Ginkgo Leaf pattern is ready

The pattern for the Ginkgo Leaf is now finished, and I've listed it for sale in my Etsy Shop. The pattern has instructions for the leaf with or without beads, with many in-progress photos. I consider it an advanced level pattern, mostly because of the folded rings and the Catherine Wheel joins.

But, actually a folded ring isn't really that hard. I think if you can already tat a ring, you'll be able to learn the folded ring easily from the instructions in the pattern.

The Catherine Wheel join is a bit fiddly, but I made a video and a free PDF tutorial on that technique. I like that join for when I want a smooth, outlining curve in a design.

Show schedule and new book

My table at Discovery World last year.

In November and December, there will be 3 shows where I'll be displaying my tatted jewelry and demonstrating tatting. The first coming up is Loominosity November 3 - 6. This is a group effort, so although I will have things on display there all 4 days, I only plan to be demonstrating at that location (New Berlin, Wisconsin) on Thursday, November 3rd, until about 3:30 pm.

The following weekend, November 12 and 13, I will be at the Milwaukee Domes for the Jewelry in the Domes show. I will be at that event both days, sharing a table with the fabulous felt artist, Jan Falk.

Then, December 3 and 4, I expect to have my own booth at the Discovery World Holiday Artisan Market. So busy, busy!

My demo at Loominosity 2010

Some of my tatting in the gift shop.

And, to top it all off, my new book is coming out very soon! It's called  
Tatted Jewelry and you can see a preview at Annie's Attic. That is where you can buy the book (as soon as it's ready). I'm quite happy to have had a book published by a real publisher!
Update: Since Annie's Attic doesn't ship overseas, I'll see what I can do about getting some copies to sell from my blog or Etsy.

Free pattern! "Roundabout" earrings

This is a one shuttle tatting pattern. The design reminds me of a roundabout intersection of roads, and it's also a sort of cross. To download the PDF file, CLICK HERE.

Black Bedazzled Butterfly tatted necklace

The necklace that I've been working on is done! The pattern is from my Boutique Tatting book. I did some extra embellishing on this one, adding tatted connectors to the neck chain and making the antennae a bit more fancy, but otherwise it is just as written in the book. The thread in this model is Lizbeth size 20, the beads are Swarovski pearls sizes 4mm and 6mm, and the seed beads around the outer edge are size 11/0.

Here's a short video showing the outer chain tatting in progress, with lock joins and bead picots.



Note to experienced tatters: after trying the lock joins both ways (pulling UP through the picot, or DOWN through the picot) I decided that the up join worked best for this design element. The reason: the up join tends to make the edging turn slightly upwards, which is what I want for the front of the necklace. A detail that most people won't notice, but that is just how it is with details, we do them to please ourselves, don't we :-)

Other news: someone asked if I had thread dyed in grey to crimson like my I.D. photo. Well, at the time I didn't (the photo effect was created digitally) but, I do now! At least until it gets scooped up by Etsy shoppers!

So much guild activity!

On Monday, I not only attended the guild meeting of the Loose Bead Society, I managed to coax Sue Anna into making over an hour's drive to come too! During open beading time - well, throughout the whole meeting, actually - Sue Anna and I were both tatting, which caused quite a stir among many of the guild members, who came over to see what we were doing! I think they were surprised to see that Marilee is not the only person who tats ☺The top photo shows the black butterfly (pattern is in Boutique Tatting) that I started on Monday at the meeting, and that's how far I'd gotten by early Wednesday morning.

Then, later Wednesday morning I headed over to the mall food court where I'd heard the Embroidery Guild was gathering for Stitch in Public Day. Another super-nice group! They greeted me warmly, and let me tat with them while they worked on projects ranging from counted cross stitch to needlepoint. They seemed quite eager to have me come "stitch" with them again!

Then, I found out that there is a Crochet Guild in town, too! Still more creative people!

Anyway, this 2nd photo shows how much more I got done on the butterfly during my visit with the Embroidery Guild - while chit-chatting away!

The gloves are off...

...the rubber gloves, that is! (grin)
I had just finished a grand slam of a hand dyed thread batch, when I received notice from Annie's Attic that my new book was as far as the 2nd draft stage, and would I please look it over for corrections and suggestions. So, I am still busy doing that. But, just so you know, there is more hand dyed thread and some of it...hmm..well..I sold to a fellow Wisconsin girl, and she knew exactly what the colors meant! And, of course, lots of pretty fall leaf colors, so something for everyone.