Preparing for class and more hand dyed

The students at my beginning tatting class will receive kits with Lizbeth thread size 10, practice thread in size 3, tatting shuttles, crochet hook, beads, and a few other goodies. The class will take place on 4 consecutive Saturday mornings at Discovery World museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, beginning February 12. More information about the class is here.

I tatted a couple of Lacy Treasure pendants in some colors that the students will get in their kits - Lizbeth Spring Garden, or Lizbeth Wildflower Garden. But, they will need to practice the basics for a while before they will have the skills needed to complete the pendant. Shuttle tatting has a learning curve that starts out with the most difficulty at the start, then gets easier and more fun.

I also fooled around with another color combo in my hand dyed thread, called Peaches 'n Onions. The title was inspired by the movie, Holes, and the colors do sort of look like red onions with peaches. I used some color from the Olde Rose batch, which I made a few more skeins of. This batch turned out with more brown in it - not intentionally - I opened a new jar of dye and the color was just more brown even though it was supposed to be the same as the rose shade I'd used before. But I still like how the skeins turned out.

I paint my hand dyed thread with a brush, myself, and wind all the skeins by hand, so it is something special, unique, and in limited supply. Other quality hand dyers include LadyShuttleMaker, Tatskool, Dr. Von Threadmore (Krystledawn), and Heather's Designs.

How to tat - the 2nd half of the double stitch

Let the shuttle thread hang down.  Shuttle goes over the thread on left hand...

...over the thread...

...when the shuttle has passed over the thread, come back under that thread...

...back under the left hand thread, and through...

...the loop from the hanging shuttle thread.

Almost done - now comes the flip...

Make the flip happen by relaxing the tension on your left hand (bring your fingers down, slightly closing left hand)...

...and pull the shuttle thread tight - to the right. There is the 2nd half! Bring your fingers back up on your left hand to tighten the tension. Keep the shuttle thread tight. See how the shuttle thread is the core over which the stitch slides.

The completed double stitch.

These photos are my attempt to show the classic method of shuttle tatting. In actuality, I hold my shuttle in a slightly different manner, but the manipulation of the thread is just the same. I've shown the 1st half of the double stitch on a previous post; to see the 1st half click here.

Olde Rose

I thought about calling this batch "Shabby Rose" or "Faded Rose", but decided that there is nothing "shabby" or "faded" about my hand dyed threads ;-) Actually, they're not "olde" either, but I couldn't think of a better name that was short. (I like short names for my dye batches - less to write on the tag!)

"Unfolding Heart" tatted necklace

Embellished with size 8/0 beads in the picots, a brass lock charm added at the bottom, and brass chain attached. I used size 10 Lizbeth cotton in the Victorian Red color.

It's the same as my basic Unfolding Heart pattern, I just added beads and chain to make it into a necklace.

"Unfolding Heart"

My new original pattern!
It reminds me of the way plants unfold as they grow. I think the heart looks pretty with or without the outer framing round. The pattern is for sale as a pdf in my Etsy shop.

Tatting video - "Dream" pendant with beads

This 6 minute video shows several ways of working with beads, while I am tatting my Dream pattern, as a pendant. The thread I'm using is size 10 Lizbeth which I hand dyed. The seed beads are size 8/0.

Note: the one-sided leaf bead is strung onto the thread shiny side down, in order to make the shiny side come up correctly in the finished pendant. That works for this pattern!! I don't know how to make those one-sided beads come right side up in all circumstances...sigh.

I hope you enjoy this video. Be sure to turn your speakers on, the tatting is accompanied by music from SmartSound.

Sue's Blues

Brighter than blue jean blues. The colors and the name of this batch was inspired by a many-talented friend who beads, teaches, plays flute and violin, drives a car with standard (stick shift) transmission - and loves the color blue!

Tatting classes on the calendar

Yes, I have tatting classes on the calendar at Discovery World!  Actually, at the time of this writing, I just gave my approval for the flier that was prepared, so you may not see my classes listed on the Discovery World calendar yet. But, here is a link to the flier that will be distributed.

So, I have to get those student kits ready! Only 4 days into the futuristic-sounding New Year of 2011, and already I am scrambling to catch up. I know many are waiting for the next batch of hand dyed thread - it will be "Sue's Blues", that should be dyed, dryed, and listed in a few more days.