Dead Computer

I'll be gone for a while... My computer contracted some kind of violent, unhealable disease day before yesterday & has gone on to the world of unused electronics. So now I have to borrow Sister's when I can think of it. So if you don't hear from me in a while, I'm still alive, just gone for a while :( Hope everything goes well for all of you, & I hope to be back soon!

Two days in a ROW!!

I tatted last night for what seemed like a short time, but by the time I was finished, I'd made a whole snowflake (which is rare for me - I never get to finish what I start on the same day)!  It's another from the Vida Sunerman book. It's not as nice to tat as the others, but I think I like the end result. I won't be tatting it again in the near future though. Partly because I don't have anymore danglies that I'd like for the center, & partly because I just did not enjoy tatting the outer round. It took for.ever. for me to get done - from around 8 to almost 11 p.m.... I was waiting for the dryer to get done so I could hang up Husband's work clothes before they had a chance to wrinkle, so I got some good "alone to tat" time.

I like the angel as opposed to the sequin.... Besides I'd never use it otherwise lol Thread is Lizbeth Jellybean #20.

Here are a couple of pictures of the earrings I mentioned yesterday. No beads or sequins, just an earwire on them. I was mostly trying to empty a shuttle after the larger snowflake, but I kind of like them. They look so different done in black. Now "snowflakey" or Christmas-ee at all, I think. Sorry for the pins - I wet them & blocked them & they weren't completely dry yet.

Enjoy your day!!

Camera isn't cooperating....

I was *going* to do a post today about tatting tools. It always interests me to see the tools other people use in their crafts, especially tatting tools. I think I have a relatively small stash & number of tools, but I find that asking, alot of times, shows me something I either need or don't need. But. Since I can't get a picture of my tool bag to take in a way that you can tell it isn't just a yellow blob of stuff I won't. But feel free to show & tell what you keep in your bag. I have a few things in mine all the time, & a few I put in for special occasions. How bout you?
I *do* have a picture or two from my last couple of days' worth of tatting.

 This is a snowflake from my Vida Sunderman (hope I spelt that right!) book. It's always interesting to me to see what a simple change of color can do to an item. This is called "Trefoil Snowflake" but with black thread & pink beads it doesn't look very "snowy" does it? I made a few pairs of earrings from the leftover black thread, but haven't go pictures of them & the light isn't very good here right now. Maybe later :)

I've never added beads at my joins before, but looking at all Fox's pretty beads made me want to try it. Unfortunately, this is what happened. It's not a very clear picture, but you can see the bend can't you? That's the only #14 crochet hook I happen to have in my possession at the moment. Grr.. But I did get it straightened out a little. Enough to make do until I need enough new supplies to justify the shipping it would cost to get a new one sent to me. My hobby lobby doesn't carry them that small that don't come in a kit & I certainly won't spend $14 for one crochet hook that I only use when I'm using beads or small thread (not that often)!! So I guess I'll just have to be super careful, right?
There are a few other small things in my bag right now, but I don't have pictures of them & likely won't until they're finished. Also in my purse I've got a small star pattern that I'm working on. It's pretty much a memorized thing, & I'm making it until I empty 2 full shuttles & I'll probably move on to something else. They're a gold color I'm no particularly fond of, but I think they'd make good Christmas decorations or crazy quilt add ons. They'll definitely hit my Etsy listings when I get a suitable number. At least they're good enough to keep me busy in the truck back & forth between shows.... Ahh the horse shows....
 I think when I get bored with snowflakes & angels again I might just pick up one of my "resting" WIP's.... Maybe the blue one or the rose garden thing... Well it would have to be one of them because they're the only ones I have that aren't finished.
Back to horse shows.... I'm pretty sure I've never done as poorly as I did at the last one. I actually almost fell off & stopped in the middle of my pattern. Two things I've NEVER done in my life. Back to the drawing board before another show. Seems I've neglected to teach Horse that he can't just sling around a barrel at full speed like a lunatic - he actually runs faster around a barrel than he does between; this causes him to drop his shoulder & slam both of us into them. Yep, that hurts the shins considerably. To look at me you'd think someone beats me with a broom handle from lower knees to upper ankle. I'd forgotten how bad a metal drum feels agains the leg. Fortunately, there aren't any shows until mid Novermber so I have time to work on it. Checking up at the barrels is a must for this little pony apparently... For the sake of my mobility!! I'm also working on picking up some speed. It's not him, it's purely my nerves that make us go so slow. Does anybody have any suggestions to help with anxiety? It's never been this bad & it keeps getting worse. It isn't the horse, it's the people standing around the fence. Though I'd never tell him, it's alot to do with the fact that my Daddy is standing there watching.... He's not critical or hateful.... I guess it's just an exageration of when I was a kid & I always did a little better when he was standing there at the fence... Made me push harder I guess lol Am I a weanie? Why yes, Yes I am! But if ya'll know of any (non-medicinal) helpers with the crazy nerves, I'd appreciate it greatly!
Enjoy your day!

Has it really been over a month??

