Tag: coaster

Coaster and Buttons

The two color 10 point coaster is finished.

Two color 10 point coaster done on wandasknottythoughts
Two-color 10 point coaster done

I like how this turned out! I also like how it was done in one pass. Much improved from the original.

When I finished the coaster I needed to empty a few shuttles of leftover thread. I’m not sure what the color is so I couldn’t get more thread for a chain thread or anything other than a small project. I pulled some thread off of the shuttle for the chain thread, which limited the size of whatever I finally made. I’ve been seeing a lot of decorated buttons on the Facebook page which inspired me to do a little something,

Decorated shank button on wandasknottythoughts
Decorated shank button

This came out very simple, but it didn’t take much thread. I’ve never used a shank button before and I didn’t do a great job on it. I know I’ve seen instructions on how to join to a shank button somewhere online but I didn’t take the time to look it over, I just gave it a try.

Speaking of buttons, when I recently visited my mother I got to go through a few of hers. I found a couple of cards with buttons that I like. I also recently got a shipment of thread from Tatting Corner, a couple of which I think will go well with one of the buttons.

A button and threads on wandasknottythoughts
A button and threads

I’m debating with myself about what I could do with this combination. What do you think?

“Every project is an opportunity to learn, to figure out problems and challenges, to invent and reinvent.” David Rockwell

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

New Coaster

I mentioned last week that I was working on another project. I did finish it, and I like the look.

10 point motif on wandasknottythoughts
10 point coaster

When I started this I was just doodling. I had the gold thread on the shuttles and started something to use it up. The first piece was less than inspiring by itself. I thought it might look good with some others, and it turned out much better than I expected. But is it a motif? A small doily? It is so small I decided to call it a coaster.

This isn’t hard to do but rather tedious. Each point is a separate piece, which means there are a lot of ends to hide. When I decided to continue I went with how I started, but I keep looking at this wondering, could I do this in one pass? I’m just not seeing it right now.

Besides thinking about how to have fewer ends there are a few other places that I am thinking I might do better a wee bit different. But do I want to make another? Hmmm, I don’t know.

I made this with Lizbeth # 699 Harvest Gold in size 20. This might look good in one of the new threads that I just got. I’ll have to think about it.

“There’s more than one way to do things. There’s always different points of views.” Tim Hudson