New pattern listed: "Loopy"

Got it done! "Loopy" pattern is now listed in my Etsy shop.

Techniques used include chain, bead placed over a picot, lock join, shoelace trick, ring, using a Celtic shuttle to weave through a tatted motif.

Here's some pictures of color combos I've used this design for:

"Loopy" pattern writing is underway

 

A funny thing happened on my way to tatting a pointed collar. 

Some folks made it known that what they really, really wanted was the pattern written up for my "Loopy" set, which is difficult to explain and tricky to tat, requiring a narrow Celtic shuttle. (Needle tatters could probably easily work it but I can only write it up from the shuttle tatting perspective.)

So, I'll be finishing the pattern up maybe this week. The plan is to list it as a PDF in my Etsy shop.

Starting this collar with pearl tatting

Pearl tatting, aka double sided chain

The plan is to tat the top portion only of my fanciest necklace, and write up the pattern just for that much. Only the pointy collar top! Only that much!

Original design combining tatting and beading

Only the collar part (in dark purple in this photo) at the top, not the fancy beaded stone in the center or the rest of it. Although, the flower shapes on either side are a pattern that is already published in Marilee's Beaded Tatting Finery book as "Celtic Hexad".

So far, I've learned that when working with multiple threads, a convenient place to hide the tails is needed, and that place doesn't exist when there are core beads in the final ring!

Attempting to hide the tails ☺

So, although I love the elegant look of the beaded ring, I'll plan to go with a plain ring in the final version. If it gets that far!

Me, wearing my fanciest tatted necklace!

Rose Heart and "Roses" hand dyed thread

"Antique Rose Heart" pattern from Tat's Amore' by Martha Ess

My rose heart is missing one round of Martha Ess's pattern, but I'm happy with how it turned out. The heart measures 3 and 1/2 inches (8.9 cm) across in size 20 Lizbeth thread. I used color numbers 615, 616, 696, 630, and 608 for the center, then hand dyed green ("Celery" and "Leafy") and finished with 676 for the outside edge.

The plan is to sew it onto my white jacket, which I started decorating in 2020.

Also this week I dyed a new batch of "Roses" hand dyed thread, now listed in my Etsy shop.

Feeling better

 

The quarantine period of 10 days will soon be done, so I'm planning to re-open my Etsy shop on May 23. I'm feeling good! Definitely will be going to get the 2nd booster as soon as possible. Enough of virus.

I began tatting the "Antique Rose Heart" from the book Tat's Amore' by Martha Ess. My color choices reflect my obsession with the Peace rose. Actually I just planted a Peace rose bush in my garden 2 days ago, so we'll see if it grows. The one I had last year didn't survive the winter. I'm not the person with a green thumb... my mother had that gift of making a garden grow - but I do have a love for nature, anyway.

As I began tatting the row with the green, I realized that I had skipped a row. Well, I'm just going to continue and call it a "sport" of Martha's Antique Rose Heart, as the plant people call a spontaneous mutation of a cultivar. ☺

Here's some math for beading that I worked out through experimentation. To make a bezel around an 8mm rivoli I need 22 size 11/0 Delica beads. 24 came out too big and the rivoli fell out. 20 is too small. 

But, the problem with 22 is that results in a edge of 11 points, or divisions. That doesn't allow for an alternating pattern to come out right. Sigh!!!

Well, I will finish this set anyway. I do like the colors!

Under the weather

 

My Etsy shop is on vacation until I recover from Covid. I'm fully vaccinated, so it shouldn't be too bad for me. I felt well enough today to enjoy my tulips blooming in my yard. The photo is of my tallest tulip, which came in a bulb mix from Breck's called "Towering Perennial". 

Tatted daffodils and handknit sweater

From daffodil patterns in Christel Weidmann’s book "Ostern"

I brought out and wore my tatted corsage on Easter morning, even though the weather here today felt like more of winter cold! More about this corsage in a post from 2019:

  https://yarnplayertats.blogspot.com/2019/04/spring-corsage-in-3d-tatted-flowers.html

I'm happily wearing my tatted corsage.

The purple sweater that I began knitting in the fall of 2021 is finished! Here's some pictures of me wearing it.

This sweater pattern is "Spring Leaf" designed by Bronagh Miskelly, found in Knitting Magazine, April 2017

It has a curved bolero shape. The lace edging is knitted on.

The skirt I sewed from an old Simplicity pattern that I've made several skirts from. It's very simple with an elastic waist and has side seam pockets. I chose the fabric from Spoonflower and the designer is ruthjohanna.

 

Josephine rings and barely started time vortex

 

Josephine ring in progress, made of the same repeated half stitch.

A series of Josephine rings.

From my own "Petal Portal" pattern.

The Petal Portal pattern uses several unusual tatting techniques. It's tricky, but I really enjoy seeing the results, especially with using a multicolored or variegated thread for the little Josephine ring "petals" that seem to spill out of the pendant. I'm currently in "blue and yellow" mood but there are endless color possibilities!