I looked last night at my posts, & couldn't believe it'd been that long since I posted!! Yeah... Sorry for those of you who read me :) I'll try to be better I promise! It's been such beautiful weather here that I've been outside more than not, & I don't like to tat outside (unless I'm waiting at a race, which I've been doing again BTW)...
Speaking of - I finally went to my first race! Yep... And we placed! We got 2nd place in the 3rd division, which makes no sense when explained to anybody that hasn't ever run divisional barrel races.. NBHA is the big one I can think of. I know other Associations do it too, but that's the one that comes to mind. Anyway. Have been to 2 since then & didn't place, but he ran alright. Still working on speed... Apparently I'm not pushing him as hard as I thought I was. Have to work on that. I'm getting old & sceery is what my sister says :)
On to tatting. Not much to show I'm afraid. Still struggling with that stupid baby bonnet. Ugh. I'll be SO glad when it'd done, & unless I owe you BIG, no more will come off my shuttles. I'd buy them before I'd make another one! Bleh!

 Here's a picture of it in progress... Bleh.. I hope it's supposed to be cupping like it is or I'll never get it blocked & I refuse to start over.

 Side view, so you can see how much it's cupping...

 Made this cross as a diversion... I needed one. It's from Traditional Tatting Patterns, & it's some of the Cebelia Fox sent me :) It was apparently meant to be worked in smaller thread than #20 because it's supposed to be a bookmark, but it's HUGE. If I ever work it again, it'll be done in either smaller thread or with four "flowers" instead of six on the long arm. It hangs out the edge of an average sized Bible, so that tells you how large a bookmark it'd be. Maybe a wall hanging instead? I'm not sure of that either, because it's so plain... Hmmmm...

 I made *this* a while back, & have been meaning to show it, but haven't. It's Yarnplayer's "Arches" doily, done in some vintage Star varigated thread I got off Ebay a while back. I loved it so much I decided to fram it & keep it for myself... Despite several "I want its"... I adore this pattern & will be doing it again eventually. But this thread just makes it make me happy :)

 Next is something out of my normal area of conversation. These two (above & below) pictures are the phots on the front of two "Star Thread" giveaway pattern sheets I recently came across in a box of yarn a relative gave me. Now... I can crochet, but I'm by no means an expert, & I don't follow the patterns well. I'd rather tat, or make rag rugs, which is a new thing I've picked up, out of old bedsheets. Anyway. If you would like one or both of these patterns for yourself or someone else, I'd be happy to send you the original that I have. I don't have a scanner so I won't be making more than one copy. Anyway. It's first come, first serve, so leave me a comment with a way to contact you & I'll do my best to get it to you. I haven't yet posted them elsewhere, but if no one wants them here, I'll add them to the crochet chat thread over at Intatters. So there you go! Let me know something - I don't need them, but I can't make myself throw them away :)

Enjoy your day! :)

Okay... A *little* progress...

So. With some *very* helpful hints from Judy over at Intatters & StephanieGrace here on Blogger, I decided to give it another go. And this was the result. I did it while Untatter was napping today, so it took me about 2 hours or so. I'm really quite proud of it. It does look somewhat "padded", & it is quite floppy, but I'm altogether positive that that is a result of my lack of practice. A smaller needle & some practice would probably help alot. I do like the fact that my end join wouldn't twist if I'd asked it to. LoL.
Now, working with the needle, I made a couple of observations. Feel free to correct me if you feel like I'm incorrect.
1. It seems to me that while shuttle tatting is a bit more compact, it would be easier to needle tat on the move. Say at the doctor's office, because when you lay your needle down, it doesn't leave a loop of thread hanging to pull & become tangled. I *hate* laying down a ring in progress because it never fails - something always gets tangled up in it, & when I go to untangle the mess, it pulls my ring close enough together to make a mess when I try to loosen it back up. I'd have to be more practiced at it so it didn't take me a year & a half to reverse my work & tie the knot, but it's something I'm thinking about. It also requires (slightly) fewer tools. I might need a needle, & scissors, but with my shuttle, I carry several tools & use them. Hmm..
2. It seems like it'd take alot more practice to be good at. I know alot of you say you learned to needle tat because you couldn't get the flip. But for me, it's SO hard to get the stitches off the needle without twisting them up in a knot! Then I have to tie the knot at the end, which for me is an ongoing challenge of how to turn it the right direction so my next chain doesn't twist. Bleh.
3. I totally see why some people think it's faster, but I don't. A practiced shuttle tatter (even myself) can tat & pull the rings closed with at least the same speed. It just takes practice I suppose. Not that I'm a pro, or awesome, or super fast (actually quite the opposite)
4. I do like the way the chains close up better. Once they're "closed", or off the needle, they're done. No fiddly sliding the stitches back & forth to keep them where you want them.
5. Maybe with more practice I'll change my mind, but all the tying knots at the end of every element seems fiddly to me. Maybe I should practice more.
6. And finally - while I do believe it is useful to know both techniques, I AM a shuttle tatter. For now anyway. Not that I'm permanently putting up the needle, or that I'm looking down my nose... Just that the shuttle is my preferred method. For now.

It's tatting, I can't deny that. And when the needle isn't stuck up in my finger, it's actually enjoyable. I plan on more practice, and I do hope I haven't offended anyone. It is truly (to me) just as complex as using a shuttle. I look at a needle just as you look at a shuttle :)
Off to haul hay for the winter :)

Why I'm a shuttle tatter!

On occasion, I'm inspired to try something different to what I normally do. This happened the other night while doing my normal reading over at Intatters. There was a post asking if anyone else is into Cro Tatting. There are links to both the post & Youtube here and here.

