The maple leaf pattern is done!

Small Maple Leaf! 

My original tatting design, and the PDF pattern is now listed for sale in my Etsy shop. Instructions are included for both beaded and non-beaded versions.

Cute for earrings, but could also be a pendant, or motifs for scrap-booking, sewing on clothing or quilts, you name it.

I spent many hours experimenting and adjusting the stitch counts to come up with this finished design.

Knitty Gritty dye batch

 

Autumn colors in thread.

I was also hoping to have the small beaded maple leaf pattern done by now, but it's not. I am still tweaking the stitch counts. Not shooting for perfect, of course, only stunning...ah well, cute, at least :)

"Newcastle" necklace in earthy colors

The exciting news is that I tatted while proofreading this pattern in my new book, "Tatted Jewelry" which is in progress. The DRG Publishing people have been so very nice! I'm totally impressed with the work they have done so far. (The book is scheduled to be published November 18 of this year.) I'm thrilled to bits that my book will be the 2nd tatting book that they sell in their Annie's Attic catalog - the first is "Learn to Tat" by Janette Baker. Such an honor!

Some folks may be happy to know that this particular pattern uses only one shuttle and ball thread. The model I sent for the book is in black and dull olive, with a gear at the bottom (to look "steampunk", sort of). The one pictured here seems to give a "back to nature" impression. Funny how changing colors and details can make a design look very different.

Well, I need to dye some more of the thread I used on the border, which is from the "Knitty Gritty" colorway and looks so appropriate for autumn. I'll get to work on that now - and my small Maple Leaf  pattern, too.

Stuff I did this week

 

• I worked on writing up new leaf patterns, but nothing is finished yet.
• I dyed some "Sugar Maple" thread. 
• I went to the Wisconsin State Fair and looked at the craft exhibits, but there wasn't any tatting. (No, I can't enter my own tatting, since I'm considered a "professional crafter" it would be against the rules.)

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Did I mention that I met "Lamb Chop"?

Yes, you read that right - the legendary TV star puppet Lamb Chop!!!!!!! And Mally Lewis, the daughter of Shari Lewis! 

I saw them at a live performance at the fair. It was really exciting for me because I've been a fan of the Shari Lewis TV shows for as long as I can remember, and my kids grew up watching Lamb Chop's Play Along.

And look, I got my picture taken with Lamb Chop and Mally Lewis!

More new leaves

It's so much fun exploring leaf shapes!

Earrings in spite of summer heat

These are not a perfect maple leaf shape, but I think they're cute. Leaves come in so many shapes anyway.

So far no progress on the purple and silver necklace from 2 posts ago. I need to feel "in the zone" for ideas to come, and the summer heat has drained nearly all of "the zone" out of me! I did manage to finish a pair of earrings to match the "Duchess" necklace that is in my Etsy shop. I had to use size 10 thread since I didn't have any size 20 in those hand dyed colors. Usually I like size 20 for earrings. Anyway, I do like the color combination of the thread and beads.