know what the thread was for once. I was rushed when finishing these earrings as I wanted to wear them and we needed to leave. I got a bit sloppy sewing in the ends, which is why the tails show a bit.

11 Clover earrings on wandasknottythoughts
Twirlz Clover earrings

I’m happy enough with the earrings that I’m wearing them anyway. There was just enough thread on the shuttle to get these two clovers done. How lucky is that?

I’ve been seeing a lot of Easter-themed tatting recently, mostly Easter eggs. The eggs I’ve seen are very inspiring, but I don’t know that I’ll get much done in that regard. Other than around buttons like I’ve done recently here and here. But it isn’t Easter for another couple of weeks, so, who knows?

Are you tatting anything for March or the Easter season? 

One rainy day in the spring  
A tatter made ring after ring  
The thread 'round her finger  
She found it to linger  
A colorful mark from the string

For the lady who asked for the pattern.

10 Point Coaster Revisited

Last week I shared a small 10-point coaster. The problem with it is it was made with 10 individual motifs, which means a lot of hiding ends. If I did this again I really wanted it in one pass. I did some thinking on it, and I came up with a way.

10 point coaster path on wandasknottythoughts
Path of 10 point coaster stitches

When I started making this I was doodling, then when I put them together I was putting multiple doodles together, and the doodle started at the top clover. This is why they are individual motifs instead of one pass to make the coaster. Why I didn’t stop and think of a better way at the time is unknown. Okay, I just wasn’t thinking it through, just tatting.

But I have tried another way that adds a couple of chains but still leaves the coaster with the same feel.

New path for the 10 point coaster on wandasknottythoughts
New path for the 10 point coaster

When I start with the bottom clover, go up and back down I can chain over to the next bottom clover. This makes the coaster in one pass, with minimal change in the overall design. I suppose I could have used a split ring to go from one clover to the other, but this is simple and only changes the look slightly.

10 point coaster improvement on wandasknottythoughts
10 point coaster improvement

I started the second coaster with two colors to see how I was using the two shuttles. I like how this looks. In the two colors it really brings out the center, doesn’t it?

I didn’t quite get the second coaster finished by post time, but it won’t take long. I’m much happier with doing it in one pass. The two colors look pretty good, too.

“Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.” Keri Russell