At the moment, I can't afford to purchase the set of CroTat hooks they sell at Handy Hands for right at $34, especially on something I"m not sure I'll even enjoy. So, I searched through all my crochet hooks & couldn't find anything that would work. I tried. So... At this point, I thought "well, at least I can brush up on my needle tatting skills until I can find a hook that'll work"....Right....

This is my needle tatting. After 3 hours of trying, this is all I got. That cute little ring on the bottom there? That's supposed to be a chain. What I didn't take a photo of was the miles of thread bits & the first joint of my index finger that looks like a pin cushion. Bleh.Maybe it isn't worth it to me because I can use my shuttles instead... Eh...
Methinks I'll just shuttle tat rings & bare thread, then crochet over it if I want them both together. I've already picked out a picture of a rings only doily I plan to try this out on. Shuttles are wound, all is right in the world again.... :) Hats off to you people who can use the needle!!!
Enjoy your day!

For once....

All my dishes are done, all the bills are paid for the week. My floors are mopped, & my bathroom is clean. All my laundry is even washed, folded, AND put away....Untatter is watching "Word World", so she doesn't have any interest in Mommy - unless I choose to bring out my tatting bag.

So I can't do that, despite having nothing else to keep my hands busy. So. I'm talking to you about the things I've been doing.

This is the beginnings of my new carry around tatting bag. It's not sewn together yet, just laid up there. It's scraps from a pair of jeans that finally gave up the ghost when I put my foot in the stirrup to get on my horse the other day... Yeah, my drawers were showing. Fortunately, I was at home & no one saw! The light part is where I made my pocket. I wanted the outside of the denim showing inside the pocket.

 This is the crochet "outside" of my bag. I'm not a good sewer, or a great crocheter, but I can muddle my way through a few basic stitches, one being the double crochet. That's what this is done in. I had this yarn laying around the house. Found it under the bed a month or so ago when I was looking for something else & have been pondering what to do with it. I honestly thought I'd either used up or given away all my yarn, but I have a bag of this stuff - it amounts to about 4 skeins! Eek! I like it though... It's a nice, soft, denimy color of blue & white, & it seems pretty strong. Survived the Untatter tug of war last night.... When I get the last piece made to cover up the inside pocket, I have a swatch made that I'm going to sew to the back outside to put maybe a pattern in. I'm thinking it needs a pretty button or something on the outside, aren't you?? :)

 This is my tatting project in the works.  Yep, it's blue too. I'm alot like Lace Lovin Librarian in that I love blue. I always have. Can't control myself, sometimes it just shows up. I'm not sure if this will be a table cloths, a runner, or just a big square doily.

 It works up in individual motifs, & since I don't know split rings or chains, I have to cut & tie them each. But I don't mind. I actually kind of enjoy finishing each one & checking it out before I move on to the next. It was meant to be worked as four of the motifs, & be around 5"x5".... But I did the four & decided I wanted to do more. The plan originally was to work until I got tired of it or until I finished that ball of thread, then decide what I wanted to do with it. It's Lizbeth, so I figure I'll be able to get more. It was a break from the Rose Garden doily, & from the snowflakes & angels. I get bored easily nowdays. I think it's this time of year - I'd rather be outside, but sometimes it's just too hot to have Untatter outside for long periods of time.

This is the pattern. It's by Cherie Wheeler, if your screen won't show that up. I've had it for ages & never even tried it. I'm glad I finally looked at it & thought "oh this will be easy enough for me" :) If anybody wants it, I can send you a link. The web address shows up on my printout. It was a free pattern. Thank goodness for those generous people who design & post!!
I've also been riding every chance I get. I'm hoping by January (when the new NBHA season starts) I'll be ready enough to join again & start racing. I've missed it so much! It's been almost 5 years since I turned a can in competition & I never really realized how much a part of me it was until I got on another good horse. I've had horses in that time - one mare I'll have until she goes to heaven; I just can't really ride her anymore, & a less than great one I'm glad is gone... Even if I did lose money when I sold her, it was worth it - but none that truly touched my heart like Chico has done. No, I didn't name him. It's a part of the registered name he had when Daddy decided we matched. My father has this way of doing things so you don't realize it until it's already done... He asked me to ride this horse as a favor to him.  A month later, the papers were transfered & he was mine - or I was his, depending on who you ask! I'd have never taken a horse from him for nothing. Haven't done that since Melody (I've had her 15 years), the mare I'll always keep.  Much less one of the quality... Well now I'm bragging. Let's just leave it at I don't deserve it, but I have a wonderful father that still looks after me even though I'm almost 26 & have a small family of my own. He is truly a blessing that I thank God for every single day. Enough mushy stuff.
I've also been searching thread online. They've discontinued my favorite (Flora), and so I've been kind of searching here & there for something else nice. I use Lizbeth, but it's kind of hit or miss in the quality I've been able to find. Even when I order from Handy Hands, some of it is just.... not right. It could very well be just my taste in thread, but I just don't care for it. I love the colors, but I just don't care for the thread. So now, I'm asking if any of you have any suggestions. What kind of thread do you favor??? :)
Enjoy your day!

