Having completed tatting enough lace leaves (despite being interrupted several times by more urgent matters) I was faced with the question of how to join them all together. One of those creator's block moments. Fortunately, I had some reject leaves left over to practice joining ideas on, which besides giving me an idea of stitch counts showed that green was not the color thread I wanted. Dark charcoal gray shows off the leaves much better! Similar to tree bark from a distance.
Friday, October 18, 2024
Progress on the leaf necklace
Monday, October 14, 2024
The Winner
The winner is "Glass Half Mindful" - please email me at yarnplayer (at) yahoo (dot) com (There wasn't a way to reach you at your blogger profile.)
It was wonderful reading all of the beautiful comments that were posted! So many acts of kindness happening, you all are making the world a better place! Thank you, Thank you!!!
By the way, I didn't include the one commenter who asked to not be included so that's why I put 1 to 31 in the number spinner instead of 32.
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Random Act of Kindness Giveaway
To be entered in this giveaway drawing, you need to do 2 things:
Leave a comment on this post, and do something nice for someone. The world needs more kindness. ♥
The prize package includes:
a rare out-of-print book Minitats by Patti Duff,
a Japanese tatting pattern book (containing diagrams and excellent photographs),
a tatted necklace and earring set (handmade by me) in my own "Loopy" pattern,
a bobbin lace bookmark (handmade by me) in a pattern by GaliciaBee,
an assortment of my own hand dyed thread!
Readers of this blog from outside of the U.S.A. are welcome to enter this giveaway - but - be aware that even though I'll mark the package as gift, sometimes customs fees may still be charged, unfortunately. (It has happened before.)
I'll chose one winner at random on Monday, October 14. Please be sure there's a way for me to contact you if you win, either a blog I.D. or an email address. And, don't forget to do something nice for someone!
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Dark Matter hand dyed thread
This "Dark Matter" thread batch was inspired while touring the Yerkes Observatory recently. Dark matter is described on the NASA science web page as a mysterious substance that "doesn’t reflect, absorb, or radiate light – at least not enough for us to detect yet."
My new hand dyed thread is only my fun attempt to give the effect of "outer space" colors. ☺ Now listed for sale in my Etsy shop.
Here's some pictures I took of the telescope and observatory building, which was built in 1897. Learn more at the Yerkes Observatory website.
Monday, August 5, 2024
The tatted leaf project in progress
Friday, July 19, 2024
Leaves from vintage pattern
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Like the Grape Earrings except Raspberry?
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Free Watermelon Tatting Pattern
Slice of watermelon tatting design by Marilee Rockley |
It's a slice of watermelon! Well, sort of, at least the best I could do for now. The pattern is a free download! Click here.
I used size 10 thread with size 11/0 Toho seed beads for my sample, which measures 2 and 3/8" (6 cm) at the widest part.
I'm working on some video demos to post on TikTok, expecting to edit them down later into YouTube shorts. The trickiest part is the green "rind" which is done in pearl tatting technique.
Let me know if anything doesn't make sense in the pattern. Or, if it looks like a different object entirely! Somehow, looking at it now, I'm thinking UFO (unidentified flying object), lol.☺
Oh well, I really was trying for watermelon.
Saturday, May 18, 2024
Split chain in shuttle tatting
Friday, May 10, 2024
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Steampunk style belt tatting pattern
The shank buttons are purely decorative and serve no practical function except to look "steampunk". Note: they really do need to be "shank" buttons for this project (not buttons with holes). There are loads of "steampunk shank buttons" offered for sale on the Internet. Please do not ask me where I bought mine - it was 10 years ago!
Saturday, April 6, 2024
Swords Into Plowshares
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Pattern and video for a menorah in tatting
Thursday, March 7, 2024
The Winner!
Thank you to everyone for your wonderful comments! It was so heartwarming to read them and to know that folks still read this blog which has been going since 2007. ♥
Saturday, March 2, 2024
Spring Giveaway!
Giveaway!
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Leap day wishing for Peace
Peace symbol in wire wrapping + tatting |
Wishing for peace everywhere to everyone. ☮
The wire frame before tatting is described on my previous post.
For the center tatting I used 2 multicolored threads plus a green thread, in the encapsulation technique (unflipped double stitches over a multiple thread core). I have a short video on that here, but for this project I kept the flowers small, only 1 "petal" each. The tiny "flowers" are Josephine rings tatted using the same half stitch repeated, along with an occasional normal ring. I used only 2 threads, normal tatting in green for the "vine" around the edge. 8 Victorian sets of 2/2 between each Josephine ring. I usually use about 9 half stitches for each ring. For the outside edge I generally used the modified soumak weave with 28 gauge wire, changing to simple coiling when the base wires overlapped. I arranged the tatted "vine" around the edge and caught it in the wire occasionally. Some 2mm beads were also included for added texture. This was quite a challenging project for me! More difficult than the usual wire-wrapped + tatting pendants that I've made before, because of the smaller spaces to work the wire into and trying to keep the symbol clear enough to be recognizable. But, I'm happy to have one done that I can wear, and to get more ideas from! |
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Sea green Victory and beginning a peace symbol
The earrings in progress |
New experiment combining tatting and wire-wrapping is in progress!
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Dragon and flower and towels and more
It was fun making this dragon bookmark designed by GaliciaBee! Her bobbin lace patterns are beginner friendly and are an excellent way to learn basic bobbin lace techniques. |
Because I still need step-by-step guidance with bobbin lace, I also purchased GaliciaBee's Dragon 1 Video Course and followed her demonstration while making my dragon. |
Wow, wow, wow!!! I love the tatted flower pattern "Broosh Karen" from FairyLace. I chose colors that remind me of springtime for my brooch. It's a challenging pattern for advanced tatters. This project certainly provides plenty of practice with using a picot gauge. |
These colorful tea towels (aka bar mops, artsy rags) were all woven from the same warp. Finished after 2 years on the loom, since I don't weave very often. |
Finished a bracelet from my own "Heart Aglow" pattern in hand dyed thread. This item has been listed for sale in my Etsy shop here. |