Friday, October 26, 2007

Four week color forecast

Several people have expressed an interest in knowing what colors I am going to dye next -- I wonder, myself! But here is a plan that I am going to try to stick to for the next few weeks:

Coming this weekend - "Deep Ocean" blues, black, gray, white.

Next week - "Deep Reds"

Following week - "Deep Greens"

Week after - "Golden Glow" Golds, ochers, yellows. If possible I will try to do a repeat of "Tigereye" (with the browns added) at this time, or maybe the following week.

Hope this helps. I am so grateful to have found a "niche market" that enables me to make some money to help pay bills, while using a God-given talent. Tatters are wonderful patrons!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Winter Blend

Well, I finally got more hand dyed skeins into the shop.
Shelves empty?! No need to panic, I'll make more!
Color not quite right? There's always next time!
I'm dyeing as fast as I can...(don't say that in the doctor's office!)
-grin-

"Winter Blend" drying

This combo turned out more "wild" than this photo shows.I really like some of the lighter areas. I am thinking I could do a batch with just the palest blues and white and call it "Icicle"! One idea leads to another, and fortunately I have started writing down my dye "recipes" so that individual colors will be repeatable - at least in theory!

Monday, October 22, 2007

I've been tagged!

I have been tagged by Sapna

Here are the rules which you must abide by if you are tagged.
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 3 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

7 facts about myself:

1. I grew up on a dairy farm.
2. I like chocolate chip cookies! Homemade are best.
3. I learned to play the cello as an adult.
4. I enjoy going to the zoo.
5. One of my favorite flowers is the Morning Glory.
6. I like pretty tissue boxes. I pick the prettiest ones they have at the store.
7. I don't eat red beets. Yuk!

I'm going to tag: Sharon , Elizabeth , and Celtic Dream Weaver

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Earrings in brown and gold

These are a new design I came up with this week. There is only one split ring at the top, to climb out to the 2nd round. The center beads are added over picots while joining. The other beads are strung onto the thread. They are on the second shuttle, but since that shuttle is only used once, it's basically just like having them on the ball thread.

I like ending earrings with a tatted ring joined to the finding -- it gives me somewhere to hide the ends!

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Tigereye batch

The "Tigereye" batch of hand dyed thread is now in my etsy shop. I named it after a gemstone with similar coloring...browns to gold.

The earring I am working on here is another new design I thought of this past weekend. It was inspired by some large square earrings I saw a friend wearing.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Submissions for the museum display

These things are not part of the challenge!

These are just some photos of things I have made in past years that I am submitting to a lace exhibit. As you can see, I did tat a lot of white! That would help explain my madness for color...been there, done that, you know.

The heart with the calligraphy (yes, I did the calligraphy!) is from one of Elgiva Nicholls' books.


Tatting appliqued onto net. I sewed it on with invisible nylon thread. I had a lot of patience in those days! (20 or so years ago?) Probably now I would use fabric adhesive.






The collars are from patterns appearing in the Priscilla Tatting Book No. 2 or books of similar vintage.

The weaving here is incorporating tatting that was tatted onto the yarn leaving long tails that were woven in as part of the fabric. The edging was added after the piece was hemmed.

This teal and white is another example of tatting appliqued onto net. My own design. Not quite a collar, not quite a necklace, so I call it a "neckpiece". This was the forerunner to my necklace designing.


This doily is from the pattern "Noel" in the book "Floriade" by Ben Fikkert. It is only the center part of the pattern, and I added the beads.

I'll be taking these to the Lighthouse Lacers meeting on Saturday, Oct. 14 where examples of all sorts of lace will be brought to prepare a presentation for the exhibit committee. It'll be a while before I find out if any of my pieces are accepted for the exhibit, but I'll keep you posted.