Totally Tatting Unrelated

But I had to share it anyway! Last night, I took the Horse to a practice jackpot barrel race... Nothing major, not a big prize or alot of people there. But he did FANTASTIC!! I didn't enter the jackpot, I just practiced beforehand... He isn't quite speedy enough for the whole "fast" thing yet, but he does have another gear under there.... Right now I'd say we're in about... Ohhhh 4th... Now 5th will be a whole nother level that I don't think I'm quite up to yet. But ohhhh it was wonderful... People complimenting his style of turning, how easy he went through, his tempermant, & (I swear he understood because his head got bigger & he was all perky) yes, his looks. I've always thought he was gorgeous, but everybody else says he's just plain... Which is true of his color, he's bay all over (brown for you unhorsey people). One little tiny white strip around his hoof on the right front.  That's it. But ohhh I'm so happy!! They have this jackpot on 1st & 3rd Friday nights around here, & next time we go, I'm pretty sure he'll have all his gears ready to go... Woohoo!!

What I've been up to...

I haven't had much tatting time the last few days. I've been outside - it's been less than 90 degrees here for the last 3 days!!! Much as I love it, I'm afraid it means fall is coming, which is followed by.... oh.... winter... ohhh the pain... :( But. I did get a few little things done, & I'm about to start on something pretty big I think. For me anyway.

 This is the start of my Christmas stuff.... Ornaments & so on. Last year I waited until October to get started & almost didn't. I finished my last ornament on the 24th of December! So this year I thought I'd move it up a notch. None of these are blocked or starched... They're actually how I layed them as I finished them the other night when I was tatting. The star is from a scan of an old Workbasket Magazine that I don't have. See how that top angel looks a little wonky? I wonder if I can fix that with starch & pinning??

 This... Well I'm not sure what to call it, but it started out because I saw... I believe it was Gina's post about rings off of picots on another ring. I didn't do mine exactly like the video (I kind of did a lock join on both sides of the ring...), but I kind of like it. I did it in white thread because that's what I had on the shuttle in my bag at the moment, & it kind of looks like a random snowflake... I don't know that I'll make a bunch of them for CHristmas, but I'm pretty sure I'll use it for something, someday...

This... OH.... I'm not sure why, but I just absolutely adore this angel! Both of my angels in this post are from the book "15 Tiny Tatted Angels". Funny to me how mine look so different than the book. But I just love this one particular angel. I plan on tatting them all, between now & Christmas, as each one only takes me about 20 minutes to make. But isn't she just darling?
In other news - after all these years of searching for those plastic pins to use as stitch keepers, I found them. I was so excited I posted about them. And yet, the FIRST time I go to actually USE one, the stupid thing BROKE! Went to clasp it and it BROKE. As you can imagine, I am disappointed. Very. I grabbed another one from the pack & it didn't break, but at this point, I'm sure glad I didn't get rid of all my coil-less safety pins! At the rate I'm going there won't be any left. That one was broken when I went to the living room to clear up my tatting mess before Untatter got up this morning. *sigh* Live & learn...
I'm also planning on taking the Horse to a jackpot race this weekend. Finally, I know!!! I'm very excited. We may not actually run in the jackpot, but we're going down early & paying so I can ride & practice in the arena beforehand. Depending on how well he behaves, we may run, may not. For those of you that don't know, he's only left home once since he came to live at my Daddy's when he was 6 months old. He's now 4 years, 5 months old. In my defense, a horse has to be 2 before you can ride them without causing some kind of damage to their joints, ligaments, tendons, & bones. After that is another solid month of riding, then (at my house) back out to pasture to grow & mature until they're 3. Now, in Chico's case, he belonged to Daddy when he came here. Daddy rode him about 5 times & turned him back out. He's alot better than I am with horses. On his 3rd Birthday, Daddy got him out & rode him twice over the span of a month. Then one night he says "why don't you ride him, Randa?".... Being dumb & forgetting he'd only been ridden 7 times, I did it. I like "broke" horses, folks, I'm not ashamed to say it. But it was magic.... He couldn't neck rein or back or sidepass, but it was pure magic. I was in love and haven't looked back since. Yes, he's the same horse that gave me the (still somewhat) numb hand, but it was an accident & that kind of crap happens when you ride any horse... But now... Now he's a product of my abilities & I'm VERY proud of him. Barrel racing is a hard thing to learn correctly, if you don't want a horse that "blows up"... Or looses his ever lovin' mind in lamen's terms. I like to think I've done a good enough job on his foundation. Not to mention he's just a great little horse. Anyway, I know you're bored to tears at this point, so I'll just say WOOHOOO GO ME! There, I tooted my own horn :)
Enjoy your day!

Five Things.

   First. I'm going to get the angry part out of my post. Every day I read through my "follow" list, normally to no ill effect. Normally I'm in as good a mood (if not better) when I'm finished as I was when I started. Not so tonight. Tonight, I read Michelle's post. As I sit here typing this, there are literally tears in my eyes. I didn't know the man in her post, and I've never met Michelle in person. But it infuriates me that so many lives have been cut short for something so... I don't know what to call it. I'm not anti war. I'm not anti military. It just... Hurts. For him, for his family, for Michelle, and for the literally THOUSANDS of other people who have been injured - emotionally, physically, directly, & indirectly - by the goings on all those thousands of miles away. I saw a movie once, or read a book... I don't remember.... Anyway, in the "whatever", someone said "Young men fight battles that old men started, while the old men sit at home, warm in their beds, thinking they've done the world some great favor"... And it's true. An old man (or several old men in this case) started something that may never finish. How many lives is enough? I don't know what else to say. I just needed to get that off my chest. I'm sorry to those I offend, but I can't help how I feel any more than you can.

