Giveaway! Hand dyed thread samples

 

Giveaway! 

To be entered for a chance to win the hand dyed thread samples shown in the photo, leave a comment on this blog post. A winner will be drawn at random on October 19. Everyone is welcome to enter. 

Please note: these are samples of varying lengths from my dye batches, 4 skeins each from sizes 10, 20, 40, and 80. The package will be marked "unsolicited gift" but some countries still charge a customs fee or import duty on gifts, just so you know.

Weaving and Sugar Maple

 

Occasionally I weave, on an 8 shaft table loom. I recently signed up for a membership in Wisconsin Handweavers and hope to eventually get to a meeting. The towels I'm currently weaving are based on a pattern found in Handwoven Magazine May 2003.

I finished hand dyeing a batch of my favorite autumn colors called "Sugar Maple" and listed them in my Etsy shop.

Back side of the "Primal" necklace.

Someone asked to see the back side of my Primal necklace, so the photo above shows the back side.

I also decided to list the green/brown Primal necklace for sale in my Etsy shop.

Autumn glory at Greenfield park in Milwaukee County

Primal pattern is done

 

Primal is one of my most difficult patterns! Well, there was a lot to write and I practiced to be able to make a "loop tatted ring" over a bead over a floating ring in progress video - but I did it! 

There are 3 links to videos in the pattern. The one for "Catherine Wheel Join" goes to my Celtic Triangle video because it is a good demo of the technique. But, I made a new video for a bead inside a floating ring as well as the loop tatted ring already mentioned. These videos are not exclusive to the pattern, so here's the links: 

Catherine Wheel Join

Bead inside ring

Loop tatted ring over a bead 

Tatting techniques used in the pattern: ring, picot, chain, join, lock join, Catherine Wheel join, floating ring, bead picot, bead placed onto a picot, bead inside a ring, split ring, bead inside a split ring, loop tatted ring over a bead, Josephine chain.

The 7 page pattern is written in English, has a photo diagram with stitch counts, and in-progress photos. For sale as an instant download PDF on Etsy in this listing.

Primal, an archaic style necklace in tatting

Work in progress on Primal pattern coming soon

In my original "Primal" pattern that I'm still preparing, there's a ring encircling a previously tatted chain. Plan for it by wrapping the thread around the chain twice before winding the shuttle. 

Wind the shuttle and then tat the ring.

The closed ring encircles the chain, giving an interesting effect. 

The "Primal" pattern will have many advanced techniques in it, so it is a real challenge! I will post again when the pattern is finished. 

Hand dyed thread "Lake Country" and a peek at a pattern in progress

 

"Lake Country" size 10

"Lake Country" hand embroidery floss

 It reminds me of a colorful autumn day next to a lake. Sort of a rainbow, but without violet.

"Primal" pattern with loop tatted ring in progress

"Primal" pattern with Catherine Wheel join in progress

The original "Primal" necklace from 2013 with a current sample started

I'd totally forgotten about my "Primal" design from this post in 2013 and just found the necklace in my stash recently. Apparently I'd called it "Primal Pods" for a while, but my plan now it to simply call it "Primal", to avoid confusion with my other pattern "Milkweed Pod".

I think one reason I never got around to writing it up is because of the "loop tatted ring"  technique used on the bottom of the necklace. It's tricky (difficult for me!) and so I figured that many people would consider it a turnoff. 

So, my solutions: 

• To practice the technique until I'm competent enough with it to do a demo 
• To include an easier option that gives a similar look with less effort

So, this is the project that I'm working on now. When the pattern is done I plan to add it to my Etsy shop.

New tatting pattern Trixie

 

My new design "Trixie" is done! I've written the pattern for this necklace and earrings set and it's now listed on Etsy as an instant download.

The inspiration for this pattern is from one of my earlier designs "Beatrice" (still available in the book Tatting with Beads Jewelry at Barnes and Noble) which was a more complex design that involved pearl tatting and Catherine Wheel joins. Both of those techniques do not exist in "Trixie", so it is an easier tat. I put in some "front side, back side" directions in the pattern but of course those are a personal choice.

So, there is my first new pattern of the year 2026! I'm happy to have done it.☺

Island Breeze

 

New hand dyed thread batch "Island Breeze" is now listed in my Etsy shop! I'm really pleased how the colors turned out, giving a happy feeling of relaxing in a tropical paradise near a beach while a cool gentle breeze whispers past.

I'm also in the process of writing up a new tatting pattern to add to my shop! It will be a necklace and earring set. Actually inspired by one of my previous designs but changed and simplified from the original, so it is really a new pattern. Hoping to finish it before the end of this month. I'm going to call it "Trixie". ☺

Cuff edging finished on jacket

 The cuff edging is finished! 

I attached the edging to the jacket that I've been decorating with tatting. 

First, I cut off the original cuffs from the sleeves, pressed over a narrow edge, machine sewed that in place, then turned and pressed again for a hem, and finished sewing again by machine. That done, I used a needle and thread to sew the edging on by hand.

The edging did not go all the way around the sleeve opening, leaving a small gap at the back, but I left that open since it's not noticeable and makes the jacket easier to put on. 

I used a pattern from the book "The Tatted Artistry of Teiko Fujito" and size 10 thread in white and light gray.

Jacket decorated with tatting by Marilee Rockley

Jacket decorated with tatting by Marilee Rockley

Sleeve edging in progress

Sleeve edging in progress, from a pattern in the book "The Tatted Artistry of Teiko Fujito". My plan is to alter the sleeves of the white jacket by removing the cuffs, adjusting the sleeve length, and then add the edgings. I plan to take new photos of the jacket when the sleeves are finished.