The earrings from the "Petal Portal" pattern add the Daisy Picot technique.

I have started another pair since I really like them!

This is as far as I've got with my version of a "Time Vortex Manipulator". ☺

I like how the tatting fits around the lightbulb and the 2 layers. There will need to be a 3rd layer, which will form the actual bracelet. I'm still thinking about the design possibilities for that. The dark tatting in the photo should be able to turn freely, not joined to either the top or bottom. So, one can pretend to change time either backward or forward by turning the middle motif. 

The lightbulb will be activated by completing the circuit (of special conductive thread which will be sewn through the lace) with a snap closure and battery. So you can pretend to jump instantly to another period in time. Of course, that's the plan! The "change time" notion is only make-believe, but the lighting up part is intended to be real! 

Found! Collar from Priscilla No. 2

 

Many years ago (in the 20th century) I tatted this collar from a vintage pattern found in a reprint of Priscilla Tatting Book No. 2. The book I still have is from the Dover Needlework Series; the title on the cover is "Tatting Patterns" Julia E. Sanders.

I used size 10 DMC Cordonnet Special to make it, and followed the directions in the pattern exactly as given (or as best as I could understand them at the time). 

My collar is not as curved in a circular shape as the picture of the model shown in the book. The only blocking I did with it when finished was to lay it out nicely and steam it. The photos in this post have been taken just as it was found stashed away several years in a box. (I'd forgotten where I had put it!)

Here is the collar worn over a sweater and tied in front with a ribbon. 

By the way, the earrings in the picture are from an original pattern by Elena Kozinenko and her patterns are for sale in her Etsy shop FairyLaceAndMore.

Tatting blogger Frivole has been working on improving this pattern. Follow her progress at Le Blog de Frivole.

Thinking about tatting a Time Vortex Manipulator

 

This "Sewing Circuits" kit from BrownDogGadgets.com has been in my possession for almost 3 years. It's really just a middle school level kids fun thing, so I really should stop feeling intimidated by the whole concept of making something electrical. Electrical!!! Oh yikes, it's just a small battery to light up a tiny light bulb with a circuit made of special conductive thread. 

So, with the Dalek finished, I began to think about other cool objects found in the stories from the Doctor Who series. The Time Vortex Manipulator (from the 11th Doctor, I think) is worn as a bracelet, so I may be able to do that. The actual prop looks like leather, but a tatted lace one would be elegant and it seems that it could be made to light up.

In spite of whatever else goes on, Spring still comes! Here are some crocuses found blooming in my yard today!

Another pair of "Loopy" earrings finished. I used a narrow Celtic shuttle to tat the rings around the previous tatted elements. It's one of those things I've been doing by "winging it", aka tatting intuitively, but each time I do, I get closer to understanding the mechanics enough to be able to tell someone else how it's done. So, perhaps another pattern soon.

"Loopy" earrings

Blue and yellow because Ukraine :'(

My free tatting pattern for a Dalek

 

Tatted Dalek

(In Dalek voice) 

"No more procrastinate? EX - PLAIN!!!"

Both the PDF pattern and the video demo are done!!!

Here's the link to the free PDF pattern https://www.keepandshare.com/doc/8270760/dalek-pdf-1-1-meg?da=y

And here's my YouTube demo https://youtu.be/JqBr9ug6xh0      

@marileerockley Tatting a Dalek, my design. Longer demo is on YouTube. #shuttletatting #DrWhoCraft #tatting #crafttok ♬ Dr. Who Theme Song - Mount-Royal Orchestra

Dalek or maybe a lighthouse

Someone mentioned to me that by leaving off the appendages the Dalek design would make a nice lighthouse. Brilliant! At this point in time I really would prefer a lovely lighthouse to a wicked enemy from outer space anyway. 

I still need to tat one more Dalek to get some in-progress photos and then I will post my free pattern as a PDF. I'm not going to put a lot of work in, it's just for fun!

New hand dyed thread in my Etsy shop this week is "Bright Greens". I also tried to dye a blue and yellow thread but since in the dye method I use the thread is wet while the dye is painted on, there is unavoidably some blending of the 2 colors into green where they meet. I did try leaving white space but the white disappeared very quickly. The result has been named "Sky and Field".

Stonehill Wine and Dalek progress

New batch of "Stonehill Wine" is dyed and listed in my Etsy shop today. Funny thing about this dye batch (which I have made before with the same results) is the grayish green part looks really olive green when painted on, but turns gray when rinsed and dry. One of the mysteries of hand dyeing!

Hand dyeing in progress

My new tatted Dalek (inspired by Doctor Who) isn't yet finished, but I want to show that I've made some progress. Only the "dome" on top with the eye stalk and communication indicators need to be added. So far it looks like an improvement over my first attempt (the brown Dalek) from 2017. Writing up the pattern is still on the "to do" list! Be forewarned it's a tricky tat. Daleks always cause trouble! ☺

2017 Dalek on left, 2022 Dalek (unfinished) on right.