     Second. Now that I've said my piece on that. On to what I now call "Stupid Butterfly". I started trying to make this butterfly from Big Book of Tatting (yes, still on that book) as a distraction while I make the Rose Garden piece. All I can say is this is where I quit, and one of us has to be stupid, so it's the butterfly. Really, did you think I'd call myself stupid? I wish my camera would pick up the colors... It's altin basak & it's all kinds of shades of pinks & oranges & yellows... with white...

   Third. Yesterday, after my trip to the doctor (just a normal thing, nothing wrong), I went to Hobby Lobby. It's normally a 40 minute trip one way, so I don't get to go that often. I found my plastic pins! Some of you are members at Intatters, & may have seen the post by CarolIvy about her strivers, where.... I wish I could remember who was talking about her plastic pins. She wasn't the first person I'd seen that used those instead of regular or unrolled safety pins for blocks, patterns starting with chains, etc., but I'd never seen any in any store. I googled, searched, asked... Never found any. But I literally knocked them off the hook in the needlework aisle at Hobby Lobby yesterday. I also got all this stuff for right at $10!!! Not alot of people tat in my area apparently, & I got that pack of Clover Shuttles for $1.99. They didn't have a sticker, & if you're familiar with HL, you know that's how they ring things up. Every time I go they have ONE pack. I always get it, even though it's usually a different price every time. They guess. I explained on more than one occasion that I usually give around $3.50 for them, but they always mark them less. So I don't feel bad. Would you? :) I got the Aunt Lydia's to try out for my Christmas snowflakes... It was like $2 a roll, so I won't feel bad if I hate it, or if I mess up the tatting trying out sparkles - which I plan on doing this year. Also, the charms were 50% off.... So I grabbed a few to stick inside my snowflakes, or crosses, or whatever I decide.

 

   Fourth. I thought I was the ONLY person in the WORLD that was particular about my scissors!!!!Fox recently acquired a new set, and while reading the comments section, I noticed that Margaret said,..... "I hope you enjoy your sissors, mine are lovely and would not be without them, woo be tide anyone using them for anything other than thread." I get made fun of by my family & people who try to "borrow" my scissors all the time, so it makes me feel a little better to know I'm not the only one. Mine aren't Gingher, but I love them all the same.

   Fifth. This is where I am on it.... And so far, working it like an assembly line (flower center, flower, vines) seems to be the most efficient way of doing things; but I *am* getting bored. I'm also working on an edging for another shirt for Untatter. Pics of that when it's on the shirt...Someday. When this is done, I'm planning on starting up my Christmas ornaments & things of that nature for the year. I hate that I'll be starting in August, but last year I ran out of time! So wish me luck there....

Pictures....

So today I'm posting pictures. I kinda feel bad I haven't posted any in so long :) I haven't been working on much except that evil needle case that I'm temprorarily shelving until more research is completed.... Ugh...
Anyway -

 This isn't really anything big, but believe it or not I've gotten more compliments on it than anything I've ever done - I got this shirt on clearance for Untatter ($2.50) right before her birthday, & decided it was just too plain.... Had the motif laying around in the "what to do with it" box. If anybody can tell me how to rotate a darn picture, I'd love a comment about that - sometimes I just have to rotate my camera! Urgh...

 The motif.... I sewed it down on only the chains, leaving the picots loose, & used the actual motif thread to sew it down. It works pretty well that way.. .Thanks, whoever told me to do that! It's Lizbeth #20, don't remember the number, but I really like the color - teal, turquoise, or something :)

 This is three motifs in the Rose Garden Doily, from Big Book of Tatting... I think I maybe showed you one motif before, & I've since completed 2 more motifs; but you get the idea.

And this, just because I'm pretty sure I didn't post about it before, is my Pop-a-Bobbin... Cherry wood. Like alot of people over at Intatters, I had some trouble with the length of the hook, but I learned to use it. I showed it to my Daddy one day, & he said he could fix it & he so did! He didn't change the hook, he just shortened it & made the groove a little deeper & smoother with something like a dremel tool... Now I absolutely adore this shuttle.... To the point I'm considering getting another one, when Husband goes back to work. He's worked 3 days in the last 3 weeks, & I don't work out of the home. Can ya'll imagine how broke we are?? :)

Still block tatting

I also posted over at Intatters yesterday about my blocks.... I didn't get very many ideas, but I did get a few suggestions. One was to put VSP's ever so often, which will stabilize my chains.... I'm going to try that.
Also, I'm planning on trying the idea Bri from Bri's Bits - which would be the simplest, now that I think about it : make the felt inside first, then sew the tatting to that once it's done.... Very forgiving, very logical. That explains why I didn't think of it on my own! :)
Enjoy your day!

Idea in the Works... Opinions & Suggestions Most Welcome!

