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!

 

I'm happy to say that my fiber art piece “Starry Quin” has been published in Artistonish magazine, December 2025 issue!

Read the free online version of the magazine here: https://www.artistonish.com/p/december2025.html 

My current method for the Vision earrings

 Since my tatting has "evolved" the reverse work directions in the original "Vision Earrings" pattern found in my book Boutique Tatting do not match what I do now. I hope these step by step pictures help.

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(Instead of joining the top ring to a jump ring while in progress I just tat the ring and add the jump ring later. I've also added one more double stitch to the top ring.)

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(I've tied the threads before tatting the final ring, and tatted over one tail in part of that ring. The tail that remains I sew under some stitches in the previous chain.)

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Vision pattern necklace and earrings sets

 

The necklaces are from my "Vision" necklace pattern which is found on the Free Patterns page of this blog. It's one of my very early patterns and recommended for experienced tatters. I recently updated it with some in-progress photos but the pattern is still difficult. What can I say? I love the design! 

The earrings pattern is also called "Vision" and is found in the "Boutique Tatting" book. 

But I have a confession to make :-O

Back in the day (early 2000s) my tatting technique was different (less sophisticated) in that I always started a split ring with shuttle 1. That resulted in the split ring "turning itself over" after it was made. I haven't done it that way for years, but back when I wrote that book I still did. 

Even worse, many of the "reverse work" instructions in the written directions for that earring pattern don't make sense to my current method of tatting. The numbers and where to join are all correct, though. The photo diagram is correct. It's a cute design, just tricky!

One each month 2025

 

Some creatives have been posting online about their projects completed in 2025, so here is my collection of one photo from each month.

January: Bobbin lace bookmark, pattern designed by Jenny Brandis.

February: Earrings in progress from "Tourmaline" hand dyed thread. (Actually, I don't remember finishing the pair, so I'll look for them!)

March: Heart Ukraine, pattern designed by FairyLaceAndMore

April: Commemorative shuttle displayed over my hand dyed thread, a happy memory from my trip to the Finger Lakes Tatting Conference for their 25th anniversary gathering.

May: Crocus in needle lace, my own design and a learning experience in trying needle lace.

June: Bag with tatted letters which accompanied me to several protest rallies. The tatting pattern for this alphabet style was designed by FairyLaceAndMore.

July: I opened an online shop on Goimagine, originally as a protest against some of Etsy's violations of their own policy guidelines, and now just enjoying having a 2nd shop with lower fees. I wish Goimagine would expand beyond the USA, maybe someday they will.

August: Shell earrings from a pattern I teach in a Craftsy class.

September: So exciting to see my own tatting displayed in Tiny Studio magazine, issue 28.

October: A lovely autumn day walking past all sorts of wild aster flowers inspired the dye batch "Asters".

November: My fiber art "Exuberance" was displayed in Artistonish magazine by Biafarin.

December: My free original pattern "One Small Candle" as a tree ornament.