Jacket decorated with tatting by Marilee Rockley

My work showcased at Boundless 2026

 

My artwork 'Suspension' is now being showcased at Boundless - 2026 exhibition, organized by Exhibizone and powered by @Biafarin platform.

To learn more, please go to:

https://www.exhibizone.com/boundless2026?AW=AW127176824

What happened when the idea evolved

 

My original triangle art project wasn't happening, so I found a triangular shaped stone in my stash, which had been there so very long I didn't remember what kind of stone it was. I do remember it was not expensive, so it's probably not turquoise or agate. Just an unknown pretty stone. The photo above shows the back side of it. I made a peyote stitch bezel around it, and am actually quite pleased that it securely fits! That was a challenge in itself. Whew!

Then, I designed a tatted necklace around it. For the neckline, I began with a pearl tatting edge similar to what I did in the "Beguile" set in my "Up and Tat 'Em" book. After that, I just tried to come up with a suitable way to suspend the stone within the tatting, for which I used size 10 Lizbeth thread in dark charcoal color.

I'm very pleased with the final results, but I'm not going to show it completely finished here (worried about AI and online piracy, you know). I entitled it "Suspension" and have already submitted it to a juried art exhibition and am waiting to hear if it gets accepted. 

I estimate it took me about 30 hours to make. A lot of that time was spent thinking "what do I do now? How many double stitches to make it fit? How do I join it? Do I need to add more beads? What color and size of beads? So on and on. 

Celery but a different project already in progress

 

A new batch of "Celery" has been added to my Etsy shop. I have wrapped a sample onto a spool and I like it, though I already have another project in yellows in progress. Hmm, maybe I'll decide to add some green!☺ What, exactly, is the project? Actually, I am not sure yet but I've started with triangles from my own "Amoeba Triangle" pattern and we'll see.

"Celery" hand dyed thread

The "Celery" batch being painted with dye - the colors always look darker when wet.

By the way, one of my artworks has been featured in another exhibition!

My "Leaves of Lace Garland" has been showcased in the Earth - 2026 exhibition organized by Exhibizone distributed by Biafarin 

The "flip" of tatting slow video

 

As a response to requests to show "the flip" of shuttle tatting, here's the longer video that I put on YouTube. A short version is posted on Instagram and TikTok. 

I remember trying to figure out "the flip" from looking at pictures in a book, many years ago before the Internet existed. Frustrating, right? Well, I hope the video helps someone. Also, I hope no one minds that I show my own way of tatting as well as the more traditional slip and slide way. Everyone tats differently, but "the flip" is the same. ☺

Blue Pansy hand dyed thread

 

Blue Pansy

When I was looking through my older blog posts I noticed a beautiful hand dyed thread color that I had forgotten - so I made "Blue Pansy" this week!

I have nothing else crafty to show today. I actually had to help shovel snow a few days ago, but today the temperatures are rising and the snow is melting! Found a crocus blooming in my yard, which I take as a sign of hope for better times ahead. 

Devotion Heart demo and Starry Quin at Femina

 

Last week I uploaded a 15 minute video demo tatting the "Devotion" heart to YouTube at https://youtu.be/18d6VG-_V6Y?si=j64yNATSC4od2Kic

I also made a 1 minute short to post on Instagram and TikTok. The pink and purple heart is from size 10 Lizbeth thread in color number 174. The dark red one is Lizbeth color 701 (it's more of a magenta shade in reality than dark red).

The PDF downloadable pattern is available from my Etsy shop in this listing: https://www.etsy.com/listing/227053162/tatting-pattern-jewelry-set-devotion-pdf

Speaking of Etsy, I've moved all of my items (except downloadable patterns) off Goimagine since the website will be closing permanently March 23, 2026.  It's still possible to buy my digital patterns there for a little while (they are all the exact same patterns that I have on Etsy).

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Exciting GOOD News!

My artwork 'Starry Quin' is now being showcased at Femina - 2026 exhibition, organized by Gallerium and powered by @Biafarin platform.

To learn more, please go to:

https://www.gallerium.art/femina-2026?AW=AW127584212

Goimagine is shutting down

 

Goimagine closing announcement

The Goimagine website has announced that it is shutting down soon. No worries, I will gradually move all my listings from there into my Etsy shop, which is staying open! 

Meanwhile, I have been trying to come up with a Monstera leaf design in tatting. Nothing to show yet, but I'll keep trying :-)

Project in progress: here's a photo of my loom which I managed to get "dressed" last week. I'm doing a weaving pattern found in a May 2003 issue of Handwoven magazine (but in colors of my own choosing).

Celtic earrings

 

In an Italian tatting magazine IL Mio Chiacchierino October/November 2014 the pattern for these large elegant Celtic design earrings caught my eye, so I wanted to make a pair! 

I needed to learn how to cover a plastic ring with tatting, so searched on YouTube for a tutorial and found this good demo by BridalDYI. 

The earring being worn by me, showing the size. Although large, it is lightweight.

The magazine issue where the pattern appeared.

Google Translate came in handy for translating the Italian pattern. There is a diagram (but I think the 7 ds indicated between picots of the outer row is a mistake). I counted 5 ds on the photograph of the earrings on the model so I used 5 ds on mine and I'm pleased with the result. The thread I used is Liz Metallic size 20 in the color "Sand Dollar".

Still in a Celtic mood, I made 2 pairs of shamrock earrings and listed them in my Etsy shop. One pair in Kelly green, and one in my own hand dyed "Bright Greens". The pattern for these earrings is found on the "My Free Patterns" page of this blog (with a nod to Rozella Linden for the Celtic knot).

A fresh batch of "Brilliant Sunset" hand dyed thread is still waiting in a bin to be rinsed out, so I'm off to attend to that next. 

I hope all goes well for you today!