I've been searching on Etsy, Ebay, Artfire, & pretty much the Google Universe for a new sewing box/project bag/container for WIPs... I had in mind exactly what I wanted, but haven't been able to find it. And all of a sudden, I had *another* idea!
When you search "project bag" on Etsy, there comes up alot of patterns, fabric, & other things not really what I was wanting. But also, there are needle cases. Like little wallets of varying size & shape. Now at the moment my needles are in their original (somewhat tattered) cardboard cases in my stash box. I keep the one I'm using tucked down in a ball of inactive thread in my project bag. Not very safe, not very stable, & I have to hunt for it more than I use it. So I was perusing these little cases, thinking how neat it would be to have either one of them, or one of the hand turned, hand burned little jars also available.Then it hit me -
MAKE ONE SILLY!!! So I ho'ed & hummed around here, seeking inspiration. And now i have this idea - I want to make the outside out of block tatting, then put a piece of felt on the inside. Maybe fix a button or snap to it, but that'll come later. At the moment I want the outside done before I worry about findings, fasteners, insides, or decorations.
But I need help! Here's what I have - After making a few blocks of 6x6 stitches, I realized it would take forever to attach them. So I realized that a box of 20 rows of 20 stitches would make one side. Then another of the same side would make another. Joined together, they would be the perfect size. Problem solved. Except how on earth am I supposed to make a block that big? I tried 3 different times last night & can't get it to come up right. The chains just won't fit together like a regular, nice square block. Grr... So I was thinking I might try 4 blocks of 10x10.... But then, how on earth do I join them together? It looks wonky if I sew them together....
SO - I'm not gone off the world, I'm just working on this project. I still have the flower doily going, but this is consuming my whole brain right now.... Could ya'll please help me out?? :)
Enjoy your day!

Boredom....

Well, things are looking up! I can bend my finger & close my hand into a complete fist with only minor pain... woohoo!!
I still can't feel anythign from the middle knuckle all the way to the tip, & touching my (admittedly purplish) palm sends tingles all the way to the end of my index finger. So no tatting for Randa. And yes, I'm going NUTS! I'm stalking here, etsy, ebay, books.... Staring, wishing, blogging about it.... darn it...
So I'm bored. I'm a nail biter (ew, I know it's gross but it's just as hard to quit if not worse than smoking! It's not like you can just not buy more fingers, & you carry them everywhere you go!) and all this boredom & idle hands time has my poor fingers looking like I've been grating cheese without the cheese... Great mental picture I know, but it's honest.
And here I was all burnt out, wanting to take another break..... Like they say, you miss it more when it's really gone, huh?
Enjoy your day!

Horse Related Accident

So... Ya'll know I have horses. Or so I say from time to time :) Well, as of today I'm a hunt & peck typer, & a not at all tatter! My index finger is... well it's easiest to say it's out of comission with a pinched nerve that shoots pain all the way back to my elbow if I bend it out of the "relaxed" position. :( I hung it on the saddle horn yesterday (the part that sticks up in the front) & hyper extended the index finger to the side, if you can believe that! I thought for a while it was broken, but it didn't swell or turn blue, & I *can* bend it if I have to to almost half normal dexterity. But I can't feel anything past the knuckle & its very painful to bend it, so I can't hold the thread. Go me! Fortunately, it's on the right hand so I can still write & feed myself :)
Hopefully in a few days I'll be back to normal. If not, I'll be going crazy!! Cross your fingers for me!
And in case you were wondering, this post took around 20 minutes for me to type! :)
Enjoy your day!

Super Excited

So I officially have my first Etsy sale... WOOOHOOO! I was beginning to think it'd never happen - I listed my first item back in around mid-May & haven't sold a darn thing. I'd actually gotten pretty lazy about checking it, slacking off to every other day... But I've been kind of away from the computer for the last day or so & when I got online tonight, low & behold, I sold the very first pair of earrings I made!!!
Apparently I didn't post a picture of them here, so I'll show you one now. I'm sorry for the size, I haven't figured out how to copy & paste without using the same size. And yes, this is the same picture I used in my listing.

Happy Dance, Happy Dance, Happy Dance for ME!! =-D
Enjoy your day!

Something Awesome! A new Shuttle!!

 Okay, maybe a PAIR of new shuttles!! And they're GREAT... I got them off Ebay, & to be brutally honest, I wasn't expecting to love them. Like them, but not LOVE them. They're handmade, but for the pair they were $10.95 US, or $6.75 for one. After all these years of oogleing David Reed Smith shuttles but being sad about the price, I wasn't expecting the same quality. They're Cocobalo (spelling sorry!) wood. I'm not sure why they came one with a pick, one without, but I kinda like it that way.

 Yep, they're the same size as a Clover - pretty great, huh? They're polished smooth, but not so smooth they slide out of my hands.

 This is the one I've emptied a shuttle to use... see how thick the wood is? Not fragile at all, even at the tip of the pick. It holds a little less thread than a clover, but not enough less for me to notice. I did have to sand the tips to fit my thread. I left it a little tight, so it's a little fiddly, but with time it'll stretch out. That's why I left it tight! :) I'm thinking of ordering another pair that I can sand out for #80 thread.... I haven't tried any on this set yet, but I think I might have made the gap a little big for anything smaller than 40 or so... Haha, darn! I'll have to order another set!! =D

 Side view of both. Yeah, I know it doesn't have a hole in the post, but I don't usually use the hole anyway. I imagine if you asked they could put you one in....

For size comparison. The pick is straight on the wood one. Ohhh, I love mine. I totally recommend at least trying them out. The guy was super nice, & he really wants to make the customer happy. You can get them all the way up to 3 1/2 inches I believe, so if you like a bigger shuttle, you can get one. The link is here & it'll take you to what is going to be their home page; it isn't finished yet, but there's a link to his Ebay store. They sell parts for old saws & tools, as well as tatting shuttles. I thought it was an odd combination, but I suppose it fits. For those of you that love the look & feel of wood, but don't have mega $$$$$ to spend on them, I would SO try these out. OldTymeAntiques is the name of the Ebay store, & Jeff Erickson is the super nice man that sold me these shuttles :) Oh - & I ordered them late Friday night, & they came MONDAY! if you get any faster than that, I'd have to have a time machine :)

Strep Throat, Snuggles, & Tatting... Sort of...

So... Tuesday I had to take my little girl to the doctor - a 102 Degree (farenheit) fever for 3 days worries a parent, ya know? - & turns out, she has her first case of strep throat... 1 week before her 2nd birthday! Of course as soon as we walked in the door of the doctor's office, her fever was gone & she felt fine. But, she got some of that awesome pink medicine that all little kids love (including me) with strict orders for lots of fluids & stay in the house time for the next 10 days. Which is great for someone with a child that doesn't LOVE being outside. For those of us with babies that were practically born in the barn, it STINKS. "Outside? Outside? Mama! Outside! MAMA OUTSIDE PLEASE OUTSIDE!!" has been the standard war cry around here for the last few days. And the cherry on top?? Now *I* have a 104 degree fever & honestly, if my head fell off right at my shoulders, I wouldn't mind. Maybe hitting the floor would make the throbbing stop. Fortunately, I've been the lucky recipient of lots of little girl snuggles & "love mommy"'s the last few days.... Would be nice if she realized braiding my hair with a barbie comb doesn't help, but how could I possible say no when she's being so sweet?? :)
Now for the tatting. Yes, there has been tatting. Up until today - I can't stand to look at anything that long. I promise, I have sunglasses on right now over my glasses so I can stand to look at the computer screen. It hurts that bad. I can't even stand to put my contacts in so I don't look like I'm looking through the bottom of a bottle.... But I'm so bored I have to do *something*, & this happens to require the least movement, & I can do it laying on the couch while Untatter plays on my legs. I'm telling you, she's being strangely sweet... :)
All of these pictures were taken day before yesterday, but the work still looks the same. The work was started (some of it finished) a week or so ago.

 These are earrings.... They're supposed to be snowflakes, but to me they look more like stars... Hmm... they came from my Rebecca Jones book - I love that thing; every time I flip through it, I find something else I haven't seen before! The color is Lizbeth, but I can't remember the name. I just know it's a lovely bright turquoise/teal color.... I might change the colors, but I need to empty these shuttles first :)

 This is what came next... It was supposed to be a pendant to go with the earrings, but I'm not sure it won't be too big once finished. But I like how the motifs surrounding the center make a kind of spoke on a wheel kind of thing..... When I finish it we'll see how big it is...

 This is the bigger project I'm working on. It's "Rose Garden Doily" from Big Book of Tatting. The outer chains are supposed to be white, but I thought green might make it more interesting. It's kind of a pea green, instead of the regular leaf green, but I like it. My pink & yellow are also brighter ones, instead of a rosy mauve color  & a pastel yellow. What can I say, I like to get punched in the face with color occasionally! I wish my camera showed up my colors better!

Here's the picture from the book. It isn't a very great picture, but I basically wanted to show the original color, as opposed to what I'm going to do. Which one do you like better?
I hope ya'll noticed I'm still using sew mates & clovers.... I originally wound my Boyes for this project, but ended up changing them over because I just wasn't enjoying using them anymore. To the point I actually wasn't tatting because of how uncomfortable they were. So maybe I'm a convert. 6 years later, I'm a convert to small post shuttles. Now... I just *hate* plastic! I need something pretty! Something that I'll be able to pass on to Untatter's children & say "this is what's special about this" someday.... It's quite possible that's the reason I clung to the metal Boyes for so long before using the more comfortable shuttles.Hmm... :)
Enjoy your day!

P.S. I should edit - the earrings were finished & taken pictures of a little over a week ago. They're already in my etsy shop... But the rest is pretty accurate. Now I just have to remember to post pictures of the Arches doily - it's finished, in a frame, & I LOOOOOVVVVEEEE it!!! I'm keeping it for myself buahahahahaaaa :)

Testing, Testing

So... Since apparently either my computer or blogger (I honestly have no idea which the problem is) won't allow me to comment on blogs, or to read half the ones on my follow list, I'm testing to see if I can actually post. If I can, can anybody see it??? Please comment - I'm seriously getting annoyed here... (with my computer, not with all of ya'll!)

See? I *can* still tat :)

Since blogger won't let me read about half my follow list this morning, I'm forced to post! OH, what a terrible fate!! :) So, I thought I'd post some pictures of what I've been working on while I've been lurking around here in the computer world.

 I got this pattern from Ellen Lai (I believe that would be SingTatter, but I can't get a link to work!) a couple of months ago, but haven't tried it until the other night. It only took around 20 minutes for ME to tat, so that tells you how easy it was. It's almost exclusively chains, but it's suprisingly easy & enjoyable. I think I'll keep this one for me :)

 This is the center of MPD, already sewn to the purse I had to mutilate to get it on there. I'm having an issue with teal colored fuzz coming through into the thread as I sew it on, so I'm not sure if I want to continue with this project. It's laying on my counter "marinating" until I decide.

 The whole thing, not sewn on yet, just looking sad....

 THIS I am proud of. More proud of than just about anything I've done lately. It's YarnPlayer's "Arches" doily. It's so far pretty simple, but what I'm proud of is the size. I'm working it in some vintage #80 Star varigated thread. I love the purples. I have NO idea where I came up with all this thread. Probably Ebay when I bought something else. It usually comes with shuttles, so I imagine it came with my antique metal Boye...I have 2 1/2 balls of this color, some pink, & a whole ball of blue varigated that I can't come up with anything to use for. But I LOVE how it's working up! I've never been successful with DMC #80; maybe it's the thread, but most likely, it's that my tatting skills have improved since my last attempt at smallish thread.... It's been a couple of years so....

 Oh, how I'm going to miss this when its gone.... I love this thread, but it's Flora #20 so it won't be around forever :( This is a bobby pin flower. But I'm kinda burnt out.. So Hmm...

Do you think this looks like a pentagram?? I don't. But sometimes my eyes don't pic up shapes the way other people's do. My sister does. It's supposed to be a snowflake, but even I don't really see that. But I do like it. It's what Ive got going in my purse right now. I'll probably make earrings or something out of it, if I can figure out how to get that top ring to sit right :) It's Lizbeth #20. I think when I empty the shuttle I'll try it in some of my #80... oooo I'm feeling brave!
Ya'll have to understand I've had about 8 colors of DMC 80 ever since I figured out how to flip my stitches right. I always wanted to use it, but it #1 wouldn't tat well for me. I'm sure it was my technique. & #2, I would either break it trying to pull a ring closed, or break it trying to retro tat. I haven't tried to open a ring with it lately, but we shall see :) I truly hope my "skills" have just improved enough to let me use smaller threads.... I do love how truly "lacey" they look.
Enjoy your day!

So...

No pictures today... Just a post to let ya'll know (all 4 of you:) That I'm still here.
You know I finished MPD, & you know I was planning on adding it to a rather plain purse I got for almost nothing....... But it's still on the blocking board. I've managed to rip the seams out of the inside of the purse, but I just haven't made myself take the time to measure out the center & start sewing it on. I'm seriously burnt out on that doily & just can't stand to look at it right now. But I will finish it eventually! I will!
I'm still making flowers for bobby pins, but I'm pretty burnt out on them too. I still haven't sold one. They've been relegated to the bag in my purse for now, & today I plan on changing that out, too. I did sell a necklace I'd made, but it wasn't online - it was to a woman at a gas station here in town. She bought the one I made for Sister, right off her neck! So now I have to break out the black thread & beads & made Sister another one, just like the old one, only better because I've learned a few tricks since then...Good for her I guess :)
Does anybody have the book "Traditional Tatting Patterns"?? It's edited by Rita Weiss. I've done a couple of things from this book, no problemo. But I got it in my head I wanted to tat "Tatted Trio" on page 36. If you have this book please comment, please I'm begging. Or if you know somebody that's done this doily or if  you even have any advice for me! I picked the large one, because it has 2 star flower things in it instead of just the one. The directions are the same as the small one until you get to the eleventh round - not that I made it that far. I've made it to the 3rd round & the stupid thing just will NOT lay right. I wouldn't call it "cupping", so much as I'd call it a smushed mess! I've adjusted picots, stitch count, tension, number of chains.... I've blocked it, wet & dry, starched it, screamed at it, thrown it away & started over, threw it against the wall (to the detriment of my poor broken tipped sew mate....)
But I just can not get it to lay straight like it should! Help! I really want to make this doily. Really I do. But at this point, the 3 rounds finished are on the blocking board, & I've moved on to something else. Something that's probably just as bad an idea. When Untatter goes down for her nap, I'll be starting YarnPlayer's Arches doily. In some very vintage Star thread, in size 80 varigated purple. I'm not even totally sure where I came up with this thread, but I have 2 1/2 balls of it.... I've never done anything this big in 80.... nothing bigger than justa minor doodle... Wish me luck! And help! :)
Also - if anyone knows how I could come into posession of one of those darling tatting presses that seem to be floating around it would be much appreciated if you'd let me know. My "i want" button has been lighting up alot here lately, & mostly to do with those. I hear there's a pattern to make my own, but if any of you had seen my actual sewing abilities, you would laugh at that suggestion!
Enjoy your day

Finally

Look at this mess - & yeah, there's a ball of 80 DMC vintage & my metal Boye in there..Do you know what this means????? It means I have free time! It means Mom's Pink Doily is DONE. Finished. WOOHOOO!! :) Not that it was bad to make, just that for some reason it wouldn't come together for ME lol

I know you can't see it very well on my blocking board, but it's there. It's done, it's drying, & it's about to attach to the purse below here.

I wish I could figure out how to rotate my pictures! I couldn't get the whole bag in the picture without turning my camera. It's really a nice dark teal color, if it doesn't show up on your screen. I'm going to sew MPD to the front, if I can figure out a way to remove the liner & get it back in without totally destroying this bag. I bought it for $3 at Wal Mart on clearnance & decided I didn't like it plain. I may sell it, I may keep it. Who knows?

 This is what I did today. It's from a scan of an old WorkBasket Magazine. I don't have the magazine anymore.... Finished up it's about 2 1/2 inches long. A little long for the intended thought, which was to maybe add beads & maybe a dangly thing for an earring. Maybe a pendant? I only did green because it's called a leaf in the pattern... I usually like to do the first try at something in the intended color, by the directions. That way I know how the pattern works when I decide to change it.

Hmmmm.... Any ideas??

I'm going to fiddle with it a little more. That & I'm starting a new doily pattern from a book I have. I'll show you that later.

Enjoy your day :)